In the field of warhead design, non-cylindrical warhead, especially elliptical cross-section warhead, has received considerable attention. In this study, the initial velocity and distribution characteristics of the preformed fragments of a columnar projectile with an elliptical cross-section were examined. To obtain the velocity distribution of the fragments in this kind of projectile, three elliptical cross-section projectiles with different geometric sizes were test based on the static detonation tests. Then, the numerical models of the elliptical cross-section projectile have been established and validated according to the experiment results. Besides, two kinds of initiation types were studied by the simulation model, and the results indicate that not only the geometric size but the initiation type do great influences on the fragment velocity distribution in the direction of the axis. An empirical model was proposed based on the fragment two-step acceleration progress, and it was in good accordance with numerical results.