Prof. Bo Janzon, Chairman of the International Ballistics Society Publications Committee, announced that the procedures for publishing peer reviewed papers in conjunction with the International Ballistic Symposium in China has been successful.  Prof. Janzon served as the Guest Editor of a special issue of the Journal of Applied Mechanics, which will include nineteen scientific papers.

Professor Janzon, President of SECRAB Security Research, Sweden, was assisted on the Publications Committee by Dr. Marc Giraud, EXOBAL, France; Professor Kenneth Kuo, Pennsylvania State University, USA; Dr. Meir Mayseless, Israeli Military Industries, Israel; Dr. Ed Schmidt, Consultant, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, USA; and Professor Zhongyuan Wang, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China.The papers were reviewed by Dr. Charles E. Anderson, Southwest Research Institute, USA; Joseph Backofen, BRIGS Co., USA; Prof. Ronald Brown, Naval Postgraduate School, USA; Dr. Donald Carlucci, US Army ARDEC, USA; Dr. Roxan Cayzac, Giat Industries, France; Dr. Sidney Chocron, Southwest Research Institute, USA; Dr. Ian Cullis, QinetiQ, UK; Dr. William Flis, DE Technologies, USA; Ass. Prof. Francisco Galvez, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain; Dr. Marc Giraud, EXOBAL, France; Dr. Eitan Hirsch, retired from IMI, Israel; Prof. Bo Janzon, SECRAB Security Research, Sweden; Prof. Kenneth Kuo, Pennsylvania State University, USA; Dr. Meir Mayseless, IMI, Israel; Jack Riegel, R3 Technology, Inc., USA; Dr. Edward Schmidt, Consultant, US ARL, USA; Dr. Paul Weinacht, US ARL, USA; and Prof. Xiaobing Zhang, NUST, China.

Prof. Janzon noted that the International Symposia on Ballistics have encouraged the submission of work in progress and has maintained paper acceptance guidelines which are not as rigorous as those necessary for peer-reviewed publication.  However, it became clear during a survey at the 23rd ISB that members of the ballistics community wanted an opportunity to publish peer reviewed articles.  The publications committee undertook an experiment with the Journal of Applied Mechanics (JAM) that will result in a special issue.  Dr. Janzon expressed his deep appreciate for the support provided by Professor Robert E. McMeeing, Editor of JAM, for making this possible.

The committee received 56 abstracts initially.  After several rounds of reviews, 19 papers remain to be published.  This represents an attrition rate of 66%, which is quite normal for the JAM.  When asked about the future, Prof. Janzon said that he considers this experiment a success and the committee intends to work to prepare another special issue of the JAM for the 26th ISB to be held in Miami, Florida in September 2011.