Vector acoustic miss distance indication
Master Thesis
1985
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
In 1981 the author decided to investigate means of accurately measuring the passage of anti-aircraft shells past a towed airborne target. This decision was based on the observation that available literature showed a need for low cost miss distance indication equipment. A feasibility study showed that the task would be multi-disciplinary entailing aerodynamics telemetry, weapons performance studies and investigation of the techniques of measurement of shell location currently in use. The decision was made by the author to concentrate on a study of the technique measurements of shell location and the analysis of such measurements in view of the fact that, at least in isolation, knowledge of the other factors mentioned was fairly complete although unevenly spread in South Africa. Initial work concerned a study of the General Requirements for such target systems and the classification of these. A literature survey was conducted by the author which indicated that systems already in service made use of several measurement techniques, including photographic, radar and acoustic phenomena. Of these, acoustic means appeared to offer a cheap and simple solution to the measurement problem. The author then explored the principles and potential of Acoustic Miss Distance indication and arrived at the conclusion that such a system, based on measurements of the period of the shockwave accompanying a supers6nic shell, would be feasible. This conclusion led to the Thesis presented in this document, that firstly measurement of the shock-wave period could enable deduction of the distance between the sensor and the flight path of a supersonic shell and secondly, that several such measurements would enable the miss vector to be calculated.
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Reference:
Thomson, R. 1985. Vector acoustic miss distance indication. University of Cape Town.