USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Melvin J McCubbin

Clifford T Johnson

Paul E Cordle

Thomas R Zulkoski

Joseph F Mattis

Patrick M McInnis

Curtis V Nakaishi

James K Brown

A warhead comprising an explosive charge surrounded by discrete individual etal fragments is increased in effectiveness by the addition of pyrophoric fragment material combined therewith. For this purpose, misch metal or zirconium-tin sleeves are placed around or within the fragmentation layers or, alternatively, a percentage of the ferrous metal cubes are replaced with a number of preformed zirconium fragments.

Incendiary fragmentary warhead

The lethality of a fragmentation warhead is increased by including pyrophc material consisting of spongy zirconium metal rings in combination with the fragmentation material.

Warhead, incendiary

The forward bulkhead of a warhead casing centrally formed with a cylindri indention which causes a forward jet when the warhead is detonated.

Anti-compromise device

A warhead fuze is attached within the warhead casing in such a manner that ressure buildup will cause the fuze mechanism to be ejected from its housing. The fuze and its associated booster is contained in a cup attached to an end cap which may be threaded to receive a closure cap. The joint between the booster cup and the end cap is made in such a manner that pressure buildup within the cup will case the joint to fail with a resultant expulsion of said booster cup away from the main explosive cavity.

Ejectable fuze

An existing booster and fuze combination is modified to provide relief from emperature and pressure buildup in an open fire environment. The booster explosive, thus, is encased in a low temperature melting plastic and the main housing is vented by boring a number of passages through the major thread diameter shoulder of the fuze case.

Fuze

A warhead casing is designed to protect the high explosive material therein from open fires or other sources of intense heat which might cause premature explosion of the warhead. The warhead casing is relieved throughout the greater part of its outer circumference and may be then counter-relieved over a slightly lesser distance. The relieved area is filled with an ablative material covered by a protective intumescent coating, for example, of fire resistant, impregnated cloth.

Warhead casing

The forward end of a warhead casing is structured to improve warhead penetion characteristics. The forward wall of the warhead casing is configured with thicker peripheral portions tapering to a thinner central portion and the warhead explosive is separated from the forward wall by a shock pad.

Warhead, penetrating nose shape

A large warhead explosive is provided with a metal liner having longitudi corrugations. The shape of the liner causes the warhead to deliver concentrated amounts of energy to targets at some distance from the point of detonation. This energy is in the form of hypervelocity fragment beams produced by what is known as 'Monroe effect' caused by the jetting of the liner as the detonation wave front progresses along the warhead.

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China Lake, CA, United States of America

Melvin J McCubbin