In this paper, an initial attempt has been made to analytically model what has been experimentally observed when ogival-nose penetrators were fired at high velocities (up to 1500 m/sec) into soil-type (particulate) materials. Although very little experimental data of this type is available, in several instances, penetrators recovered after tests of this type were conducted were severely deformed, exhibiting excessive bending in their shank regions. The result of this initial effort is an estimate for the velocity limit that avoids the growth of lateral disturbances that will ultimately fail the penetrator. In spite of the many approximations and assumptions that were made in the development of the theory, the results are very promising and offer a path to more sophisticated results.

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