Contact information
For further information or to request a quotation, please contact the Professional Education Courses Unit on:
Enquiries Phone: 02 5114 5573
Enquiries Email: ProfEdCourses@adfa.edu.au
This online course provides participants with an in-depth understanding of firepower technologies (i.e., gun systems) in the way they work and an overview of the equipment and systems that are used in, and with guns. The course will begin with an overview of firepower technologies and then introduce participants to the way guns work. The course then covers aspects of recoil, installation and ammunition concepts as well as gun manufacture.
This full course comprises of 10 modules each of which correspond to approximately 3 hours of directed learning activity. Module 10 comprises of an optional online course test. Each module can be purchased individually.
Course Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, the student will be able to:
LO1: Explain in detail the principles of gun design and operation with respect to the materials used in construction.
LO2: Present calculations on recoil, gun droop, anticipated projectile velocities, fragment velocities and stress wave propagation and reflection.
LO3: Articulate the physics of gun operation and firing.
LO4: Describe alternative projectile launch possibilities.
LO5: Describe the issues associated with gun manufacture.
LO6: Explain the differences in penetration mechanisms for high-velocity projectiles compared to low-velocity projectiles.
Tutorials
Tutorials
Who should attend
Who should attend
Presenter
Professor Paul Hazell has has over 20 years of experience studying the impact behaviour of materials. In 2012 he moved to Canberra, Australia from the UK to take up the post of Professor of Impact Dynamics at UNSW Canberra. Before taking this position he was Head of the Centre for Ordnance Science and Technology at Cranfield University’s Shrivenham campus (at the UK Defence Academy). He has published extensively, appeared in several documentaries and presented his research work at numerous symposia. He has published two books on protection technologies with the most recent called ‘ARMOUR: Materials, Theory, and Design’ (CRC Press, 2015).
Course Information
MODULE 1: Overview of guns
Introduction to concepts | How guns work | Types and calibres of guns (large and small) | An introduction to ammunition types used in guns | Introduction to small arms weapon systems, towed guns, self-propelled howitzers, tank guns (cannons) and naval guns.
MODULE 2: Platform integration
Gun location in a turret | Recoil constraints and balance | Autoloaders | An introduction to recoil | Muzzle brakes | Fume extractors | An introduction to potential gun problems | An introduction to breech concepts
MODULE 3: Manufacturing fundamentals
Basic concepts in materials science | The structure of materials | Elasticity and strength | Mechanical testing | Thermal expansion | Processing of steels | Effect of cooling rates on heated steels | When barrels break | Barrel stresses | Manufacturing processes | Autofrettage | Proofing approaches | Proof pressures | An introduction to instrumentation
MODULE 4: Ballistics 1: Internal and intermediate
Introductory concepts | Piobert’s law | Effect of specific surface area on burning rates of propellants | Types of propellants: single base, double base, triple base | Barrel life (corrosion, abrasion, erosion) | Propellant-air interactions
MODULE 5: Ballistics 2: Exterior and terminal
Forces on a projectile / fragment in flight | Coefficient of drag | Projectile stabilisation techniques | Coriolis effect | Magnus effect | Penetration mechanics | Introduction to stress wave theory
MODULE 6: Basic gun calculations
Calculation of barrel droop | Thick-wall pressure vessel theory | Pressure calculations | Projectile velocity calculations | The need for a recoil system | The role of the buffer and recuperator | Examples of recoil systems | Basic recoil calculations
MODULE 7: Alternative launch technologies
Cased telescopic ammunition | Segmented penetrators | Rail guns | Coil guns | Electro-thermal technologies | Light-gas guns | More on terminal ballistics with a focus on higher velocities
MODULE 8: Gun-fired projectile concepts
Types of ammunition | Penetrator materials | Fragmenting munition concepts | Mott’s fragmentation theory | Gurney theory | High-Explosive Squash-Head
MODULE 9: Fuzes and explosives
Types of fuze | Operation | Explosive types | The explosive train | Models showing the effect of explosions | Explosives in ammunition
MODULE 10: Assessment
An online test will be available for those wishing to gain post-graduate credit.
Courses will be held subject to sufficient registrations. UNSW Canberra reserves the right to cancel a course up to five working days prior to commencement of the course. If a course is cancelled, you will have the opportunity to transfer your registration or be issued a full refund. If registrant cancels within 10 days of course commencement, a 50% registration fee will apply. UNSW Canberra is a registered ACT provider under ESOS Act 2000-CRICOS provider Code 00098G.