A search in the Defense Technical Information Center database for technical terms like ignition, artillery, propulsion design, or cannon design will result in reports from the 1950s through the 1970s written by very knowledgeable people providing a wealth of information on a particular topic. What may be missing from these reports is the “system interface” approach.
In this context, a “system” is defined as a group of subsystems or components that are assembled to create a functioning artillery howitzer. In terms of interfaces (i.e., how one subsystem works with another) that make up a complete artillery system, the cannon-ammunition interface can arguably be the most important. Through the progression of artillery design spanning over decades, cannon technologies as well as propulsion technologies have been upgraded and developed, mostly on separate development paths leveraging prior legacy designs.
This lack of a systems approach is a likely contributor to issues of poor reliability, lack of interoperability, unoptimized performance, and safety concerns. By taking advantage of advancements in modeling and simulation in both cannon and propulsion design, as well as adding a heavier presence of statistical modeling and analysis, we have an opportunity to provide a fresh look at developing a robust cannon-ammunition interface.