610. Structural Weight Estimation Methods for Small Air Launched Missiles

Paper

Abstract

Methods are developed for estimating the structural weight of air- to-air and air-to-ground missiles for preliminary design studies. The weight of each major structural component is derived as the s of ‘basic weight’ plus ‘penalty weight.’ Basic weight consists of the weight of structure required to satisfy ruggedness criteria and design loads. Penalty weight is the weight in excess of basic weight that is required for such functions as local load introduction, equipment support, and quick disconnects. The methods include consideration of component geometry, load, design temperature, material and type of construction. Structural weight of eight existing missiles are estimated by the developed methods. Comparison of these estimated weights to the actual weights indicates that the methods yield results of acceptable accuracy.