The United States of America as Represented by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice

USA as Represented by Secretary of the Navy

The United States of America as Represented by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dept. of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Disablement Technologies and Consulting LLC

Ian B Vabnick

Lee Foltz

Arthur W Ellis

Eric S Morefield

Daniel E McCarthy

Phillip R Quillen

Marc J La Belle

Michael S Shattuck

Michael Malone

Mike Sharp

Thomas A Sharkey

Joseph Santiso

Joe Rothenberger

Chad Smith

Barry Black

Jeffrey T Curtis

Provided herein are shaped-charges having curved walls to provide better controllable and improved liquid jet parameters. The shaped-charge comprises a container having a plurality of curved walls for containing a liquid. One or more explosive charges are immersed in the liquid and a detonator channel positioned through the container wall to controllably detonate the one or more explosive charges and from a wedge-shaped liquid jet. Multipoint initiation is achieved using a number of initiation points; a location of one or more initiation contact points with the geometrically-shaped explosive charges; and/or an initiation timing of each of the initiation contact points, including simultaneous initiation or a sequence of initiations. Also provided are related methods of forming liquid jets and attendant applications, including target disruption.

Specially-shaped-charges for focusing fluid jets

Provided herein are mass focusing shaped charges and related methods useful for disrupting targets in either underwater or on land. The mass focusing shaped charges comprise an explosives shell having an explosives shell surface, wherein at least a portion is curved and defines an inner volume configured to contain an inner volume of fluid or a metal liner. A distal body is comprising a SMART material is positioned between the inner volume of fluid and a to-be-disrupted target. A conformable layer of explosives conforms to at least a portion of a surface of the explosives shell, the conformable layer of explosives configured for explosive initiation by a detonator. Upon explosive initiation the inner volume of fluid or metal liner is forcefully ejected to form a fluid or metal jet in a direction through the distal body and toward the target.

Half pipe disrupter

Disclosed is a method for rendering safe an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) via a powered mechanical press. The method includes identifying and classifying the IED and placing the IED into the press and determining a position of the IED within the press based on the classification of the IED. The method further includes activating the press until a fracturing device of the press reaches a fracture position with respect to the IED and holding the position of the press for a predetermined period of time when the fracturing device reaches the fracture position. Further, the method includes removing, after the IED has fractured, the fractured IED and explosive filler of the fractured IED.

Methods for rendering safe devices containing explosives

Circuit test devices and methods are provided. The method includes measuring a voltage between first and second conductor points (CPs) of a circuit under test (CUT), and determining if the measured voltage is less than a low voltage threshold value (LVTV) indicative of electrical continuity (EC) between the first and second CPs. In response to determining that the measured voltage is less than the LVTV, the method includes: transmitting a test signal (TS) to the first or second CP, and determining if the test signal is received after being transmitted. In response to determining that the TS is received, a presence of EC between the first and second conductor points is reported, and in response to determining that the TS is not received, absence of EC between the first and second CPs, or a lack of electrical contact between the VMC and the first and/or second CP(s), is reported.

Circuit test device and method

Provided herein are shaped charges for focusing a fluid mass and related methods of using the shaped charges for disruption of an explosive target with a spherical projectile. The shaped charge comprises a plastic shell having a special geometric shape configured to support a shape-conforming explosive. A cylindrical plastic body has an interior volume for containing a fluid and the plastic shell. The plastic body closed distal end has a geometric shape that is substantially matched to the shape of the plastic shell. Metal spherical projectiles having an outer layer of metal selected to have an effective density matched to the fluid provide advantageous target disruption capabilities.

Shaped charges for focusing a fluid mass

Provided are methods and related devices for disrupting an explosive device using a propellant driven disrupter (PDD) that propels a rounded projectile (RP) toward an explosive device. The RP travels along a linear trajectory and impacts the target, including a barrier portion of the explosive device. The impacting between the RP and barrier forms a composite projectile via a solid state weld between a portion of the barrier and the RP distal end, thereby minimizing or avoiding spall and fragment generation into the explosive device. The projectile traverses a penetration distance along the linear trajectory, or a defined-angle relative thereto, to disrupt the explosive device without unwanted explosive detonation.

Rounded projectiles for target disruption

Provided herein are projectiles for use in a propellant driven disrupter device, and associated methods, to neutralize an explosive target. The projectile may comprise a friction reducing container at least partially filled with one or more fluids, fluid mixtures, particles, and other components to provide one or more desired fluid properties to achieve a desired one or more jet parameters upon target impact. The fluid(s) in the container are referred to as highly efficient energy transfer (HEET) fluids do to the improved fluid jet action on target compared to conventional water projectiles. The projectiles and disruptor can be more precisely individually tailored to the target, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful disablement and decreasing the likelihood of inadvertent and uncontrolled explosion.

Disrupter driven highly efficient energy transfer fluid jets

Provided herein are penetrator projectiles for use with explosive ordnance disposal disrupters, and related methods of making and using. The penetrator projectile has a tip, neck, shaft and base, wherein the geometry and composition of the different elements are selected to ensure the projectile is ballistically stable after firing to provide improved free-flight characteristics and corresponding explosive ordnance disruption.

Penetrator projectile for explosive device neutralization

A propellant driven disrupter (PDD) for disrupting an explosive target, comprising: a disrupter barrel having a breech and muzzle end; a projectile liquid or gas positioned in the barrel and extending a longitudinal distance in the disrupter barrel. The projectile liquid distal end is located farthest from the disrupter barrel breech end. A jet stabilizing projectile (JSP) is at least partially positioned in the barrel and operably contacts the projectile liquid distal end. The JSP has a JSP proximal end facing toward the disrupter barrel breech end and a distal end opposed to the JSP proximal end, wherein some or all of the JSP is positioned in the barrel. The PDD may contain the JSP, with an air region between the JSP distal end and the muzzle end, or an air region in an adapter that is connected to the muzzle end. Also provided are JSP's having improved flight stability for use with liquid or air-filled disrupters and methods of disrupting a target.

Fluid jet stabilizing projectile for enhanced IED disrupters

Provided herein are shaped charges for focusing a fluid mass and related methods of using the shaped charges for disruption of an explosive target. The shaped charge comprises a plastic shell having a special geometric shape configured to support a shape-conforming explosive. A cylindrical plastic body has an interior volume for containing a fluid and the plastic shell. The plastic body closed distal end has a geometric shape that is substantially matched to the shape of the plastic shell.

Provided herein are fluid jet enhancement adapters for use with a propellant driven disrupter, and more particularly muzzle blast suppressor. The fluid jet enhancement muzzle blast suppressor may comprise a suppressor bore extending between the proximal end and the distal end with an inner suppressor surface that defines the suppressor bore. An outer suppressor surface opposably faces the inner suppressor surface, with a suppressor chamber positioned between the inner and outer suppressor surfaces. A plurality of passages connect the suppressor bore with the suppressor chamber, wherein the plurality of passages are sized to allow gas to move from the suppressor bore to the suppressor chamber and minimize liquid movement from the suppressor bore to the suppressor chamber.

Reverse velocity jet tamper disrupter enhancer with muzzle blast suppression

Provided herein are fluid jet enhancement adapters for use with a propellant driven disrupter. The adapter may comprise: a first end operably connected to a muzzle end of a propellant driven disrupter barrel and a second end, wherein a longitudinal region extends between the first end and the second end. The longitudinal region has: a longitudinal region inner surface that defines a longitudinal region lumen; a longitudinal region outer surface opposably facing the longitudinal region inner surface, with a longitudinal region wall having a wall thickness that separates the longitudinal region inner surface from the longitudinal region outer surface. The longitudinal region lumen has a first end inner diameter that is substantially equivalent to a muzzle inner diameter. The longitudinal region wall forms a continuous surface that radially isolates the longitudinal region lumen from a surrounding environment.

Growing community of inventors

Quantico, VA, United States of America

Ian B Vabnick