Abstract: A reduced-energy cartridge for a chamber of a firearm includes a case and a sabot. The sabot is moveably attached to the case and supported for movement relative to the case from an unfired position to a fired position resulting from combustion within the combustion chamber. The cartridge further includes a sealing member that projects radially outward from the longitudinal axis and from the sabot. The sealing member defines a blowback boundary where the cartridge is configured to seal against an inner surface of the chamber of the firearm. A forward area of the cartridge and a rear area of the cartridge are separated by the blowback boundary. The sealing member is configured for releasably sealing against the inner surface of the chamber to regulate pressure at the forward area resulting from combustion within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A method is provided for use in a cooperative broadcast multi-hop network that employs broadcast flood routing and multi-hop transmission using a direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DSSS) waveform. DSSS signals are received from other nodes on different channels. ASSW is performed to detect and remove interference signals received on the different channels. MDFT analysis banks each receive a beam in the spectral domain that can be channelized to generate a channelized beam that comprises multiple spectral channels. An adaptive interference mitigation space-frequency whitener module can then be applied to remove interference and generate interference-mitigated spatial-spectral domain channels. MDFT synthesis banks can each perform a MDFT synthesis operation on one of the spatial-spectral domain channels. A multi-user RAKE receiver can then combine the interference mitigated time-domain channelized signals to generate a subset (1 . . .

Abstract: A cartridge includes a cartridge case having a shell having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion and a cylindrical body extending from the first end portion to the second end portion. A reinforcing cap includes a base, a sidewall extending from the base and surrounding the first end portion such that the first edge of the shell abuts an inner face of the base, and a projection extending from the inner face. A ring is pressed against the inner face and forms an air-tight seal between the projection, the inner face, the ring, and the first end portion of the shell. A plurality of indentations form protrusions in the sidewall and the first end portion for interlocking the reinforcing cap to the shell and retaining the ring against the inner face of the base.

Abstract: Cladding removed from a portion of the optical fiber defines a window exposing the fiber core. A grating having a substantially periodic structure defining a wavelength is moveably positioned in the window, where it can interact with the evanescent field present in the window when optical power is propagating through the fiber. An adjustable positioning fixture holds the grating proximate to the window and operates to change the relative spacing of the fiber core and grating, between: a first position in which the grating is held proximate to the fiber core and substantially interacts with the evanescent field, and a second position in which the grating is held apart from the fiber core and does not substantially interact with the evanescent field.

Abstract: Spotter ammunition projectiles adapted to be fired from a firearm, methods for making spotter ammunition projectiles, and spotter ammunition cartridges including spotter ammunition projectiles are provided. In one example, a spotter ammunition projectile includes a projectile body section extending in a distal direction to a body distal end portion. A projectile ogive is coupled to the body distal end portion and has an outer ogive surface that tapers in the distal direction towards a shoulder. The projectile ogive includes a post that is disposed adjacent to the shoulder and that extends therefrom in the distal direction. An ogive nose cap is disposed adjacent to the shoulder and covers the post. The post and the ogive nose cap are cooperatively configured to define a cavity therebetween. A pyrotechnic spotter composition is disposed in the cavity.

Abstract: A wireless slip ring, system and method for transmission of data across a rotatable junction can be provided to permit transmission of data from a fixed element to a rotating element across a rotary interface. The wireless slip ring can provide high bandwidth multi-channel data transmission, for example each channel can have a bandwidth greater than 1 gigabit per second. Each channel may include a plurality of input/output data streams that can be serialized by a digital electronic circuit for transmission across the slip ring and then deserialized into its respective data streams. The wireless slip ring can form an annular chamber to act as a wave guide for the wireless signal for providing a continuous conductive covering around the annular chamber to act as a faraday shield to contain radio frequency emissions and prevent external jamming.

Abstract: A signal generator outputs a reference signal corresponding to at least one wireless signal according to the predefined signal encoding to a channel emulator processor. The channel emulator processor is programmed to use at least one synthesized channel parameter and the reference signal to produce and store a perturbed signal as data for training machine learning and artificial intelligence systems. The synthesized channel parameter is synthesized using a channel synthesizer processor programmed to: ingest map elevation data, reference a transmitter and a receiver to the map elevation data, and perform ray tracing of a representative signal between the transmitter and the receiver, while applying at least one predetermined perturbation property to synthesize at least one channel parameter.

Abstract: A reduced-energy cartridge for a chamber of a firearm includes a case and a sabot. The sabot is moveably attached to the case and supported for movement relative to the case from an unfired position to a fired position resulting from combustion within the combustion chamber. The cartridge further includes a sealing member that projects radially outward from the longitudinal axis and from the sabot. The sealing member defines a blowback boundary where the cartridge is configured to seal against an inner surface of the chamber of the firearm. A forward area of the cartridge and a rear area of the cartridge are separated by the blowback boundary. The sealing member is configured for releasably sealing against the inner surface of the chamber to regulate pressure at the forward area resulting from combustion within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: Nonlethal cartridges adapted to be chambered in a firearm having a barrel that includes rifling are provided. In one example, the cartridge includes a cartridge case and a sabot that is telescopically coupled to the cartridge case and that has a sabot mouth. A projectile includes a polymer base projectile portion disposed in the sabot mouth. A polymer front shell projectile portion is coupled to the polymer base projectile portion and has an outer surface that includes a circular locking rib feature that forms an interference fit with the sabot mouth. The polymer base projectile portion is configured to engage the rifling of the barrel to impart spin stabilization to the nonlethal projectile when propelled from the sabot in response to the expansion of a propellant gas.

Abstract: A composite track shoe and an endless track suitable for a tracked vehicle is described herein. The composite track shoes has a shoe body with a first bearing block extending from a first lateral edge and a second bearing block extending from a second lateral edge. The shoe body also has a center guide extending from a first face thereof the shoe body. A track pad is detachably secured to the track shoe and extends from a second face of the shoe body opposite the first face. An endless track is formed by interlinking the first bearing block on a first track shoe with the second bearing block a second track shoe positioned adjacent to the first track shoe. A pin extends through the first bearing block of the first track shoe and the second bearing block of the second track shoe for pivotally coupling them together.

Abstract: Spotter ammunition projectiles adapted to be fired from a firearm, methods for making spotter ammunition projectiles, and spotter ammunition cartridges including spotter ammunition projectiles are provided. In one example, a spotter ammunition projectile includes a projectile body section extending in a distal direction to a body distal end portion. A projectile ogive is coupled to the body distal end portion and has an outer ogive surface that tapers in the distal direction towards a shoulder. The projectile ogive includes a post that is disposed adjacent to the shoulder and that extends therefrom in the distal direction. An ogive nose cap is disposed adjacent to the shoulder and covers the post. The post and the ogive nose cap are cooperatively configured to define a cavity therebetween. A pyrotechnic spotter composition is disposed in the cavity.

Abstract: An action timer start switch, a breech block with an integral action timer start switch and a system for measuring internal ballistic data in a test weapon system are described herein. The action timer start switch includes a through-hammer adjustable contact having a first contact element and a contact switch supported on the breech block having a second contact element. The first contact element is adjustable for contacting the second contact element when the hammer is a position to generating a primer strike. The first contact element may be set by simply positioning the breech block in the in-battery position with the hammer in the ignition position and moving the adjustable contact relative to the contact switch through the breech of the universal receiver.

Abstract: A wireless slip ring, system and method for transmission of data across a rotatable junction can be provided to permit transmission of data from a fixed element to a rotating element across a rotary interface. The wireless slip ring can provide high bandwidth multi-channel data transmission, for example each channel can have a bandwidth greater than 1 gigabit per second. Each channel may include a plurality of input/output data streams that can be serialized by a digital electronic circuit for transmission across the slip ring and then deserialized into its respective data streams. The wireless slip ring can form an annular chamber to act as a wave guide for the wireless signal for providing a continuous conductive covering around the annular chamber to act as a faraday shield to contain radio frequency emissions and prevent external jamming.

Abstract: A method is provided for use in a cooperative broadcast multi-hop network that employs broadcast flood routing and multi-hop transmission using a direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DSSS) waveform. DSSS signals are received from other nodes on different channels. ASSW is performed to detect and remove interference signals received on the different channels. MDFT analysis banks each receive a beam in the spectral domain that can be channelized to generate a channelized beam that comprises multiple spectral channels. An adaptive interference mitigation space-frequency whitener module can then be applied to remove interference and generate interference-mitigated spatial-spectral domain channels. MDFT synthesis banks can each perform a MDFT synthesis operation on one of the spatial-spectral domain channels. A multi-user RAKE receiver can then combine the interference mitigated time-domain channelized signals to generate a subset (1 . . .

Abstract: A method and system of communicating between a plurality of nodes are provided. The plurality of nodes are part of a cooperative broadcast multi-hop network that employs broadcast flood routing and multi-hop transmission using a direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DSSS) waveform.

Abstract: A direct drive drive actuator includes a base structure and a driven structure that is journally supported and translatable relative to the base structure. The driven structure is disposed in a fixed spacial relationship to the base structure. A plurality of first pole arrays is disposed on the driven structure. A plurality of second pole arrays, corresponding in number to the plurality of first pole arrays is disposed on the base structure. An electrical power source is provided. A controller is coupled to the power source and the first plurality of pole arrays and the second plurality of pole arrays, wherein the controller is configured to selectively electrically energized windings of the first plurality of pole arrays and the second plurality of pole arrays such that an electro-magnetic force is formed between poles of the first plurality of pole arrays and poles of the second plurality of pole arrays.

Abstract: The present application relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting a data signal between a stator ring and a rotor ring including generating, by a transmitter, a transmission signal in response to receiving the data signal, transmitting, by a plurality of optical transmitters coupled to an inner surface of the stator ring, the transmission signal to a plurality of detectors coupled to an outer surface of the rotor and wherein the optical transmitters are configured to transmit the transmission signal towards a focus of the stator ring, summing a plurality of representations of the transmission signal received by each of the plurality of detectors to generate a summed transmission signal, and extracting, by a receiver, the data signal from the summed transmission signal.

Abstract: Nonlethal cartridges adapted to be chambered in a firearm having a barrel that includes rifling are provided. In one example, the cartridge includes a cartridge case and a sabot that is telescopically coupled to the cartridge case and that has a sabot mouth. A projectile includes a polymer base projectile portion disposed in the sabot mouth. A polymer front shell projectile portion is coupled to the polymer base projectile portion and has an outer surface that includes a circular locking rib feature that forms an interference fit with the sabot mouth. The polymer base projectile portion is configured to engage the rifling of the barrel to impart spin stabilization to the nonlethal projectile when propelled from the sabot in response to the expansion of a propellant gas.

Abstract: A node is provided that is configured to communicate in a cooperative broadcast multi-hop network that employs broadcast flood routing and multi-hop transmission using a direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DSSS) waveform. The node includes an antenna and a waveform module having a receiver processing chain. The antenna can receive a plurality of DSSS signals from other nodes on a particular channel, and output a channel that includes the plurality of DSSS signals. The plurality of DSSS signals include transmissions that are directly received from other nodes and multi-path components of those transmissions. The receiver processing chain can include a multi-user RAKE receiver that can combine, when performing demodulation processing, a plurality of transmissions directly received from the other nodes and multipath components of transmissions received from the other nodes. In some implementations, the node can perform cooperative beamforming and adaptive space-spectrum whitening.