Dual-purpose improved conventional munitions are base-ejection (155 mm only), payload-carrying projectiles. These projectiles are fired with M577 MT fuzes and are filled with 88 dual-purpose grenades. During flight, the base of the projectile is blown off and centrlfugal force disperses the grenades radially from the projectile line of flight.
The 155-mm DPICM projectile contains two types of dual-purpose grenades (64 M42 and 24 M46). Both types are capable of penetrating more than 2.5 inches of rolled homogeneous armor. They are also capable of fragmentation for incapacitating personnel. The M577 MT fuze is preset to function over the target area and initiate the expulsion charge. The expulsion charge pushes the grenades out of the container and onto the target area. The projectile can be modified for the SR mode. The SR mode causes the round to point detonate so as to be visible to the observer and destroy the submunitions. It also may produce an airburst for high-burst registrations.