SBIR-STTR Award

Simulations, LLC, a privately held small-business engineering company, and team members DR-Technology, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and Douglas Elder, proposes to develop the material and fabrication methodologies to produce a lightweight, high-strength, low-cost composite sabot based on innovative configurations. Simulations will springboard from: (1) the current ONR Projectile IPT sabot subsystem concept; (2) two proven ARDEC SLEKE, Area I, four-petal, ribbed, aluminum sabots; (3) the Army D2 six-petal, uniaxial graphite-epoxy composite sabot development efforts, and; (4) the ILP design experience of the Simulations team. Simulations will innovate geometries, perform structural analyses and optimize configurations, materials and fabrication methodologies. The approach will use lessons learned from a collage of conventional and electromagnetically launched sabots, while utilizing Simulations parametric finite-element-analysis code FATE. FATE is a proprietary customized code, developed by Simulations for the ARL. FATE is used for analytically designing integrated launch packages, thus making it immediately idyllic for the Navys Advanced Sabot System Design. FATE is the core structural analytical tool supporting ARLs F5 double-tapered sabot-armature designs. Based on F5 and FATE successes, Boeing contracted Simulations to size, design and analyze the Navys Phase I base-push and mid-ride topologies in 2006. Consequently, Simulations showed parasitic ILP masses approaching 30%.

Benefit:
The U.S. Navy is in the process of developing a shipboard electromagnetic railgun (EMRG) under an Office of Naval Research (ONR) Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) initiative, which will use high-power electric current to launch precision guided projectiles at hypersonic speeds (i.e., > 2 km/s). The EMRG has the potential to substantially improve strategic and tactical strike capabilities, particularly the barrage-type naval surface fire support, accurate long-range land-attack capabilities, and force protection (self-defense) at a fraction of the cost of alternate munitions. With recent progress in shipboard integrated power systems (e.g., all electric ships), these objectives place EMRG technology at the forefront to achieve gun-like capabilities at missile-like ranges. In 2005, the baseline projectile performance goals were: (1) survive 40 kGee of launch acceleration from a 64 MJ EMRG; (2) reach ranges in excess of 250 nmi; and (3) maximize lethality on target. To achieve these goals, the ILP has to weigh approximately 20 kg with a launch velocity on the order of 2.5 km/s. To date, the ONR Projectile IPT effort continues to strive for the 20 kg mass budget, and until it is achieved the EMRG must supply larger gun energies to attain 2.5 km/s. Thus, to maximize range and lethality, focused efforts to minimize parasitic mass continue for the three major subsystems: (1) armature; (2) sabot; and (3) projectile (i.e., aeroshell, thermal protection, and guidance & control). The purpose of the proposed Advanced Sabot System Design (ASSD) program is to develop a low-cost, lightweight, high-strength sabot subsystem for use in high acceleration (40 kGee) gun launches. It is in this exact application that Simulations structural expertise applies and its FATE code can be applied effectively to meet the ONR ASSD goals. The current/primary ONR Projectile IPT ILP concept is a base-push topology comprised of a lightweight, high-strength composite material sabot with a forward bore-rider/aerodynamic scoop, a center bore-rider and an aft bore-rider. Many variables will govern the final design, yet convergence on a solution is critically governed by the complex in-bore, multi-disciplined physics, the projectiles operational functionality, and actual target missions. From this, a minimum mass, base-push sabot subsystem will evolve capable of surviving 40 kGee. The Simulations Team understands the ASSD goal to perform a feasibility study that will ultimately provide Phase III sabots to launch projectiles currently under development by the ONR Projectile IPT. The development and success of this next-generation lightweight ASSD offers enormous EMRG technological advancements as well as logistical military application advances. Creating innovative, minimum mass sabots will: (1) increase range and lethality capabilities; (2) enhance useful payload mass (e.g., warhead, guidance and controls, terminal seekers); and/or (3) lower prime/pulse power requirements. Thus, creating an advanced sabot system springboards todays conventional EM ILP laboratory sabots to that of sabots ready for fieldable military, defense and space applications. The Department of Defense and NASA are pursuing the development of EM gun systems as the natural replacement for conventional powder guns and certain missiles. The fundamental rationale for employing EM guns is the exploitation of hypersonic (velocity > 2 km/s) flight. However, to achieve hypersonic velocities requires either large muzzle energies within reasonable platform volume and pulse power constraints, or smaller launch packages. From simple system studies, it becomes obvious that delivering meaningful payload mass on target or into orbit/space is the single greatest engineering challenge of exploiting EM gun capabilities and hence, hypersonic flight. In turn, maximizing useful flight mass dictates parasitic mass (sabots, armatures, and aeroshell). Commercial application spin-offs will include: advanced fiber orientation, composite survivability, hybrid fiber/resin coatings to manage thermal loads, co-molding techniques for metallic and non-metallic inserts, and 2.5 and 3 dimensional text-tiling, all augmenting the industrys database of the successfully launched materials. Commercial applications will benefit from the ASSD since high-speed ILPs inherently require minimum flight vehicles and increased stiffness. Sharing the lessons learned from the ASSD program could call for modified and improved sabots throughout the DoD services and NASA. Thus, Simulations envisions itself as becoming an industry innovator in reducing parasitic mass by the employment of unique structural designs and high-strength materials, and advancing the commercial application success of FATE (Forces Applied To Elements). In turn, applications of interest to Simulations include: - Ground and sea-based long range artillery that can achieve from several hundred kilometers to intercontinental ranges - Upgrading gun ships, arsenal and long-range strike aircraft, unmanned aircraft, ships and ground vehicles, from troop carriers to main battle tanks - Ground, sea and airborne-based air & missile defense systems capable of engaging tactical and strategic ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aircraft, and fixed and rotary winged aircraft - Placement of rugged payloads, such as fuel, water and materials, into orbit THE SIMULATIONS TEAM Simulations and its team members are pleased to respond to the Office of Naval Researchs SBIR proposal request for Advanced Sabot System Design, N08-053, of the Acquisition Program: ACAT II, Gun Weapon Systems Technology Program, Naval Surface Fire Support. 0x9D The primary objective of Simulations proposed effort is to develop a low-cost, lightweight, high-strength sabot subsystem for use in high-acceleration (>40 kGee) electromagnetic railgun launch. Proven capabilities of Simulations team include: - A team consisting of three members (Jeffrey M. Kezerian, Alex E. Zielinski and Douglas J. Elder) instrumental in the successful conduction of ONR/Boeings Phase I Armature Accelerated Smart Projectile (AASP) program, N00014-06-D-0181. In addition, Mr. Zielinski and Mr. Elder (who has had a close, professional working relationship for over 20 years) were responsible for the development of most all projectiles of tactical mass and flight configuration successfully launched from Green Farm, CEM-UT, ARDEC and Kirkcudbright 90-mm EMRG; ARDEC / Marine Corp 17- x 39-mm CCEMG; and all current laboratory railguns at ARL, IAT and Kirkcudbright. - A team composed of the leading experts in all key critical technology areas for the proposed effort, including materials; projectile, armature and sabot development and integration; in-bore ballistics and structural mechanics (dynamics and transition), electrodynamics (thermal and electromagnetic); and bore disengagement. SIMULATIONS PROPOSED PROGRAM In Phase 1, Simulations will focus on innovative configurations and optimized features, materials and fabrication methodologies to produce a lightweight, high-strength composite sabot. Low-mass, high-strength material properties and samples will be obtained from potential vendors, structural analyses will be conducted, and preliminary designs will be produced. In Phase II, Simulations will provide final sabot design, conduct prototype fabrication and demonstration of EMRG survivability through drop tests and powder gun tests. In Phase III, Simulations will provide sabots throughout the projectile test series. This development approach thus insures that the optimum launch topology will facilitate transition into the follow-on System Development & Demonstration Application Program sponsored by NAVSEA JWS3C. 0x9D jmkezerian@SimuationsLLC.com

Keywords:
Lightweight, Lightweight, Sabot, Composite, Electromagnetic, Hypervelocity, optimized, Railgun

Simulations, LLC, a privately held small-business engineering company, and team members DR Technologies and their wholly-owned subsidiary V-System Composites, 3TEX, and Douglas J. Elder propose to implement the lessons learned in Phase I SBIR N08-053, Contract N6553B-OB-M-0094, and design and fabricate a lightweight, high-strength Advanced Sabot System Design (ASSD) with a parasitic mass of 25% or less. Simulations will leverage the Phase I feasibility work and develop innovative methods to 3D braid composite fiber bundles, enhance existing resin infusion transfer processes, update the industry as-manufactured empirical composite database, and analytically simulate the sabot design structurally using the seasoned finite element preprocessor code FATE, custom written for Integrated Launch Packages (ILP). Candidate material coupons will be fabricated to gain empirical properties, feature prototype articles will be fabricated to develop the 3D braiding and infusion processes, and the finite element analysis models will be updated with empirical properties for precision fidelity results. The Simulations Team is thoroughly experienced in electromagnetic launcher technology, and has a career commitment to advancing this critical structural component with leading edge composite material, all in effort to achieve the lowest known parasitic mass.

Benefit:
The U.S. Navy is in the process of developing a shipboard electromagnetic railgun (EMRG) under the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) initiative, which will use high-power electric current to launch precision guided projectiles at hypersonic speeds (i.e., > 2 km/s). The EMRG has the potential to substantially improve strategic and tactical strike capabilities, particularly the barrage-type naval surface fire support, accurate long-range land-attack capabilities, and force protection (self-defense), at a fraction of the cost of alternate munitions. With recent progress in shipboard integrated power systems (e.g., all electric ships), these objectives place EMRG technology at the forefront to achieve gun-like capabilities at missile-like ranges. To maximize ILP range and lethality, focused efforts to minimize parasitic mass continue for the three major subsystems: (1) armature; (2) sabot; and (3) projectile (i.e., aeroshell, thermal protection, and guidance & control). The purpose of Phase II is to design and fabricate this Advanced Sabot System Design, transform the Phase I feasibility discoveries into hardware, and provide the U.S. Navy with the leading edge composite sabot subsystem for use in high acceleration (40 kGees) gun launches. Prior to Phase I, the primary ONR Projectile IPT ILP concept was a base-push topology comprised of a lightweight, high strength composite material sabot with localized radial supports along its length, and a forward bore-rider/aerodynamic scoop. Phase I studies illustrated that such a sabot concept is not achievable without the creation of an advanced composite layup. The original Navy concept also was not structurally sound as geometric modifications had to be implemented. Phase I demonstrated that only with the implementation of advanced composite materials, innovative ribs, lightening holes, and intricate advanced fiber layups, can the solicited ASSD be successfully designed and fabricated. The Phase I Status and Final Reports chronologically showed the development cycle where feasibility and advanced concepts were generated. Many variables govern the conceptualized final designs, yet convergence on a solution is critically governed by the complex in-bore, multi-disciplined physics, the projectiles operational functionality, and actual target missions. The Phase I concepts and sizing efforts discovered a family of potential sabot candidates with all candidate geometries including advanced composite materials and layups. From this study, a minimum mass, base-push sabot subsystem is envisioned to survive the 40 kGees setback and 12.5 KGees laterally. The Simulations Team is prepared to transition from the Phase I feasibility study, develop the braiding and infusion process needed to fabricate the ASSD in Phase II, and continue transitioning to Phase III and commercialization. All Team members are fully experienced engineers and scientist to support any and all commercial transitions. The development and success of this next-generation lightweight ASSD offers enormous EMRG technological advancements as well as logistical military application advances. Creating innovative, minimum mass sabots will: (1) increase range and lethality capabilities; (2) enhance useful payload mass (e.g., warhead, guidance and controls, terminal seekers); and (3) lower prime/pulse power requirements. Thus, creating an advanced sabot system springboards todays conventional EM ILP laboratory sabots to that of sabots ready for fieldable military, defense and space applications. The Department of Defense and NASA are pursuing the development of EM gun systems as the natural replacement for conventional powder guns and certain missiles. The fundamental rationale for employing EM guns is the exploitation of hypersonic (velocity > 2 km/s) flight. However, achieving hypersonic velocities requires either large muzzle energies within reasonable platform volume and pulse power constraints, or smaller launch packages. From simple system studies, it becomes obvious that delivering meaningful payload mass on target or into orbit/space is the single greatest engineering challenge of exploiting EM gun capabilities and hence, hypersonic flight. In turn, maximizing useful flight mass dictates parasitic mass (sabots, armatures, and aeroshell). Commercial application spin-offs will include: advanced fiber orientation, composite survivability, hybrid fiber/resin coatings to manage thermal loads, co-molding techniques for metallic and non-metallic inserts, and 2.5 and 3 dimensional text-tiling, all augmenting the industrys database of the successfully launched materials. Commercial applications will benefit from the ASSD since high-speed ILPs inherently require minimum flight vehicles and increased stiffness. Sharing the lessons learned from the ASSD program could call for modified and improved sabots throughout the DoD services and NASA. Simulations, DRT, VSC and 3TEX are endlessly supportive of this advancement since sabot applications and Phase III commercialization for the U.S. Services would be a beneficial program for all. In the end, all types of launchable systems can have a higher payload mass and potentially handle larger payload sizes, improved target accuracy, and so on. Thus, Simulations envisions itself as becoming an industry innovator in reducing parasitic mass by the employment of unique structural designs, with the initial ASSD based on 3D braided composites, and advancing the commercial application successes of FATE (Forces Applied To Elements). The Simulations Team offers to create significantly lighter sabots, increase the industry 3D composite fiber braiding technology, bring the needed attention to 3D braided technology to make it a much more exploited technology, bring to the U.S. Navy, Army and others the knowledge that sabot masses can be decreased further, and support all DoD manufacturing development programs, i.e. ManTech and others to also support composite sabot technology. In turn, immediate and long term applications include: Ground and sea-based long range artillery that can achieve ranges from several hundred kilometers to intercontinental Upgrading gunships, arsenal and long-range strike aircraft, unmanned aircraft, ships and ground vehicles, from troop carriers to main battle tanks Ground, sea and airborne-based air & missile defense systems capable of engaging tactical and strategic ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aircraft, and fixed and rotary winged aircraft Placement of rugged payloads, such as fuel, water and materials, into orbit Commercial technology improvement for the use of 3D braided composites thus allowing commercial aircraft to be lighter and stronger Utilizing 3D braided composite technology in structural supports for submarines and other water vehicles, land vehicles, space craft, and so on.

Keywords:
hypersonic, Electromagnetics, balloting, Munitions, Sabot, Pulsed-Power, 3D-Braided Composites, railguns