Munition Emulator for the Carl-Gustaf M4 Recoilless Rifle : Enhancing Smart Munition Testing through Microcontroller-Based Simulation of Real-Time Communication

As society becomes increasingly digitalised, the modern military battlefield follows suit. One significant digitalisation advancement has been the introduction of smart munitions, or smart rounds, capable of providing more detailed information about their conditions, which enables more accurate ballistics. One of the systems that has this digitalisation isthe Carl-Gustaf(CG) M4 recoilless rifle through the addition of smart rounds. However, the complexity of these systems demand rigorous testing and data collection during development to ensure reliability and resilience. Tools that facilitate these functions benefit both engineers and end users by improving development processes and product performance. The Ground Combat(GC) research and development team that develops the CG system want to streamline their testing process while also increasing its data collection abilities. To do this, they anticipate the need for a Round Communications Emulator(RCE) that can provide data about the CG systems operation during testing while also being capable of consistently producing the same conditions. In this thesis, we present the design and development of a prototype RCE for the CG system. The RCE can mimic any current smart rounds while also archiving communication data. Furthermore, it enables the reliable simulation of faulty rounds, enhancing the resilience of other system components. By delivering these capabilities, the RCE supports the development of current and future iterations of the CG system, ultimately contributing to an even more robust and reliable end product.