Optimizing Weapon Precision

An accurate soldier is a lethal soldier, lethal soldiers make an effective army, and an effective army is a deterrent to war. In this paper we aim to apply optimization methods to nonlinear trajectory models to make every soldier more lethal with their assigned weapon system (and hunters more humane with their rifles). We first discover a way to optimize the trajectory of the average soldier's bullet over a specific range in a way that can be immediately implemented with negligible impact to current infrastructure, equipment, practices, and procedures. Next, we develop the mathematics behind an aiming device which considers the angle at which a weapon is aimed and the angle at which the weapon is tilted, and automatically adjusts to produce the optimal bullet trajectory over a specified range. We design this device while minimizing power consumption, minimizing weight, and avoiding the use of additional sensors such as laser range finders. Finally, we model a similar device intended for civilian hunters and military snipers which guarantees minimized deviation at an estimated range.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Operations Research Center

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Kendall, Thomas P.

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Graves, Stephen
• Slocum, Alexander
• Kim, Louis

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
• Copyright retained by author(s)

Licence dc:rights.uri

• https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/139472

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/139472