Description
U.S. H4220 Projectile Handling Device / Carrier for 155mm M454 AFAP
Item Overview
This U.S. military H4220 Projectile Handling Device is a protective carrier for the 155mm M454 Artillery-Fired Atomic Projectile, or AFAP, associated with the W48 nuclear artillery system. Its model stencil and attached Army maintenance tag identify a specialized piece of Cold War ammunition-support equipment. The H4220 represents the handling equipment developed to support this compact nuclear artillery round.
Identification and Features
The H4220 designation is directly supported by military specification MIL-H-14705. The stock number’s opening digits, 1190, identify the Federal Supply Class for Specialized Test and Handling Equipment, Nuclear Ordnance. The markings distinguish the carrier’s model, part identification, and military supply number.
- H4220: The projectile handling-device model.
- P/N 9865534: The supplied transcription of the stenciled part number. The original 1968 specification lists H4220 assembly drawing 8865534; that reference should be distinguished from the stated stencil.
- NSN 1190-00-994-9604: The stenciled National Stock Number used for military supply identification.
- HANDLING DEVICE / H4220: The nomenclature and model repeated on the attached Army maintenance tag.
Function
The H4220 provided a protective carrying structure for the projectile during handling. The original specification references left- and right-hand cover assemblies, handles, latches, hooks, and cushioning as parts of the standard design. Its acceptance requirements included a secure fit on a projectile without shifting, rotating, or scratching the projectile’s surface. These requirements show that protecting the ammunition was a central purpose of the carrier.
Documented End-Item Application
MIL-H-14705 explicitly connects the H4220 with the XM454 projectile and the separate H4224 training handling device with the XM455 training projectile. Amendment 3, dated January 29, 1982, removed the experimental “X” from both projectile designations, updating the specification to M454 and M455. This establishes the H4220’s M454 application independently of the handwritten identification sheet.
Product History
The carrier’s documented procurement history reaches back to Purchase Description PA-PD-2486, Revision C, dated May 18, 1966. MIL-H-14705 followed on May 3, 1968, superseding that purchase description and setting formal requirements for production, inspection, and preparation for delivery. Amendments followed in June 1977 and January 1982. The Defense Logistics Agency records the specification’s cancellation on December 11, 1989. Together, these records trace more than two decades of documentation for the H4220 family; they do not establish this example’s manufacture date.
Parent-Equipment History
Lawrence Livermore developed the W48 as a nuclear artillery weapon for 155mm howitzers. The laboratory’s published stockpile history lists the W48 howitzer assignment in August 1957. Production and deployment began in 1963, and the system served with U.S. Army and Marine Corps forces during the Cold War. The M454 was the associated artillery-projectile designation. Its dedicated handling equipment formed part of the support system needed alongside the ammunition itself.
Weapon-System Background
The M454/W48 belonged to the period when nuclear ammunition became available for established field-artillery calibers. The Army’s Rock Island Arsenal history identifies the M198 155mm towed howitzer as a weapon capable of firing both atomic and conventional rounds. M198 development began in 1968, with fielding beginning in 1978. This shared artillery role explains the importance of specialized equipment such as the H4220 within the wider ammunition-support system.
History of Use
The H4220 family received documented support at the component level. MIL-L-48216, dated April 19, 1973, covered modified latch assemblies for the H4220 and H4224 and included provisions for both production items and repair parts. The maintenance tag on this example preserves the Army nomenclature used to identify the carrier. The broader nuclear-artillery mission ended as the Cold War closed: President George H. W. Bush announced the withdrawal and destruction of U.S. nuclear artillery shells on September 27, 1991, and the Army dates their retirement from the M198’s role to 1992.
Condition
This example retains the identification stencils and attached Army maintenance tag described above. Please check the pictures for the general condition of the item.
Ideal For
This H4220 carrier adds a specialized support item to a Cold War ordnance collection. Its documented M454 application, military supply markings, and maintenance tag make it useful for explaining the equipment that supported nuclear artillery beyond the projectile and howitzer.
- Cold War military equipment collections.
- M454 AFAP and W48 historical displays.
- U.S. Army ammunition-handling exhibits.
- Research into military specifications and equipment identification.
Approx length 13.5", Approx width 9", Approx height 9", Approx weight 5.7lbs.
Pictures are stock images of our inventory. Unless otherwise noted, you will not be receiving the exact item shown in the pictures. The pictures are representative of the item’s general condition. The item you receive might be slightly better, or worse, condition than was shown in the pictures.
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