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US 6,662,726 B1Granted
Kinetic energy penetrator
AssigneeGeneral Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Inc.
InventorEdwin G. Steiner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A subcaliber kinetic energy penetrator has first and second portions formed of dense material and secured to each other. The first portion, located ahead of the second portion preferably represents between 9% and 15% of the penetrator mass and a similar percentage of the combined lengths of the two portions. The first portion is formed of a material effective to produce a relatively large hole in an explosive reactive armor faceplate. The second portion is preferably formed from material selected to best perforate basal armor.
Claims21
An ammunition system for use with a weapon having a chamber and a barrel extending from the chamber to a muzzle, the system comprising:
- a subcaliber kinetic energy penetrator having a penetrator mass and extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising:
- an elongate body having fore and aft ends;
- and a plurality of stabilizing fins projecting from the body;
- and
- a discardable segmented sabot comprising:
- a plurality of longitudinal segments, having an assembled configuration surrounding the penetrator and secured thereto against relative longitudinal movement, the assembled segments defining at least one flange projecting radially outward and effective to allow the sabot and penetrator to be propelled forward through the barrel by the expansion of gas behind the at least one flange,
- wherein the body comprises:
- a first portion of the body having a first mass of between about 9% and 15% of the penetrator mass;
- and
- a second portion of the body having a second mass greater than the first mass and positioned aft of the first portion of the body;
- a coupling frangibly securing the first portion of the body to the second portion of the body via interfitting features and a threaded stud;
- the interfitting features comprising a reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body, the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body adjacent the fore end thereof, a mating cylindrical bore having a base and formed in the aft end of the first portion of the body and in receipt of the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body;
- wherein the threaded stud extends centrally and longitudinally from within the reduced diameter portion through the cylindrical bore and the base and into the first portion of the body;
- and
- whereby the coupling maintains the first portion of the body secured to the second portion of the body until a torque on the body transverse to the longitudinal axis exceeds a threshold, said threshold being selected to permit deformation of the first portion of the body when the body impacts an armor face plate at an oblique relation while substantially confining such deformation to said first portion of the body;
- wherein the first portion of the body consists essentially of material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tungsten-based alloys, and tungsten-based composites;
- and
- wherein the second portion of the body consists essentially of uranium, uranium-based alloys or uranium-based composites.
15 more elements
The ammunition system of 1 wherein the first portion of the body consists essentially of a first monolithic piece and the second portion consists essentially of a second monolithic piece.
An ammunition system comprising:
- a subcaliber kinetic energy penetrator comprising:
- an elongate body having fore and aft ends;
- and a plurality of stabilizing fins projecting from the body;
- and
- a discardable sabot having an assembled configuration surrounding the penetrator and secured thereto against relative longitudinal movement,
- wherein the body extends along a projectile longitudinal axis and comprises:
- a first portion of the body having a first mass of about at least 9% to 15% of a penetrator mass and consisting primarily of a single piece of a tungsten-based material;
- a second portion of the body having a second mass about at least half of the penetrator mass and positioned aft of the first portion of the body and consisting primarily of a single piece of a uranium-based material;
- and a coupling frangibly securing the first portion of the body to the second portion of the body via interfitting features and a threaded stud;
- the interfitting features comprising a reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body, the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body adjacent the fore end thereof, a mating cylindrical bore having a base and formed in the aft end of the first portion of the body and in receipt of the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body;
- wherein the threaded stud extends centrally and longitudinally from within the reduced diameter portion through the cylindrical bore and the base and into the first portion;
- and
- whereby the coupling is frangible so as to maintain the first portion of the body secured to the second portion of the body until a torque on the body transverse to the longitudinal axis exceeds a threshold.
10 more elements
An ammunition system for use with a weapon having a chamber and a barrel extending from the chamber to a muzzle, the system comprising:
- a subcaliber kinetic energy penetrator having a penetrator mass and extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising:
- an elongate body having fore and aft ends;
- and a plurality of stabilizing fins projecting from the body;
- and
- a discardable segmented sabot comprising:
- a plurality of longitudinal segments, having an assembled configuration surrounding the penetrator and secured thereto against relative longitudinal movement, the assembled segments defining at least one flange projecting radially outward and effective to allow the sabot and penetrator to be propelled forward through the barrel by the expansion of gas behind the at least one flange,
- wherein the body has:
- a first portion consisting essentially of a first material and having a first mass of between about 9% and 15% of the penetrator mass;
- and wherein the first portion consists essentially of material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tungsten-based alloys, and tungsten-based composites
- a second portion consisting essentially of a of uranium, uranium-based alloys or uranium-based composites and having a second mass greater than the first mass and positioned aft of the first portion and frangibly coupled to the first portion, securing the first portion to the second portion via interfitting features and a threaded stud;
- the interfitting features comprising a reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body, the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body adjacent the fore end thereof, a mating cylindrical bore having a base and formed in the aft end of the first portion of the body and in receipt of the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body;
- wherein the threaded stud extends centrally and longitudinally from within the reduced diameter portion through the cylindrical bore and the base and into the first portion of the body;
- and
- whereby the coupling is frangible so as to maintain the first portion of the body secured to the second portion of the body until a torque on the body transverse to the longitudinal axis exceeds a threshold and wherein shear properties of the first and second materials are such that with substantially identical mass and cross-sectional area projectiles of said first and second materials, the projectile of said first material would produce a larger diameter hole in a given armor plate through which both projectiles are capable of passing, while the projectile of said second material would penetrate plates at thicknesses which the projectile of said first material can not penetrate.
11 more elements
An ammunition system for use with a weapon having a chamber and a barrel extending from the chamber to a muzzle, the system comprising:
- a subcaliber kinetic energy penetrator having a penetrator mass and extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising:
- an elongate body having fore and aft ends;
- and a plurality of stabilizing fins projecting from the body;
- and
- a discardable segmented sabot comprising:
- a plurality of longitudinal segments, having an assembled configuration surrounding the penetrator and secured thereto against relative longitudinal movement, the assembled segments defining at least one flange projecting radially outward and effective to allow the sabot and penetrator to be propelled forward through the barrel by the expansion of gas behind the at least one flange,
- wherein the body has a second portion positioned aft of a first portion and wherein:
- the first portion of the body consisting essentially of a first monolithic piece and having a first mass of between about 9% and 15% of the penetrator mass and wherein the first portion of the body consists essentially of material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tungsten-based alloys, and tungsten-based composites;
- and
- the second portion of the body consisting essentially of a second monolithic piece and having a second mass forming substantially the rest of the penetrator mass and wherein the second portion of the body consists essentially of uranium, uranium-based alloys, or uranium-based composites;
- a coupling frangibly securing the first portion of the body to the second portion of the body via interfitting features and a threaded stud;
- the interfitting features comprising a reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body, the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body adjacent the fore end thereof, a mating cylindrical bore having a base and formed in the aft end of the first portion of the body and in receipt of the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body;
- wherein the threaded stud extends centrally and longitudinally from within the reduced diameter portion through the cylindrical bore and the base and into the first portion of the body;
- and
- whereby the coupling is frangible so as to maintain the first portion of the body secured to the second portion of the body until a torque on the body transverse to the longitudinal axis exceeds a threshold.
12 more elements
An ammunition system for use with a weapon having a chamber and a barrel extending from the chamber to a muzzle, the system comprising:
- a subcaliber kinetic energy penetrator having a penetrator mass and extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising:
- an elongate body having fore and aft ends;
- and a plurality of stabilizing fins projecting from the body;
- and
- a discardable segmented sabot comprising:
- a plurality of longitudinal segments, having an assembled configuration surrounding the penetrator and secured thereto against relative longitudinal movement, the assembled segments defining at least one flange projecting radially outward and effective to allow the sabot and penetrator to be propelled forward through the barrel by the expansion of gas behind the at least one flange,
- wherein the body has:
- a first portion consisting essentially of material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tungsten-based alloys, and tungsten-based composites and having a first mass of between about 9% and 15% of the penetrator mass;
- and
- a second portion consisting essentially of material selected from the group consisting of uranium, uranium-based alloys, and uranium-based composites and having a second mass forming substantially the rest of the penetrator mass and positioned aft of the first portion of the body;
- a coupling frangibly securing the first portion of the body to the second portion of the body via interfitting features and a threaded stud;
- the interfitting features comprising a reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body, the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body adjacent the fore end thereof, a mating cylindrical bore having a base and formed in the aft end of the first portion of the body and in receipt of the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body;
- wherein the threaded stud extends centrally and longitudinally from within the reduced diameter portion through the cylindrical bore and the base and into the first portion of the body;
- and
- whereby the coupling is frangible so as to maintain the first portion of the body secured to the second portion of the body until a torque on the body transverse to the longitudinal axis exceeds a threshold.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.