Feasibility of a Sustainer Projectile in the 30-mm, 35-mm, and 40-mm Caliber Range

Abstract

A sustainer projectile is a projectile which sustains its initial launch velocity while in flight by the use of rocket propulsion to overcome drag. The nomenclature for this type of system in the large calibers is RAP (rocket-assisted projectile). This report, then, does not deal with a new concept but addresses the feasibility of RAP's in the smaller calibers appropriate for air defense, i.e., the 30-40 mm caliber range. The nominal objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of sustainer technology reducing the time of flight to 3 s or less at 3 km. This could be achieved by a 35-mm candidate and a 40-mm candidate; however, the 30 mm is too small to support the necessary propulsion system.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1980
Accession Number
ADA090663

Entities

People

  • Denice M. Petro

Organizations

  • Ballistic Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Defense
  • Aircrafts
  • Artillery Ammunition
  • Combustion
  • Diameters
  • Equations
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Muzzle Velocity
  • Projectiles
  • Propellant Grains
  • Propellants
  • Propulsion Systems
  • Rocket Assisted Projectiles
  • Rocket Propellant Grains
  • Rocket Propellants
  • Rocket Propulsion
  • Solid Propellants

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Systems Analysis and Design