Predicting the Accuracy of Unguided Artillery Projectiles

A method for predicting the accuracy of unguided artillery projectiles is presented in this thesis. Thegoal was to develop a standalone program that would estimate accuracy without the need for a large database of weapon trajectory data. The presented method uses a simplified version of the modified point mass trajectory model and error computation models to predict error metrics that are particularly useful in predicting damage effects on various types of targets using the Joint Weaponeering System JWS. The developed program is coded in Visual Basic, and the error metrics can typically be computed in less than30 seconds for most ranges, in the computation precision specified in this thesis. The program was verified by comparing it against the FT 155-AM-02 firing table for the M107HE155mm artillery projectile. The verification results demonstrate that the developed trajectory model closely matches the basic trajectory data to within 2 and ballistic partials to within 7 for most ranges of interest. Accuracy metrics derived from the ballistic partials generated from the developed program are within 10 of those derived from the firing tables ballistic partials for typical firing ranges. The model is able to take into account wind effects and varying levels of meteorological data staleness. The developed program is named the Indirect Fire Delivery Accuracy Program IFDAP, and it can be used to predict accuracies for any unguided projectile given the required aerodynamic coefficients, physical properties,and error budgets.