Engineers of the General of the Army A.V. Khrulev Military Academy of Logistics have created and patented a reactive projectile design that ensures its stabilization without the use of a traditional mechanical component.
The new development belongs to the field of reactive ammunition and is designed to improve the accuracy and range of unguided reactive projectiles. Instead of the classic method of imparting rotation through the interaction of a pin with a guide, it is proposed to use the energy of the engine's reactive jet.
The design includes an engine, a powder charge, peripherally located nozzles, and a special sealing plate with inclined nozzles installed on it.
Each nozzle is located above the main nozzle and is installed at an angle of 45 degrees to its axis. This scheme changes the direction of gas exit and creates a tangential thrust component that causes the projectile to rotate around its longitudinal axis.
After exiting the guide, the mechanism releases the plate, and the reactive gases begin to operate in the standard axial direction. This allows the engine's thrust to be maintained during the main flight phase and avoids additional energy losses.
The developers note that traditional rotation systems can create additional resistance and affect the design of the launcher. The new scheme should eliminate this factor by transferring the stabilization function directly to the flow of reactive gases.
The design also uses 4–6 spring-loaded pins that hold the sealing plate while the projectile moves inside the guide. After exiting, the elements release the plate, which separates from the body.
The patent authors believe that the use of such a system will increase the accuracy of reactive projectile firing and improve their flight efficiency due to a more rational use of engine energy.