US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Lloyd Khuc

Jason R Cahayla

Barry Schwartz

John Geaney

John Pirozzi

Daniel Vo

Stephen Redington

Olivier Nguyen

William Leach

Nicholas Cali

Daniel Altamura

Triet La

Lei Zheng

Robert P Bryan

In a projectile launch environment, a fuzing safety device independently generates its own voltage upon setback which then is then used to arm the projectile. The arming is done independently of any on board battery rise time, and setback scenarios are detected free of false impacts such as dropping or jostling. The fuzing safety device includes a piezoelectric sensor for detecting motion in the projectile.

Electronic setback detection method for 40 mm munitions

An improved system and method for generating high Voltage within an ESAD munition fuze is provided. Conventionally, high voltage transformer conversion circuits used within ESAD munition fuzes utilize a flyback, or step-up transformer. The use of a flyback, or step-up transformer reveal technical limitations when used for the application of increasing arm charge times, voltage conversion efficiency, and power conversion efficiency for ESAD munition fuze applications. Alternatively, the use of a high voltage inductor conversion circuit utilizing an inductor, in combination with a switching transistor allows for a new and improved low cost method for improving ESAD munition fuze applications with respect to generating high voltage from a low voltage source onto a detonator firing capacitor to trigger a Low Energy Explosive Foil Initiator (LEEFI) within an ESAD munition fuze.

High voltage generation for ESAD munition fuzing circuitry

A setback switch device is provided which, upon launch, can arm an explosive or pyrotechnic device for military gun launched applications. An included bridgewire shunt feature can also prevent the unintended arming, or accidental arming by a stray voltage before any launch is undertaken, of such explosive or pyrotechnic device.

Bridgewire shunt setback switch

A method of autonomously tailoring a detonation delay time of a gun launched munition by utilizing target impact signatures including but not limited to a MOUT target set; earth and timber bunker, triple brick wall, double reinforced concrete, and light armor. While the present method is applicable to countless munition configurations, the projectile architecture used to develop the discrimination algorithm includes a tandem warhead configuration. Upon target impact the forward warhead detonates and pre-damages the target to allow the rear warhead to break through. Target impact data is used to set a detonation delay in the rear warhead providing increased performance behind the target.

Method for discriminating between military operations in urban terrain (MOUT) targets

An unmanned aerial vehicle is equipped to carry a payload of explosives for remote delivery upon a target. The vehicle includes a small TV camera, global positioning system, and auto pilot homing target software. The modified vehicle is capable of being detonated upon an impact or selectively while still in flight. Vehicle flight is monitored by an operation person at a ground control station. The vehicle includes universal smart fuze circuitry for enabling the multiple functions for the vehicle and for enabling communications/commands from the operator at the ground control station. The fuze continuously communicates aspects of fuze status back to the ground control station; measures flight velocity by sensing air speed of the UAV; arms/disarms an explosives warhead package in the vehicle; in flight fires the explosives or else detonates the explosives warhead package upon impact with a select target. The camera images are communicated back to the operator who can make a decision on completing/aborting a mission. The wind speed indications, also fed back to the operator, can further aid in verifying a successful launch/good flight for decision of completing/aborting a mission.

Universal smart fuze for unmanned aerial vehicle or other remote armament systems

A computer program product corrects a detonation time from a ballistic table, based on the actual velocity of a projectile measured upon exit of the projectile from the gun tube. The computer program product transfers a 16-bit data stream, through a 16-bit to an 8-bit encoder, to a fuze controller implemented as an 8-bit platform, to provide precise timing adjustment to a fuze controller. The computer program product significantly improves the accuracy of detonation times for air burst mode. The encoder calculates the absolute truncated, square rooted, X, of the input time delay number, as well as the error correction number, Y. The encoder then transmits both numbers X and Y as an 8-bit data stream, optionally along with the parity data to the fuze controller.

Method for transferring 16-bit data through 8-bit devices

A target discrimination system monitors an acceleration switch signal to determine an impact of a projectile on a target. During a sample period of approximately 1.0 milliseconds, the system repeatedly samples the acceleration switch signal, compares the sampled acceleration sensor signal with a reference voltage, and sets a comparator data output to logic one if the sampled signal exceeds the reference voltage. Otherwise, the comparator data output is set to logic zero. The system counts the instances that comparator data output equals logic one during the sample period and executes a selected delay. The selected delay is approximately 50 milliseconds if the counted number of instances exceeds a predetermined threshold of approximately two-thirds of the samples and, otherwise, the selected delay is approximately 10 milliseconds. The selective delay enables target discrimination and selective detonation of a projectile.

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Wharton, NJ, United States of America

Lloyd Khuc