30MM COMVAT FEED SYSTEM STUDY

IN SUPPORT OF THE IDENTIFIED NEED FOR A FULL SCALE FEED SYSTEM FOR COMVAT WHICH WILL BE COMPATIBLE WITH FUTURE AND PRESENT RESUPPLY VEHICLES AND REQUIRE LITTLE EFFORT FROM THE CREW, THIS SIX MONTH TRADE STUDY WILL CREATE, AND ANALYZE A MINIMUM OF THREE FEED SYSTEM CONCEPTS VIA A SYSTEMS APPROACH. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS WILL BE ESTABLISHED, WEIGHTED AND APPROVED BY THE SPONSORING AGENCY PRIOR TO THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN. AFTER CONCEPTING, THEY WILL BE EVALUATED BY RANKING EACH DESIGN FEATURE AGAINST THE WEIGHTED REQUIREMENTS. THE WINNING CONCEPT WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO A PHASE II PROPOSAL FOR FURTHER DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT. TWO PRELIMINARY FEED SYSTEM CONCEPT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AS EXAMPLES OF UNIQUE POTENTIAL CONCEPTS. THEIR COMPATIBILITY WITH PRESENT AND FUTURE RESUPPLY VEHICLES ARE CLEARLY SHOWN WITH A NUMBER OF RESUPPLY CONCEPTS. ONE WEAPON STATION FEED SYSTEM CONSISTS OF A PAIR OF SWINGING BOX MAGAZINES THAT ARE AUTOMATICALLY REPLENISHABLE FROM ON-BOARD STORAGE OR FROM OFF-VEHICLE. A SECOND CONCEPT OFFERS A UNIQUE LINEAR LINKLESS TRI-PLEX CHUTE TO TRANSFER THE AMMUNITION FROM FIXED BOXES TO THE WEAPON. THESE CONCEPTS, ALONG WITH CONCEPTUALIZED RESUPPLY SYSTEM CONSITITUTE THE HEART OF THE TRADE STUDY TO BE PERFORMED.