Abstract: An apparatus and method for soft recovery of a projectile is disclosed. A formable element is placed in the path of the projectile, whereby the projectile becomes embedded in the element upon impact therewith. Gravitational or mechanical forces are applied to the combined projectile and deformable element to decelerate the same thereby making recovery possible.

Abstract: Projectile component testing. A projectile carrying test components is imted against a mitigator backed by a momentum exchange mass, inside a tube to simulate setback. As the momentum exchange mass moves following impact it creates a partial vacuum behind it accelerating the projectile to simulate drag. Various means are disclosed controlling the vacuum level.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for decelerating a rifled projectile in flight. A gun ore rifled with a land pattern having a characteristic number of turns per bore diameter, has a muzzle at a first angular orientation along the projectile's flight axis and a characteristic recoil distance. A deceleration tube having an opened end is located at a separation distance from the gun muzzle along the flight axis. The deceleration tube has a rifled land pattern with a second angular orientation at the opened end, displaced from the first angular orientation substantially by the product of the characteristic number of turns per bore diameter times the sum of the separation distance and the characteristic recoil distance. When the projectile is fired from the rifled gun, it has a rifle pattern engraved thereon and it travels along the flight axis undergoing rotational motion imparted by the rifle land pattern of the gun.