Australia has signed a major contract to equip its F-35A Lightning II fighter fleet with 25mm PGU-47/U APEX ammunition supplied by Norwegian-Finnish defense manufacturer Nammo.
The contract is worth AU$22.9 million (US$14.2 million) and represents the first major sale of advanced munitions specifically designed for the F-35 fifth-generation fighter jet.
The agreement was recently announced by Nordic defense company Nammo, with confirmation provided by an Australian Department of Defense spokesperson on January 15.
The ammunition was developed in collaboration with Nammo, the Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency (FMA) and the Norwegian Defense Research Institute (FFI).
These organizations have spent nearly two decades conducting research, development, and testing to ensure the readiness of ammunition for the F-35A fighter jet.
Nammo said the company has had “other sales in the past and some countries are testing or using APEX ammunition.” However, we cannot disclose additional details about those programs, probably for security reasons.
Production for Canberra is expected to begin this year, with deliveries expected to continue until 2027.
The APEX round is designed for use with the F-35A’s internal GAU-22/A quadruple rotary gun. It provides additional firepower to the aircraft and complements its already powerful suite of weapons.
An Australian Department of Defense spokesperson said the APEX round would be effective against a variety of targets and would offer a number of operational advantages, including improved warhead performance and accuracy.
The F-35A’s advanced capabilities, including precision-guided munitions and cutting-edge avionics, help the aircraft deal with most combat scenarios without relying on close-range weapons.
The aircraft is equipped with air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM, as well as Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) and laser-guided bombs.
Designed for short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL), the F-35B and Navy F-35C versions do not have internal guns. However, both can be equipped with an optional centerline gun pod with a GAU-22/A rotary cannon that can hold up to 220 rounds.
Nevertheless, the F-35A is currently the mainstay of Australia’s air combat fleet. In December 2024, Australia received its final batch of nine F-35A jets, completing its full fleet of 72 aircraft.
In addition to the F-35A, Australia’s aviation capabilities are supported by Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers.
APEX ammo
APEX ammunition provides a cutting-edge solution for modern air combat, specifically tailored for the F-35 fighter jet. This advanced projectile is designed to target a wide range of threats, from air targets to soft and armored ground targets.
APEX rounds are equipped with explosive-filled warheads that utilize a delayed onset mechanism to deliver a powerful combination of detonation, fragmentation, and incendiary effects directly inside the target. In addition, this projectile has a nose-mounted penetrator to improve penetration capabilities.
According to According to the manufacturer’s website, the PGU-47/U projectile weighs 222 grams and has an initial velocity of 970 m/s when launched from an F-35. Maximum dispersion from a single barrel is less than 0.5 mil.
In terms of penetration, it can penetrate 14 mm of steel at a 45° angle at 9,000 feet or 8 mm of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) at the same angle and altitude.
The tracer burn time is greater than 3 seconds, and the projectile is designed to operate within an operating temperature range of -62°C to +80°C. Approved for use on the F-35A.
The design of this ammunition also incorporates a dual safety fuse (FMU-171/U) to ensure safe ignition at a distance from the aircraft and delay detonation upon impact with the target.
This advanced fuze capability is a key feature that improves the APEX’s overall safety and effectiveness in combat scenarios.
What sets APEX apart from other ammunition types is that it combines armor-piercing and explosive effects in a single bullet. The tungsten carbide penetrator provides formidable armor-piercing capabilities, and the explosive warhead ensures catastrophic internal damage upon impact.
This bullet remains effective even if it hits the target at an angle, ensuring a grazing hit, unlike traditional ammunition, which must hit directly for maximum impact.
APEX is specifically designed for the F-35, but can also be used on platforms equipped with the M242 Bushmaster gun.
