RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AT THE SMDC AEROPHYSICS RESEARCH FACILITY (ARF)

Abstract

The US Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) Technical Center (TC)’s Aerophysics Research Facility (ARF) recently reactivated its 133 millimeter (mm) and 254 mm Two-Stage Light Gas Guns (TSLGG) and developed a series of novel Single Stage Gas Gun (SSGG) systems for launching non symmetric projectiles. These latest developments enable the opportunity to build upon an extensive legacy of performing a wide range of ballistics research using the ARF’s suite of gas gun systems, diverse and adaptable test range infrastructure, extensive fabrication capabilities, and modern instrumentation and data acquisition equipment. These assets provide the ability to accelerate and study projectiles and flight dynamics at velocities ranging from subsonic up to hypersonic, within a secure government owned and supported, all weather facility. Recent and ongoing applications of these capabilities have focused on hypervelocity penetration mechanics, hypersonic dispersed phase interactions, and the effects of UAS impacts on commercial aircraft.