Which component provides the timing or initiation function in ammunition?

• A. Projectile
• B. Propellant
• C. Primer
• D. Fuze

Answer: (D)

The timing or initiation of the payload is controlled by the fuze. The fuze is the device attached to the munition that determines when the main explosive charge will detonate, whether by an impact, a timer, proximity to the target, or electronic timing. When the fuze activates, it starts the detonator and the explosive train to produce the intended effect. The primer, by contrast, is there to ignite the propellant that pushes the projectile, not to time the warhead’s detonation. The propellant provides the energy to propel the projectile, and the projectile is the object that travels toward the target. So the device that handles when the explosive goes off is the fuze.