Kinetic fireball incendiary munition

Abstract

A kinetic fireball incendiary munition is provided having an outer shell or bomb casing, one or more incendiary submunitions therein, and an igniter therefore. Each of the submunitions includes an incendiary portion, at least one rocket motor that propels the submunition inside of a target volume, and an oxidizer for the incendiary portion and rocket motor. The submunitions liberate sufficient heat to produce elevated temperatures inside of a target structure to thermalize the contents thereof without creating a substantial overpressure or explosive effect. The incendiary portion includes a solid propellant and, optionally, one or more energetic materials selected from the group consisting of phosphorous, boron, magnesium, aluminum, Fluorinert™-aluminum and BKNO. The incendiary submunition may be in the shape of a ball or a circular disk with a rocket motor therein. The circular disk-shaped incendiary munition is provided with an outer layer of an insulation which is bonded to the propellant/incendiary material. A portion of the insulation on the top and bottom of the disk is weakened so as to break away when the top and bottom surfaces are ignited. In place of the rocket motor, the submunition may incorporate one or more barrels embedded in the incendiary material with a powder charge and projectile in each barrel. Ignition of the incendiary material results in detonation of the powder charge which propels projectiles radially outwardly and upwardly causing damage to containers of chemical/biological materials.