A target acquisition system for a mobile air defense system is capable of acquiring and engaging targets in rapid sequence while mounted on a moving vehicle. It incorporates a gyrostabilized turret drive system, an optical sight, a forward looking infrared scanner, an infared guided missile subsystem, an onboard computer, and system controls and displays. The turret drive will maintain a particular elevation and azimuth regardless of the motion of the vehicle on which the turret is mounted so th...

A tubing cutter apparatus includes a housing or casing member formed of a zirconia ceramic material. The zirconia ceramic material is located at least proximate an explosive charge section, such the detonation of the explosive charge will cause shattering the ceramic section. The tubing cutter may be assembled in a safe manner by establishing ground connections between separate portions of the apparatus. These ground connections established during assembly will prevent the buildup of static elec...

A plurality of separate projectiles is held together in a multiple shell or cluster shell, in the form of a stack. At least two parallel springy flat bands (7) extend lengthwise around the stack. The flat bands (7) are looped around the front end and the free band ends engage the rare end of the stack with hooks (9). A tensioning element engages and holds the hooks (9) and thus the bands (7) tightly to the stack. After the shell is fired the tensioning element is served, e.g. by a cutter (19) so...

An enclosed active armor arrangement wherein the panels that form the enclosure have a product of the density and the thickness of the side panels that is greater than the product of the density and the thickness of the armor panels to provide for a reflective action on the detonation waves of the explosive. This reflective action accentuates the destructive effect on the incoming explosive charge jet.

A tank with an overlying gun which is mounted in a cradle disposed on the crew turret also includes a loading pendulum which is disposed on a journal ring and pivotal in relation to the crew turret. The loading pendulum and the gun are asymmetrically journalled, such that the positions of the gun and the loading pendulum are dependent upon the elevation/depression of the gun. The gun is longitudinally/vertically displaced in the plane of elevation on elevation/depression. This is achieved in tha...

The present invention provides a recoil-redirecting mechanism for a gun which includes a frame, a gun barrel assembly having a barrel and a receiver with a bolt therein. The gun barrel assembly is slidably mounted to longitudinally reciprocate on the frame between a forwardmost position and a rearwardmost position. Means for firing the gun when the gun barrel assembly is substantially at its forwardmost position is provided. The recoil-redirecting mechanism includes a recoil-absorbing spring, a ...

A projectile with an ejecting charge for the expulsion of a payload. The ejecting charge effectively develops a pressure which is of sufficient duration and adequately high for effectuating the expulsion of the payload; however, wherein the casing thereof will not burst into the kind of fragments which conceivably can damage the payload. A receiving member for the ejecting charge is mounted within the projectile, which receiving member withstands the development of the pressure encountered durin...

A muzzle brake for firearms including a housing positioned at the end of a gun barrel which defines a gas receiving expansion chamber. A plurality of vent slots or openings are formed in the housing and are oriented to direct escaping gases from the chamber in an upwardly or upwardly and rearwardly direction. The chamber and slotted housing are so defined that reverberating shock waves build up within the chamber and escape sequentially so as to substantially increase the duration of the upwardl...

A composite, layered shield for protecting a vehicle housing explosives in an ammunition stowage compartment from the detonation of said explosives while in said compartment. Said shield comprises, in a layered fashion, a first layer of an energy absorbing rubber, a pusher plate layer, a crush element layer, and a second layer of an energy absorbing rubber. In order to protect the vehicle, the ammunition stowage compartment is lined with the composite, layered shield of the present invention. Th...

The explosive initiator features an angled fiber optic adapter connected thereto. The initiator includes an elongated tubular cartridge with a longitudinal passageway having input and output ends and an explosive disposed therein downstream of a transparent sealing window and upstream of an output closure. The adapter has an elongated passageway therethrough with input and output ends and divided into a first portion at an angle of preferably 90 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the cartridg...