Projectile to be fired from a barrel with an over-caliber control surface assembly

Abstract

A projectile ( ) to be fired from a rifled barrel ( ) is described. At its tail ( ) it has control surface vanes ( ) which can be pivoted out from a sub-calibre launch position into an over-calibre functional position. To protect the inwardly folded vanes ( ) and to protect further ballistic and sensor structures at the tail end of the projectile ( ), a securing pot ( ) is temporarily fixed to the tail ( ) of the projectile ( ), the securing pot having a pot peripheral portion ( ) and a pot bottom ( ). There is a pressure chamber ( ) between the tail end face ( ) of the projectile ( ) and the pot bottom ( ) of the securing pot ( ). The pot bottom ( ) has at least one propellent gas inlet ( ) which opens into the pressure chamber ( ). When the projectile ( ) is fired from the barrel propellent gas flows through the propellent gas inlet ( ) into the pressure chamber ( ) so that a correspondingly high propellent gas pressure is produced in the pressure chamber ( ). After leaving the barrel the pressure difference between the gas pressure in the pressure chamber ( ) and the ambient atmosphere then takes effect, whereby the securing pot ( ) is separated from the tail ( ) of the projectile ( ) and the vanes ( ) are deployed from the inwardly folded storage position into the outwardly pivoted flight position.