Penetrator having multiple impact segments, including an explosive

Abstract

A penetrator having a plurality of stacked penetrator segments is disclosed. One or more of the segments contains an explosive element Each segment has a nose portion and a rear portion. The rear portion of each segment has a rearwardly opening cavity therein and a plurality of fins pivotally mounted thereon. The segments are stacked such that the cavity of the forwardmost segment contains the nose portion of the following segment, and the following segments are similarly positioned such that the nose portion of each following segment is positioned in the cavity of the immediately preceding segment. The fins of each segment are restrained in a stowed position when the cavity of the respective segment contains the nose portion of a following segment. Upon initiation of deployment of the penetrator, aerodynamic drag against the tail portion of the rearmost segment causes the rearmost segment to separate from the stack of segments by withdrawing from the cavity of the preceding segment, which thereby allows the fins of the preceding segment to deploy, which in turn causes that segment to separate from the remaining stack of segments. Each segment aerodynamically separates from the stack in a like manner, until all of the segments have separated. The penetrator is then in a fully deployed configuration such that each segment can separately impact a target. When a segment containing an explosive element impacts the target, the explosive element contained therein explodes.