PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION OF TANK MAIN GUN SYSTEM

ARDEC is supporting the Project Manager for Tank Main Armament Systems (PMTMAS) in the development and demonstration of a new tank main armament system consisting of an XM291 gun integrated into the Advanced Tank Cannon System (ATAC), Fire Control System. The XM291 gun is a new tank main gun that was designed by Benet Weapons Lab.

Decilog was tasked to perform an analysis to optimize gun performance in both elevation and azimuth for both stationary and fire-on-the-move scenarios.

Graph Preliminary test data of ATAC system testing and XM291 design drawings were reviewed and a computer model of the gun was developed for the two axes for both stationary and moving conditions.

The following activities were accomplished under this effort: 

• modeled the baseline recoiling module, as well as an alternate configuration of the XM291 cannon/120MM Gun/Mod3 
• determined the modal characteristics (e.g. natural frequencies, normal mode shapes, generalized mass) of both the recoiling and non-recoiling modules
• modified model to accept a functional representation of trunnion load data
• finalized bore straightness and gun tube droop data for input into the model
• generated M865 PIP round geometric and mechanical properties 
• processed M865 PIP/120MM gun interior ballistics chamber and projectile base pressures for input into the model
• exercised the model for the longitudinal motion of the M865 PIP round