Rheinmetall W & M Gmbh

Rheinmetall Industrie Aktiengesellschaft

Rhienmetall W& M Gmbh

Wolfgang Stein

Bernhard Bisping

Alfons Sackarndt

Jurgen Kolodzey

Ulf Hahn

Martin Podes

A method of making a subcaliber kinetic energy projectile includes the following consecutive steps: friction-welding a light-metal blank to a frontal end face of a tungsten heavy metal penetrator core, wherein the blank is overdimensioned relative to the penetrator core; and forming a conical projectile tip from the blank.

Method of making a subcaliber kinetic energy projectile

A subcaliber projectile, comprising a penetrator (4) and a propelling cage (5, 5') that surrounds at least a midportion of the penetrator, wherein the base region (8) of a cap (7, 7', 7') that is tapered toward the penetrator point (6) is arranged on the propelling cage (8). To achieve, on the one hand, a good and secure feeding during the firing of the projectile with automatic weapons, and, on the other hand, a good hit capability, the inertial forces of the cap (7, 7', 7') during the acceleration of the projectile (2) inside the weapon tube (1) are used to cause a defined disintegration of the cap (7, 7', 7') into segments. For this purpose, the cap (7, 7', 7') is supported in its base region (8) on a surface (9, 9') of the propelling cage (5, 5') that is tapered conically toward the projectile point, such that during the acceleration of the projectile (2) inside the weapon tube (1), the cap (7, 7', 7') is displaced axially in the direction of the propelling cage (5, 5'), which leads to an expansion in the base region (8) of the cap and causes a cracking or breaking of the cap (7, 7', 7') at groove-shaped, predetermined breakage locations (13, 13') of the cap (7, 7', 7') that extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis (12) of the projectile (2).

Subcaliber projectile

A subcaliber projectile with a penetrator (4) and a cap (7) that surrounds the front of the penetrator (4) to form an air space therebetween and is tapered toward the penetrator point (6). The cap surface has at least two groove-shaped predetermined break locations (10-12) that extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis (9) of projectile (2). To achieve a secure feeding of the projectile during the firing with automatic weapons on the one hand, and a good strike capability on the other hand, at least one radial recess (15-18) is arranged in each of the groove-shaped predetermined break locations (10-12) in the region of the base half of cap (7), and extends completely through the jacket (14) of cap (7).

A subcaliber kinetic energy projectile includes a cylindrical penetrator core of tungsten heavy metal; a solid conical projectile tip of light metal adjoining a front end of the penetrator core in a butt joint; and a friction weld bonding the penetrator core to the projectile tip at the butt joint.

Subcaliber kinetic energy projectile

A method for the manufacture of a subcaliber projectile as well as a projectile (1) which is formed according to the method and which comprises a penetrator (2), a propelling cage (3) surrounding the central or mid-portion of the penetrator, and a plastic cap (5) that is arranged on the front of the propelling cage (3) and is conically tapered toward the penetrator point (4). For an easy and cost-effective way of manufacturing the connection between the plastic cap (5) and the propelling cage (3), according to the invention a thermoplastic synthetic material is used as the material for the cap (5), and the plastic cap (5) is attached by ultrasonic welding to the propelling cage (3). For this purpose, the plastic cap (5) is heated at certain points along its circumference, in at least two different partial regions (11), and is formed or molded into a groove-shaped recess (9) provided on the outer surface of the forward region of the propelling cage and covered by a rear portion of the cap, such that the knob-shaped, inward-pointing regions (12) of the plastic cap (5) resulting from the heating engage form-fittingly in the groove-shaped recess (9) of the propelling cage (3).

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Hermannsburg, Germany

Wolfgang Stein