Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance
Enrol
Introduction - 1 day
Fundamentals - 3 days
Online
Online
Introduction - $1100.00
Fundamentals - $3300.00
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Overview
Discover the fundamentals of explosives and how their effects can be leveraged to deliver military-relevant outcomes. On completion of this course, you will understand the fundamental elements of guided weapons, which will enable you to make superior decisions in APS and professional contexts related to the larger Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordinates enterprise.
You can choose between a 1-day or 3-day program. The 1-day course provides a solid foundation in understanding the basic principles and effects of explosives, while the 3-day course offers a more in-depth exploration, covering more technical aspects and applications of guided weapons.
Course content
Day 1:
- Introduction to energetic materials (including rocket propellants)
- Introduction to explosive effects
Day 2:
- Propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics
- Warhead design concepts, including shaped charge, fragmentation weapons, etc.
Day 3:
- Gun propellants, Rockets and Ramjets + Guidance systems
- Shock wave theory and penetration mechanics
Learning outcomes
1-Day Course:
- Identify the difference between deflagration to detonation and shock to detonation.
- Define an explosive.
- Describe the effects of a detonating explosive.
3-Day Course:
- Identify the difference between deflagration to detonation and shock to detonation.
- Define an explosive.
- Describe the effects of a detonating explosive.
- Explain the functioning of propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics.
- Evaluate warhead design concepts from a performance perspective.
- Critique guidance systems.
- Explain the functioning of rockets and ramjets.
- Describe the effects of shock waves and the penetration of objects into soil and similar materials.
Who should attend
- APS staff without a background in engineering or physical sciences working within Defence who wish to enhance their competitiveness for GWEO-jobs.
- Police
- ADF members wishing to transition into a more technical role involving explosive ordnance and/or guided weapons
- Contractors to Defence who will need to rapidly upskill large numbers of staff in the rapidly-expanding area of guided weapons and explosive ordnance.
Facilitators
Professor Paul Hazell
Paul Hazell is a professor of impact dynamics in the School of Engineering and Technology (SET) at UNSW Canberra. Paul is also the Director of the Impact Dynamics Research Group (IDRG) and Lab at UNSW Canberra, and has published extensively in the field of impact dynamics (that is, the mechanics of what happens during a collision). He is also on the editorial board for the journals International Journal of Impact Engineering (Elsevier), Biomimetics (MDPI), and Shock Waves (Springer). He also served on the editorial board for Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group) and wrote the reference book ARMOUR: Materials, Theory, and Design (CRC Press, 2/e, 2022,), and a popular science book on guns, entitled: 'The Story of the Gun: History, Science, and Impact on Society’ (Springer Praxis, 1/e, 2021).
His main research interests centre on the dynamic behaviour of materials and structures that have been subjected to impact / shock loading.
Paul's teaching experience includes courses on computational modelling techniques, shock wave theory, impact dynamics, and survivability. He has won several awards for his 'motivated' lecturing style. In addition, in 2023 he won the UNSW Students' Choice Teaching Award for his 'inspirational nurturing skills' with HDR students. See here for a YouTube video on the award details.
Paul has appeared in several documentaries as an expert commentator, usually around war machines. These have included:
1. Secret Weapons of World War II, WildBear, Published: 2024.
2. How Factories Changed the World, WildBear, Published: 2020. E.g., see a YouTube example here.
3. Machinery of War, WildBear, Published: 2019. E.g., see a YouTube example here.
4. Combat Countdown, Discovery Military Channel (US), US, Wag TV, Published: 2012. E.g., see a YouTube example here.
Weapons of War, National Geographic / History Channel, Published 2005. E.g., see a YouTube example here
Dr Nicholas Kanizaj
Nicholas is Senior Lecturer in Explosive Ordnance (EO) in the School of Engineering and Technology (SET) at UNSW Canberra.
He has discharged commercial research in the areas of rocket propellants, small arms propellants, explosives and pyrotechnics. His research leverages atypical formulation technologies for the manufacture of novel propellant and pyrotechnic systems.
Nicholas teaches on the design of rocket motors, propellants and pyrotechnics as well as explosive ordnance design and systems.
Cancellation policy
Courses will be held subject to sufficient registrations. UNSW Canberra reserves the right to cancel a course up to five working days prior to commencement of the course. If a course is cancelled, you will have the opportunity to transfer your registration or be issued a full refund. If registrant cancels within 10 days of course commencement, a 50% registration fee will apply. UNSW Canberra is a registered ACT provider under ESOS Act 2000-CRICOS provider Code 00098G.