Guided Bullets: A Decade of Enabling Adaptive Materials R&D

摘要

This paper outlines a research area which is ripe for the generation of a technological surprise for the U.S. and its allies as well as presenting a tremendous opportunity. An historical summary starting in 1995 of several disjointed U.S. programs which were highly technically successful, but were stopped prematurely because of non-technical reasons, is presented. The programs are shown to have matured critical component and subassembly technologies but were never continued far enough to be integrated into tactical rounds. The paper shows that the most critical of these technologies is related to launch-hardened flight control actuators and that work in this area continues around the world at a steady pace. The full paper concludes with a brief assessment of guided bullet flight control technology, future applications and paradigm-shifting missions.