Raytheon Company

Coulton T Sadler

Mitchell Lee Moffet

Henri Y Kim

Brian J Lukow

Reuben E Weinzinger

Christopher Matthew Turner

Erik C Rupp

A tandem charge for prosecution of underwater targets includes both a precursor charge (PC) and a follow through charge (FTC) oriented within and along an axis of a charge casing with the FTC positioned in front of the precursor charge. The precursor charge includes an explosive charge and a liner configured such that upon detonation of the explosive charge the liner forms an annular explosively formed penetrator (EFP) that is projected along the axis and passes around the FTC to cut a first hole in an outer surface of the target. The FTC is configured to be carried through the first hole in the outer surface of the target by the flow of water therethrough for detonation on the other side of the outer surface of the target, perhaps forming a second hole in an inner surface of the target.

Tandem charge for underwater targets

A munition has an explosive charge with direction explosive characteristics, such as a nonuniform detonation velocities. The explosive charge may have multiple portions of explosives with nonuniform characteristics, and/or may have portions with graded nonuniform characteristics. The explosive charge may be used to propel a material from the munition in a desired manner. For example the material may be fragments that are part of a fragmentation munition. Alternatively the material may be a layer of a material, such as a metal, that produces an explosively formed penetrator or shaped charge. The explosive charge may be configured to control the spread and/or direction of the material to be propelled from the munition.

Munition with directional projection explosive

An asymmetric ERA box improves the disruption of a shape-charge jet for a high-explosive projectile for a given mass requirement and stand-off distance. Mass is asymmetrically redistributed from the outer plate to the rear plate in the form of increased thickness of the rear plate. This is offset by forming the outer plate of a low-density material that provides an impedance mismatch sufficient to attenuate the shockwave of low velocity projectiles (e.g., 50 caliber bullets) so that they embed in but do not detonate the explosive. The outer plate provides negligible disruption of the shape-charge jet with substantially all the disruption being provided by the thicker high density rear plate. Placement of substantially all the mass toward the front of the shape-charge jet improves overall performance of the ERA. This asymmetric configuration provides the same performance as known symmetric ERA configurations against kinetic-energy projectiles as the total mass in the outer and rear plates remains essentially the same.

Asymmetric explosive reactive armor (ERA)

A rocket motor has an energetic material between solid fuel (propellent) and a casing that surrounds the solid fuel. The energetic material is configured to be burned along with the solid fuel during normal operation of the rocket motor to produce thrust. The energetic material can also be detonated to cause rupture of the casing. The detonation may be initiated as part of a flight termination process. The detonation may also be initiated as a part of process to prevent as a higher-order reaction, such as in reaction to heating from a fire or other cause. The energetic material may be arranged to function as part of a shaped charge, able to split the casing when detonated. By being located inside the casing, the energetic material does not adversely affect aerodynamics of the flight vehicle of which the rocket motor is a part, such as a missile.

Rocket motor with embedded burnable cutting explosive energetic material

An explosive device includes a housing having an outer surface and defining an inner space; a plurality of primary liners arranged on the outer surface in a spaced pattern and having primary energetic material inwardly positioned in the housing relative to the primary liners; an initiation mechanism in the inner space for initiating the primary energetic material to drive the primary liners; and a plurality of additional liners positioned in the spaced pattern between the primary liners and having additional energetic material positioned in proximity to the primary energetic material such that the additional energetic material is sympathetically initiated by initiation of the primary energetic material. The device can find useful application in a military setting and also in the perforation of well casings in subterranean wells.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Coulton T Sadler