Mr. Rene C. Kiebler

Mr. Rene Kiebler dedicated his career to advancing U.S. Army artillery and mortar capabilities, serving as a pivotal leader in munitions development, production, and fielding for over a decade. From 1998 to 2014, he held increasingly responsible positions within the Program Office for Ammunition, culminating in significant contributions to technologies that directly enhanced Warfighter effectiveness.

From 1998-2001, as Chief of the Production Division for PM Artillery Munitions Systems (ARMS), Mr. Kiebler oversaw the production and quality assurance of critical ammunition including the 155mm M795 HE projectile and the devastatingly effective 155mm SADARM projectile – a sensor-fuzed munition proven in Desert Storm. He also championed programs for MOFA, PIAFS, and the M915 DPICM projectile, and led compatibility studies for new platforms like Crusader and M777.

As Director of Program Management for PEO Ammunition (2001-2003), Mr. Kiebler managed an annual budget exceeding $2 billion, directing all aspects of ammunition development, production, and sustainment. He later served as Deputy Project Manager for the U.S. Army’s Program Manager for Combat Ammunition Systems (CAS) from 2003-2014, where his leadership was instrumental in the development and urgent fielding of the M982 Excalibur precision projectile and the Enhanced Portable Inductive Artillery Fuze Setter (EPIAFS) to support operations in Afghanistan.

Mr. Kiebler’s contributions extended to the 1.1 billion XM1156 Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) program, where his guidance enabled both an accelerated Urgent Material Release (UMR) for fielding to Afghanistan and the successful completion of the Program of Record qualification. Similarly, he provided essential leadership to the 148 million XM395 APMI program, resulting in the successful delivery of over 5,480 mortar cartridges and a significant improvement in mortar accuracy – decreasing miss distance from 75 meters to less than 10 meters. This innovation was recognized as one of the Army’s Top Ten Greatest Inventions of 2011.

Beyond these flagship programs, Mr. Kiebler contributed to the development of numerous other munitions, including the 155mm M1122 projectile and various illumination projectiles. He also spearheaded initiatives towards insensitive munitions, culminating in the development and qualification of the M795 IM projectile using the IMX-101 explosive – named one of the year’s greatest inventions by Time magazine. As the U.S. Head of Delegation to the Joint Ballistic Management Board, Mr. Kiebler ensured U.S. interests were represented in international fire support standardization efforts.