Mike D. Bennett
Simple models for the internal, external and terminal ballistics of a tank gun firing a long rod penetrator are described and used to determine the penetration that can be achieved for a typical system. The models also show the effect on penetration of modifications to the penetrator geometry, charge parameters and barrel length. The results show that there are many interdependencies, and that an apparently simple modification to improve penetration may be accompanied by unacceptable consequences elsewhere, particularly high breech pressure and sabot stresses, and an inappropriate all-burnt position. It is also shown that these effects can only be mitigated by further modifications which tend to negate the apparent improvement. The most promising improvement in penetration is based on more energetic propellant and is about 12%.
Stuart J. McGuigan and Peter J. Moss
The transmissions and drivelines for many wheeled and, especially, tracked military vehicles have diverged considerably from those of their civilian counterparts over the last 40 years. The high performance, good cross-country mobility and ‘drivability’ demanded by military users have lead to complex, sophisticated and specialised transmissions, which are usually produced in small numbers and often owe little to commercial practice. Economic constraints on defence procurement and recent developments in the commercial sector have narrowed the technology gap but, as yet, resulted in little collaboration between the two fields. This paper reviews the development of transmissions for tracked military vehicles and examines the potential for greater cross-fertilisation and collaborative development. It is considered that, especially for lighter vehicles such as armoured personnel carriers, it would be technically feasible and economically beneficial to synthesise military transmissions largely from commercial hardware.
Derek K. Hitchins
The science of architectonics, the study of architectures, appears to be “missing”. Relatively little attention is paid to overall systems architectures. The paper presents means and methods for identifying and transferring knowledge between different architectural domains, from hill-forts, medieval castles and animal architectures, to SDI and industrial organisation, so as to understand and enhance performance, survivability, effectiveness and efficiency. Isomorphisms and archetypes relating many different kinds of architectures are presented, with examples of architecture evolution using simple genetic algorithms. The paper illustrates some of the simple mathematics of architecture, identifies some invariants, presents hard examples of real benefits to CIS from architectonics, and recommends the adoption of architectonics as highly beneficial to the CIS community, not least in the development of auto-adaptive architectures.
Alan Nott
This paper discusses the evolution of antenna training aids under development at the Australian Army’s Army Technology and Engineering Agency (ATEA) for the Australian Army School of Signals, and HMAS Cerberus Frequency Management School. The training aids rely heavily on the ability to produce high-quality rendered images of antenna radiation patterns using electromagnetic visualisation techniques developed at ATEA. Adjustment of parameters such as frequency, antenna height, slope, configuration, ground type and viewing angle controls the selection and display of the appropriate antenna pattern image. Interactive operation coupled with the high quality images results in an aid that provides excellent insight into the intricacies of antenna radiation patterns. Current extensions to this capability include traditional graph-based display of pattern data, and of antenna footprint maps using a simple ionospheric predictor.
