Solid Fuel rich Propellant Development for use in a Ramjet to Propel an Artillery Shell

This study describes the development of a fuel-rich propellant to be used in a solid fuel ramjet to provide active propulsion to a 155 mm artillery shell. Fuel-rich propellants consisting of aluminum, ammonium perchlorate and hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene were developed and their ballistic properties were measured to choose the appropriate fuel for the ramjet application. The attempts made were to enhance the burn rates of the propellant to provide required burn rates at lowest possible pressures in primary combustor of the ramjet. The propellant selection was done with reference of working time period of the base bleed unit, to calculate the required burn rate and corresponding pressure in primary combustor. It was observed that the fuel rich propellant of composition 35% ammonium perchlorate with 1 % Iron oxide embedded on it, 30 % mechanically activated aluminum with 10% polytetrafluoroethylene, and 25 % HTPB was found suitable for the above application. This provided the higher burn rates among all developed propellants with high pressure index of 0.58. This makes it suitable for the ramjet requiring higher burn rates at lower possible primary chamber pressures. The Young’s modulus and tensile strength of this propellant was measured to be 1.73 MPa and 0.24 MPa, respectively.

REAL CONDITION AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE RADAR STATIONS OF THE COUNTER BATTERY FIGHTINGV

Fighting in the Donbas, which has been going on for more than five years, shows that a skillful counter-battery fight is an important factor in achieving success in wars of this kind. Especially in conditions where for the known reasons the use of combat aviation is minimized. With the development of technical warfare, the task of servicing the counter-battery fight began to rely on radar stations (radar) to reconnaissance the positions of artillery, which in modern terms are called counter-battery radar. The principle of counter-battery radar is based on the detection of a target (artillery shell, mortar mine or rocket) in flight at an earlier stage and making several measurements of the coordinates of the current position of the ammunition. According to these data, the trajectory of the projectile's flight is calculated and, on the basis of its prolongation and extrapolation of measurements, the probable coordinates of the artillery, as well as the places of ammunition falling, are determined. In addition, the technical capabilities of radars of this class allow you to recognize the types and caliber of artillery systems, as well as to adjust the fire of your artillery. The main advantages of these radars are:  mobility (transportability);  inspection of large tracts of terrain over long distances;  the ability to obtain target's data in near real-time;  independence from time of day and weather conditions;  relatively high fighting efficiency. The purpose of the article is to determine the leading role and place of the counter-battery radar among other artillery instrumental reconnaissance tools, to compare the combat capabilities of modern counter-battery radars, armed with Ukrainian troops and some leading countries (USA, China, Russia), and are being developed and tested in Ukraine. The method of achieving this goal is a comparative analysis of the features of construction and combat capabilities of modern models of counter-battery radar in Ukraine and in other countries. As a result of the conducted analysis, the directions of further improvement of the radar armament, increasing the capabilities of existing and promising counter-battery radar samples were determined.

Glory Bound

Capt. William Henry Asbury Speer marches off to war from his beloved Yadkin River Valley a reluctant soldier who blames the Secessionists for the war. He is captured in battle, then exchanged, and rejoins the 28th regiment. Even as he fights bravely at Fredericksburg and is wounded at Chancellorsville, he campaigns hardest to keep his younger brother out of the war. He survives Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg and ten more major engagements, rising to command the regiment. He pens a dark poem predicting his on death and near Petersburg is blasted by shrapnel from an artillery shell. Friends cart his body home in a wagon for burial among his Ulster Scots and Quaker ancestors.

Trends in the integration of elements of the space radionavigation system in the means to increase the accuracy of artillery munitions

The article deals with the main issues of implementation of the main trends in the development of artillery weapons. Its increase in the efficiency of the use of artillery shell fragmentation shells by introducing the latest technological developments in the means of correction of the trajectory. The situation that occurred during the Military Operation of the Joint Forces in the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts of Ukraine in 2014 required the use of not only light weapons but also more powerful weapons, namely artillery weapons, against illegal armed groups with high spectacular capabilities, maneuverability, clear control system. The experience of fighting in the area of modern military conflicts (the civil war in Syria) confirms the urgency of using high-precision weapons, namely high-precision artillery shells, since major hostilities occur in settlements.