XM-736 8-inch projectile
Encyclopedia
The XM-736 8-inch projectile was a binary howitzer
round that was designed to carry the nerve agent VX
. After the suspension of the testing in 1982, models indicated the shell could be unstable in flight due to the liquid properties of VX. However, instabilities were not observed during earlier testing, and it is unknown if instabilities in the shell were ever found.
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
round that was designed to carry the nerve agent VX
VX (nerve agent)
VX, IUPAC name O-ethyl S-[2-ethyl] methylphosphonothioate, is an extremely toxic substance whose only application is in chemical warfare as a nerve agent. As a chemical weapon, it is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations in UN Resolution 687...
. After the suspension of the testing in 1982, models indicated the shell could be unstable in flight due to the liquid properties of VX. However, instabilities were not observed during earlier testing, and it is unknown if instabilities in the shell were ever found.