Large Caliber Projectile Soft Recovery
Abstract
As weapons technology advances and the weapons and projectiles become more sophisticated, more advanced experimental tools and techniques are required. Measurements made of the behavior of the projectile during launch using telemetry techniques can be very expensive unless the instrument package can be recovered and reused. Honeywell, Inc., has designed a projectile soft recovery system for the Ballistic Research Laboratory (BRL) that will accomplish this. The apparatus employs a waterscoop mounted to the projectile. The projectile is launched through a band cutter. The projectile then passes through an entrance cone assembly and into the recovery system proper, which consists of a bottom water trough and an overhead, restraining crane rail. This whole assembly is angled slightly by means of five pairs of jacks that cause the projectile to be exposed to increasing depths of water. The waterscoop projects the water forward and imparts sufficient deceleration to the projectile to stop it within the 60-metre length of the system. This system is designed to currently handle three basic projectile calibers: 105-mm, 155-mm, and 203-mm. The deceleration can be held to less than ten percent of the maximum launch acceleration, using this momentum exchange concept. The system became operational in February 1978 with the test firing of a special, controlled fragmentation warhead for the 155-mm Cannon Launched Guided Projectile (CLGP). In this report, the recovery system is described together with the telemetry and ground stations instrumentation. Representative data are presented.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA098035
Entities
People
- C. R. Ruth
- E. V. Clarke
- J. E. Bowen
- J. R. Hewitt
- J. W. Evans
Organizations
- Ballistic Research Laboratory