Abstract: A spinning tubular projectile (STUP) is subcalibre to reduce both retard and the gyroscopic stability. The total effect is to reduce crosswind sensitivity and to obtain a better ballistic match with an armour piercing fin stabilized, discarding sabot (APFSDS) round. To reduce the range to that desired for a limited range practice round, the STUP is equipped with spin-damping fins on its surface near the projectile center of gravity.

Abstract: A sub-munition warhead contains several flechettes arranged in a circumferential pattern. A canister with a length less than that of the flechettes surrounds the rear ends of the flechettes. A frangible fairing extends from the canister to a small diameter nose cone. An indexer adjacent the nose cone and a sabot for each flechette retain the flechettes in position on a piston joining the canister and the nose cone. The warhead is normally launched with a rocket motor. It is spun so that on burnout, the warhead is travelling at high speed and spinning. On burnout, a fuze is ignited and the piston is propelled down the canister. This drives the flechettes forwardly, rupturing the fairing and allowing the flechettes to separate for independent flight to a target.

Abstract: A projectile adapted to be fired at supersonic velocity from a gun barrel includes a tubular body of substantially circular cross-section having a leading inlet end and a trailing exit end and a central passageway extending therethrough. The leading end of the body is of a shape such that the internal diameter of the central passageway decreases from the leading inlet end to a throat region. The ratio of the cross-sectional area of the passageway in the throat region (A.sub.t) to the cross-sectional area of the passageway at the leading inlet end (A.sub.i) is sufficiently large and is so related to the projectile velocity at launch as to enable a normal shock wave to pass through the throat region to establish supersonic flow in the passageway and thus provide a relatively low aerodynamic drag after launching. The ratio A.sub.t /A.sub.i also has a value less than 1.0 so that as the velocity of the projectile decreases to a predetermined flight Mach number, which is a function of the A.sub.t /A.sub.

Abstract: The invention disclosed relates to a Modular Practice Bomb which closely simulates the horizontal range of a wide variety of actual bombs, within acceptable limits, while maintaining flight stability. By suitable modification of a standard configuration practice bomb, its coefficient of drag may be varied in order to match the ballistic coefficient of the Modular Practice Bomb with that of a predetermined actual bomb. This is conveniently done by attaching an appropriate tail-mounted module.