Weapon Design Flashcards
What is the difference between a carriage and a mount?
A carriage is ordnance which travels on its wheels and fires with its wheels in contact with the ground.
A mounting does not fire with its wheels in contact with the ground.
Explain the two types of mounting?
Mobile - towed with wheels removed or raised for firing.
Self propelled - Built into an open or closed tracked hull.
What are functions of a carriage or mounting?
- Provide mobility for transport
- Support ordnance and give stability
- Give ordnance direction in elevation and traverse
- provide accurate and quick laying to ordnance
- absorb recoil energy and return gun to firing position
What are the two major parts of a carriage or mounting?
The superstructure
The basic structure
What is the superstructure?
Saddle Cradle Recoil system Balancing gear Elevating gear Traversing gear Sights
Name 3 types of cradle?
Trough type
Ring type
Open structure
What is in the recoil system?
The buffer
The recuperator
What is the balancing gears job?
Tension
Compression
Stop keep the gun balanced
What does equilibrators do?
Provide mechanical assistance in the elevation and depression of the barrel
Ways elevating gears operate?
- Hand wheel operated gear train
- Remote control power driven mechanism
- electric hydraulic mechanism controlled by hand wheel
Types of elevating gears?
Worm and segment
Nut and screw
Arc and pinion
Types of traversing gears?
Nut and screw
Arc and pinion
Ransom nut and screw
Worm and segment
What does the sight do?
Provides a means of positioning of the barrel at the correct line and elevation.
Parts of the basic structure?
Trail Saddle supports Articulations Spades Platforms Wheels and axles Suspension and brakes
4 types of trails?
Bowed boxes trail
boxes trail
Split trail
Pole trail
On uneven ground 4 points of contact can only be maintained by some form of articulation what are they?
Pins
Rocking arms
Ball socket joints
Spades can be what?
Fixed
Hinged
Detached
Platforms are commonly used with what configuration?
Box trail
Functions of brakes?
To prevent movement of the equipment on firing
To enable the equipment to park on slopes
To assist man handling
Most common arty ammo?
HE
Smoke
Illuminating
Modern arty ammo?
Guided projectiles
Sub munitions
HE projectiles are designed to?
Disperse high velocity fragments
Effect is accompanied by blast
HE effective against?
Unprotected personnel
Soft skinned vehicles and installations
Arty HE fixing functions?
Airburst
Ground burst
Delay
Arty carrier payload types?
Smoke
Smoke WP
Illumination
Sub munitions
What is smoke used for?
- Blind the enemy’s observation and inhibit the use of aimed direct fire and observed indirect fire
- screen movements of troops from enemy
- marking targets for engagements by other weapon systems
Smoke advantages and disadvantages?
Advantages
-in suitable weather conditions they can blind or screen a much larger area, for a longer period of time than can be effectively neutralised by the same number of HE projectiles
Disadvantages
- wind
Why is illuminating rounds carried at a low percentage?
Image intensifiers
Low light television
Thermal imaging
Infra red sights
Explain arty range?
- Permits engagement of targets over a larger area
- Increases possibility of concentrating fire of more guns on a given target
- Position artillery beyond range of enemy indirect fire weapons
Increasing range two main methods?
Post fire boost - base bleed
Post fire boost - rocket assist
Increasing range, propellant considerations?
Requires modification to platform
Added stresses requires heavier equipment
Additional propellant considerations to increased range?
Accuracy
Consistency
Stress on system
What is accuracy?
Accuracy is the measurement of precision with which the MPI of a group of rounds can be placed on a target
What is consistency?
Consistency is a measure of spread of rounds around the MPI when rounds are fired from the same gun at the same elevation
Accuracy is a function of the overall system, affected by many sources of error including what?
Survey of guns
Accuracy of target location
Inaccuracy inherent to the ammunition and instruments
Corrections applied for external conditions
Consistency is affected by round to round variations in a number of things including what?
Ballistic coefficient
Weather conditions
Laying, ramming and wear of the gun
Main threats to modern arty are indirect fire weapons and ground attack aircraft these are offset by?
Dispersion
Cam and concealment
Digging
Mobility
Shields, 3 main reasons for retention?
- Afford limited measure of protection against battery counter fire
- field guns can be used as direct anti tank weapons
- protect some members against war damage from blast over pressure
What are the 5 basic requirements of arty?
Range Ammo Accuracy and consistency Mobility Protection
Mortar definition?
A mortar is a weapon I which the main recoil force is transmitted directly to the ground through a base plate. It is usually smooth bore, muzzle loading, firing a fin stabilised bomb, with its own propelling charge, at a low MV and high trajectory
WhT are the main components of a mortar bomb?
-bomb body Fuse Provides obturation - tail unit Propulsion system
What are the two types of augmenting cartridges?
- Thin leaves of plasticised and bonded propellant stapled together
- hollow plastic cartridges containing granular propellant
Advantages or mortars?
Moderate cost
Low weight
Simplicity
High angle and rates of fire
Disadvantages of mortars?
Long flight time Inaccuracy compared to guns Dependence on ground conditions Lack of protection for mortar crews Degraded performance in wet conditions
4 categories of mortars?
Light 50-70mm
Medium up to 100mm
Heavy 120mm
Gun mortar
4 fire types for mortars?
PD
Delay
MTSQ
proximity
HE definition?
Any explosive which once initiated decomposes almost instantaneously into its original molecular structure by the passage of a detonation wave through it, with a subsequent production of heat and gases and liberation of great energy.
Detonation definition?
An extremely rapid chemical change with the evolution of heat and gas, accompanied by a violent disruptive effect and intense blast.
LE definition?
An explosive substance, which decomposes rapidly through combustion with the evolution of heat and flash, and generates a large quantity of gaseous products burning rate up to 300m/s
What is the difference between HE and LE?
Whether the speed of decomposition is either less then or greater then the speed of sound (343m/s)
6 considerations for delivery systems?
Nature of task Terrain Effect required at target Range Mobility Protection
What is IDF?
It refers to firing a projectile on a ballistic trajectory or delivering munitions by guided or unguided missiles.
What is the major advantage of FFR when employed as IDF support weapons?
Large rate of fire in a short period of time
Why is bed in a mortar a disadvantage?
Waste of two rounds
Compromises the position
8 delivery system tasks?
Suppression neutralisation Destruction Harassment Illumination Interdiction Counter battery fire Coordination of fire
Advantages of guns?
Quick response
High rate of fire - short time
Good accuracy and consistency
Multiple charge systems provide good range coverage
Mortar definition?
A weapon that’s main recoil is transferred directly to the ground through a base plate. It is usually a smooth bore, muzzle loading, firing a fin stabilised bomb, with its own propelling charge, at a low MV and high trajectory
Mortar design features?
Smooth bore Muzzle loading No recoil mechanisms Restricted to firing above 45 degrees Cannot be fired in direct fire role
Mortar advantages?
Large rate of fire in short time High mobility Lethality against unprotected troops Low velocity Simple and inexpensive Easy to operate Silent in flight Light weight Easy to dig in
FFR definition?
A tube open at one end in which fuel is burnt, the gases form the burning fuel escape out of the opened end.
The momentum of escaping gases causing an equal and opposite reaction on the closed end.
The projectile flight path cannot be changed.
FFR advantages?
- Large rate of fire in a short period of time
- range increase incurs only a small weight penality
- able to saturate an area quickly
- greater potential as carrier
Two main parts of a gun?
The carriage or mounting
The ordnance
Function of the ordnance?
Provides a vessel to contain force of the burning charge in such a way that the energy produced is transmitted safely and predictably to the projectile.
Imparts direction and stability to the projectile
3 main components of the ordnance?
Barrel and it’s attachments
The breech
The firing mechanism
The rifling in the bore is engraved along a what line?
Helical
Two types of rifling?
Constant
Progressive
In sequence of events on firing what must come after the cross over of max pressure and velocity?
All burn point
Three types of muzzle breaks?
Built up
Solid forging
Swaged-double or single baffle
A decrease in the initial resistance to shot start is cause by what and what effect will this have?
Barrel wear
Range decreased
2 categories of breech mechanisms?
Sliding
Screw
What do fume extractors do?
Remove fumes from the barrel in order to stop it from entering the crew compartment
5 methods of barrel construction?
Wire wound Monobloc Composite barrels Loose barrel/loose liner Built up barrels
3 groups of firing mechanisms?
Percussion
Electric
Percussion and electric
Ammunition definition?
All the material used in discharging all types of firearms or any weapon that throws projectiles, shot, shrapnel, bullets, cartridges and the means of igniting and exploding them, as primers and fixes. Chemicals, bombs, grenades, mines and pyrotechnics are also ammunition.
When did cast iron barrels become prevalent?
16th century
Who designed the first modern combustion time fuse?
COL Boxer
Why are trunnions an important improvement to weapons?
Absorbed some of the recoil shock
Allowed the gun to be raised and lowered for firing
Who invented the breech loading gun?
Sir William Armstrong
Who is credited with the concept of a gun?
The mock black berthold
In 1784 which British army officer developed a hollow cannon ball filled with shot which burst mid air?
Henry Shrapnel
Early variations of rifling?
French rifling Woolwhich rifling Oval bore Hexagonal or whitworth rifling Lead coated shell Vavasseur’s driving band
When and where was the 1st fully self contained SAA cartridge created?
Paris 1808
Ingredients of Greek fire?
Naphtha
Sulphur
Pitch
Main ingredients of the Chinese gunpowder?
Saltpetre
Sulphur
Charcoal
What was Roger Bacons importance to the development of explosives?
He described the composition and experimented to improve its quality and explosive power
Gunpowder grains loaded in a gun had sufficient room between them for what purpose?
To allow the flash to reach them all at the same time
HMX was initially a side product of what HE?
RDX
What is the British name of the adopted filler picric acid?
Lyddite
When did the development of explosives start?
The Middle Ages
When was gun powder discovered?
9th century
When was smokeless gun powder developed?
1865
Who patented ballistite in 1887?
Alfred Nobel
Ballistite consisted of what?
Camphor (wax)
NG
NC
Is manufactured as a solid fuel for rocket propellant
A British research team modified ballistite and got cordite which consisted of what?
NG
Gun cotton (NC)
Petroleum jelly
3 modern smokeless powders?
Single based
Double based
Triple based
Composite based
These propellants are far more stable, less corrosive on barrels,with a reduced flash signature and greater consistency in pressure generation on firing.
When was fulminate of mercury discovered?
17th century
Other main use was that of detonators
HE was discovered when?
19th century
Who discovered gun cotton and what did it consist of?
1846 - Schoenbein
NC
Nitric acid
Cotton fibres
Frederick Abel refined the process
Who discovered that NG dissolves NC?
Nobel
What makes up comp B?
RDX
TNT
Wax
