KEMTF_Script_TAIP_-_updated.pdf

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distribution is unlimited.

KEMTF

EGLIN OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES

(E-OMS) INDUSTRY DAYS

4 JUNE 2014

C-74 IS KNOWN AS THE KINETIC ENERGY MUNITIONS TEST

FACILITY (KEMTF). THE KEMTF IS USED TO CONDUCT HIGH-

ENERGY IMPACT TESTING ON PENETRATING WARHEADS. A 2000-

FOOT DUAL RAIL TRACK, SLEDS, AND ROCKET MOTOR

ARRANGEMENTS ARE USED TO PROPEL THE WARHEAD DOWN

THE TRACK AT THE REQUIRED VELOCITY AND DELIVER THE ITEM

INTO THE TARGET AT THE REQUIRED IMPACT ANGLE. THE

WARHEAD IS SEPARATED FROM THE SLED AT THE TERMINAL END

OF THE TRACK TO FREE FLY INTO A TARGET. TYPICAL TARGETS

ARE REINFORCED CONCRETE TO SIMULATE BUNKER WALLS.

THE KEMTF CAN SUPPORT FIRINGS IN EITHER DIRECTION,

AND CONTROL IS POSSIBLE FROM C-74 CONTROL OR C-74L

DEPENDING ON SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. THE STARTING POINT

CAN BE VARIED DEPENDING UPON THE REQUIRED END-OF-TRACK

VELOCITY. FOR HIGH SPEED OR HEAVY TEST ITEMS, THE ENTIRE

LENGTH OF THE TRACK IS REQUIRED. THREE TYPES OF ROCKET

MOTORS (HVARS, ZUNI, AND MLRS) ARE USED FOR PROPULSION

DURING SLED TESTS AND EACH REQUIRES SPECIAL HANDLING

DUE TO ITS INHERENT SENSITIVITIES.

DURING A TYPICAL MISSION SEQUENCE, THE TARGET AREA

AND TRACK ARE CONFIGURED ACCORDING TO THE

REQUIREMENTS OF THE TEST. THIS PROCESS TYPICALLY

INCLUDES 6-15 DAYS SETUP DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY OF

THE TARGET SETUP AND IF THE WARHEAD IS CONDITIONED OR

NOT. ON MISSION DAY, THE TEST ITEM IS LOADED ONTO A

CARRIER SLED AND IS STRAPPED TO THE SLED. AFTER ALL

INSTRUMENTATION AND CAMERA PLACEMENTS ARE SET UP AND

CONFIGURED, THE ROCKET MOTORS ARE LOADED ONTO A

PUSHER SLED. FINAL INSTRUMENTATION CHECKS ARE

COMPLETED AND PERSONNEL ARE EVACUATED FROM THE TRACK

AREA AND SECURED IN THE RANGE CONTROL TOWER. A

DETAILED FIRING SEQUENCE IS BEGUN, AND THE ROCKET

MOTORS ARE FIRED TO PROPEL THE ITEM DOWN THE TRACK.

TRACK-SIDE KNIFE BLADES ARE PLACED AT THE END OF THE

TRACK TO CUT STRAPS THAT SECURE THE TEST ITEM TO THE

CARRIER SLED. AT THE END OF THE TRACK, PULL-DOWN RAILS

ARE USED TO PULL THE SLEDS DOWNWARD, AWAY FROM THE

TEST ITEM TO LIMIT INTERFERENCE WITH THE TARGET. HIGH

SPEED VIDEO CAMERAS ARE USED TO CAPTURE VELOCITY,

PITCH, YAW, PENETRATION, AND DETONATION DATA.

A THERMO-TRON TEMPERATURE CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS

AVAILABLE TO PRE-CONDITION THE TEST ITEM TO REQUIRED

TEST PARAMETERS. TYPICAL CONDITIONS RANGE FROM –65

DEGREES F TO 160 DEGREES F. THIS SYSTEM IS PORTABLE AND

CAN BE USED AT OTHER RANGE LOCATIONS.

THE STRUCTURE ADJACENT TO THE NORTH END OF THE

TRACK IS THE REUSABLE TARGET, OR RUT. THIS FACILITY IS

USED TO TEST MUNITIONS AGAINST A SIMULATED BUNKER

TARGET. THE RUT CONTAINS SEVERAL ROOMS WITH REMOVABLE

WALLS THAT CAN BE REPLACED AFTER A TEST. IT CAN BE USED

IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SLED TRACK TO SUPPORT DYNAMIC

TESTS OR ALONE TO SUPPORT STATIC TESTS. WHEN A DYNAMIC

TEST IS PERFORMED USING THE RUT, C-74 CONTROL IS IN THE

DANGER FOOT-PRINT. IN THIS CASE, MISSION CONTROL IS

TRANSFERRED TO TA C-74L.

THERE ARE SEVERAL INSTRUMENTATION BUNKERS

LOCATED ALONG THE TRACK. THE TRACK IS INSTRUMENTED FOR

VELOCITY EVERY 50-FEET WITH MAGNETIC VELOCITY COILS. THE

COIL DATA SIGNALS ARE ROUTED THROUGH THESE BUNKERS

AND THEN TO CONTROL FOR PROCESSING. COMPUTER

CONTROLLED DATA COLLECTION AND REDUCTION SYSTEMS ARE

HOUSED IN CONTROL TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED DATA. THE

INSTRUMENTATION BUNKERS ALSO HOUSE POWER SUPPLIES

WHEN MULTIPLE STAGING IS REQUIRED AND OTHER

INSTRUMENTATION AND CAMERA CABLES THAT ARE TERMINATED

IN CONTROL.

A CAMERA TOWER IS USED TO COLLECT VIDEO FROM A

VANTAGE POINT ABOVE THE TRACK.

THE SOUTH END OF THE TRACK IS DESIGNATED AS THE

TARGET AREA FOR TESTS THAT DON’T REQUIRE THE USE OF THE

RUT. A WIDE VARIETY OF TARGETS ARE USED IN THIS AREA

INCLUDING THICK CONCRETE BLOCKS, STEEL, ARCHED TARGETS,

AND VEHICLES.

VARIOUS PIECES OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT ARE USED TO

CONFIGURE THE RANGE PRIOR TO A TEST INCLUDING A 230-TON

CRANE, 20 TON CRANES, BULLDOZERS, FRONT-END LOADERS,

FLAT BED TRAILERS AND TRACTORS, AND A 230-TON BLOCK

HAULER.

TARGETS ARE FABRICATED AND DEMOLISHED ON SITE. ON

THE WEST SIDE OF THE RANGE ARE THE FABRICATION AND

DEMOLITION AREAS. OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS ARE USED FOR

FABRICATION AND DEMOLITION.

ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RANGE IS A SLED FABRICATION

AND MODIFICATION SHOP. THIS SHOP INCLUDES MACHINES,

HOISTS, AND WELDING EQUIPMENT TO PERFORM MODIFICATIONS

TO SLEDS. CURRENTLY, SLEDS ARE FABRICATED UNDER

ANOTHER CONTRACT BY THE BACK MAINTENANCE SHOPS ON

EGLIN MAIN BASE AND ONLY MODIFICATIONS ARE PERFORMED

HERE. ALL SLEDS ARE DESIGNED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THIS CONCLUDES THE KEMTF TOUR.