Selectable fragmentation warhead
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsCourtney S. Bryan, Dennis L. Paisley, Nelson I. Montoya, David B. Stahl
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Abstract
A selectable fragmentation warhead capable of producing a predetermined number of fragments from a metal plate, and accelerating the fragments toward a target. A first explosive located adjacent to the plate is detonated at selected number of points by laser-driven slapper detonators. In one embodiment, a smoother-disk and a second explosive, located adjacent to the first explosive, serve to increase acceleration of the fragments toward a target. The ability to produce a selected number of fragments allows for effective destruction of a chosen target.
Claims3
A selectable fragmentation warhead comprising:
- a case having proximal and distal ends;
- a fragmenting plate mounted in said distal end of said casing;
- first explosive means cast adjacent to said fragmenting plate for creating a predetermined number of fragments from said fragmenting plate;
- three or more first laser-driven slapper detonators located adjacent to said first explosive means for detonating said first explosive means in a predetermined pattern;
- smoother-disk means located adjacent to said first means for accelerating said fragments;
- second explosive means cast adjacent to said smoother-disk means for further accelerating said fragments;
- at least one laser-driven slapper detonators located in said second explosive means;
- a laser located in said proximal end of said casing;
- optical fibers connecting said laser to said first and second laser-driven slapper detonators;
- and
- optical switch means located in series with said optical fibers connected to said plurality of first laser-driven slapper detonators for blocking or passing light from said laser to said plurality of first laser-driven slapper detonators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.