APDS stands for
Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot. (pronounced "saybow",
French for "
shoe".)
APDS was orginally designed as an anti-
tank or anti-armor munition. It is used today mainly in the
Phalanx Close-In Weapons Systems for ship-based
missile defense. In its smaller form 7.62mm Saboted Light Armor Penetrator is similar to the .50 caliber
BMG SLAP round (
M903) used in the US M2 heavy
machine gun.
APDS ammo is the bane of ballistic
forensics. Discarding
sabot bullets do not show any rifling characteristics. The sabot itself is what comes in contact with the barrel, and it discards from the
bullet prior to impact.