Operating a munitions system

A component for a munitions system comprising:

• a signal generator for generating a signal;
• a resonant circuit having a resonant frequency and operably connected to receive the signal from the signal generator and to provide an output;
• a monitor operably connected to monitor the output of the resonant circuit;
• and
• an indicator operably connected to the monitor and configured to indicate that the output of the resonant circuit has changed, wherein
• the resonant circuit is configured so that its resonant frequency changes when a conductor or other inductance-influencing object moves relative to the component;
• wherein the monitor is further configured to monitor the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit over a period of time, and use the detected changes in the resonant frequency to determine movement of a conductor or other inductance-influencing object relative to the component, wherein using the detected changes to determine whether the conductor or other inductance-influencing object has moved relative to the component comprises determining the separation distance and/or angle of separation between the component and the conductor or other inductance-influencing object.

A method of determining the relative positions of components of a munitions system, the munitions system comprising a first component and at least one second component, the method comprising:

• monitoring the output of a resonant circuit provided on the first component, the resonant circuit having a resonant frequency;
• detecting a change in the output due to a change in the resonant frequency caused by a change in the relative positions of the first component and the at least one second component;
• using the detected change to determine that the at least one second component has moved relative to the first component;
• and
• providing a signal having an oscillation frequency to a resonant circuit, wherein the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit is closer to the oscillation frequency of the signal when the first component is distant from the at least one second component than when the first component is within close proximity to the at least one second component.