Artillery Spotter Round Antenna

Artillery targeting and firing flexibility improve immensely when the shell can relay precise flight position information. Ball's Global Positioning System (GPS) Translator Artillery Spotter Round antenna adds several new dimensions to artillery-fire support missions by providing key data, on each single round, for wind correction or remote firing.

The AN0671A antenna system combines GPS and telemetry functions into a package that conforms to a standard fuse for 4-, 5-, and 8-inch artillery rounds. The package allows enough room in the fuse body for the GPS and telemetry electronics, as well as a power source.

The Artillery Spotter Round antenna is constructed with Teflon-based substrates, then bonded to the fuse body. GPS satellite inputs to the antenna are routed to the GPS and telemetry system electronics using flexible coaxial cable.

Each antenna radiates outward from the fuse surface, providing omni-directional coverage. The low-circumferential roll ripple controls the modulation effect on the electronics signals caused by the high speed of a revolving shell.

Because the antenna system is mounted to the projectile in place of the standard fuse, weight and flight characteristics remain the same. No special projectile is required for the system.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., 1600 Commerce Street, Boulder, CO 80301. Tel: 303-939-6100; Fax: 303-939-6104.