The International Ballistics Society is glad to announce:

The 33rd International Symposium on Ballistics

 Bruges, Belgium

The Department of Weapon Systems and Ballistics of the Royal Military Academy is proud to announce that it will be hosting the 33rd International Symposium on Ballistics (33ISB) in the city of Bruges, Belgium. The 33ISB is the prime international scientific event in the field of ballistics, traditionally covering the following topics:

·      Exterior ballistics

·      Interior ballistics

·      Terminal ballistics

·      Explosion and warhead mechanics

·      Launch dynamics

·      Vulnerability and survivability

Next to this, the 33ISB also encourages other papers and presentations on emerging Technologies, including directed energy, hypersonics, and other new technologies related to ballistics.

Next to offering the opportunity to present novel research in the field of ballistics, the 33ISB will also be an excellent opportunity to meet researchers and professionals working in the field of ballistics from all over the world. Networking with other ISB participants will be greatly encouraged during the coffee and lunch breaks, as during the social events. Additionally, a special DIY touristic program has been prepared for all participants to the Symposium and their companions.

The Department of Weapon Systems and Ballistics is looking forward to giving you a warm welcome at the next International Symposium in Bruges!

About the Department of Weapon Systems and Ballistics 

The Department of Weapon Systems & Ballistics, which is part of the Royal Military Academy, is one of the academic departments responsible for the education of future officers studying at the RMA. The Department has three main research units and a ballistics laboratory which is ISO 17025 certified.

Survivability and Risk Assessment

POC: Col Dr Ir Col Johan Gallant

Simulation models for the evaluation of survivability of combat systems in different scenarios are used to evaluate techniques and procedures. Innovative multi-resolution computations based upon Monte Carlo simulations are used.

Research interests include system-of-systems analysis, survivability, vulnerability, lethality, hit probability, kill probability, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Stochastic simulations, ray tracing (line of fire), CAD and 3D-visualisation.

Local Response to Impact

POC: LtCol. IMM Dr Ir Frederik Coghe

Ballistic optimization of personal protection against fragments, bullets and blast. Ballistic terminal effects both experimentally and numerically using finite element codes.

Research interests include personal protection, fragment resistance, bullet resistance, stab resistance, terminal ballistics, ballistic metrology, finite element models / finite elements analysis.

Human Body Response

POC: LtCol. Dr Ir Alexandre Papy

The effect of the impact of a less-lethal projectile on the human body is studied in order to ascertain the risk of permanent injury, after the use of less-lethal ammunition, on the basis of kinetic energy.

Research interests include non-lethal weapons, biomimetic models, musculoskeletal models, behind armour blunt trauma and wound ballistics.

Accredited ballistic applications laboratory

POC: Major Ir Jurgen Grossen

The laboratory hosts a 103.25 m indoor shooting range. Research is conducted in the areas of internal ballistic, gun dynamics, external ballistics, terminal ballistics, vulnerability and lethal/non-lethal ballistics.

The laboratory is uniquely accredited for the measurement of pressures inside the weapon (C.I.P., SAAMI and NATO standards) and for the measurement of velocities outside but also inside the weapon.

The laboratory is further equipped with a high speed thermal camera, a high speed camera, a Volumetric scanner Faro®, a 3D scanner Krypton®, a Projectile Orientation Measurement (POM) device, a Digital Image Correlation System (VIC-3D ®), Hopkinson pressure bar, velocity radars, velocity screens, shadowgraphs/Schlieren, ...