Low-Power Consumption Control Surface Actuation Devices for Munitions

The objective of this project is to investigate the feasibility of several novel, very low-volume and high dynamic response control surface actuation device concepts for gun-fired munitions and mortars that consume very small amount of electrical energy for their operation. These control surface actuation devices are readily and inexpensively implemented in munitions of different calibers, including small and medium caliber, subsonic and supersonic, and munitions with very high setback accelerations of over 50 KG. These actuation devices can be integrated into the structure of munitions to further reduce the usable volume that they occupy. The design of these novel control surface actuation devices allows them to be readily protected against very high firing acceleration loads, vibration, impact loading, repeated loading and acceleration and deceleration cycles that can be experienced during transportation and munitions loading operations. In addition, their mode of generating actuation forces and torques allows them to achieve peak actuation forces and torques in less than 2-3 msec, thereby providing very high level of dynamic response. Projectiles equipped with the proposed control surface actuation devices should be capable of achieving significantly enhanced precision for both stationary and moving targets, thereby achieving significantly enhanced probability of hit.