1 research outputs found
The Future of Warheads, Armour and Ballistics / 23rd International Symposium on Ballistics
23rd International Symposium on Ballistics, Tarragona, Spain, 16-20 April 2007In 1983 a â Grand Old Manâ of Ballistic Science, Dr. Robert J. Eichelberger, wrote1:
â Ballistic technology is generally considered a mature technology â as it should be after
centuries of intensive attention of some of the finest scientific minds of the world.â He
predicted that increased understanding of relevant physics and chemistry and development
of mathematical techniques and computer models would be key elements in the future of
ballistics and weapon system design. These predictions were very accurate!
But to-dayâ s developments and those of the foreseeable future go beyond this. Warheads
and ballistics â interior, exterior and terminal â are very dependent on the use and
properties of energetic materials â propellants and explosives â for their functioning. New,
potentially very powerful substances such as the N5+ and N5â ions and metallic hydrogen
were created in labs. Air-breathing propulsion â ramjets etc. - and efficient use of the high
combustion energy of some metals adds to the performance increase potential.
Increased use of intelligence, computers, sensors and fuzing in weapons, munitions and
armours has added another dimension to the efficiency achievable. New high-performance
materials have also meant great increases in effects and protection potential.
Developments possible in the next 20 years may have similar effect on warfare as the
revolution in weapons, munitions and armour that occurred in the late 19th century. The
statement that â Ballistic technology is generally considered a mature technologyâ is no
longer true. Any nation that will abstain from following the developments closely and
exploiting their advances will run the risk both of having weapons, munitions and
protection that prove inadequate and of making grave mis-investments