MIL SYSTEM

1.HISTORY
The milliradian (approximately 6283.185 in a circle) was first used in the mid-19 th
century by Charles-Marc Dapples (1837-1920), a swiss engineer and professor at the
University of Lausanne. Degrees and minute where the usual units of angular
measurement but others were being proposed, with Grads (400 gradians in a circle)
under various names having considerable popularity in much of Northern Europe.
However, Imperial Russia used a different approach, dividing a circle into equilateral
triangle (600 per triangle, 6 triangles in a circle) and hence 600 units to a circle.
Around the time of the start of world war 1, France was experimenting with the
use of milliemes (6400 in a circle) for use with artillery sights instead of decigrades (400
in a circle). The United Kingdom was also trialing them to replace degrees and minutes.
They were adopted by France although decigrades also remained in use throughout
world war 1. Other nations also use decigrades. The US, which copied many French
artillery practices, adopted mils (6400 in a circle). Before 2007 the Swedish defense
forces used streck (6300 in a circle, streck meaning lines or marks) (together with
degrees for some navigation) which is closer to the milliradian but then changed to
NATO mils. After the Bolshevik Revolution and the adoption of the metric system of
measurement (e.g. artillery replaced units of base with meters) the red army expanded
the 600 unit circles into a 6000 mil one. Hence the Russian mil has a somewhat
different origin than those derived from French artillery practices.
In the 1950s, NATO adopted metric units of measurements for land and general
use. Mils, meters and kilograms became standard, although degrees remained in use
for Naval and Air purposes reflecting civil practices.
2. Mill System
A mil system is another angular measure, the mill of which is used in artillery and
other military application.
The unit of measurement under the mill system is the mil.
From the Latin word mille which stands for one thousandth.
Mils are used in adjustment of firearm sights by adjusting the angle of the sight
compared the barrel (up, down, left or right). In complete rotation or complete revolution
is equivalent to 6400 mils.
If we compare the sexagesimal system, circular system and the mil system. What
is the equivalent of 1 rotation to mils and degrees?
3600 = 2 rad = 6400 mils
3600 = 6.2832 rad = 6400 mils
2.1 Converting 10 to radian and mil
- From 3600 = 6.2832 rad. = 6400 mils, if we divide by 360 thus, we have
360 6.2832 rad . 6400 mil
o = =
360 360 360
0
o 1 = .017453 rad. = 17.77778 mils

Illustrative Example #1
45 radianmil
= 45 = ( 0.017453 ) 45=0.78538 rad .
= 45 =45 ( 17.77778 )=800 mils

2.2 Converting 1 to radian and mil

- From 10 = 0.17453 rad = 17.77778 mil, we can get the value of 1 by dividing
again by 60, thus we have,
o 60 ' .017453 rad 17.77778 mil
1 = = =
60 60 60
o 1 = .000291 rad. = .29630 mils

Illustrative Example #2
12 to radian and mil
= 12/60 (.017453) = 0.0034906 rad
= 12/60 (17.77778) = 3.5556 mils
2.3 Converting 1 to radian and mil?
- From 1 = .000291 rad = .29630 mil, we can get the value of 1 by dividing again
by 60, thus we have
'
o 60 .000291 rad .29630 mil
1' = = =
60 60 60
''
o 1 =.000005 rad .=.004938 mil
Illustrative Example #3
19 to radian and mil
= 19/3600 = 0.0052777 x 0.017453 = 0.000092 rad.
= 19/3600 = 0.0052777 x 17.77778=0.0938 mil
2.4 What is the equivalent of 1 radian to degrees and mils?
- The equivalent of 1 radian to degrees and mil using again the one complete
rotation or one complete revolution of the circle. We have,
o 2 rad=360 =6400 mils
 o 2 (3.1416 ) rad =360 =6400 mils
o 6.2832 rad=360 =6400 mils
6.2832 6.2832 6.2832
1 rad = 57. 296 = 1018.58925 mils
Note: we say that approximately, although there is an error of about 1.9 percent,
1 rad = 1000 mil
Illustrative example #4
99 radian to degree and mils
= 99 rad / 0.017453 = 5672.38 degree
= 99 rad / 0.0009817 = 100840. mils
Note: 1 mils = 0.0009817 rad.
 Pre-Test
Direction: Encircle the correct answer.
1. Another angular measure, which used in artillery and other military applications?
a. Sexagesimal system
b. Circular system
c. Mil system
d. Metric system
2. Unit of measurement under the mil system?
a. m
b. mL
c. mil
d. cm
3. In complete rotation or complete revolution is equals to _______ mils?
a. 5400
b. 6400
c. 7400
d. 6000
4. Used in adjustment of firearm sights by adjusting the angle of the sight compared
the barrel?
a. mil
b. mille
c. mile
d. mills
5. From the Latin word mille stands for _________?
a. 1000
b. 0.01
c. 0.1
d. 0.001
6. 1 degree is equals to ________ mils?
a. 1.777778
b. 0.177777
c. 17.77778
d. 17.79000
7. A swiss engineer and professor at the University of Lausanne
a. Charles-Marc Dapples
b. Charles X Savier
c. Charles Darwin
d. Charles Charles

8. 1 minute to mils?
 a. .29630
b. 2,9630
c. 2.9
d. 29.630
9. 1 second to mils?
a. .004938
b. 49. 38
c. 4. 9
d. 5
10. 1 rad to mils?
a. 1018.58925
b. 1019
c. 101.86
d. 1018.6

Post- Test
Direction: Encircle the correct answer.
1. Another angular measure, which used in artillery and other military applications?
e. Sexagesimal system
f. Circular system
g. Mil system
h. Metric system
2. Unit of measurement under the mil system?
e. m
f. mL
g. mil
h. cm
3. In complete rotation or complete revolution is equals to _______ mils?
e. 5400
f. 6400
g. 7400
h. 6000
4. Used in adjustment of firearm sights by adjusting the angle of the sight compared
the barrel?
e. mil
f. mille
g. mile
h. mills
5. From the Latin word mille stands for _________?
e. 1000
f. 0.01
g. 0.1
h. 0.001
6. 1 degree is equals to ________ mils?
e. 1.777778
f. 0.177777
g. 17.77778
h. 17.79000
7. A swiss engineer and professor at the University of Lausanne
e. Charles-Marc Dapples
f. Charles X Savier
g. Charles Darwin
h. Charles Charles

8. 1 minute to mils?
e. .29630
f. 2,9630
g. 2.9
h. 29.630
 9. 1 second to mils?
e. .004938
f. 49. 38
g. 4. 9
h. 5
10. 1 rad to mils?
e. 1018.58925
f. 1019
g. 101.86
h. 1018.6

Self- Assessment
Convert the following:
1. 45 degree to mil
2. 12 minutes to mil
3. 59 seconds to mil
4. 2 radian to mil