Indirect fire mission training system - artillery ammunition management

An indirect fire mission training system, comprising:

• a weapon firing instrument having a body defining a projectile cavity;
• a plurality of indirect firing rounds that are configured to be loaded into the projectile cavity in a nested manner, wherein each of the plurality of indirect firing training rounds comprises:
• an outer periphery, a proximal end, and a distal end, the proximal end defining an interior chamber;
• an interlock member configured to securely receive a proximal portion of a subsequent training round within the interior chamber of the projectile training shell;
• and
• a resistance brake extending outward from the outer periphery and configured to contact a wall of the projectile cavity of the weapon firing instrument and provide resistance that secures the projectile training shell at a position within the projectile cavity, wherein the resistance brake is selectively disengageable such that the position of the projectile training shell is adjustable.

A method of operating an indirect fire mission training system, comprising:

• inserting a first indirect firing round into a projectile cavity defined within a body of a weapon firing instrument such that a resistance brake of the first indirect firing round engages an inner wall of the projectile cavity and provides resistance that secures the projectile training shell at a position within the projectile cavity;
• inserting a second indirect firing round into the projectile cavity such that a distal end of the second indirect firing round nests within an interior chamber of the first indirect firing round and engages an interlock member of the first indirect firing round to disengage the resistance brake of the first indirect firing round;
• moving both the first indirect firing round and the second indirect firing round deeper within the projectile cavity;
• and
• engaging the resistance brake of the first indirect firing round with the inner wall and engaging a resistance brake of the second indirect firing round with the inner wall.