Joanna Szmelter and Shohaimi Abdullah
A purpose of this study was to provide an enhanced understanding of typical impact and aerodynamic behaviour of segmented rod projectiles. A range of designs was examined by computational modelling. In all cases the segments have been treated as a dynamically changing configuration of free-flying bodies separated at launch. The paper highlights difficulties of this approach showing that, prior to impact, the segments rapidly lose alignment, which reduces effectiveness of penetration. Investigation of alternative design concepts is recommended.
Joanna Szmelter and Rafał Żbikowski
In this paper scaled-up wings of a fly are used with representative wing kinematics to analyse steady-state, inviscid flow in forward flight. The small (approximately 6 inches, or hand-held) reconnaissance micro air vehicles (MAVs) will fly inside buildings, and require hover for observation, and agility at low speeds to move in confined spaces. For this flight envelope insect-like flapping wings seems to be an optimal mode of flying. The investigation of the aerodynamics of flapping wing MAVs is very challenging. The problem involves complex unsteady, viscous flow (mainly laminar) with the moving wing generating vortices, and interacting with them. At this early stage of research only a preliminary insight into the nature of the little known aerodynamics of MAVs was obtained.
J. Marc Widdowson
It is widely recognised that information technology will create a case for changes in the structure and function of the command chain. The most radical projections involve flattened command hierarchies and drastic decentralisation of decision-making responsibility. Others have argued that the special requirements of the military environment will continue to necessitate commander-subordinate relations that are not much different from those of today. This paper sheds light on the issue by presenting a mathematical model of the relationships between information technology, command centralisation, unity of purpose and operational complexity. It suggests that the operational paradigm has been evolving in a consistent direction over a period of many centuries, and that future adaptations due to digitisation can be understood in the same context. This involves a continuing emphasis, at each command layer, on the human and moral function of leadership, but a steady movement downwards of administrative and managerial activity.
W. (Bill) D. Blair and Scott L. Egan
Battlefield communications systems should be simple, flexible and secure. The demand for managed Quality of Service (QoS) across a diverse range of services at varying security levels places significant strains on traditional trunk communications models. A more flexible link-layer switching architecture that can employ payload encryption is required. This paper proposes a change in the way that the trunk network should be viewed instead by seeing it as an unclassified common service infrastructure to carry all services. Additionally, more and more services are being sourced from the strategic network. Traditionally, the mobile and fixed architectures do not match, but a common approach to the underlying switching could solve this problem. This paper recommends Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) as the protocol to meet these requirements.
John W. Hildebrandt
This paper provides an overview of the COM+ distributed component-based middleware that was introduced with the launch of Windows 2000. It is important to understand the capabilities of this technology since it will be present in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Common Operating Environment (COE) and so will be available in many ADF systems. If this technology were taken advantage of, it would support the development of component-based systems for the ADF without requiring large expenditures for new IT infrastructure. Looking further out the recently announced .NET platform will be a standard part of future Windows releases and so is likely to find its way into the COE as well. The .NET platform builds on COM+ services and concepts to provide a platform for building loosely coupled Internet-based applications.
Amanda J. Brosnan
This paper reviews the large and varied body of literature published on the subject of Information Operations (IO) in an attempt to arrive at an understanding of the concept on a theoretical level. Understanding IO requires one to make a fundamental shift in ones understanding of the critical role of information in all its forms in modern societies, and therefore of the potential of information as a powerful tool, or weapon, which can be used to influence others. In an offensive sense, the overall goal is the attainment of information dominance so as to be able to impose ones will upon others. The implications of IO for military forces are also discussed. Although IO is not dependent on IT, IT-dependence is a fact of modern armed forces. The application of IT to military operations combined with the speed of transmission and volume of information available on future battlefields can be expected to blur traditional boundaries of time, space and levels of war, requiring armed forces to modify structures and procedures in order to effectively execute IO. (The incorporation of IO theory into military doctrine and practice will be examined in a subsequent paper.)
Roberto Sabatini and Mark A. Richardson
Since the beginning of the 90’s, the Italian Air Force Flight Test Centre (CSV-RSV) has been involved in various activities related to laser-guided weapons and infrared laser designation systems for airborne and ground applications. The Thomson Convertible Laser Designation Pod (CLDP) with both TV and IR capabilities have been integrated on the TORNADO Interdiction Strike (IDS) aircraft, together with Laser Guided Bombs (LGBs) PAVEWAY II and III. Ground laser target designators and laser warning receivers have also been tested. Further activities, currently ongoing, include the integration of the CLDP and improved LGBs on the AM-X aircraft. This paper begins with a review of the military requirements and flight test activities carried out on the Italian TORNADO-IDS, followed by a description of the CLDP/LGBs characteristics and performance. It then goes on to present the simulation tools which have been implemented for systems integration and performance/safety analysis with an emphasis on the inherent advantages introduced during development and flight test activities (that is, aerodynamics and safe-separation analysis, preliminary performance estimation, laser hazards determination and laser/ballistic safety assessment, test activities speed-up).
Peter Connolly, David Sim, and Celia Watson
This paper describes some of the different types of grip used in antiquity to hold spears when used for stabbing attack. There has been some debate about the effectiveness of a particular method of gripping a spear when it is used in attack and this is discussed. The ancient pictorial evidence concerning spear grips is reviewed and summarised. Field trials to compare the effectiveness of three distinct methods of single-handed grip using a spear were undertaken and the observations of the field experimentalist are considered and described. The effectiveness of different grip methods were quantified in laboratory trials using an instrumented spear, in which the impact force and energy were measured. These laboratory trials indicated that, of three grip types, the over-arm grip delivered most energy, the under-arm about half that of the over-arm, and a shoulder-level grip the least.
