The US Army is advancing small arms technology through a partnership with Pennsylvania-based industry to develop a more durable, wear-resistant barrel for high-pressure weapon systems.
The effort, led by the DEVCOM Armaments Center, involves collaboration with Carpenter Technology and Geissele Automatics under CRADAs established in 2022. Carpenter engineered the GNB 200 high-strength alloy, while Geissele refined cold hammer forging processes to enable scalable production.
The program addressed key challenges such as corrosion, structural stress, and wear in next-generation firearms. DEVCOM contributed testing, ammunition, and oversight, while Geissele focused on production feasibility and evaluated coating technologies.
Testing conducted in the final project phase in spring 2025 showed that GNB 200 barrels installed on M240L machine gun platforms delivered markedly improved performance over conventional barrels. The collaboration also resulted in a newly patented rifle barrel profile that reduces wear and enhances firing accuracy.
Although the CRADA with Carpenter Technology has ended, the Army has renewed its partnership with Geissele for three more years to further develop barrel coatings.
CRADAs enable collaboration between government labs and private industry, allowing shared innovation in defense technologies. The Army has leveraged similar agreements across multiple programs, including a 2022 partnership with Oshkosh Defense on medium-caliber weapon integration.
Further examples include a 2025 CRADA between BAE Systems and DEVCOM to upgrade the M109 howitzer, and a 2026 agreement with Hanwha Defense USA to integrate a 58-caliber cannon into the K9 system. The Army has also partnered with SpaceLink to develop tactical communication networks supporting artillery and missile operations.
