USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Michael A Halling

Lee James Johnson

Thomas A Cammack

William J Donahue

Joseph F Mattis

Milton K Burford

Art Lohmann

Peter D Gratton

Ed Abt

Rodney A Bernardin

Ken Pinkerton

An acoustic array, useful for sonar, comprises a plurality of transducing ements which are free floating and not connected to each other. Means are provided for locating the position of each of the transducer elements. The acoustic array may be one-dimensional, that is, a line array, a two-dimensional array, or a three-dimensional array. In another embodiment of the acoustic array, the transducing elements are free-floating but connected to each other by a flexible tether, which limits the range of separation of one transducing element from any of the others. The locator comprises a centrally located element to which there are attached three horizontal rigid arms. On the end of each arm is a high-frequency acoustic transducer. Periodically, each of the transducers transmits a high-frequency broadband pulse. The pulse from each of the three transducers is unique and identifiable. The rigid structure also contains a magnetic compass sensor which indicates the orientation of the rigid structure in the horizontal plane.

Acoustic locator for elements of a flexible sonar array

A target discriminating antipersonnel/antimaterial cluster weapon capable distinguishing between hard and soft targets. Upon striking a hard target such as armor or concrete, shear rivets are defeated causing a striker to plunge a firing pin into a stab detonator which through an explosive transfer train causes immediate detonation of the bomblet. Upon hitting a soft target such as sandy soil, the shear rivets will not be sheared, however, an inertia firing weight plunges a firing pin assembly into a stab primer which leads to a propellant charge causing the bomblet to pop back up into the air. The bomblet then is detonated through a pyrotechnic delay in the air. The bomblet is armed during its descent via a flutter plate giving oscillatory motion which is transferred into rotary motion. The rotary motion is employed to align the primer and detonator with the firing pins.

Target discriminating bomblet

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Michael A Halling