US Government as Represented by the Secretary of the Army

William P Walters

Richard L Summers

Steven B Segletes

Daniel R Scheffler

John N Majerus

Pei Chi Chou

Stanley K Golaski

A tandem shaped charge warhead having a forward charge and a rear charge mounted in tandem along a charge axis. The forward charge has a shaped charge liner with an explosive surrounding it, along with a metallic confinement housing surrounding the explosive and liner, with a retaining ring at the front to secure the liner to the confinement housing. The confinement housing has a cavity between the explosive and its' exterior surface which houses a booster and detonator. The rear charge is a conventional shaped charge warhead with a conical liner. A delay timing means is provided for imparting an activation delay in the detonations of the charges from the forward to the rear charge. In one embodiment, a lightweight blast shield is placed between the forward and the rear charge. The tandem system is capable of time delays which exceed the state-of-the-art by more than factor of four.

Tandem shaped charge warhead having a confined forward charge and a light-weight blast shield

A shaped charge explosive device which includes an axially symmetric body of explosive material, a liner lining the forward end of the body, and a detonator disposed at the bottom of the body. The liner has an apex disposed along the symmetry axis of the body and the forward end of the body contains a gas filled cavity which overlaps the apex of the liner. When the detonator detonates the explosive material, a detonation wave is produced that collapses the liner into a plurality of liner parts which are projected against an external target. The gas filled cavity shapes the detonation wave so that the detonation wave impacts the liner at the most favorable angle to transfer energy to the liner and maximize the effective penetration of the external target by the projected liner parts.

Shaped charge explosive device and method of making same

A shaped charge explosive device for defeat of advanced armor is presented. In operation, a conically capped hemispherical liner is collapsed in reverse sequence. Detonation of the base of the hemisphere, done earlier in sequence, produces a thick massive jet for initial penetration as a deep crater, in the armor. The conical liner is collapsed afterward, producing a thin jet which reaches the armor deep into the crater earlier produced, at an increased distance than would be usual without a crater. The increased standoff is a further contribution in destructive improvement since adding travel distance to the target for a destructive jet, up to a point, will increase destruction of the target. Various detonation mechanisms, inhibitors, and judicious use of various high explosives and detonation arrangements, all provide the tools for formation of a desired particular two-jet sequence, to accomplish a desired destructive potential. It is further taught that any conventional liner might be jetted in this reverse sense which could reduce the weight of the needed explosive, and the explosive head height, to do the same damage. The method taught here could also tend to avoid the necessity of electronic communication e.g., wires between the front of the charge and the rear of the charge which may destroy the symmetry of the device.

Reverse initiation device

A method and apparatus are provided for selectively producing a coherent or ispersed jet pattern upon detonation of a shaped charge ammunition round. Multiple detonators are provided which may be arranged in a symmetrical or non-symmetrical pattern around or on the axis of the charge. Selection of a coherent or dispersed jet pattern may be provided by controlling the number and timing of detonators used. A coherent jet may be produced, for example, by actuating only one detonator along the centerline of the round. Dispersed jets in selected patterns may be achieved by actuating multiple detonators in different patterns.

Method for dispersing a jet from a shaped charge liner via multiple

A shaped charge device having at least a double confinement configuration d utilizing a standard shaped charge liner inserted into a hollow cavity in the inner explosive fill. The inner explosive fill is surrounded by an inner confining case which may be made from any metal, ceramic, or composite. The uniqueness of the present invention is the addition of an outer layer of explosive containing an outer confinement case. Also utilized in the device are a booster, and a detonator, held by a centering device, to initiate the device according to standard practice. The device acts to use the outer explosive as a tamping material surrounding the inner confining case material. This will delay the expansion of the inner confinement case and increase the pressure on the liner. Increasing the pressure on the liner will increase the kinetic energy of the resulting penetrator jet.

Shaped charge devices with multiple confinements

An apparatus is provided for selectively altering the jet pattern produced y a shaped charge round upon detonation by selectively providing confinement mass(es) on the surface of an outer casing of the round. Confinement mass(es) may be provided to induce a tamping effect upon detonation of the round. The placement of the confinement mass(es) relative to one another and to the round may produce different resulting jet patterns upon detonation. The mass(es) may be movable or removable such that the round may be configured to produce different jet patterns in the field or prior to targeting. Coherent or diffused jet patterns may be utilized, for example to penetrate armor of differing thicknesses or to alter the damage area created by the round.

Apparatus for dispersing a jet from a shaped charge liner via

A method is provided for dispersing and/or disrupting an aligned jet from a haped charge round. A fluted shaped charge liner, typically used to compensate for spin effects on a coherent jet in a spin stabilized round is applied to a non-spinning round to produce a dispersed and/or disrupted jet pattern. The effect of disruption may also be altered by altering the subcalibration ratio (ratio of liner diameter to charge diameter). For a given liner diameter, an increase in charge diameter may result in increased dispersion of the jet. In addition, other types of spin compensated liners such as those using so-called metallurgical spin compensation, may be applied to a non-spinning round to produce dispersion and/or disruption of the jet. Moreover, the rate of spinning of the round (or the direction of spin) may be altered such that the spin compensated liner produces a dispersed jet pattern.

Method for dispersing a jet from a shaped charge liner via spin

The jet of a shaped charge ammunition round may be disrupted and dispersed y altering the local charge to mass ratio within the shaped charge round. A shaped charge round typically produces a coherent jet suitable for penetrating thick armor or the like. However, such coherent jets may be unsuitable for damaging thinner targets. By placing a mass (or removing a mass) at a local portion of the shaped charge liner, the outer casing, or the explosive charge, the local charge to mass ratio may be altered, causing disruption of the coherent jet. A wire, wrapped around the charge liner in a spiral fashion, may be used to produce a substantially helical or spiral shaped jet which may be particularly applicable for damaging missiles or the like.

A novel warhead employing a unique shaped charge liner design is disclosed. particular construction of the liner is described whereby the fabrication process uses three radii of curvature to generate an arcuate design which is convex when viewed from the open end. This liner design is capable of producing two distinct jets; a front or precursor jet consisting of small diameter particles traveling faster than a secondary or main jet and consists of larger diameter particles.

Three radii shaped charge liner

A shaped charge device having a cylindrical housing, an explosive charge with a cavity at one end, a fuze, booster, a multimaterial vertically layered liner having a hemispherical, semi-hemispherical, arcuate or conical shape with a number of segments of materials, each segment in contact with the explosive charge and the cavity, each segment oriented normal, parallel or oblique to the charge axis. The detonating of the explosive charge causes the liner to form a jet of a plurality of the segments. A method of manufacture is also disclosed wherein the liners made in the vertical manner avoid mixing or interaction between dissimilar materials undergoing the jetting action. Vertically layered liners provide excellent material flow and liner collapse diagnostics.

Method for the multimaterial construction of shaped-charge liners

A method of reducing the velocity gradient of a shaped charge liner is diosed. A particular construction for the liner is also disclosed which has the same effect. The velocity gradient and jet-tip velocity are both reduced by forming a plurality of relatively small diameter holes in the charge liner before the liner is assembled with the remaining components of an explosive device.

Charge liner construction and method

A shaped-charge warhead increases the lethality of the liner material by roducing a lethal material into an appropriate region of a jet penetrator so that the lethal material is projected on the shot-line ahead of a normally large slow-moving slug, or rearward portions of the stretching jet penetrator, without hindering the actual penetration process of an outer vehicle armor. The improved shaped-charge liner eliminates the necessity of using naturally pyroforic material or poisonous liquids.

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Elkton, MD, United States of America

William P Walters