Weapon Parts Research Articles

The Åker assemblage: Provenance and local workshop-traditions in the North Sea region in the late 6 th and early 7 th centuries

Abstract The so-called Åker assemblage, a collection of stray finds of weapon parts and warrior-related objects dating from c. AD 600, has held a prominent position in Norwegian archaeology since the discovery of the first objects on the estate of Åker in Hedmark in south-eastern Norway in the 19th century. The assemblage comprises high-status objects belonging to a warrior elite whose equipment display close similarities across the European Continent and in Anglo-Saxon England. In early research, many of the objects in the assemblage, e. g., the renowned ‘Åker buckle’ with cloisonné and zoomorphic decoration, were ascribed a Continental provenance. More recent discussions, however, advocate a Scandinavian origin for all the objects in the assemblage. Yet, the question of where the items originally were manufactured was once more actualized when further objects belonging to the assemblage were unearthed by metal detectorists in the 1990s. Among the new finds were some Frankish types of belt mounts that are unique in a Scandinavian perspective and other items with similarities to related equipment found in other regions. The new items may thus potentially shed new light on the question concerning place of origin of the assemblage. The question of provenance, however, is tied up with the phenomenon of local workshop-traditions in Scandinavia and the North Sea region. New insights have been gained on this topic during recent years as several new production sites have been explored. Through a visual assessment of the new items in the assemblage and a discussion of related parallels, it is argued here for a yet unknown western Scandinavian workshop as the most likely source for several of the objects making up the Åker assemblage.

ADORNMENTS AND ARMS FROM THE EARLY MEDIEVAL SITES IN SUMY REGION: COMPILING THE CATALOG OF FINDINGS

The paper contains information about Early Medieval jewelry and parts of bladed weapons from the Sumy region, discovered in the sites and assemblages of the Penkivka and Kolochyn cultures. In total, the information on seven points was collected where twenty four finds occurred. The conditions of finding, typological definition and circle of analogies are determined. These materials supplement the information about the Early Medieval hoards of the Martynivka circle from the Sumy region which were given to the storages of the museums.
 Adornments from Kolochyn culture presented by finds from Velyki Budky hillfort and settlement, Bezdryk barrow cemetery, Krasne 4 and Mala Rybytsia settlements. There are also two burials with jewe­lry of «antiquities of the Ants circle» known in Sumy region: Berezivka and Riabivka 3. Decorations from Penkivka culture presented by finds from Riabivka 3. All finds presented by radiate-headed fibulas, bracelets, belt sets and beads.
 Parts of bladed weapons presented by two cross-guards from Kolochyn culture sites — hillfort Velyki Budky and settlement Krasne 4.
 These finds either belong to the early stages of the existence of Early Medieval Slavic antiquities or find analogies among the decorations characteristic of the hoards of the Martynivka circle. Finds from the Krasne 4 settlement (buckle and cross-guard) and cross-guard from the Velyki Budky settlement belong to the early stage of the Kolochyn culture. The burial from Berezivka can be dated to the late 6th century, and the burials from Riabivka 3 to the second half of the 7th century. Most of the individual adornments have analogies among the decorations characteristic of the hoards of the Martynivka circle. Jewelry from these hoards dates from the second half of 6th — the late 7th century. And deposition into the earth occurs in the middle — third quarter of the 7th century.

3D Printer planning the production of weapon parts in the shortest possible time

This study presents a mathematical model to optimise the production of weapon parts using a 3D printer using parallel machine planning. After the battle with the enemy is over, many weapons will be damaged. Damaged weapons are classified as full, medium or minor damage. Among these, weapons with minor damage can be used again immediately after repair, simply by replacing the damaged or missing part. However, due to the constant movement of troops around the battlefield, carrying thousands of weapon parts is not practical. To remedy this situation, a 3D printer can be carried in a separate unit and the necessary parts can be produced in the field to repair even minor weapon damage. A model for scheduling the production of the necessary parts in a short period after each battle is over is proposed for this purpose. A set of multiple 3D printers can operate as a parallel machine and produce different parts. The 3D printers can produce a finished product for each part simultaneously or produce two separate parts for each part, but if they make individual parts, this increases the burden on that part due to the production of additional fasteners for assembly. That is, in the case of making individual parts, the total production time for that part will be longer compared to the case of making the finished product immediately. Nevertheless, this study confirms that by introducing a sub-batch fabrication concept of weapon parts, the production time can be reduced when planning the production schedule of a 3D printer.

Practice-based and public-deliberative normativity: retaining human control over the use of force

The debate about lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) characterises them as future problems in need of pre-emptive regulation, for example, through codifying meaningful human control. But autonomous technologies are already part of weapons and have shaped how states think about human control. To understand this normative space, I proceed in two steps: first, I theorise how practices of designing, of training personnel for, and of operating weapon systems integrating autonomous technologies have shaped normativity/normality on human control at sites unseen. Second, I trace how this normativity/normality interacts with public deliberations at the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on LAWS by theorising potential dynamics of interaction. I find that the normativity/normality emerging from practices performed in relation to weapon systems integrating autonomous technologies assigns humans a reduced role in specific use of force decisions and understands this diminished decision-making capacity as ‘appropriate’ and ‘normal’. In the public-deliberative process, stakeholders have interacted with this normativity by ignoring it, engaging in distancing or positively acknowledging it – rather than scrutinising it. These arguments move beyond prioritising public deliberation in norm research towards exploring practices performed at sites outside of the public eye as productive of normativity. I theorise this process via international practice theories, critical security studies and Science and Technology scholarship to draw out how practices shape normativity, presenting ideas of oughtness and justice, and normality, making something appear normal via collective, repeated performances.

Possibilities of Using the Duplex System Plasma Nitriding + CrN Coating for Special Components

The article deals with the replacement of hard chrome plating by applying the duplex system plasma nitriding + CrN coating (hereinafter referred to as PN + CrN). The goal of the research was to find a suitable alternative for steel surface treatment that would replace hard chrome plating and ensure similar mechanical and tribological properties. An exposed part of a small-bore weapon was selected for evaluation, namely the gas piston of the 42CrMo4 steel breech mechanism drive. The PN + CrN duplex system was compared with a hard chrome coating as well as a self-deposited CrN coating. The mentioned surface treatments were evaluated in terms of metallography, mechanical and tribological properties and surface texture. From the mechanical properties, the hardness of the surface was analyzed, an indentation test was performed (Mercedes test) and adhesive-cohesive behavior was evaluated (Scratch test). Furthermore, an instrumented penetration test was performed (an evaluation of plastic and elastic deformation work and indentation hardness). As part of the assessment of tribological properties, the Ball-on-Flat test, the measurement of the coefficient of friction and the measurement of traces of wear were performed. The surface texture was evaluated in terms of morphology and surface roughness measurement by selected 2D and 3D parameters. The PN + CrN duplex system showed higher hardness than hard chrome, better tribological properties (lower friction coefficient), but worse surface texture. The PN + CrN duplex system has proven to be a suitable alternative to the hard chrome coating for exposed parts of small-caliber weapons, which can be applied in arms production.

Spearheads of the Keliysky Stone Box Burial Ground (Ingushetia Highlands)

For the first time, the paper publishes all 20 spearheads and one spear counter-weight, discovered as a result of excavations in 1987–1988, in Keliysky stone boxes burial ground of Highland Ingushetia. A brief description of the burials containing these artifacts is published. The main feature of this burial ground is that the burial structural stone boxes, despite being intended primarily for individual burials, were used for multiple (up to five times) subburials. And only a small part of the spearheads were revealed in the burials in situ, while the rest were either re-laid (together with the bone remains of the buried), moved to the end of the stone box, placed onto the stone box overlap or buried in the ground above the stone box. The authors of the paper assume that the population who made the stone-bearing burial ground (at least its significant part) is of a foreign cultural origin. Accordingly, the artifacts accompanying the buried, including of defensive and offensive weapon parts, are largely imported. The published collection of spearheads, containing a small variety of types, allows us to consider the Keliysky burial ground to be a reference monument for the spearheads typology in the North Caucasus of the 13th–14th centuries AD.

Impact of ballistic parameters of used ammunition on stress distribution on the parts of the short recoil operated weapon

Estimation of stress distribution on the parts of a weapon is one of the most important stages of designing and optimization of firearms. The paper describes the finite element numerical model of the short recoil operated weapon and results of parametric analysis of the stress distribution on weapon parts. Considered changes in loading courses can be the result of differences in applied ammunition (produced in accordance with various standards or self-elaborated rounds). Conducted works allowed for estimation of approximate critical value of propellant gas pressure, which can be dangerous for pistol structure. Moreover, the paper presents the results of the kinematic characteristics investigation of the weapon using the finite element method and by way of the experimental tests, which proves the correctness of the assumptions made for the numerical model.

Non-destructive analysis of a Late Bronze Age hoard from the Velem-Szent Vid hillfort

The study discusses an unpublished bronze hoard from the famous West Hungarian archaeological site: Velem-Szent Vid (Transdanubia, Vas County). This small Ha B1 assemblage contains a spearhead with remains of the wooden shaft, a sickle, and three different types of ingots. Our aim was a comprehensive structural and compositional characterization of the preserved objects from the hoard exclusively by means of non-invasive and non-destructive analytical, structural, and imaging techniques (XRF, PGAA, TOF-ND, Neutron Imaging, X-ray Imaging). The spearhead and the ingots were studied from production to deposition. Our results suggest that the spearhead was a good quality cast with relatively high Sn content and extremely low porosity rate. It received a minimal post-casting treatment, and hafted similarly to West European Late Bronze Age spearheads. Based on use-wear traces caused by blade-on-blade contact and edge-vs-flat collision, this weapon may have been used in parrying situation. After being used most likely just for a short period, the metal and wooden parts of weapon were intentionally destroyed by plastic deformation prior to deposition. Ingots selected to the Velem-Szent Vid hoard were cast in open one-piece moulds or ‘improvised’ moulds carved to the surfaces or berms of the metallurgical workshop. They have not been partitioned further after casting, but selected for deposition. The elemental composition data of the ingots revealed high quantity of Pb and Sb. The ratio of Pb in the miniature plano-convex ingot (89 ± 0.3 m%) and the rod ingot (94 ± 0.3 m%) was so high that they can be identified as lead ingots, a rare raw material type during the Late Bronze Age. One out of the analysed three ingots, the elemental composition of the cuboid ingot was the most complex, containing high Pb (13–37 m%) and Sb (0.6–6.2 m%) based on PGAA. Chalcocite (Cu2S) was identified by TOF-ND, which points to the possible origin of the raw material or production method (smelting). Our study suggests that this hoard was a combination of a professionally cast spearhead, used and destroyed intentionally along with a fragmented sickle, and three rare and valuable ingots made of specific materials, which were not used after casting. All of them were deposited together in a votive hoard in a central, multi-hoard settlement. Their treatment and selection followed local hoarding traditions practiced in Velem-Szent Vid and its related areas in Transdanubia.

Research on Intelligent Target Recognition Integrated With Knowledge

With the development of artificial intelligence technology, intelligent weapon systems that can automatically identify, lock on and strike targets have gradually appeared and can replace humans in executing simple decision-making commands. Target detection is a key part of intelligent weapons. At present, large-scale target detection has serious challenges such as long-tail data distributions, severe occlusion, and category ambiguity. The main detection algorithms only detect each independent area without considering the key semantic dependencies between objects. It has become a hot trend to apply deep learning to prior knowledge to form a model. This article uses both internal and external knowledge to instill a target detection system with human reasoning capabilities. Commonly used external embedded knowledge includes geometric relations, attributes, locations, etc. They have a common shortcoming in that they require large amounts of labeled data, and the integration costs are huge. The purpose of this article is to construct a general external prior knowledge module to guide network learning. By paying attention to the characteristics of each object in different semantic contexts, the characteristics of each object are adaptively enhanced, and the high-level semantics of all categories evolve on a global scale. Internal knowledge uses a convolutional attention module that can learn spatial and channel information at multiple scales. The experimental results show the superiority of our knowledge-YOLOv5. The proposed method achieved 1.7%, 2.2%, 1.1%, and 0.7% improvements over YOLOv5s, YOLOv5m, VOLOv51, and YOLOv5x, respectively, on the COCO data sets; and the proposed method also achieves a 0.9% improvement on the self-built data set. The trained lightweight model Knowledge-YOLOv5s is deployed on an NVIDIA Jetson TX2 through TensorRT acceleration, and the real-time detection frame is 20 ms, which meets the real-time detection requirements. This system can also be used as a module of an intelligent weapon system, which has certain referential significance for autonomous weapons and unmanned combat systems.

PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND SITUATIONAL EXPERT RESEARCH OF WEAPONS, CARTRIDGES AND TRACES OF ITS USE

The article considers the issues of preparing materials for sending it to carry out diagnostic and situational expert research of weapons, cartridges and traces of its use, the work of an investigator or a person acting as an investigator during an inspection of the crime scene. It is also pointed how to identify, correctly document and seize objects and materials for referrals for expert research, identification, preliminary inspection and assessment of objects and materials found during the inspection of the crime scene, its documentation and seizure. The correct examination and assessment of weapons and cartridges makes it possible to obtain information about preliminary data on the type, kind, model of weapons and cartridges, taking into account the design of objects by external similarities with known types and models of weapons, samples of cartridges. It is also makes possible to identify the external state of weapons and cartridges, the presence or absence of individual parts and mechanisms of the weapon; loaded, equipped with a weapon; destruction of parts of weapons, elements of cartridges; deformation of weapons and cartridges; presence of corrosion, pollution, etc. The presence of outside traces on weapons and cartridges that are significant for further investigation - this may be contamination, including blood stains, layers, etc., which will be taken into account when conducting diagnostic and situational expert research. There are described general methods and rules of preparation and packing of the objects revealed at inspection of a crime scene.

Stan badań nad uzbrojeniem wczesnośredniowiecznym w Polsce – w 65 lat po studiach Andrzeja Nadolskiego

Stan badań nad uzbrojeniem wczesnośredniowiecznym w Polsce – w 65 lat po studiach Andrzeja Nadolskiego

Tribological Properties of DLC Coating for Parts of Weapons

The article deals with the surface material, which is suitable to produce parts of weapons. These parts of weapons are exposed to external influences during their service life, which reduce their service life. There are both external and internal surfaces of the functional parts of weapons. These surfaces are particularly exposed to increased pressure and temperature. The environments, in which they work, are very often aggressive and extreme. There is an increased risk of wear and corrosion on the external and internal surfaces of such components. Suitable surface treatment can increase the surface hardness, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, etc. of surface weapon parts. This article comprehensively evaluates the tribological properties of the DLC coating on a steel substrate and on an aluminum alloy substrate. It is important to know the properties of the coating on these substrates when designing weapon components. The use of lighter materials reduces the overall complexity of each soldier's combat mission.

Possibilities of the Utilization of Nitriding on Case-Hardening Steels

This paper studies the possibility of using plasma nitriding for treating case-hardening steels. For the experiment, the case-hardening steels equivalent 1.7131 (i.e., CSN 41 4220) and equivalent 1.5752 (i.e., CSN 41 6426), used in manufacturing of exposed parts of military and special vehicles as well as in parts of weapons, were selected. The verification of chemical composition was performed by the optical emission spectrometer Tasman Q4 Bruker. For observations of the microstructure and assessment of compound layers, the instrument Olympus DSX500i was used. In accordance with ISO 18203:2016(E), the depth of diffusion layers was evaluated from profiles of microhardness measured by the automated microhardness tester LM247 AT LECO. The results of the experiments show benefits of applying plasma nitriding upon the selected case-hardening steels.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ВСТАНОВЛЕННЯ ГРУПОВОЇ НАЛЕЖНОСТІ ВІДНОВЛЕНОЇ НЕЙТРАЛІЗОВАНОЇ (ДЕАКТИВОВАНОЇ) ВОГНЕПАЛЬНОЇ ЗБРОЇ ЗА СЛІДАМИ НА ВІДСТРІЛЯНИХ КУЛЯХ ТА ГІЛЬЗАХ

Стаття присвячена особливостям слідоутворення на кулях та гільзах, відстріляних із відновленої нейтралізованої вогнепальної зброї (макетів зброї масо-габаритних, учбової, учбово-розрізної та музейної зброї). Досліджено конструктивні ознаки слідоутворюючих поверхонь нейтралізованих частин зброї та сліди, які утворюються при їх відновленні. Сформовано комплекс ознак у слідах зброї на відстріляних кулях та гільзах, які вказують на застосування відновленої нейтралізованої вогнепальної зброї. Розглянуті можливості сучасного мікроскопічного обладнання при вирішенні ідентифікаційних завдань та завдань щодо встановлення групової належності зброї за слідами на відстріляних кулях та гільзах.

Serial number restoration on polymer surfaces: A survey of recent literature

Polymers are increasingly preferred for the production of weapon parts due to their lightness, resistance to corrosion, heat tolerance and quite reasonable production cost. This increase will likely lead to a rise in the obliteration of serial numbers, which are imprinted on the polymer components of vehicles and firearms. However, compared to metals, the recovery process and the restoration procedures do not seem to be well documented for polymers. Since serial numbers, together with the proof marks and wording related to the brand, model, caliber or manufacturer information, can be regarded as unique in identifying and tracing the vehicles and firearms, the restoration of these alphanumeric codes is vital in determining the items’ origin and owner. Best to our knowledge this is the first review examining the conventional and the recently developed serial number restoration techniques applied on polymer surfaces. This review endeavoured to examine the empirical studies related to serial number restoration on polymers both to demonstrate the scope and evolution of restoration efforts and to give insight into the mechanisms of revisualization and the impact of polymer composition on numbering, obliteration and restoration. The findings indicate that parameters like polymer type, numbering style, obliteration method and techniques used in the restoration process affect the recovery. The findings also suggest that there is an increase in the number of studies applying non-destructive screening techniques for restoration purposes. This review contributes to the literature by outlining the empirical studies and proposing likely avenues for prospective research on restoration techniques which are importantboth for the forensic marks examination and criminal investigations.

Application of graded-index thin film in laser attack and defense equipment

Laser as a weapon used in contemporary warfare has been very common. As an important part of laser weapons, thin film plays an important role in laser attack and defense equipment. The manufacturing technology of graded-index thin film has always been a focus in the field of military science and technology and one of the key technologies to promote the development of laser weapons. This paper summarizes the present domestic situation of the graded-index thin film coating, and specifically introduces the application of graded-index thin film in laser equipment.

Terra incognita? Nie tylko o wytwórstwie broni na pograniczu Śląska, Wielkopolski, Brandenburgii i Łużyc w późnym średniowieczu

During the Middle Ages arms and armour were considered luxury products. They were not used every day and not by everyone. Nonetheless, the circle of their buyers was relatively wide, making their prices extremely diversified. On the other hand, as weaponry was bought every several years, the demand was limited. It resulted in a relatively small number of workshops in which weapons were produced. Besides specialised production sites located in towns or at royal courts, there were also rural forges, where arms and armour were produced for the needs of less wealthy members of the medieval society.The production of armaments in the borderlands of Silesia, Greater Poland, Brandenburg and Lusatia (roughly equivalent to today’s Lubuskie Voivodeship), laying mostly outside the borders of medieval Poland, has not been yet explored in the scholarly works. Researching the subject is difficult due to the lack of direct sources. There is, however, some indirect evidence.Iron, in medieval times obtained mainly from bog ores, was the most important raw material for the manufacture of a majority of military equipment. Therefore, the first indication of the arms and armour manufacturing in the studied borderland during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period can be found in written sources, which mention many small metallurgical workshops (forges and hammer-mills). Early mentions concern following settlements: Drozkow near Żary, Klikowa near Ilowa, Szprotawa (Sprottau), Łozy upon the Kwisa, Sanice near Przewoz, Dobrzyn and Bucz (Fig. 1). Direct evidence confirming the functioning of s place of iron production was discovered during archaeological excavations in Podrosche (former part of Przewoz).Most scholars assumes that rural smithies did not participate in the production of arms and armour on a large scale, mostly limiting their activity to horseshoeing, forging basic agricultural and carpentry tools (including axes and hatchets) as well as sharpening and repairing more elaborate artefacts . Mass-produced arrow- and boltheads, as well as iron parts of staff weapons, could also be manufactured there, although rather only in times of war. Remains of such a rural smithy (dated to the 15th c.) were recorded in Nowa Wieś, Miedzyrzecz District (Fig. 2). A large amount of iron slag was found in the fill of the feature, along with smithing tools, finished and unfinished smithing products and also pieces of armaments.Castle forges were more specialised in manufacture and repair of individual parts of military equipment. Remains of such workshops were found, among others, in: Miedzyrzecz (Fig. 3) and Santok (Fig. 4), while inventories of the Teutonic castles in Kostrzyn (Kustrin) and Drezdenko, in which large amounts of saltpetre, sulphur and lead was recorded, may indicate that gunpowder and projectiles were produced in those strongholds.Little is known about metal crafts’ organisation in the region as written sources provide almost no information. (Fig. 5) There is no doubt that blacksmith guilds existed in larger towns of the area, as it was typical for medieval urban centres of Central and Western Europe, although the relatively late mentions in written records provide little information on the subject. Some data was acquired as a result of examination of archaeological finds. Some of them are signed with craftsmen’s marks, which if identified may indicate a place of origin for particular pieces of arms. They, however, show these objects were manufactured outside the region (Fig. 6). It is finds like unfinished items and intermediate products that can suggests local production of armaments in the places where they were discovered (Fig. 7).Therefore, indirect evidence shows that although the scale of the production was rather small, it met the demand of local purchasers (of various wealth). The need for simple and mass produced arms might be fulfilled by castle, town and rural forges.

Demand Forecast of Weapon Equipment Spare Parts Based on Improved Gray-Markov Model

Abstract The demand for spare parts of weapons and equipment is time-varying and random. It is difficult to predict the demand for spare parts. Therefore, on the basis of gray GM(1,1), a state transition probability matrix based on improved state division is used to establish a demand forecast model for weapon equipment and spare parts. The model not only considers the characteristics of the GM(1,1) model’s strong handling of monotonic sequences, but also extracts the characteristics of random fluctuation response of data through the transformation of the state transition probability matrix, avoiding the phenomenon of the worst prediction results when the maximum probability state is not the actual state. It is proved through experiments that the prediction result based on the improved gray-Markov model is superior to the traditional model and the classic gray-Markov prediction model, and the accuracy of the improved model is about 1.46 times higher than that of the gray model.

Study of the Process Parameters of the Laser Stereo Forming on Forming Quality

Based on the supply problem of the equipment spare parts in the poor timeliness and the low accuracy during the wartime, this paper studies applying the laser stereo forming technology in the weapon parts for the supply. The 316L stainless steel is selected as the printing material in the experiment. And based on the control variable method, it takes the three major parameters of the laser power, the scanning speed and the powder feeding rate as variables to study the influence on the rule and mechanism of the processing parameters on macro forming quality. The results show that the height decreases with the increase of the laser power and the scanning speed, and the height increases with the increase of the powder feeding rate. The width is basically unchanged, which is mainly affected by the size of the spot.

Surface chromium on Terracotta Army bronze weapons is neither an ancient anti-rust treatment nor the reason for their good preservation

For forty years, there has been a widely held belief that over 2,000 years ago the Chinese Qin developed an advanced chromate conversion coating technology (CCC) to prevent metal corrosion. This belief was based on the detection of chromium traces on the surface of bronze weapons buried with the Chinese Terracotta Army, and the same weapons’ very good preservation. We analysed weapons, lacquer and soils from the site, and conducted experimental replications of CCC and accelerated ageing. Our results show that surface chromium presence is correlated with artefact typology and uncorrelated with bronze preservation. Furthermore we show that the lacquer used to cover warriors and certain parts of weapons is rich in chromium, and we demonstrate that chromium on the metals is contamination from nearby lacquer after burial. The chromium anti-rust treatment theory should therefore be abandoned. The good metal preservation probably results from the moderately alkaline pH and very small particle size of the burial soil, in addition to bronze composition.