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In this casuistry, two accidents from Germany and Switzerland are presented that happened during the shot of recoilless anti-tank weapons. In both cases, the injuries led to the death of two soldiers: A 22-year-old soldier in Germany was struck by the counter mass of a so-called Davis gun which had been fired by a comrade during a firing exercise; he died from his severe injuries, especially in the abdominal part of the body. As a peculiarity of the wound morphology, it was found to be a thick-layered, metallic, gray material in the wound cavity, which corresponded to the material of the counter mass that was ejected opposite to the shooting direction. The other case took place in Switzerland, where a 24-year-old soldier was seriously injured during an exercise with portable anti-tank rockets. At the time the shot was fired, he stood behind the launcher and was hit by the propulsion jet of the rocket motor. He died as well from his severe injuries, which were located at the chest done by the gas jet and by the very high pressure. In both cases, two different causes of death were present: massive blunt violence in the first case versus a jet of hot gases of very high speed and temperature in the second case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A bore-center annular shaped charge was proposed and validated to improve the penetration diameter and depth of the annular shaped charge on hard targets. • An X-ray experiment was conducted to validate the reliability of numerical results. • The influence of liner configurations on radial and axial velocity of bore-center annular shaped charges was investigated. • The penetrating performance of the different bore-center annular shaped charges were evaluated in terms of size of penetration hole diameter and depth. Abstract The classical shaped charges are well known for their capability to yield a small ratio of the hole diameter to charge diameter in metallic targets. However, in specific situations, for instance the follow-through charge of tandem warheads and the fast establishment of a rapid rescue channel, the ratio of the hole diameter to charge diameter of 1:1 is demanded that cannot be achieved by normal shaped charges. To improve the penetration diameter and depth of the annular shaped charge on hard targets, in this work, a bore-center annular shaped charge (BCASC) is proposed and validated. An X-ray experiment is conducted to validate the reliability of numerical results. The maximal deviation of the head and tail diameters, length, axial and radial velocity of the BCASC projectiles at different times, between the simulation and X-ray experimental results, is only 4.9%. The numerical simulation results of penetrating into steel targets are also compared with the terminal ballistic performance including the diameter and depth of the penetration boreholes. Furthermore, based on the validated numerical models and the corresponding parameters, a series of numerical simulations are performed to investigate the influence of liner configurations (the radial distance (f) of circle centers, the thickness (b) of upper wall, the diameter (d) of center bore and the location of maximal wall thickness (θ)) on radial and axial velocity of BCASCs. Then, a series of BCASC penetration tests on steel targets are conducted. By assessing the penetration hole diameter and depth, the influences the key parameters on the target damage are numerically and experimentally discussed. The results indicate that, compared with other liner parameters (f, b, d), the location where the maximal wall thickness (θ) is placed has the most significant effect on both the radial and axial velocity of the projectile. As the value of θ increases, the radial velocity of the projectile head decreases, while the axial velocity of the projectile head increases. BCASCs with different parameter values can all penetrate into the steel targets and form annular bullet hole at a certain penetration depth. Within our research scope, the θ values imposes more influence on the penetration hole diameter and the depth. As the value of θ increases, a penetration hole diameter decreases, while penetration depth increases gradually. At θ = 30°, the minimal distance between the outer wall of the penetration access is 0.92 D (D indicates the charge diameter), and the mean value of the penetration access depth is 0.56 D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main focal point in this study analyzing the change of Turkey-Syria relations during the Arab Spring is the agent-structure problem. The change that took place in Turkey-Syria relations is analyzed in the light of "the beginning of the demonstrations in Daraa and the Siege of Hama", "shooting down of Turkish RF-4E reconnaissance aircraft", "violation of rules of engagement", and "Operation Euphrates Shield" in the framework of Dynamic Foreign Policy Analysis Model (DFPAM) developed by Carlsnaes based on Margaret Archer's Morphogenetic Approach. It is concluded that Turkey's Syria policy changed in the process as a result of the interaction with the "structure" and that these foreign policy actions led to a new structuring at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a method for assessing the hit probability for stationary shooting targets as a function of the projectile horizontal range (PHR), the target type and the point of aim (POA) location. The proposed procedure consists of three blocks. Block I is devoted to the double integral formula taking into account changes in the point of impact (POI) location as a function of the PHR. The characteristics of bullet accuracy and precision versus the PHR are determined in block II. The basis of blocks I and II is the bi-variate uncorrelated Laplace-Gauss probability distribution. The functions of the POI location (ordinate/abscissa) versus the PHR and the functions of the characteristics of the bullet dispersion versus the PHR are represented in the form of polynomials. The description of the target silhouette contour is given in block III. Mathematically, the target contour is a piecewise function which defines the upper and lower edges of the shooting target and it also represents the limit for the double integral formula of block I. The proposed method is built on a modular basis and allows a user to change types of weapons and shooting targets. For demo calculations, the accuracy and precision characteristics of the 5.45×39 Kalashnikov assault rifle model MPi AK-74N were selected. Five types of Swiss military targets imitating an OPFOR combatant's silhouette were used as shooting targets. For illustrating the operability of the proposed method, the hit probabilities for the K, H, G, F, and E shooting targets were evaluated for the PHR from 50 to 400 m. All computations are implemented in the PTC Mathcad v.15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the St. Petersburg Declaration on Explosive Projectiles, an international treaty agreed in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire, on November 29-December 11, 1868. It discusses the origin of the Declaration, its drafting and lasting influence on the formation of international humanitarian law (IHL).

This Article confronts one of the most difficult and contested questions in the debate about targeted killing that has raged in academic and policy circles over the last decade. Suppose that, in wartime, the target of a military strike may readily be neutralized through nonlethal means such as capture. Do the attacking forces have an obligation to pursue that nonlethal alternative? The Article defends the duty to employ less restrictive means ("LRM") in wartime, and it advances several novel arguments in defense of that obligation. In contrast to those who look to external restraints--such as those imposed by international human rights law, U.S. constitutional law, or, indeed, the laws of war themselves--to check the operation of military necessity, I argue that the most plausible LRM obligation exists as a limitation embedded within the necessity principle itself. Indeed, the principle of military necessity supports not one, but two, related LRM restraints. The first restraint--virtually ignored yet highly relevant to contemporary debates--is a right reason requirement: it prohibits the killing of combatants for reasons unrelated to the pursuit of military advantage. Specifically, the necessity principle does not permit a preference for lethal force over capture when that preference is driven by considerations such as retributive justice, a desire to avoid due process obligations relating to capture and trial, raising morale, and diplomatic sensitivities. The second restraint--more familiar to the debate yet still deserving of further exploration--is objective in nature. It demands that lethal force benefit from a cognizable expectation of military advantage. The Article develops and defends these claims, engages both contrary and complementary viewpoints, and anticipates objections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'military shooter' (MS) video game is the latest in a long line of video games that immerse the player in a fantasy world. Although the MS video game was once regarded as excessively violent, it has now become socially acceptable, as the virtues of military life have become incorporated in popular culture. That transition has taken place in part because the military has begun to work closely with the producers of MS video games, such as the 'Call of Duty' series, to imagine and prepare for future military threats, both on virtual battlefields and on actual terrain. The increasing use of highly paid corporate mercenaries in actual war zones has also influenced game play by introducing players to the potential for large financial rewards by becoming experts in virtual combat. Thus, MS video games incorporate players not only into the technological domain of modern warfare but also into the economic domain of fighting war for profit. In the post 9/11 era, warfare has increasingly become a strategy of risk management, in which the battlefield is less a physical space than a semiotic landscape of conflicting loyalties and financial incentives. The MS shooter game is conditioning the soldiers of the future to fight in this shadowy world that lies between the virtual and the real. All of these changes have political ramifications. In the long run, constant exposure to these games is creating a subculture that is not only immersed in an armament culture but also increasingly allied with current patterns of geopolitical domination and subordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work demonstrates a methodology to analyze small time deformations in conico-cylindrical, multi-material projectile containing explosive material during sub-ordnance velocity impact with the semi-infinite target as hard soil. A 3-Dimensional computational model is developed and analysed using explicit analysis in ANSYS AUTODYN Hydrocode for the Lagrangian domain. The problem was studied for two extreme cases by varying the angle of impact between 0 0 -15 0 . Deformation and stress propagation patterns are studied in the projectile structure for impact with various targets like sand, concrete, and hard soil. To simulate this millisecond impact phenomenon, Mie-Gruneisen Shock-EOS was selected, strength model for the plastic deformation in ductile materials of the projectile was defined by Johnson –Cook Model and failure criteria defined for failure strain by J-C damage model. To define target as semi-infinite hard soil, compaction model was chosen. Pressure and energy variation with time at different points were observed and analysed for a critical condition for initiation of the explosion. This paper exhibits 3-D impact simulation methodology where deformation in projectile and target both considered for sub-ordnance velocity range impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of heat treatment on mechanical properties and ballistic resistance of AA-7017 aluminium alloy plates has been investigated. The stress-strain behaviour of AA-7017 plates subjected to different heat treatment schedules namely under-aging, peak aging and over-aging, is evaluated from quasi-static tension tests. The heat-treated plates display large differences in static mechanical properties in terms of strength and ductility. The peak-aged plate shows the highest strength and hardness followed by the under-aged and over-aged materials. The ballistic resistance of these plates are evaluated by impacting deformable projectiles at a velocity of 830±10 m/s at a normal angle of attack. The peak-aged plate exhibits the best ballistic penetration resistance. The changes in the mechanical properties with different heat treatments have been correlated with ballistic performance of the AA-7017 alloy. Both the post ballistic micro-structural observations and micro-hardness measurements adjacent to the impacted crater walls have been carried out to understand the change in material deformation behaviour with heat treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crossed dominance (CD) is defined as an individual's dominant hand and dominant eye being on opposite sides of the body. CD negatively impacts an individual's ability to accurately aim and fire long-barreled guns. The authors developed and evaluated a hand dominance transfer (HDT) intervention to improve the M16 rifle shooting accuracy, efficiency, and skill transfer. Twenty-four U.S. Army soldiers with CD were taught how to handle and fire an M16 rifle using the nondominant hand. Training was conducted at a military, indoor laser-equipped weapons simulator. Accuracy for shooting 40 rounds at baseline with the nondominant eye and dominant hand (NDE/DH) was 22.12 compared to shooting 30.46 with the dominant eye and nondominant hand (DE/NDH). This difference was statistically significant with p = .000. The transfer of shooting accuracy skill (retention) following the HDT intervention was 33.42 with a comparative p value of .100. Efficiency of shooting 10 rounds at baseline with the NDE/DH was 6.3 compared to shooting 7.3 with the DE/NDH. This difference was not statistically significant (p = .107). The transfer of shooting efficiency skill (retention) was 7.96 with a comparative p value of .349. This study supports shooting with the DE/NDH. HDT could be further developed to address the soldiering skill of shooting an M16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on administrative inquiry process of Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Inquiry Officer Inquiry (IOI) of shooting by soldiers. It mentions civilian scrutiny and integration will improve military accountability, operational effectiveness, reduce litigation risk and lessen pain, cost and loss for families of deceased members. It also mentions civil legal norms or structures apply to the military as a consideration of civil–military relations (CMR).

Artillery rockets are sensitive to disturbances (total impulse variation, wind, thrust misalignment, etc.). As the range of ground-to-ground rockets increases, the accuracy of free flight rockets decreases. Requirements for the increase of the range and minimisation of the impact point dispersions can be solved by adding guidance and control systems to rockets. Based on the differences between the measured flight parameters and the calculated parameters for the nominal trajectory, the flight path angle correction algorithm is obtained by adding the correction to the nominal value. The flight path steering guidance system with lateral acceleration autopilot in the inner loop, is used for the guidance of hypothetical artillery rockets. The guidance algorithm given in this paper eliminates the time correction due to rocket velocity variations. Efficiency of the proposed algorithm is illustrated by numerical simulation. There is no practical influence of the external disturbances on impact point dispersion. It is also shown that the measurement errors of the inertial measurement unit are the dominant factor affecting impact point dispersion of artillery rockets modified by adding a guidance system based on the flight path steering method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials that protect against the high strain rate loading of a projectile have traditionally been constrained by their use on the target of protection. Here the possibility of new materials, particularly carbon nanocomposites, are explored for projectile protection removed off of the target and placed along the trajectory at an intermediate location. A mathematical model of such Ambient Armor (AA) separates the impact, capture, and energy dissipation of an incident projectile into each of three stages, respectively. A distinct scaling of the projectile to composite area ratio and areal density ratio is derived for a given requisite stopping distance. As an example, the model predicts that a 1 g and 800 m s21 small projectile could be decelerated to 3 m s21 within 6-9 m using a 2.34 3 104 layer monolayer graphene nanocomposite at 0.02 volume fraction. For larger projectiles with higher kinetic energy, a tandem system using a second composite body with the specified area density is explored with the idea of making the projectile gyroscopically unstable for rapid deceleration and subsequent interception. Off target reinforcement or AA may in general allow for the exploration of a broader range of material properties for projectile protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates on the mechanisms behind the angled ply-orientation on the ballistic performances of multi-ply UHMWPE fabric panels. Finite element (FE) models have been established for the 3-ply align-laid [0/0/0] and angle-laid [0/30/60] fabric panels. Numerical analyses on the time history of projectile energy loss and panel energy absorption, panel failure time, and the stress distributions at two representative velocities are carried out for these two panels. Study results show the existence of a critical velocity for the 3-ply fabric panels. Below this critical velocity, the enhanced inter-ply isotropy in the angle-laid panel contributes to the improved energy absorption, whereas above this critical velocity, the angle-laid panel is found prone to initial stress concentration, leading to yarn premature damage on the rear ply of the panel and thus the disappearance of the advantages of the angle-laid panel. This phenomenon is supported from the FE investigation as well as from the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing legal responses to sexual assault and harassment in the military have stagnated or failed. Current approaches emphasize the prevalence of sexual assault and highlight the masculine nature of the military's statistical composition and institutional culture. Current responses do not, however, incorporate masculinities theory to disentangle the experiences of men as a group from men as individuals. Rather, embedded within contestations of the masculine military culture is the unstated assumption that the culture universally privileges or benefits the individual men that operate within it. This myth is harmful because it tethers masculinities to military efficacy, suppresses the costs of male violence to men, and positions women as perpetual outsiders. Debunking the myth of universal male privilege in heavily masculinized institutions would advance gender equality and shift the law reform focus. It would bring sexual assault, domestic violence, and sexual harassment into the same frame as the military mental health crisis and even mass solidier-on-soldier shootings. This would reveal the gender equality implications of military mental health and disentangle masculinities and military efficacy. Debunking the myth of univeral male privilege would yield more vigilance to how law reforms can exacerbate hyper-masculine violence. It introduces neiv entry points to gendered violence in the military, expanding the focus from incident-based responses to recruiting and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to use the released energy of the liquid carbon dioxide for the PET bottle to burst, which can simulate safely and cheaply the combat sound effects. This article deals with the mathematical modelling of the problem, which is the base for the design of this device that would simulate the sound effects of the RPG-7 launching and that can be used for the RPG-7 hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher in combat shooting training. The prototype of this device has been extensively tested and has shown to be suitable for military use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If the war hasn't change radically, its circumstances are by far variable, evolutional and in a permanent change. This is why the weapon systems, military equipments and especially peopl e become the sole tools capable to solve the crises and the conflicts. And the rapid reaction to solve them is the main form of response of the modern armed forces. Thus, within a complex environment where the forces are engaged, they have to have permanently at their disposition highly accurate weapons, the latest technologies and militaries highly trained for the missions assigned. This is without doubt a factor of operational superiority, a multiplier of the combat power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new analytical tool is proposed to aid in the design and performance evaluation of advanced guided projectile concepts. A projectile linear theory applicable to aerodynamically asymmetric configurations is created, leading to a linear, periodic dynamic system. Utilizing concepts in Floquet theory, stability of asymmetric projectile configurations is explored. While stability of many asymmetric projectile configurations can be accurately predicted using averaged linear, constant coefficient system dynamics, there are some configurations where the use of linear periodic systems theory is required for accurate stability prediction. This fact is shown by comparing stability boundaries of an example projectile configuration using the conventional projectile linear theory model and the new periodic projectile linear theory model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article compares Korean and European military drilling techniques, with a particular focus on evidence drawn from 17th- and 18th-century military manuals. According to the authors, the similarities between these drilling regimes call into question the historical concept of a distinctly European method of conducting wars. Details on Korean musketry units and techniques are presented. The development of military technologies and strategies in China is also discussed.