Department of Defense Engineering Support

Subsystems has been, and continues to be, an active participant in leading the way toward advancing the capabilities of US Army ordnance and weapons by applying incomparable technical expertise in conjunction with decades of experience. In addition to our permanent cadre of experts, Subsystems has partnerships with a large number of DoD retirees and military experts. Our team, individually and collectively, has helped design, analyze, and test every caliber cannon and mortar-launched projectile fielded by the US Army in the last 40 years. Besides projectile work, we have extensive experience in nonlethal weapons, small arms and demolitions & prototyping and testing grenade designs,. Our wide range of expertise encompasses all phases of weapons development including Program Management, System Design, and Engineering. The Federal government and industry recognize Subsystems’ capabilities as shown by them asking us to take part in many panels (graybeards), review boards, and integrated project teams (IPT). Over and over again, Subsystems’ is consistant in proving our outstanding abilities in artillery and mortar weapon design, from initial idea through production. Our expertise in weapons design allows us to not only effectively complete technical tasks, both small and large, but administrative tasks as well that are related to current Army weapons systems. Our dedicated team of highly qualified technical experts has occupied high-level positions, essential technical positions and critical managerial positions. This is what makes Subsystems ready to provide you the necessary technical and management skills to support your on-going efforts.

Subsystems’ engineering support capabilities encompass diverse disciplines that involve complex solutions unique to ordnance development. Subsystems’ consultative engineering services have played a major role in developing extended-range artillery, mortar munitions, nonlethal, demolitions, grenades, robotic systems, and currently fielded and future munitions systems. Our contributions to projectile propulsion, flight dynamics, and advanced materiel application have been a critical element in defining advanced munitions system performance. Specific areas of expertise that Subsystems provides include:

Propulsion, energetics, and fusing
Post launch projectile propulsion
Rocket assist
Base burning
Propellant processing
Payload expulsion and maneuvering
Cast pyrotechnics
Multispectral smoke
Fuse design and mechanical and electrical fuse delay mechanisms to include pyrotechnics
Aeroballistics—exterior ballistic design, flight dynamics, and performance verification
Artillery, mortar, and tank projectiles
Common and sub munitions
Aerodynamic deceleration devices
Nonlethal payloads
Underwater mine defeat projectiles
Explosively formed penetrators
Training devices
Advanced material selection, application, and qualification
Composites
Amorphous metals
Metal matrices
Layered aluminum

Engineering Drawings

Subsystems interprets ASME and ISO military engineering drawing standards to their latest revision level. This work includes technical data package (TDP) certification guidance; developing and reviewing configuration management plans; preparing engineering change proposals (ECP) and notice of revisions (NOR) to military standards; all forms of guidance and preparation of TDP updates to ensure fast and accurate procurements; track all technical data requirements and drawing preparation of 3D and Pro-E profiles in military standards.

Field Installation Support

Subsystems provides personnel for in-theater and continental United States (CONUS) installation technical support. Most notable is our in-theater (Iraq) personnel supporting the Special Weapons Observation Remote recon Direct Actions System (SWORDS) program. This program includes daily technical tasks, troubleshooting, maintenance, test support and new equipment training as required for new receiving units.

Installation Support (FT Benning, Yuma Proving Grounds)

Subsystems’ technical writers administer the preparation of drafts for the Initial Capability Document (lCD), Capability Development Documents (CDD5), Capability Production Document (CPD), and other associated documentation for all programs that bear on tactical weapons and ammunition, inclusive of the entire life cycle. Associated documentation may include Analysis of Alternatives (AOA); Basis of Issue (BOl); Doctrine and Tactics; Training; Leadership and Education Material; Organization (DTLOMSPF) assessments; Material Concept (MC); and Operation Concept (OC). Our talented technical writers also prepare testing documentation, provide on-site personnel for technical test support, and offer on-site coordination and contact to all support staff.

Mechanical and Electrical Engineering support

Subsystems currently provides ARDEC with mechanical and electrical engineering specialists with expertise in failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), computer aided design (CAD), computer aided manufacturing (CAM), stress analysis, thermo analysis, quality and value engineering, producibility engineering, product improvements, high-power microwave design, short pulse laser experimentation design, integration of electromagnetic energy with laser channels, development of high-voltage sources for laser applications, and design of critical electronic subsystems

Fabrication

Subsystems is a partner with a manufacturing consortium that is ISO9001:2000 registered and located in northwest New Jersey. This consortium has been established to supplement military and electronic hardware, ancillary components, a wide range of industrial fasteners, and absorbent products. This consortium provides customers CNC machining and fabrications services, which with global sourcing, ensures quality “one-stop” service and products of consistent quality while remaining cost competitive. A summary of services and attributes of this consortium are:

ISO 9001:2000 registered
CNC machine shop services
EDM services
Engineering support
Specialty hardware
Industrial fasteners
Electrical hardware
Safety and absorbent products
Maintains substantial stock
Metal bending and fabrication
Heat treating
Certified welding
Chemical film and plating
Government certified painting
Functional prototypes
Certificates of compliance
Short and long run production
Global sourcing
Expert and experienced staff

Analytical Tools and Review

We at Subsystems provide expert consultant services to define the current capabilities and future modeling and simulation (M&S) requirements for engineering personnel at ARDEC. Not only do we offer strategic planning for developing a modeling and simulation culture at ARDEC but we also support current and future armaments development projects. M&S tool set applicability for each phase of the acquisition process is defined. Specific requirements are developed for M&S capabilities to support initial design generation, design tradeoff analysis, initial user assessment, prototyping, hardware component analysis, live fire predictions, manufacturing, and reliability. Recommendations for developing an integrated collaborative M&S architecture is provided. Technical support of obtaining enterprise-wide site licenses for applicable analytical tools such as Pore (design generation), ABACUS (structural analysis), ANSYS (stress analysis), and DYNA-LS (dynamic analysis) is provided. In-house and graduate level training courses and certifications are recommended for enhancing the M&S skills of the engineering staff to address the ever-increasing complexities of advanced weapons systems, design, development, and manufacturing.

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