To advance gun launch weapon system capabilities, a proposed Pressure and Motion Measurement Package (PM2P) is proposed that will accurately characterize the internal pressures of a gun barrel during the development of either new artillery guns, propellants, and/or projectiles. The proposed PM2P will allow weapon designers to measure and analyze the internal gun barrel pressure distribution and the dynamics of the projectile over the course of a gun launch without destructive modifications to the gun. The detailed map of internal pressure vs projectile location vs time will enable the empirical calculation of key performance parameters for propellants, investigations into obturation phenomena, and the characterization of loading upon projectiles and guns. Components of this system are envisioned to enhance fuzing, guidance, navigation, and control capabilities in future live fire systems while other innovations may be used for health monitoring and maintenance decisions. Orbital Research will leverage its extensive modeling and simulation capabilities, subject matter expertise, and on-site test and evaluation tools to design the proposed PM2P system. This effort will include extensive modeling and simulation and prototype evaluation which will result in a system that can measure and characterize the performance of newly designed weapons which will enhance development towards LRPF.
