Weapon Design Flashcards
1
Q
What is the difference between a carriage and a mount?
A
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.
2
Q
Explain the two types of mounting?
A
Mobile - towed with wheels removed or raised for firing.
Self propelled - Built into an open or closed tracked hull.
3
Q
What are functions of a carriage or mounting?
A
- 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
4
Q
What are the two major parts of a carriage or mounting?
A
The superstructure
The basic structure
5
Q
What is the superstructure?
A
Saddle Cradle Recoil system Balancing gear Elevating gear Traversing gear Sights
6
Q
Name 3 types of cradle?
A
Trough type
Ring type
Open structure
7
Q
What is in the recoil system?
A
The buffer
The recuperator
8
Q
What is the balancing gears job?
A
Tension
Compression
Stop keep the gun balanced
9
Q
What does equilibrators do?
A
Provide mechanical assistance in the elevation and depression of the barrel
10
Q
Ways elevating gears operate?
A
- Hand wheel operated gear train
- Remote control power driven mechanism
- electric hydraulic mechanism controlled by hand wheel
11
Q
Types of elevating gears?
A
Worm and segment
Nut and screw
Arc and pinion
12
Q
Types of traversing gears?
A
Nut and screw
Arc and pinion
Ransom nut and screw
Worm and segment
13
Q
What does the sight do?
A
Provides a means of positioning of the barrel at the correct line and elevation.
14
Q
Parts of the basic structure?
A
Trail Saddle supports Articulations Spades Platforms Wheels and axles Suspension and brakes
15
Q
4 types of trails?
A
Bowed boxes trail
boxes trail
Split trail
Pole trail
16
Q
On uneven ground 4 points of contact can only be maintained by some form of articulation what are they?
A
Pins
Rocking arms
Ball socket joints
17
Q
Spades can be what?
A
Fixed
Hinged
Detached
18
Q
Platforms are commonly used with what configuration?
A
Box trail
19
Q
Functions of brakes?
A
To prevent movement of the equipment on firing
To enable the equipment to park on slopes
To assist man handling
20
Q
Most common arty ammo?
A
HE
Smoke
Illuminating
21
Q
Modern arty ammo?
A
Guided projectiles
Sub munitions
22
Q
HE projectiles are designed to?
A
Disperse high velocity fragments
Effect is accompanied by blast
23
Q
HE effective against?
A
Unprotected personnel
Soft skinned vehicles and installations
24
Q
Arty HE fixing functions?
A
Airburst
Ground burst
Delay
25
Arty carrier payload types?
Smoke
Smoke WP
Illumination
Sub munitions
26
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
27
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
28
Why is illuminating rounds carried at a low percentage?
Image intensifiers
Low light television
Thermal imaging
Infra red sights
29
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
30
Increasing range two main methods?
Post fire boost - base bleed
| Post fire boost - rocket assist
31
Increasing range, propellant considerations?
Requires modification to platform
| Added stresses requires heavier equipment
32
Additional propellant considerations to increased range?
Accuracy
Consistency
Stress on system
33
What is accuracy?
Accuracy is the measurement of precision with which the MPI of a group of rounds can be placed on a target
34
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
35
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
36
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
37
Main threats to modern arty are indirect fire weapons and ground attack aircraft these are offset by?
Dispersion
Cam and concealment
Digging
Mobility
38
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
39
What are the 5 basic requirements of arty?
```
Range
Ammo
Accuracy and consistency
Mobility
Protection
```
40
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
41
WhT are the main components of a mortar bomb?
```
-bomb body
Fuse
Provides obturation
- tail unit
Propulsion system
```
42
What are the two types of augmenting cartridges?
- Thin leaves of plasticised and bonded propellant stapled together
- hollow plastic cartridges containing granular propellant
43
Advantages or mortars?
Moderate cost
Low weight
Simplicity
High angle and rates of fire
44
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
```
45
4 categories of mortars?
Light 50-70mm
Medium up to 100mm
Heavy 120mm
Gun mortar
46
4 fire types for mortars?
PD
Delay
MTSQ
proximity
47
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.
48
Detonation definition?
An extremely rapid chemical change with the evolution of heat and gas, accompanied by a violent disruptive effect and intense blast.
49
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
50
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)
51
6 considerations for delivery systems?
```
Nature of task
Terrain
Effect required at target
Range
Mobility
Protection
```
52
What is IDF?
It refers to firing a projectile on a ballistic trajectory or delivering munitions by guided or unguided missiles.
53
What is the major advantage of FFR when employed as IDF support weapons?
Large rate of fire in a short period of time
54
Why is bed in a mortar a disadvantage?
Waste of two rounds
| Compromises the position
55
8 delivery system tasks?
```
Suppression
neutralisation
Destruction
Harassment
Illumination
Interdiction
Counter battery fire
Coordination of fire
```
56
Advantages of guns?
Quick response
High rate of fire - short time
Good accuracy and consistency
Multiple charge systems provide good range coverage
57
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
58
Mortar design features?
```
Smooth bore
Muzzle loading
No recoil mechanisms
Restricted to firing above 45 degrees
Cannot be fired in direct fire role
```
59
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
```
60
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.
61
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
62
Two main parts of a gun?
The carriage or mounting
| The ordnance
63
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
64
3 main components of the ordnance?
Barrel and it’s attachments
The breech
The firing mechanism
65
The rifling in the bore is engraved along a what line?
Helical
66
Two types of rifling?
Constant
| Progressive
67
In sequence of events on firing what must come after the cross over of max pressure and velocity?
All burn point
68
Three types of muzzle breaks?
Built up
Solid forging
Swaged-double or single baffle
69
A decrease in the initial resistance to shot start is cause by what and what effect will this have?
Barrel wear
| Range decreased
70
2 categories of breech mechanisms?
Sliding
| Screw
71
What do fume extractors do?
Remove fumes from the barrel in order to stop it from entering the crew compartment
72
5 methods of barrel construction?
```
Wire wound
Monobloc
Composite barrels
Loose barrel/loose liner
Built up barrels
```
73
3 groups of firing mechanisms?
Percussion
Electric
Percussion and electric
74
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.
75
When did cast iron barrels become prevalent?
16th century
76
Who designed the first modern combustion time fuse?
COL Boxer
77
Why are trunnions an important improvement to weapons?
Absorbed some of the recoil shock
| Allowed the gun to be raised and lowered for firing
78
Who invented the breech loading gun?
Sir William Armstrong
79
Who is credited with the concept of a gun?
The mock black berthold
80
In 1784 which British army officer developed a hollow cannon ball filled with shot which burst mid air?
Henry Shrapnel
81
Early variations of rifling?
```
French rifling
Woolwhich rifling
Oval bore
Hexagonal or whitworth rifling
Lead coated shell
Vavasseur’s driving band
```
82
When and where was the 1st fully self contained SAA cartridge created?
Paris 1808
83
Ingredients of Greek fire?
Naphtha
Sulphur
Pitch
84
Main ingredients of the Chinese gunpowder?
Saltpetre
Sulphur
Charcoal
85
What was Roger Bacons importance to the development of explosives?
He described the composition and experimented to improve its quality and explosive power
86
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
87
HMX was initially a side product of what HE?
RDX
88
What is the British name of the adopted filler picric acid?
Lyddite
89
When did the development of explosives start?
The Middle Ages
90
When was gun powder discovered?
9th century
91
When was smokeless gun powder developed?
1865
92
Who patented ballistite in 1887?
Alfred Nobel
93
Ballistite consisted of what?
Camphor (wax)
NG
NC
Is manufactured as a solid fuel for rocket propellant
94
A British research team modified ballistite and got cordite which consisted of what?
NG
Gun cotton (NC)
Petroleum jelly
95
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.
96
When was fulminate of mercury discovered?
17th century
Other main use was that of detonators
97
HE was discovered when?
19th century
98
Who discovered gun cotton and what did it consist of?
1846 - Schoenbein
NC
Nitric acid
Cotton fibres
Frederick Abel refined the process
99
Who discovered that NG dissolves NC?
Nobel
100
What makes up comp B?
RDX
TNT
Wax
