GB2356033A - Warhead - Google Patents

Abstract

A warhead for use against reactive armour comprises a preliminary charge projectile (2) ejectable from a firing capsule (15) in the direction of flight, a main charge (1) disposed axially and at a distance behind the preliminary charge projectile, a support (18) for the firing capsule (15) and the preliminary charge projectile (2) secured to the periphery of the main charge (1), a propellant charge (22) between the preliminary charge projectile (2) and the base (17) of the firing capsule, and a sensor (30) for launching the preliminary charge projectile (2) when at a predetermined distance from the target. The preliminary charge projectile (2) has a rearwardly widening rear part (14) into which the forwardly tapering base (17) of the firing capsule extends. The propellant charge (22) is disposed in a casing (21) formed with combustion gas outlet openings (26) into the space (27) between the widening rear part (14) of the preliminary charge projectile (2) and the tapering bottom (17) of the firing capsule.

Description

2356033 TITLE A Warhead This invention relates to a tandem warhead for use

against armour plating especially plating having such a warhead may have reactive armouring, a preliminary charge to disrupt the armour and main penetrating charge, A warhead is disclosed in DE-PS 28 29 002, wherein the preliminary charge capsule and the rear part of the preliminary charge projectile each have a radially extending bottom. The propellant charge, which is discshaped, is disposed between the two said bottoms and is ignited at the side. In the known warhead, a very high pressure acts on the bottom of the preliminary charge projectile. This means that the walls have to be very tbick or the mass has to be high, resulting in insufficient acceleration of the projectile.

FR-PS 25 81 749 discloses a warhead comprising a preliminary charge equipped with a rocket drive unit and separable from the main charge. However, the drive unit considerably increases the weight, and also the pressures from the drive may destroy the main charge.

One object of this invention is to provide a tandem warhead with a preliminary charge projectile which is light, which can be rapid'ly accelerated to a high velocity and which is stable in flight.

According to the invention there is provided a warhead primarily for u-se against reactive armouring, the warhead comprising a preliminary charge projectile ejectable from a firing capsule in the direction of flight, a main charge disposed axially thereof at a distance behind the projectile, a support for the firing capsule and the preliminary charge projectile secured to the periphery of the main charge, a propellant charge between the preliminary charge projectile and the bottom of the firing capsule, and a sensor for launching the preliminary charge projectile when at a given distance from a target, the preliminary charge projectile having a rearwardly widening rear part into which the base of the firing capsule extends, -",-he propellant charge being disposed in a casi-ng which has combustion gas outlets opening into a space between the widening rear part of the preliminary charge- projectile and the tapering base of the firing capsule.

In the warhead according to this invention, the rear part of the preliminary charge projectile widens to the rear. The forwardly tapering base or bottom of the firing capsule projects into the rearwardly widening rear part. The widening rear part and t1ie tapering bottom of I the firing capsule can be conical or hemispherical or can have any other axially symmetrical shape.

The propellant charge is disposed in a casing formed with combustion gas outlet openings feeding into the space between the widening rear part of the preliminary charge and the tapering base of the firing capsule.

The result is a relatively large area acted upon by the pressure of the gases generated by the propellant charge. The preliminary charge projectile is therefore subjected to a correspondingly high force which produces high acceleration even at a pressure which does not require unduly thick walls and a correspondingly heavy preliminary charge projectile.

Preferably, the propellant-charge casing has a cylindrical portion which is inserted into a cylindrical portion of the rear part of the preliminary charge projectile, additional combustion gas outlet openings being provided at the front of the propellant-charge casing. This increases the area acted upon by the pressure of the gases generated by the propellant charge, thus additionally increasing the acceleration of the preliminary charge projectile. The pressure in the two pressure chambers can be adjusted as required, for example in accordance with the strength of the walls enclosing the two chambers, if a suitable choice is made of the overall diameter of the gas outlet openings in the first pressure chamber between the widening rear part of the preliminary charge projectile and the tapering bottom of the firing capsule, as compared with the overall diameter of the outlet openings on the front of the prope 1 lant- charge casing into the second pressure chamber between the front of the propellant-charge casing and the bottom of the rear part of the preliminary charge projectile.

Preferably the preliminary charge projectile is connected to the firing capsule by a connection which ruptures under a given force. By this means, the projectile is held in the firing capsule until a minimum thrust is reached. The connection which ruptures can be a shear screw for example, which is secured to the front end of the propellant-charge casing and screwed into a corresponding threaded part on the base of the rear part of the preliminary charge projectile.

Advantageously, to obtain a high pressure when the preliminary charge projectile is ejected, the gas outlet openings through the propellantcharge casing are provided on the inside with a barrier, such as a foil, which does not tear until the propellant gases in the propellant-charge casing have reached a given pressure. A high pressure can be rapidly built up if the propellant charge is made annular and is coaxially disposed, whereas the ignition member is axial. The flame from the ignition member will then enter the annular propellant charge radially and abruptly ignite it.

Preferably the preliminary charge projectile has a diameter less than the internal diameter of the firing capsule, that is the calibre is less than the launching capsule. By this means the preliminary charge can be provided with aerodynamic fins. The aerodynamic fins extend to the rear, as far as the widening rear part of the preliminary charge projectile.

The widening rear part of the preliminary charge projectile also ensures an advantageous aerodynamic stall and the aerodynamic centre of pressure is displaced to the rear relative to the centre of gravity thus giving the projectile an extremely stable attitude of flight.

The aerodynamic fins on the preliminary charge projectile also guide the projectile in the firing capsule. At least three, but preferably more, aerodynamic fins are provided.

If the preliminary charge projectile is given a smaller calibre than the firing capsule, it will of course have a-lower mass. It will therefore reach a high velocity even when the propellant gases produced by the propellant charge are at a relatively low pressure.

Since a relatively low pressure is sufficient., the walls can be made thinner, thus further reducing the mass of the preliminary charge projectile. In this manner, a preliminary charge projectile, stable in flight at high acceleration, can be given a mass of less than 100 g for a missile with a mass which is perhaps one hundred times greater. The recoil and the consequent effect on the direction of flight of the main charge after ejection of the preliminary charge projectile is therefore negligible in a warhead according to this invention.

One embodiment of a warhead according to this invention is now described as an example and in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a view, partly in longitudinal section, of the warhead.

As shown in the drawing, the warhead has a coaxial main charge I and a central preliminary charge projectile 2 disposed at a distance in front of the main charge 1 in the direction of flight F. The main charge 1 is in the form of a hollow charge, that is it has a shell 3 containing a bursting charge 4 with a conical-shaped recess 5 (shown in broken lines) at the front end, in which a hollow-charge lining (not shown) is disposed.

A safety protector device 6 is provided at the rear end of the hollow charge 1. The drawing also shows a part of the missile 7 which carries the warhead.

A preliminary charge projectile 2 is also in the form of a hollow charge, and has a bursting charge 9 in a casing 8 and with a conical-shaped recess at the front end containing a hollow-charge lining 10 (not shown in detail). The safety protector device 12 of the preliminary charge projectile 2 is disposed behind the bursting charge 9, in a cylindrical portion 11 of the casing 8. The safety protector device 12 is enclosed at the rear by a radially extending bottom 13 in the cylindrical portion 11.

A conical or funnel-shaped widening rear part 14 is adjacent the rear of the cylindrical portion 11 of the casing 8 of the preliminary charge projectile 2. The preliminary charge projectile 2 is disposed in a firing capsule 15 comprising a tube 16 and a bottom 17. The bottom 17 is in the form of a truncated cone or funnel tapering at the front and projecting into the conical rear part 14.

The base of the frusto-conical bottom 17 of the firing capsule 15 rests on a ring 18 secured at its periphery to the front end of the main charge 1, that is to the shell 3.

The cylindrical portion 11 of the preliminary charge projectile 2 is provided with aerodynamic fins 19 which support the preliminary charge projectile 2 in the tube 16 of the firing capsule 15 and extend as far as the conically widening rear part 14.

The firing capsule 15 and the preliminary charge projectile 2 are surrounded by a nose cone 20 which rests on the shell 3 and is formed with notches or similar preset breaking points so that the nose cone opens when the preliminary charge projectile 2 is ejected.

A cylindrical casing 21 is disposed on the front end of the frustoconical base 17 of the firing capsule 15 and projects into the cylindrical portion 11 of the casing 8 of the preliminary charge projectile 2 and contains a propellant charge 22 in the form of a coaxial ring. The front end of the casing 21 has a threaded boss 23 which is screwed into a corresponding threaded recess in the bottom 13 of the device 12 and which ruptures at a given force.

The annular propellant charge 22 is ignited by an axially (disposed ignition member 24 from which ignition ducts 25 extend radially to the propellant charge 22, which accordingly is coaxial.

The periphery of the propellant charge casing 21 is formed with gas outlet openings 26 into the space 27 between the conical rear part 14 and the conical firing capsule bottom 17. The cylindrical outer periphery of the propellant-charge casing 21 closely abuts the inner side of the cylindrical portion 11 of the casing 8 of the preliminary charge projectile 2. The front of the propellant-charge casing 21 has additional gas outlet openings 28 into the space 29 enclosed by the bottom 13 of the device 12, the cylindrical casing portion 11 and the front of the propellant-charge casing 21. A barrier in the form of a foil (not shown) is provided on the inside of the propellant-charge casing 21 in front of the gas outlet openings 26, 28.

A sensor 30 associated with optronic and electronic circuits is disposed on the main charge 1 at the front of the ring 18 for supporting the preliminary charge projectile 2 and the firing capsule 15. When the target is detected, the sensor ignites the ignition member 2_4 via a line 31 at a pre-set range in front of the target. A line 32 leads from the sensor 30 along the inside of the shell 3 to the safety device 6 on the main charge 1.

The preliminary charge projectile 2 has an impact contact 33 comprising two contact pieces 34, 35 surrounded by a metal hood 36.

Preferably the shell 3 and nose cone 20 are made of aluminium or an aluminium alloy. As a result of the metal hood 36 and the line 32 disposed in the shell 3, the warhead is resistant to electromagnetic and nuclear radiation.

The warhead operates as follows. When the sensor 30 has detected a target, the ignition member 24 and consequently the propellant charge 22 are ignited via the line 31. After the barrier 28 in front of the gas outlet openings 26 bursts, a high pressure builds up in the space 27 and 29, so that the boss 23 breaks. The preliminary charge projectile 2 is consequently ejected and is detached from the warhead. When the impact contact 33 on the preliminary charge projectile 2 strikes the reactive armouring, the preliminary charge projectile 2 is ignited, so that the hollow-charge penetrator spike of the preliminary hollow charge 2 initiates the reactive armouring. The resulting flash of light is detected by the sensor and ignites the main charge 1, after a certain delay if required.

The main charge I and the preliminary charge 2 may alternatively be in the form of a P-charge. In addition, the delay between the ignition of the preliminary charge 2 and ignition of the main charge 1 can be set via an electronic unit instead of via detection of the flash of light on detonation of the preliminary charge 2 or the reactive armouring. The pressure in chamber 29 can also be used to release the device 12 of the preliminary charge 2.

Claims (9)

1. A warhead primarily for use against reactive armouring, the warhead comprising a preliminary charge projectile ejectable from a firing capsule in the direction of flight, a main charge disposed axially thereof at a distance behind the projectile, a support for the firing capsule and the preliminary charge projectile secured to the periphery of the main charge, a propellant charge between the preliminary charge projectile and the bottom of the firing capsule, and a sensor for launching the preliminary charge projec t4 le when at a given distance from a target, the preliminary charge projectile having a rearwardly widening rear part into which the base of the firing capsule extends, the propellant charge being disposed in a casing which has combustion gas outlets opening into a space between the widening rear part of the preliminary charge projectile and the tapering base of the firing capsule.

2. A warhead according to Claim 1, wherein the propellant-charge casing has a cylindrical peripheral portion, a cylindrical portion adjacent the cylindrical peripheral portion of the propellant-charge casing extending forward from the widening rear part of the preliminary charge projectile and the propellant-charge casing having additional combustion gas outlets at the front.

3. A warhead according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the preliminary charge projectile has a diameter less than the internal diameter of the firing capsule and has aerodynamic fins.

4. A warhead according to Claim 3, wherein the aerodynamic fins extend as far as the widening rear part of the preliminary charge projectile.

5. A warhead according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the preliminary charge projectile is connected to the firing capsule through a connection which breaks under a given load.

6. A warhead according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a barrier is provided in front of the gas combustion outlet openings in the propellant charge casing.

7. A warhead according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the propellant charge is annular and is ignited by an axially disposed ignition member.

8. A warhead according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor for ejecting the preliminary charge projectile also detects the flash when the preliminary charge projectile strikes a target serving to ignite the main charge.

9. A warhead constructed and arranged to function as described herein and exemplif ied with ref erence to the drawing.