Abstract

An electric contact assembly in combination with a cartridge to be fired from a weapon barrel. The cartridge has a cartridge case including a metal bottom having an externally exposed outer face; and an electronic unit disposed in the cartridge case. The electric contact assembly includes a first contact arrangement for establishing an electric connection between the electronic unit and an evaluating and control apparatus situated externally of the cartridge. The first contact arrangement includes a contact ring disposed in the cartridge bottom and surrounding the longitudinal axis of the cartridge. The contact ring has an outer face which is approximately flush with the outer face of the cartridge bottom. An insulation electrically insulates the contact ring from cartridge bottom. A second contact arrangement establishes an electric connection between the electronic unit and the evaluating and control apparatus. A switching arrangement is connected between the contact ring and the second contact arrangement for maintaining a low ohmic-resistance connection between the contact ring and the second contact arrangement as long as a voltage applied to the contact ring and/or a current flowing through the switching arrangement remains below a predetermined minimum magnitude.