SELECTED ASPECTS OF THE DESIGN PROCESS OF A CALIBRATION PROJECTILE: THE VULCANO SCOUT CASE STUDY

The use of unguided sub-calibre ammunition has enabled the engaging of targets far beyond conventional artillery ranges. In this new scenario, the ammunition has longer flight times and reaches higher altitudes; thus, systematic errors and the unavailability of detailed meteorological information play more significant roles in affecting accuracy than they do in the case of shorter range firings. The Vulcano Scout Ammunition has been devised to overcome these issues: it is an unguided instrumented round (to be fired near or above the target) that transmits aiming correction information to the launch pad. This paper describes the design process of this ammunition and its future development.