Green Ammo enhances electronic blanks technology

The Green Ammo E-blanks M249 version displayed at I/ITSEC 2023. (Giles Ebbutt)

Norwegian firm Green Ammo has continued to develop its electronic blanks technology and introduced several enhancements.

Speaking to Janes at Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) 2023 in Orlando, Steffen Botten, Green Ammo chief operating officer, said that the system software had been improved and there was now an inertial measurement unit (IMU) embedded in the bolt to monitor weapon movement. The software improvements have been made in conjunction with the Norwegian Army.

Botten said that development of the M4 version of the system was complete; the M249 version, which was on display and demonstrated at I/ITSEC, was being tested by the Norwegian Army; and work was starting on the M240 and .50 calibre heavy machine gun. The latter has an additional motor for the recoil and a sound device that operates at 130 dB. Development of the SA80 version was also complete, although it has not been adopted by the British Army.

Botten said that the New Zealand Defence Force and the French Army were also testing the system.

The Green Ammo E-blanks drop-in kit solution consists of a recoil module contained in a surrogate bolt and a butt pack, a surrogate magazine containing an electronics and power package and a sound device, and a muzzle flasher. The muzzle flash is achieved by diffusing a laser that is generated from the bolt every time the weapon is fired.