AT SGT Wpn Design Flashcards
2.2.1 - History, Ordnance , Artillery, Mortars , Delivery Systems
Define Ammunition
All the material used in discharging all types of firearms or any weapon that throws
projectiles, shot, shrapnel, bullets, cartridges
and the the means of igniting and exploding them as primers and fuzes.
Chemicals, bombs, grenades, mines and pyrotechnics are also ammunition.
What are the ingredients of Greek fire?
Naphtha, sulfur and pitch
Who first wrote the black powder composition in Europe?
Roger Bacon in 1242
What is the main component of single based propellant?
nitrocellulose is the primary ingredient
What primarily makes up the composition of double based propellant?
nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin are the primary ingredients
What primarily makes up the composition of triple based propellant?
nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin and nitroguanidine are the primary ingredients
What are some types of rifling?
- Vavassuar’s driving band (studded projectile)
- Hexagonal or Whitworth rifling (Hex barrel and projectile)
- Woolwich rifling (studded projectile)
- French rifling (studded projectile)
- Oval Bore (rounded grooves)
- Lead coated projectile
What flaws did the Henry Martini rifle suffer from?
Extraction issues due to weak cartridge cases and fowling due to black powder propellant.
What is the difference between an artillery mount and an artillery carriage?
Mount - The wheels do not contact the ground when fired. Self propelled artillery is also considered mounted
Carriage - The wheels are on the ground during firing.
What are the 2 main structures of artillery pieces? What do they provide to the ordnance?
Superstructure
* Directly support the ordnance
* Provide azimuth and elevation adjustment
* Sighting
Basic Structure
* Contact with the ground
* Transfers firing stress to the ground
Name the components that can be part of the superstructure?
- Saddle
- Cradle
- Recoil system
- Balancing gear
- Elevation gear
- Traversing gear
- Sights
What is the function of an artillery mount?
- Support during transport
- Stability during firing
- Give ordnance direction (elevation and azimuth)
- Accurate and quick laying
- Absorb recoil and return to firing position
What are the functions of an artillery cradle?
Support the ordnance and recoil system
Transfer the firing force through the trunnions
Allow vertical movement for aiming
What is the recuperator?
Part of the recoil system that returns the ordnance to it’s firing position after it has recoiled
Define obturation?
The sealing of the projectile in the barrel and breech to minimize the escape of the propelling gases.
Why was the Armstrong gun famous?
It was the first adopted breech loading gun.
What is the purpose of rifling?
To impart spin on a projectile as it travels down the bore
What where early barrels made from?
Bronze for smaller barrels and iron for larger barrels. Later cast iron.
Who is considered the inventor of artillery?
Berthold Schwartz (Black Berthold) in 1313 after he blew the lid off an iron vessel by accident.
What are 3 types of cradles?
- Trough
- Ring
- Open
What is the function of a barrel?
A vessel to contain the energetic force to propel a projectile safely and predictably
What are the 4 characteristics of a barrel?
Life
Strength
Centre of Gravity
Stiffness
What are 5 methods of barrel construction?
Wire wound
Built up
Loose liner
Composite
Mono Bloc
What are the 5 stresses on a barrel?
Girder - stiffness
Radial
Circumferential - Hoop
Longitudinal - stretch along the length
Torsion - rifling
What are 2 types of breech locks?
Interrupted screw thread
Slide block
What are 3 types of Sliding block mechanisium?
Tied jaw
Open jaw
Closed jaw
Explain how a fume extractor works?
A chamber with small apertures into the barrel pressurises as a round is fired and creates positive pressure toward the front of the barrel once the projectile has exited. When the breech is opened air is forced out the muzzle drawing out of the crew compartment.
Name 3 types of muzzle brake?
Build up
Solid forge
Swagged (single machined piece)
What are the 7 types of mortar fire?
Preparatory (bedding)
Covering
Defensive
Harassing
Counter battery
Smoke
Illumination
What are the 5 design characteristics of a mortar?
Smooth bore
No recoil mechanism
Elevation restricted to above 800mils
Muzzle loaded
No direct fire capability
Who designed the earliest time fuze?
Col Edward Mounier Boxer made the Boxer fuze.
What is indirect fire?
Fire delivered at a target which can’t be seen
Describe the 8 tasks of indirect fire.
- Suppression - Limits the ability of the target to conduct it’s role
- Neutralisation - Prevents the target from taking action
- Destruction - Render the target permanently combat ineffective
- Harassment - Disrupt the enemy by impeding movement or supply or force redeployment
- Interdiction - Depth task to isolate enemy units shaping the battlefield. Delay, disrupt or weaken the enemy.
- Illumination - Provide white or IR light over the battlefield
- Counter Battery - Retaliate against enemy indirect fire
- Coordination of fires - Increase fire effect by coordinating multiple indirect capabilities
What is windage?
A gap is required between a mortar bomb and the mortar tube to allow it to drop down the tube. This gap is know as windage.
What is a free fire rocket definition?
A tube open at one end. Fuel burns and is released out the open end with enough force to push the rocket along a flight path. The flight path can not be changed in flight.
What is an artillery basic structure composed of?
- Trails
- Saddle supports
- Articulations
- Spades
- Platforms
- Wheels and axels
- Suspension and brakes
What is the purpose of smoke ammunition?
Blind enemy observation from direct and observers of indirect fire and of our troop movement. Mark enemy for other weapon systems.
How can you extend the life of a barrel?
- Cooler burning propellants
- Barrel cooling techniques
- Bore surface finishes
He frag of the mortar bomb can be influenced by?
Body material will produce various types of shrapnel. Preformed fragmentation or scored lining.
What did the British call picric acid?
Lyddite
What are the 5 basic requirements of artillery?
- Range
- Ammunition
- Accuracy and Consistency
- Mobility
- Protection
What is the purpose of an Equilibrator?
To provide mechanical assistance to elevation
What improves the range of artillery?
Ballistic coefficient, Post firing boosts
Define the accuracy of artillery.
The measurement of precision that the MPI can be placed on target.
What was HMX originally a byproduct of?
RDX manufacture
What common service EO is PETN used in?
Det cord
State 4 variations that affect consistency?
Muzzle velocity
Ballistic coefficient
Weather
Wear, laying and ramming of the gun
Why are gun shields excluded on modern guns?
Reduce weight for mobility and air transport.
What are mortar design advantages?
- Large rate of fire in short time
- Mobility
- Lethality against troops in open
- Low velocity
- Simple and inexpensive
- Easy to operate
- Silent in flight
- Lightweight
- Easy to dig in and conceal
What are the mortar disadvantages?
- No direct attack
- Easy to locate
- High angle fire long flight time
- Limited range
- Bedding in required
What ammo natures does artillery use?
- HE
- Illumination
- Smoke
- Sub munitions
- Guided
What are HE fuzing options?
- Air Burst
- Impact
- Delay
Why is less illumination ammunition carried in modern wars?
Soldiers have NFE. Image intensifiers, Low light TV, Thermal imaging, Infra red sights.
What are design characteristics of unconventional mortars?
- Rifled bore
- Breech loading
- Low angle of fire
What are the 4 components of a mortar?
- Barrel
- Legs
- Sight
- Base plate
What are the 3 firing mechanisms?
- Electric
- Percussion
- Electric percussion
What can affect the accuracy of artillery?
- Survey of guns
- Target location accuracy
- Ammunition and instrument inaccuracy
- External conditions
What are Lands?
Raised sections of rifling
What is “Shot Start”?
The moment the projective starts to move down the barrel
CWR of mortar bomb?
over 20%
Why is safe arming in gun fuzes easier than in mortars?
Guns have higher firing forces
What is a disadvantage on using all up rounds?
Low trajectory of gun makes target behind terrain harder to hit
How is calibre measured?
Land to Land
List some early projectile types
What did Col Shrapnel design?
What is a howitzer gun?
What are the advantages of free fire rockets?
What are the disadvantages of free fire rockets?
What are the problems designers face when increasing the range on projectiles?
What are some threats to modern artillery?
Describe a ring cradle?
What is the function of an artillery gun trail?
Describe the mortar firing?
What are the types of mortar augmented charges?
