Medium caliber high explosive dual-purpose projectile with dual function fuze

Abstract

A multi-mode fuze for a munition has at least one sensor that generates an electrical output dependent on a rate of deceleration when the munition impacts a target, a logic circuit electrically coupled to the at least one sensor effective to discriminate between a soft target and a hard target dependent on the electrical output and a fuze that transmits a detonation signal to an initiating explosive to thereby detonate the munition. The detonation signal is transmitted at a time dependent on target discrimination. The multi-mode fuze of the invention may be incorporated into an explosive projectile that includes an aerodynamically shaped metallic casing, an explosive contained within the metallic casing and an initiating explosive contacting the explosive. The multi-mode fuze communicates with the initiating explosive to trigger detonation of the explosive either on impact with a hard target or following a delay on impact with a soft target.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION[0001] This patent application relates to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60 / 341,157 entitled "Medium Caliber High Explosive Dual-Purpose Projectile With Dual Function Fuze" by F. M. Bone that was filed on Dec. 14, 2001. The subject matter of that provisional patent application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT RIGHTS[0002] This invention was conceived and developed under internal research and development finding and was not government funded.[0003] 1. Field of Invention[0004] This invention relates to a fuze for initiating detonation of an explosive projectile. More particularly, the fuze includes a target-sensing element that is capable of varying detonation delay time in response to the hardness of the target.[0005] 2. Description of Related Art[0006] The current maximum effective range angle for ground attack aircraft using medium caliber ammunition is 400...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018] It is an advantage of the invention that the use of accelerometers and solid state logic to determine detonation makes the fuze more reliable and less expensive than other fuzes. It is a further advantage that terminal effects of the projectile are maximized.

Problems solved by technology

API projectiles are effective against hard (armor plated) targets but that effectiveness is reduced against softer, unarmored, threats because the energy is not distributed within the target.

The current maximum effective range places the attacking aircraft in, danger by exposing the pilot and airplane to small arms fire and man-portable anti-aircraft missiles.

The chemical energy projectiles are less effective against soft targets due to the near instantaneous reaction of the fuze that distributes energy on the surface of the threat.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,872,324 utilizes a firing pin to detonate the explosive when an impenetrable target is encountered and a sensitive pyrotechnic time delay for hard but penetrable targets.

If the pin enclosure receives a side load due to high oblique impact, the energy can crush the pin or produce a load that is not along the centerline to cause sufficient pin motion to perforate the stab detonator.

In addition to impact reliability, the difficulty in manufacturing these components, temperature and launch loads can cause unwanted variations in performance.

In the abovementioned patents, unreliable or expensive mechanical or pyrotechnic means are used to trigger detonation, or complex algorithms are employed to determine the status of the projectile's penetration.

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