Aeroballistics and Its Application to Guided and Unguided Army Munitions

About the Research

The DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Flight Sciences Branch (FSB) is seeking researchers to contribute to our work in aeroballistics and its application to guided and unguided Army munitions. The project encompasses Aerosciences, Flight Dynamics and Control, and Range Experimentation.

• Aerosciences: Study of complex flow phenomena of Army munitions across different Mach numbers and flow conditions, including vortex interactions, shock-boundary layer interaction, shock-shock interaction, boundary-layer transition, turbulence, and coupled fields such as heat transfer and fluid-structure interaction. Methods include semi-empirical aero prediction models and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
• Flight Dynamics and Control: Research on the response of a munition to aerodynamic forces and moments, and how to control these forces to increase range, evade counter-fire, and hit targets accurately. Includes detailed studies of stability, drag, and delivery errors for unguided flight, and control actuation systems (CASs) for guided flight, including rocket techniques like thrust vectoring. Research also involves control algorithms such as adaptive control or model predictive control.
• Range Experimentation: Study of munition flight and structural integrity from leaving the gun/launcher to reaching the target. Involves fabrication of prototype munitions with required sensors, electronics, and CASs, and collaboration with propulsion researchers to implement a method of propulsion. Structural integrity is studied through shock experiments, muzzle x-ray, and soft-catch techniques, while flight performance is assessed using spark shadowgraph, high-speed video, radar, onboard sensors, and yaw cards, with aerodynamic parameters estimated through system identification techniques.

About WMRD

The Weapons and Materials Research Directorate (WMRD) aims to enhance weapon lethality and survivability, and meet soldier technology needs for advanced weaponry and protection. Research focuses on energetic materials dynamics, propulsion/flight physics, projectile warhead mechanics, terminal effects phenomena, armor/survivability technologies, environmental chemistry, and advanced materials for various applications.

About ARL-RAP

The Army Research Laboratory Research Associateship Program (ARL-RAP) encourages creative and highly trained scientists and engineers from academia and industry to participate in scientific and technical areas relevant to the Army. Participants assist in shaping and executing the Army's program for meeting future operational needs by conducting research in diverse fields such as applied mathematics, atmospheric characterization, simulation and human modeling, digital/optical signal processing, nanotechnology, material science and technology, multifunctional technology, combustion processes, propulsion and flight physics, communication and networking, and computational and information sciences.

Application Requirements

• Curriculum Vitae or Resume

• Three References Forms (email with link to reference form)

• Transcripts (transcript verifying receipt of degree)

Research Proposal

If selected by an advisor, participants will be required to write a research proposal for submission to the ARL-RAP review panel. The proposal should:

• Relate to a specific opportunity at ARL
• Have a clear objective with a defined outcome
• Outline the direction of the research and the expected period for completion
• Include a background and motivation for the research
• Reference published efforts to improve the proposal

Contact Information

For questions about this opportunity, please email ARLFellowship@orau.org.

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