Hydrocarbon warhead and method
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorJohn W. Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas-phase warhead for use against a hardened and deeply buried target containing a payload that is ignitable when combined with air. After the warhead is delivered near an air intake of a target, the payload is expelled from the casing of the warhead in a slow, controlled manner so as to allow the formed payload-and-air mixture to infiltrate the areas of the target. After a predetermined amount of time, the payload-and-air mixture is ignited and a detonation or a deflagration within the target occurs.
Claims27
A method for defeating a hard and deeply buried target, wherein the target comprises a plurality of air vents, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a warhead in, or in close proximity to, at least one of the plurality of air vents;
- expelling a payload from the warhead into the at least one of the plurality of air vents, therein creating an ignitable mixture of expelled payload and air;
- delaying ignition of the mixture for a predetermined amount of time;
- and
- igniting the mixture.
A warhead for defeating a hard or soft target, comprising:
- a casing;
- a payload contained within the casing;
- and
- an igniter;
- whereby the payload is expelled from the casing at a predetermined rate, creating a mixture of expelled payload and air, and the mixture is detonated by the igniter after a predetermined amount of time.
A warhead for defeating a hard or soft target, comprising:
- a casing;
- a payload contained within the casing;
- a means for expelling the payload contained within the casing to the surrounding area thereby creating an explosive payload and air mixture;
- and
- an igniter adapted to ignite the explosive mixture.
A method of defeating a soft target having an exterior and an interior, the method comprising:
- penetrating the exterior of the target with a penetrating warhead with a trajectory suitable to locate the warhead within the interior of the target;
- releasing a payload material contained within the warhead thereby forming a payload-air mixture within the interior of the building;
- and
- igniting the payload-air mixture after a predetermined amount of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.