M782 Multi Option Fuze for Artillery (MOFA)

One technology making a significant impact on current battlefield operations is the M782 Multi Option Fuze for Artillery (MOFA).

The MOFA was recognized in June 2006 as one of the "Top 10 Inventions of 2005" by the U.S. Army, and according to StrategyPage.com, artillery units first started receiving MOFA in 2003.

The MOFA can be used with any 105-mm or 155-mm projectile, and is a major advancement of artillery technology because it incorporates the four basic functions for artillery fuzing and puts them all in one device. More specifically, MOFA can be:

• Set to explode on contact.
• Set in delay mode in order to do more damage to buildings.
• Set in a highly accurate mode that detonates the shell after a certain amount of time.
• Set for proximity, meaning that the round is detonated by a radar signal when it is 20-30 feet from the ground, causing a more widespread and devastating effect.

The MOFA also has an inductive fuze set feature that makes it easier to use with automated ammunition handling equipment, such as that found on the Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon. 

The multi-option capability not only provides for a wider array of fires from many systems, it also, according to Picatinny Arsenal, will limit the number of fuzes that U.S. forces will need to maintain in their inventory.