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US 6,460,459 B1Granted
Method and system utilizing a laser for explosion of an encased high explosive
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsStephen W. Mc Cahon, Scott G. Martin, Robert W. Knox, Andrew E. Paul
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for exploding a high explosive material confined in a casing which includes the steps of generating a laser beam; directing the laser beam toward a location on a surface of the casing; and irradiating the surface location with the laser beam a sufficient length of time to explode the high explosive material.
Claims19
A method for exploding a high explosive material confined in a casing, comprising the steps of:
- generating a laser beam;
- directing the laser beam toward a location on an outer surface of the casing, the outer surface of the casing being comprised of metal and not optically transparent to the laser beam;
- and
- irradiating the surface location with the laser beam a sufficient length of time to thermally initiate exploding of the high explosive material.
1 more element
A laser system, comprising:
- a laser control system;
- a laser for generating a laser beam under control of the laser control system;
- an acquisition and tracking system under control of the laser control system for acquiring and tracking an encased high explosive;
- and
- a system for directing the laser to a location on an outer surface of the encased high explosive based on information received from the acquisition and tracking system and for maintaining the laser directed to the location on the surface for a sufficient time to thermally initiate an explosion of the high explosive, the outer surface of the encased high explosive being comprised of metal and not optically transparent to the laser beam.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.