Device for reducing ammunition drag and ammunition for receiving said device

Claim 1

An artillery ammunition system comprising on the one hand an artillery projectile (1), having a closed rear end and on the other hand a device which can be secured to the closed rear end of said projectile for reducing the drag and increasing the range of said projectile, said device comprising a casing (2) containing a gas producing charge (3) and an igniter (6) for initiating combustion of said charge, said casing (2) having an orifice (8) for discharging gases generated at the time of combustion of said charge, wherein: (a) the casing (2) is self-contained, has an outer-skirt and comprises a leak-tight cover (5) enabling storing it independently of said projectile (1), said cover being disposed on a side of said casing (2) to be fitted to the closed rear end of said projectile (1), (b) said discharge orifice (8) of said casing (2) is closed by a plug (9) so as to form a gas-tight seal, said plug being destructible under the action of the pressure generated within a tube of a weapon used for firing the ammunition, (c) the cover (5) of said casing (2) has an internal face and the igniter (6) is fixed on said internal face of said cover (5), (d) the rear end of said projectile (1) and said side of said self-contained casing (2) comprise complementary fastening means (10, 13; 11, 14) so as to permit a direct and leak-tight attachment of said casing (2) to the rear end of said projectile (1), (e) said leak-tight cover (5) has a surface which is complementary to that of the closed rear end of the projectile so that said cover engages tightly said closed rear end when said casing (2) is attached to said projectile (1), and (f) said means (10, 13, 11, 14) for fastening the casing (2) to the projectile (1) has outer profiles such that when the casing (2) is attached to the projectile (1), the outer skirt of said casing (2) follows the external surface of the projectile (1).