Programmable artillery fuse

Abstract

In an artillery fuse ( 12 ), particularly having a braking fuse function, in the course of the loading procedure of the howitzer for firing ammunition equipped with such a fuse ( 12 ), a quantity of data significantly larger than the typical fuse-setting information may be supplied parallel in time to the typical inductive fuse-setting procedure, particularly initialization information for satellite navigation to be performed on board after firing the ammunition, if the fuse ( 12 ) is equipped according to the present invention in the region of its cap ( 11 ), which is shaped like a hollow truncated cone, with at least one infrared-radiation-sensitive data interface ( 13 ), which works together bidirectionally with a coupling element ( 16 ). Preferably, a transceiver is positioned on the fuse ( 12 ) for bidirectional data communication, while a ring ( 15 ), which may be pulled over its tip ( 14 ), is equipped with at least three receivers distributed around the ring circumference as the coupling elements ( 16 ).

1 . A fuse ( 12 ) for artillery ammunition, which is settable during the course of a loading procedure via a coupling coil positioned within a cap ( 11 ) for the fuse, which cap is shaped in the form of a hollow truncated cone, characterized in that said fuse has an infrared data interface ( 13 ) in the region of said cap ( 11 ) for receiving, parallel in time to the fuse-setting procedure, a quantity of of data which is large in comparison with the fuse-setting information, and which is large in comparison with the fuse-setting information, and which is in the form of prediction data as initialization information for satellite navigation for use on board the ammunition after firing.  
   
   
       2 . The fuse according to  claim 1 , 
 characterized in that a data interface ( 13   a ) is positioned centrally behind a flattened tip ( 14 ) of the fuse ( 2 ).    
   
   
       3 . The fuse according to  claim 1 , 
 characterized in that a data interface ( 13   b ) is positioned in a lateral surface of the cap ( 11 ).    
   
   
       4 . The fuse according to  claim 3 , 
 characterized in that a ring ( 15 ) is positionable on the cap ( 11 ), said ring having at least one coupling element ( 16 ) for communication with the data interface ( 13   b ).    
   
   
       5 . The fuse according to  claim 4 , 
 characterized in that at least three coupling elements ( 16 ) are positioned distributed around the circumference of the ring ( 15 ).    
   
   
       6 . The fuse according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the communication between said data interfaces ( 13 ) and said coupling elements ( 16 ) is performed bidirectionally via transceivers.