Technical Observation of the Rapid Prototype Development of the Rapid Airfoil Projectile

• NCJ Number: 236948
• Author(s): M. Begert
• Date Published: June 2006
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2004-IJ-CX-K052
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Award: Less Lethal Technology

Annotation

This grant project performed by The Aerospace Corporation involved the observation, limited assistance, and liaison in support of a NIJ grant awarded to the Vanek Prototype Company for the purpose of building and delivering a prototype less-than-lethal launcher and a quantity of projectiles for the Rapid Airfoil Projectile (RAP).

Abstract

The purpose of the launcher is to propel the RAP projectile downrange at a muzzle velocity of 210 feet per second and at a rotation of 5,000 revolutions per minute. The pump-action cycling operation ejects a spent round from the breach, extracts a new round from the six-shot magazine, and places it in the breech for firing. RAP is operational as less-than-lethal from point blank to a distance of 60 meters or beyond. Currently, there is no commercially available, operationally implemented launcher, device, or projectile that has this capability. The development and research activity of this rapid prototyping project produced a launcher and associated system parts, demonstrated the system, and delivered the product and associated research to appropriate Federal officials. The complete history of the associated projects includes technology transfer among three Federal agencies. The final results met the basic requirements of the project. 5 figures, 7 references, and a glossary of terms