Comparison of Structural Analysis Techniques for the Excalibur 155-mm Artillery Shell's Canard Actuation System

摘要

A structural finite element analysis of the four-axis canard actuation system (CAS) of the Excalibur 155-mm artillery projectile is presented. This is an improved version of an earlier two-axis design that will increase its maneuverability and accuracy. CAS receives control signals from the global positioning system guidance module of the Excalibur, thus enabling mid-course trajectory corrections. CAS is being analyzed to assess the structural robustness of the design to ensure that it can sustain the severe launch environment of high-performance 155-mm howitzers and can function as designed.