US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Andrew Littlefield

Joshua Root

Mark A Johnson

Christopher Mulligan

Peter J O'Hara

A lightweight mortar tube is presented herein having at least three layers: (1) a first inner bore facing layer comprised of a metal having a melting point greater than 800&#xb0; C.; (2) a second thermal barrier layer comprised of a ceramic material attached to the first layer, and (3) a third outer shell layer attached to the second layer comprising of fiber reinforced composite material where the composite material is either a polymer, metal or ceramic. All of the layers are cohesively integrated with each other into a seamless wall. The improved multi-layered mortar tube described herein is lighter, yet maintains the same performance standards as comparable steel-based mortar tubes.

Multi-layered mortar tube

A modular mortar baseplate may include a top plate with an outer annular substantially planar portion and a recessed central portion. A socket may be disposed in the recessed central portion. A hub may be disposed beneath the recessed central portion. A plurality of legs may be connected to an underside of the top plate and to the hub. Each leg may include a pair of vertical portions, a horizontal portion, and a pair of rounded portions that join the pair of vertical portions to the horizontal portion. Each of the pair of rounded portions may have a radius that decreases in a radially inward direction.

Modular mortar baseplate

An electromagnetic launcher having a longitudinal axis includes a pair of longitudinally extending rails; a pair of longitudinally extending insulators disposed between the rails; a bore defined by interior surfaces of the rails and the insulators; and a jacket extending around exterior surfaces of the rails and the insulators; wherein the exterior surfaces of the insulators are substantially flat and further wherein a distance between the exterior surfaces of the insulators is substantially equal to or less than a maximum thickness of the rails.

Electromagnetic gun launcher

An apparatus for counting and storing a number of rounds fired from a gun includes a microcomputer; a non-volatile memory connected to the microcomputer; and at least one piezoelectric transducer connected to the microcomputer and mounted on the gun, the at least one piezoelectric transducer comprising a power source that generates power during operation of the gun. The piezoelectric transducer may also sense the firing of the gun.

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Watervliet, NY, United States of America

Andrew Littlefield