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US 4,658,727 AGranted
Selectable initiation-point fragment warhead
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsEarl E. Wilhelm, Alan B. Zimmerschied
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fragment warhead including an explosive divided into a plurality of axially adjacent segments by detonation wave barriers. At least one detonator is embedded in each segment. A fragmentation layer encases the explosive, and a fuze selectively activates at least one detonator in each segment to generate a fragment pattern having selected width and angular direction.
Claims17
A fragment warhead, comprising:
- an explosive formed into a shape having a longitudinal axis;
- barrier means dividing said explosive into a plurality of axially adjacent segments for delaying propagation of detonation waves between segments;
- at least two detonators embedded in spaced relation in each said segment;
- a fragmentation layer encasing said explosive;
- and
- fuze means for sensing a target and for activating at least one said detonator in each said segment in a selected sequence to generate a fragment pattern having a width and angular direction selected in response to the sensed relative position of said target.
3 more elements
The warhead of claim 13 wherein said retention layers are thin layers of aluminum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.