Design and Analysis of a Fuze-Configurable Range Correction Device for an Artillery Projectile

The primary purpose of the low cost competent munitions (LCCM) program was to improve the effectiveness of indirect fire support from cannon artillery (D'Amico 1996). With the advances in microelectronics, sensor technology, and packaging design, the reality of a range correction device for artillery is conceivable. One of the main objectives of the range correction device concept was to contain all the mechanical and electrical components within a fuze-like envelope, while maintaining certain constraints that would allow the fuze to fit into a variety of artillery shells used by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries. Another objective of the range correction device concept was to avoid any changes within the ogive of any of the projectiles in the existing stockpile. This report is a culmination of many design iterations, numerical analyses, shock tests, and actual cannon launchings. Most of the design iterations and numerical analyses are not mentioned in this report simply because they were stepping stones that led to the final design. Structural analyses indicated that the overall prototype design was durable enough to withstand the most severe artillery cannon launching available today. The design should be capable of withstanding a 15,000 g inertial set-back load with 150,000 rad/s2 of angular acceleration. In addition, the design should be capable of deploying while the projectile has velocity of 650 m/s and is spinning at 250 cycles per second. The next step would be to fabricate and test the design in order to truly verify the integrity of the structure and to determine the overall effect of the deployed drag blades on the range of flight.Army Research Lab Aberdeen Proving Ground is the author of 'Design and Analysis of a Fuze-Configurable Range Correction Device for an Artillery Projectile' with ISBN 9781423552635 and ISBN 1423552636.