Flare grenade
A light grenade is a projectile that is used to illuminate the battlefield in the dark . A flare does not contain an explosive device, but a pyrotechnic flare on the basis of magnesium and sodium nitrate , which provides very bright light when burned.
function
When the flare grenade is fired, the projectile is dismantled after a preset time by cutting off the base and ejecting the star attached to a parachute . The dismantling time can be set individually via the detonator before firing ; In the case of small-caliber weapons, it is usually set at the factory. The parachute is used to delay the fall of the luminous star in order to be able to illuminate as large an area as possible over the burning time of the star (usually 30 s). The height at which the fuel is ignited is usually 100 to 350 m above the ground. Lower heights would limit the radius and duration of the lighting too much. Higher heights did not allow enough light to reach the ground. Burning time, rate of descent and altitude when igniting are coordinated so that the flare burns as long as possible as long as the braked fall lasts. Since the lamp burns at very high temperatures, light packs that have not yet burned out can cause fires on the floor. The use of flares can be impaired by strong wind or rain, because the parachutes are driven away from the target area or are quickly pushed to the ground by the rain. The flare itself remains unaffected by wind or moisture.
In principle, light grenades can be fired from any gun. Shallow-firing guns, such as tank cannons, are not so well suited for illuminating the immediate apron, since the main weapon has a low elevation , so that the projectiles only reach the required height at a certain distance.
Flares in the NATO armed forces are available in the calibers 60 mm, 81 mm, 105 mm, 120 mm and 155 mm.
A 155 mm artillery shell contains a flare with an average light intensity of 2 million candelas, which illuminates a circular area with a diameter of 1000 m from a height of 350 m. Of course, the light extends well beyond this radius, but the brightness on the ground drops sharply with increasing distance from the flare. The flare has a burn time of about 60 seconds, with a sink rate of 4 to 5 m / s. Grenades from 105 mm guns or 81 mm mortars have smaller flares with a burn time of around 35 seconds, which can illuminate an area of 300 m in diameter with a correspondingly deeper ignition.
A flare grenade without dropping delay was developed for the 105 mm cannon of the Leopard 1 , but it is also intended to be used completely differently. This grenade is supposed to be fired behind a possible target on the ground and thereby create a backlight that highlights the silhouette of possible targets.
The infantry uses the signal pistol in caliber 26.5 mm or the grenade pistol in caliber 40 mm for the battlefield lighting . For both weapon systems there is an extensive range of ammunition with drop-delayed and non-drop-delayed illuminated projectiles.
Until the introduction of radar - targeting light grenades were important tools for night battles at sea.
Web links
- TL directory of the Bundeswehr ( PDF ( Memento from August 24, 2009 in the Internet Archive ))
Individual evidence
- ↑ RM Ogorkiewicz : Technologie der Panzer II. Troop Service Paperback Volume 40B, Vienna 1999, ISBN 978-3-9011-8333-1 , p. 231 ff