Recent advances in electrothermal-chemical gun propulsion at United Defense, L.P

Electrothermal-chemical (ETC) propulsion uses an electrical energy pulse as a means of initiating and, in some cases, controlling the combustion of propellant charges. The electrical energy pulse is generated by a pulse-forming network (PFN) and is dissipated within the gun in the form of a plasma. The high-energy density plasma resulting from the electrical energy dissipation has been demonstrated to be highly effective in ignition of solid and liquid propellant charges. Variations in electrical dissipation rate have been shown to affect propellant gasification rate and, therefore, pressurization throughout the ballistic cycle. This paper discusses recent development results at United Defense, L.P., in the areas of ETC solid propellant ignition and performance improvement, ETC temperature compensation, and a high-performance hybrid liquid/solid propellant ETC charge.