Radial firing warhead system and method
AssigneeOrbital ATK, Inc.
InventorsGabriel Bonnstetter, Kenneth Fink, Jake Carroll, Richard Truitt
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Abstract
A warhead system, method and apparatus. A warhead includes a liner having a longitudinal axis that runs down the center of the liner. The liner includes a liner pattern and a liner shape. The liner shape is selected and a radial distance from the longitudinal axis is selected. The liner pattern is warped as a function of the selected distance and the shape of the liner to reduce the effects of spoking in the post-detonation fragmentation pattern at the selected distance. The liner is then formed as a function of the warped liner pattern.
Claims11
A warhead, comprising:
- a liner exhibiting an approximately cylindrical peripheral shape and comprising discrete structures directly physically contacting one another and embedded in a potting material in a repeating pattern configured to form a substantially uniform post-detonation fragmentation pattern, the repeating pattern warped at a single angle θ relative to each of a longitudinal axis of the liner and a direction normal to the longitudinal axis such that no phantom lines extending through centers of adjacent discrete structures of the repeating pattern extend parallel to the longitudinal axis or normal to the longitudinal axis;
- a forward bulkhead attached to the liner;
- an aft bulkhead attached to the liner;
- and
- an explosive within a cavity at least partially defined by the liner.
A method of manufacturing a warhead, comprising:
- forming a liner exhibiting an approximately cylindrical peripheral shape and comprising discrete structures directly physically contacting one another and embedded in a potting material in a repeating pattern configured to form a substantially uniform post-detonation fragmentation pattern, the repeating pattern warped at a single angle θ relative to each of a longitudinal axis of the liner and a direction normal to the longitudinal axis such that no phantom lines extending through centers of adjacent discrete structures of the repeating pattern extend parallel to the longitudinal axis or normal to the longitudinal axis;
- depositing an explosive within a cavity at least partially defined by the liner;
- attaching a forward bulkhead to the liner;
- and
- attaching an aft bulkhead to the liner.
A warhead, comprising:
- a liner exhibiting an approximately cylindrical peripheral shape and comprising integral and continuous structures exhibiting hexagonal dimples therein and arranged in a repeating pattern configured to form a substantially uniform post-detonation fragmentation pattern, the repeating pattern warped at a single angle θ relative to each of a longitudinal axis of the liner and a direction normal to the longitudinal axis such that no phantom lines extending through centers of adjacent structures of the repeating pattern extend parallel to the longitudinal axis or normal to the longitudinal axis;
- a forward bulkhead attached to the liner;
- an aft bulkhead attached to the liner;
- and
- an explosive within a cavity at least partially defined by the liner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.