Abstract: Described are flameless tracer munitions that are expelled from land mines or in hand thrown devices, which are used to mark an enemy person, vehicle body, or tires on the vehicle, with materials that emit infrared (IR) light, or heat emitting materials, or with a visible ink or a dye. The subjects are then identified and pursued because of the ink or seen with infrared reading or heat seeking devices. The devices are both long duration (several hours) and also have high light intensity tracing and marking. These munitions are non-impact and non-lethal; are non-toxic, and biodegradable.

Abstract: A rod sleeve made of smart material sleeves and/or steel sleeves with smart material rings surrounds the rod of a kinetic energy projectile. The rod may be made of DU, tungsten, or other material. Smart materials are materials such as nickel-titanium (nitinol) and copper aluminum nickel (CAN) that can be trained to change to one or more particular shapes at predetermined temperatures. The change in shape occurs on a molecular level, almost instantaneously. The rod sleeve can be made all or in part from smart material. The smart material is trained to shrink at cold temperatures and expand at hot temperatures. The sleeve may then be heated and expanded to allow the sleeve to be pressed on the rod. As the sleeve cools, it compresses and provides required support to rod during gun launch of the kinetic energy projectile. The sleeve heats up while traveling down range due to the aero-ballistic heating of the sleeve material. At this higher temperature, the sleeve expands.

Abstract: A flameless tracer/marker provides heat mark chemicals with optional chemlucents chemicals that can be carried and delivered by a projectile to mark a target. This marking payload may be carried by small, medium and large caliber projectiles that are part of ammunition items including 20 and 40 mm grenade launched, 90 mm, 105 and 120 mm tank, 60, 81 and 120 mm mortar and 105 and 155 artillery ammunition. This ammunition is gun launched and the projectiles can provide a heat trace to the target and/or upon impact with the target the projectile breaks or shatters and leaves a heat signature on the target for up to several hours. Included with these heat chemicals may be optional chemlucents. This heat mark may be placed into a lethal and non-lethal projectile. This allows heavy and light armor targets, vehicles, buildings and personnel to be marked without extensive damage to the target and without seriously injuring a person. The target may now be heat marked and chemlucent marked.

Abstract: An electronic light source system is employed to create a flame-less tracer for a munitions projectile. The electronic light source system may be positioned in various locations and combinations of locations on a projectile (e.g., front, back, side, etc.) to enhance visibility of the projectile during flight. The electronic light source system provides a light source on the projectile that is visible to an observer at various viewing angles throughout the projectile flight without the environmental or safety issues presented by tracers using pyrotechnic materials. After assembly, the present system is encapsulated in glass or clear plastic to G-harden the present system, enabling the present system to sustain the large loads and stresses induced by gun launch. The present system may comprise a variety of light sources such as, for example, lasers, high output light-emitting diodes (LEDs), strobe lights, etc. The present system is capable of flashing the light sources at a variety of frequencies (e.g.

Abstract: A system and method for improving the process of mechanical translation of projectiles by a spring mechanism that is built of a smart material and that is activated by an electric pulse, to provide a controlled translation of a projectile before firing or, in case of pre-firing termination, in order to restore the projectile to its original position after translation. The pre-firing translation using the spring mechanism provides a more controlled process and reduces the risk associated with the conventional propulsion charge translation design. The ability to return the projectile to its initial state after translation affords a significant advantage over the conventional propulsion charge design since it enables the projectile firing to be terminated even after translation, unlike in the conventional design whereby the projectile firing is irreversible upon a mechanical translation by setting off the propulsion charge.