Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41H—ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL
  • F41H11/00—Defence installations; Defence devices
  • F41H11/02—Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
  • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
  • F42B10/00—Means for influencing, e.g. improving, the aerodynamic properties of projectiles or missiles; Arrangements on projectiles or missiles for stabilising, steering, range-reducing, range-increasing or fall-retarding
  • F42B10/02—Stabilising arrangements
  • F42B10/14—Stabilising arrangements using fins spread or deployed after launch, e.g. after leaving the barrel
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
  • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
  • F42B10/00—Means for influencing, e.g. improving, the aerodynamic properties of projectiles or missiles; Arrangements on projectiles or missiles for stabilising, steering, range-reducing, range-increasing or fall-retarding
  • F42B10/32—Range-reducing or range-increasing arrangements; Fall-retarding means
  • F42B10/48—Range-reducing, destabilising or braking arrangements, e.g. impact-braking arrangements; Fall-retarding means, e.g. balloons, rockets for braking or fall-retarding
  • F42B10/56—Range-reducing, destabilising or braking arrangements, e.g. impact-braking arrangements; Fall-retarding means, e.g. balloons, rockets for braking or fall-retarding of parachute or paraglider type
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
  • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
  • F42B12/00—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material
  • F42B12/02—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect
  • F42B12/36—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
  • F42B12/56—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information for dispensing discrete solid bodies
  • F42B12/58—Cluster or cargo ammunition, i.e. projectiles containing one or more submissiles
  • F42B12/60—Cluster or cargo ammunition, i.e. projectiles containing one or more submissiles the submissiles being ejected radially

Definitions

• This subject invention relates to improved kinetic energy rod warhead rod
• Destroying missiles, aircraft, re-entry vehicles and other targets falls into three primary classifications: "hit-to-kiU" vehicles, blast fragmentation warheads, and kinetic energy rod warheads.
• the kill vehicle is navigable and designed to strike the re-entry vehicle to render it inoperable. Countermeasures, however, can be used to avoid the "hit-to-kill" vehicle.
• biological warfare bomblets and chemical warfare submunition payloads are carried by some "hit-to-kill" threats and one or more of these bomblets or
• a pre-made band of metal on the warhead is detonated and the pieces of metal are accelerated with high velocity and strike the target.
• the fragments are not always effective at destroying the target and, again, biological bomblets and/or chemical submunition payloads survive and cause heavy casualties.
• the primary components associated with a theoretical kinetic energy rod warhead are a projectile core or bay including a number of individual lengthy rod projectiles or penetrators, and an explosive charge. When the explosive charge is detonated, the rod projectiles are deployed. Typically, these components are within a hull or housing.
• penetrators should be designed to neutralize all threats. Some threats require penetrators designed as spheres or a compact cube fragments. For other targets, however, if the penetrator has a length to diameter ratio of greater than two, deeper penetration into the target can be obtained if the penetrator center line is aligned along the relative velocity vector.
• the projectiles may tend to break and/or tumble in their deployment, and may approach the target at such a high oblique angle that they do not
• rod penetrators 10 th AIAA/BMDD TECHNOLOGY CONF., July 23-26, Williamsburg, Virginia, 2001 incorporated herein by this reference.
• the distribution of rod penetrators includes many rods that are not aligned with the relative velocity vector.
• flux compression generators generate a magnetic field to align the projectiles
• a plurality of detonators are spaced along the length of the explosive charge in the hull of the kinetic energy rod warhead to prevent sweeping shock waves at the interface between the projectile core and the explosive charge thus providing alignment.
• a low density material (e.g. foam) body is disposed in the core of the kinetic energy rod
• the body includes orifices which receive the projectiles.
• Each rod has a large length to diameter ratio and/or includes a
• stabilizer such as a plurality of fins or a flared distal end for aligning the rod about its velocity vector, thus providing better penetration of the surface above a mine.
• the subject invention results from the realization that a kinetic energy rod
• warhead with improved target penetration can be achieved with a stabilizer attached
• the present invention thus provides a unique way to improve rod penetrator alignment for achieving optimal penetration of a target, and may be used exclusively, or in conjunction with any of the enumerated means of aligning projectiles disclosed in the applicant's patents or patent applications referenced above. Additionally, the
• kinetic energy rod warhead of the present invention may further include features for kinetic energy rod warheads disclosed in U.S. Pat. Application Ser. Nos. 11/059,891
• This invention features a kinetic energy rod warhead with self-aligning penetrators including a plurality of rods, an explosive for deploying the rods, and a detonator for detonating the explosive.
• a stabilizer is attached to all or selected rods for aligning the rods to strike a target at an optimal strike angle.
• the stabilizer is foldable for storage and expandable upon deployment.
• the rods may be
• the stabilizer may include drag flaps attached at or proximate a distal end of the rod, and the drag flaps maybe made of spring steel.
• the stabilizer may include a parachute attached at or proximate a distal end of the
• the stabilizer may include a flare attachment connected at or proximate a distal end of the rod.
• the stabilizer may include streamers attached at or proximate a distal
• the streamers may be made of plastic and may be several feet long.
• This invention also features a kinetic energy rod warhead with self-aligning penetrators including a plurality of rods, an explosive for deploying the rods, a detonator
• the stabilizer may include drag flaps attached at or proximate a distal end of the rod, and the drag flaps may be made of spring steel.
• the stabilizer may include a parachute attached at or proximate a distal end of the rod, or a flare
• the stabilizer may include streamers attached at or proximate a distal end of rod, and the streamers may be made ofplastic.
• This invention further features a kinetic energy rod warhead with self-aligning penetrators including a plurality of rods, an explosive for deploying the rods, a detonator for detonating the explosive, and a spring steel drag flap stabilizer foldable for storage and expandable upon deployment attached to all or selected rods for aligning the rods to strike a target at an optimal strike angle.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic view of ejected rods showing a distribution of rods with
• Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one example of akinetic energy rod warhead in accordance with this invention
• Fig. 3 is a schematic partial three-dimensional detailed view of the kinetic energy rod warhead of Fig. 2;
• Fig. 4 is a schematic view of ejected rods showing a distribution of rods with improved alignment in accordance with the present invention
• Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a rod stabilizer including drag flaps in accordance with the present invention
• Fig. 6 is a schematic view of a rod stabilizer including a parachute in accordance with the present invention.
• Fig. 7 is a schematic view of a rod stabilizer including a flare attachment in accordance with the present invention.
• Fig. 8 is a schematic view of a rod stabilizer including streamers in accordance with the present invention.
• Fig. 1 which is typically added to missile or carrier 1110 to destroy target 1112, projectiles 1114 may tend to break and/or tumble in their deployment and have many different yaw and pitch angles ⁇ , ⁇ .
• penetrators 1114 may approach target 1112 at such an angle that they do not effectively penetrate target 1112, which may be a re-entry vehicle or other type of threat.
• a majority of penetrators 1114 are not aligned along their length with relative velocity vector V R and are at angles that will be less than effective for penetrating
• Kinetic energy rod warhead 1120 with self-aligning penetrators in accordance with this invention, Fig. 2, includes plurality of rods 1122, explosive 1124 for
• kinetic energy rod warhead 1120 is not limited to any particular configuration and may include but is not limited to features disclosed in prior U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 11/059,891. Although the exact configuration of the kinetic energy rod warhead may vary depending on a particular desired application or result to be achieved, in one embodiment kinetic rod warhead 1120 typically includes
• explosive charge 1124, Fig. 3 is divided into sections 1128, 1130, 1132 and 1134 disposed about the plurality of rods or projectiles 1122 within hull or housing 1123.
• projectile rods 1122 are lengthy cylindrical members
• detonator 1126, 1126a, 1126b for each section
• explosive charge section is wedge shaped as shown with proximal surface 1150 of explosive charge section 1130 abutting the projectile core and distal surface 1152 which is tapered as shown at 1154 and 1156 to reduce weight.
• the explosive sections may each include a wave shaper 1158 as shown for explosive
• rod projectiles 1122 would be deployed from kinetic energy rod warhead 1120 in the direction shown in Fig. 4.
• a stabilizer is attached to each of rods or a select portion of the total number of rods.
• the stabilizer is foldable for storage in the kinetic energy rod warhead and expandable upon
• the stabilizer is expanded or deployed about the axis of the rod projectile. When deployed, the stabilizer induces drag and helps to stabilize rod when it is ejected into the airstream. Consequently, the rod penetrators which include a stabilizer are better aligned with velocity vector V R .
• Rod stabilizer 1170 includes drag flaps 1172 attached at or proximal distal end 1174 of rod penetrator 1122.
• drag flap 1172 will depend upon the flap diameter, and the required flap diameter is a function of altitude at which kinetic energy rod warhead 1120, Fig. 4,
• drag flaps 1172, Fig. 5, are made of lightweight spring steel, which may also facilitate folding until deployment. Once projectile rod 1122 is ejected, drag flap 1172 expands and provides proper aerodynamic stability.
• Rod stabilizer 1170' includes parachute 1180 to stabilize rod 1122, where parachute 1180 is preferably attached at or proximate a distal end 1174 of rod 1122.
• Use of parachute 1180 may depend on the altitude of deployment, and would preferably be used at higher altitudes where aerodynamic loads are less.
• rod stabilizer 1170 includes flare attachment or nested rod 1190 connected at or proximate distal end 1174 of rod penetrator 1122. Similar to parachute 1180, flare attachment 1190 preferably would be utilized at higher deployment altitudes.
• Rod stabilizer 1170' includes streamers 1200 for stabilizing rod 1122.
• Streamers 1200 are preferably attached at or proximate distal end 1174 of projectile rod 1122 to move freely in the airstream.
• streamers 1200 are made of plastic to be more easily folded or rolled up for storage prior to deployment.
• streamers 1200 would be utilized at higher altitudes due to high dynamic forces at lower altitudes. Because the air density at higher altitudes is low, however, streamers 1200 utilized at such higher altitudes are preferably several feet long.
• an improved, higher lethality kinetic energy rod warhead is effected with rod penetrators which self-align and have a better chance of penetrating and destroying a target by striking the target at an optimal strike angle.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
• Remote Sensing (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
• Variable-Direction Aerials And Aerial Arrays (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (2)

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• 2005
  • 2005-07-20 US US11/185,521 patent/US20060283348A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-11-14 WO PCT/US2005/041010 patent/WO2006098780A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-11-14 EP EP05857583A patent/EP1848957A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-11-14 JP JP2007556132A patent/JP2008530513A/ja active Pending
  • 2005-11-14 CA CA002597641A patent/CA2597641A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2007
  • 2007-08-13 IL IL185238A patent/IL185238A0/en unknown

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