US 4,026,213 AGranted

Selectively aimable warhead

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy

InventorMarvin L. Kempton

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Abstract

The cylindrical warhead has an outer, relatively-thin metal skin member and n inner thicker metal casing, the main explosive charge being disposed in the space between the members with associated boosters or charge initiators. The initiators include a first set of circumferentially-spaced aiming detonation members and a second set of similarly spaced main charge-firing members. Aiming is achieved by first firing a selected aiming initiator to produce a force sufficient to rupture and break open an arcuate section of the outer warhead skin but insufficient to produce a main charge detonation. Next, a main charge-firing initiator disposed substantially diametrically opposite the ruptured arcuate section is fired to produce an inwardly-directed main-charge blast for fragmenting the thicker inner casing and driving the fragments in the desired direction through the ruptured arcuate section.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A selectively-aimable warhead comprising:

a generally cylindrical warhead skin member,
a generally cylindrical warhead casing member spaced radially inwardly of said skin member,
a main explosive charge disposed in the space between said members,
detonating means disposed inwardly of said skin member for disabling a selected arcuate section of the warhead skin, said means exerting a detonating force acting in a radially outward direction said selected skin section with a force magnitude below that required for detonating said main charge and above that required for disabling said selected section, and
firing means for initiating a detonation of said explosive charge,
said firing means being disposed to initiate said detonation in an area of the main explosive charge located approximately diametrically opposite said disabled arcuate section, and
said main charge detonation having an inwardly-directed force sufficient to fragment a section of said casing member disposed in its initial propagation path whereby said fragments are explosively driven through said disabled section,
the aimability of said warhead being achieved through the selection of said skin section to be disabled.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.