DK3011258T3

DK3011258T3 - Tail stabilized full-caliber projectile

Info

Publication number: DK3011258T3
Application number: DK14726376.8T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Thomas Heitmann; Rosemarie Meuer; Michael Vagedes
Original assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh
Priority date: 2013-06-21
Filing date: 2014-05-27
Publication date: 2018-05-22
Also published as: PL3011258T3; DE102013010356B3; EP3011258B1; NO3094787T3; ES2666418T3; EP3011258A1; WO2014202348A1; LT3011258T; PT3011258T

Description

Fin-stabilized Full Calibre Projectile

The invention pertains to a fin-stabilized full calibre projectile, preferably an armour-piercing projectile, with a cylindrical projectile body of constant calibre, the front end face of which is adjoined by a sub-calibre projectile tip in the form of a spike, on which a first annular element, which protrudes over the outside diameter of the projectile tip, is arranged in the front third. The invention particularly pertains to precision damping of a full calibre projectile.

Such full calibre armour-piercing projectiles are used by the German Armed Forces, e.g., under the designation DM 12 (for example, see the article "Das Panzerdetail - Munition 120 mm Kanone von Rheinmetall," which can be found on the Internet under http://www.kotsch88.de/rn 120 mm.htm (viewed on 03/19/2003)). In order to also achieve sufficient stabilization of a projectile with fin arrangements of the same calibre, the projectile body is in such full calibre projectiles provided with a perpendicular front end face. On the front side, this end face is adjoined by a sub-calibre projectile tip in the form of a spike that, for example in the case of hollow charge projectiles, ensures the required spacing for the hollow charge advance.

In order to improve the flow conditions of the air flow impinging upon the full calibre projectile, a first annular element, which protrudes over the outside diameter of the projectile tip, is usually located within the front third of the spike-shaped projectile tip. The first annular element may consist of a separate annular part that, for example, is placed into an annular groove of the projectile tip and non-positively connected thereto. However, the first annular element may also consist of a part that is integrally connected to the projectile tip.

When firing live full calibre projectiles (e.g. DM 12), as well as when firing corresponding training projectiles (e.g. DM 18), it was determined that a two-dimensional oscillation can occur when the projectile exits the barrel due to initial perturbations of the respective projectile. This two-dimensional oscillation leads to an asymmetry of the air flow against the region of the spike-shaped projectile tip, which in turn leads to a force acting laterally to the respective pitch of the projectile and causes a precession motion of the projectile during the course of its flight. Depending on its magnitude, this precession motion then leads to a different speed drop and therefore to reduced hit probabilities. A long-range, wing-stabilized full calibre armour-piercing projectile with a cylindrical projectile body is known from DE 10 2005 039 900 Al. In this case, the outside diameter of the impact surface is chosen significantly smaller than the projectile calibre. In addition, the surface area of the cylindrical projectile body features on its front side a second partial area, which has a continuously decreasing extent, preferably an ogival extent, toward the outer edge of the impact surface. DE 32 33 044 Al describes an ammunition unit, particularly for training purposes, which consists of a centre section that is adjoined by an essentially cylindrical tip, as well as a rear section. The length and the design of the tip and the design and the connection to the centre section influence the ballistic properties. DE 31 19 646 Al concerns a projectile and addresses the problem of reducing the dead load fraction. To this end, the peripheral parts are made of a composite material that comprises hollow spheres of glass and/or quartz, which are held together by a matrix.

The invention is based on the objective of disclosing a full calibre projectile of the initially cited type, by means of which the precession motion of the projectile can be dampened in case oscillations occur in order to thereby increase its hit probability.

According to the invention, this objective is attained with the characteristics of claim 1. Other particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

The invention is essentially based on the notion of reducing or even entirely eliminating any asymmetric air flow against the region of the spike-shaped projectile tip occurring during the flight of the projectile by means of an additional perturbation. Such a measure reduces the lateral forces acting upon the projectile and therefore the precession tendency.

It proved advantageous if the additional perturbation for reducing the asymmetric air flow along the projectile tip is realized in the form of at the least one second annular element, which protrudes over the outside diameter of the spike-shaped projectile tip and is arranged between the first annular element and the front end face of the projectile body.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the second annular element is arranged in the rear third of the spike-shaped projectile tip.

The second annular element preferably should have essentially the same dimensions as the first annular element.

Other details and advantages of the invention can be gathered from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to a figure.

In the figure, the reference symbol 1 identifies a fin-stabilized full calibre training projectile, e.g. of the type known from DE 10 2010 034 333 Al. The training projectile 1 comprises a cylindrical projectile body 2 of constant calibre, the rear section 3 of which is realized in the form of a fin body.

The front end face 4 of the projectile body 2 is axially adjoined by a sub-calibre projectile tip 5 in the form of a spike. In this case, the length L0 of the projectile tip 5 is chosen in such a way that a hollow charge advance is ensured in live hollow charge projectiles corresponding to this training projectile 1 upon impact on a target.

In order to improve the flow conditions of the air flow impinging upon the training projectile 1 during its flight outside the barrel, a first annular element 6, which protrudes over the outside diameter of the spike-shaped projectile tip 5, is located within the front third of the projectile tip 5.

According to the invention, it is proposed that at least one second annular element 7, which protrudes over the outside diameter of the spike-shaped projectile tip 5, is arranged between the first annular element 6 and the front end face 4 of the projectile body 2.

This second annular element 7 is arranged in the rear third of the spike-shaped projectile tip 5 and essentially has the same dimensions (diameter and width) as the first annular element 6.

It was surprisingly determined that the asymmetry of the air flow against the region of the projectile tip, which is caused by an oscillation of the training projectile after it exits the barrel, is advantageously reduced due to the utilization of the second annular element 7 because the large asymmetric turbulence is divided into two smaller symmetric turbulences.

This also reduces the lateral force acting upon the projectile tip 5 and therefore the tendency of the training projectile to carry out a precession motion.

The axial distance LI between the two annular elements 6, 7 should preferably be chosen such that two symmetric turbulences are created.

The invention is naturally not limited to the described exemplary embodiment. For example, it would also be possible to arrange three annular elements on the projectile tip in order to additionally reduce an asymmetric air flow in case an initial oscillation of the training projectile occurs. In this case, the distances between the annular elements should be chosen such that multiple symmetric turbulences are created.

The above-described measures for reducing an asymmetric air flow may naturally also be realized analogously in live full calibre armour-piercing projectiles (hollow charge or explosive projectiles).

List of Reference Symbols 1 Projectile, training projectile, full calibre projectile 2 Projectile body 3 Rear section 4 Front end face 5 Projectile tip 6 First annular element 7 Second annular element LO Length of projectile tip LI Axial distance between annular elements

Claims

1. Tail stabilized full-caliber projectile with a cylindrical projectile body (2) of uniform caliber, up to the front end face (4) of which bears a nail-shaped projectile tip (5) of lower caliber, on which a first annular element (6) is placed ) projecting beyond the outer diameter of the projectile tip (5), characterized in that at least one other annular element (7) protruding between the first annular element (6) and the front end face (4) of the projectile body (2) over the outside diameter of the projectile tip (5).

Full-caliber projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the second annular element (7) is located in the rear third of the projectile tip (5).

Full-caliber projectile according to claim 1, characterized in that the second annular element (7) has substantially the same dimensions as the first annular element (6).