GB2336198A

GB2336198A - Unit charge and warhead utilising same

Info

Publication number: GB2336198A
Application number: GB9907685A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Edlich; Hans Spengler
Original assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
Current assignee: Daimler AG
Priority date: 1998-04-09
Filing date: 1999-04-01
Publication date: 1999-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 2019-04-01
Also published as: GB2336198B; GB9907685D0; DE19815929A1

Abstract

In a unit charge with a fuse unit eg for a shaped charge warhead, exact alignment of the charge axis in relation to the axis of the fuse unit is ensured by sticking a plate-shaped explosive 7 into a case for the fuse unit, and combining the fuse unit and the charge body 8 by means of an adhesive layer 9 when their axes are in exact alignment with one another. A warhead contains the unit charge and an outer shell (11), which are stuck together radially all over. This makes it possible to accomplish a more lightweight and shorter mode of construction which meets high performance expectations.

Description

2336198 Unit charge and warhead utilising same The present invention

relates to a unit charge with a fuse unit and a charge body and to a warhead with a unit charge and an outer shell.

The manufacture of conventional hollow charge concepts, or warheads, involves firstly introducing the explosive_ charge into the outer shell, processing it and then assembling the exploder.

In the case of these concepts the fuse unit, or rather the safety device SE, is integrated in the projectile element and is not connected up until the warhead is joined to the projectile, i.e. at the time of final assembly.

As a result of this procedure it is not possible to exactly balance the charge axis with the axis of the fuse unit. However, as has been shown, this is desirable, especially in the case of third generation concepts, which require a compact mode of construction in order to ensure optimum performance in modern 2 targets.

DE-OS 1 571 260 describes a hollow charge which is made up of a fuse unit (primary charge), a plate-shaped exploder and the hollow charge itself. These are arranged axially one behind the other in a case. Experience has shown that it is not possible to accomplish exact centring of the charges with respect to one another in this manner.

DE 38 43 884 A1 discloses how high-explosive can be stuck onto an inert body. However, the person skilled in the art receives no hint as to how he can apply this technology in the case of charges that are exactly is aligned axially with respect to one another, in particular where a "short" hollow charge is concerned.

Preferably, it is therefore the object of the present invention to create a unit charge and a warhead utilising same, wherein in each case an exact balancing of the charge axis in relation to the charge axis of the fuse unit is ensured, and which achieve very high 3 performance in modern targets and exhibit low performance dissipation.

In accordance with a first aspect, the invention provides unit charge with a fuse unit and a charge body, including a plate-shaped exploder stuck by means of an adhesive layer in a case of the fuse unit, the adhesive layer being free of cracks and cavities, wherein the axes of a fuse initiator of the fuse unit are in exact alignment with one another in relation to the centring diameter and the fuse unit and the charge body are combined by means of an adhesive layer, the axis of the charge body being in exact alignment with the axis of the fuse unit.

is Advantageous embodiments of the invention are indicated in the subsidiary claims.

Further objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

4 Figures 1A and 1B show two examples of embodiment of a fuse unit in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a unit charge with a fuse unit as seen in Fig. 1A, and Figure 3 shows a warhead with a unit charge as seen in Fig. 2.

in accordance with the invention, as shown in Fig. 1A, a fuse unit is created in such a manner that a case 1 forms a complete unit along with an explosive disk or plate-shaped exploder 2, namely an initiating unit with an initiator 6. In accordance with another example of is embodiment of the invention, the case 1 as seen in Fig. 13 may be constructed in such a way that it can receive an initiating unit with a safety device 5.

In both the embodiments seen in Figs. 1A and 1B, the axes of an initiator or of a primary fuse 3 are in exact alignment with one another to the centring diameter (eDi/eD4). This is simple to accomplish, for these axes are produced in a chucking fixture and are therefore exactly flush with one another. Furthermore, when the plate-shaped exploder 2 is stuck into the case 1, it is absolutely essential to provide an all-over adhesive backing 4 (free of cracks and cavities, of the type familiar from the prior art), for trials have shown that point-wise adhesion leads to a considerable dissipation of power.

In the unit charge according to the invention, this fuse unit 7 as seen in Fig. 1A or Fig. 1B is next combined with a charge 8 to form a selfsufficient unit by means of adhesive 9, the axis of the charge 8 being aligned exactly with the axis of the fuse unit. This alignment is achieved either with the help of a fit on the charge body 8 and on the fuse unit case 1, or more straightforwardly and inexpensively by the use of a device that guarantees an exact axial alignment without the need for a fit of any kind (this being obtained with conventional devices). This is dependent upon the particular type of high-explosive employed, for example "TO 15/85 cast" or "pressed plastic- coupled" and the 6 numbers required.

In a final step, the thus manufactured unit charge 10 as seen in Fig. 2 is now combined with an outer shell 11 by means of all-over, radial adhesion 12 to produce the definitive "warhead" as seen in Fig. 3; this outer shell 11 is merely required in order to achieve the necessary environmental resistance and therefore it is not necessary for these axes to be lined up with one io another, for the performance of the warhead is ensured exclusively by means of the "unit charge" 10.

The warhead described above is characterised by very high performance in modern targets and by low power dissipation and thus meets the requirements of third generation warheads. The hollow charge according to the invention makes possible a more lightweight and shorter mode of construction which meets high performance expectations.

7

Claims

1. Unit charge with a fuse unit and a charge body, including a plate-shaped exploder stuck by means of an adhesive layer in a case of the fuse unit, the adhesive layer being free of cracks and cavities, wherein the axes of a fuse initiator of the fuse unit are in exact alignment with one another in relation to the centring diameter and the fuse unit and the charge body are combined by means of an adhesive layer, the axis of the charge body being in exact alignment with the axis of the fuse unit.

is

2. Unit charge according to claim 1, wherein a fit is incorporated on the charge body and on the case of the fuse unit for alignment.

3. Warhead having a unit charge according to claim 1 or 2 and an outer shell, wherein an all-over, radial adherence is incorporated between the outer shell and the unit charge.

8 Warhead according to claim 3, wherein the axes of the outer shell and of the unit charge are configured to be non-aligned with one another.

5. A unit charge or warhead substantially as any one embodiment herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.