Modeling and Simulation Studies for Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System

Abstract

Ever increasing needs of modern artillery for increased range, accuracy and automation led to a new Towed Artillery Gun System (TAGS) development by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence (MoD), India. Modeling and simulation studies were carried out, to determine the essential ballistic performance parameters are presented here. Various subsystem configurations involving existing, modified and evolving technologies were studied so that a suitable design configuration is identified for development of the gun system. The adopted approach assumes possible near-time and far-time realization of each constituent & contributing subsystem’s maximal performance. The overall emphasize has been on realizing a weapon system, which fairly matches the performance dictated by the systems world-wide at the lower end of the operational spectrum and would also offer enhanced performance at its higher end. Comparable performances have already been demonstrated for ammunition systems like M90 Modular Charge System (MCS) and Extended Range Full Bore (ERFB) class of projectiles. Further enhancement to performance is expected with alternate charge designs and/ or process-modified ammunition systems. Future enhancements to range performance is likely to be realized with ongoing developments in projectiles, charge systems and Course Correction Fuzes (CCF). System studies with modeling and simulation for subsystem analysis & evaluations have resulted in a base-line parameter set. A solution with reduced iterative design & development life cycle has been conceived and had been realized. 155mm/52 cal Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), realized with base-line design parameters has successfully demonstrated muzzle velocities of order ~1010 m/s with seven Higher Zone (HZ) M92 modules of M90 MCS at ambient Mean Sea Level (MSL). This has lead to enhanced ranges of +35km and +45km with ERFB-Boat Tailed (BT) & Base Bleed(BB) shells respectively, against 29km & 39km with six HZ modules of MCS for comparable systems world-over. Further enhancements with CCFs and Velocity enhanced Artillery Projectiles (VLAP) are being attempted to realize a range of +60km with increased accuracy.