Projectile for radially deploying sub-projectiles

Abstract

A projectile (10) for firing from a barrel, said projectile including a multiplicity of barrel assemblies (12, 13, 14) radially disposed from the centre of mass of the projectile, wherein each of said multiplicity of barrel assemblies includes a plurality of sub-projectiles (16) axially disposed within a barrel; each of said sub-projectiles associated with a discrete propellent charge (17) for propelling a respective sub-projectile from the barrel, wherein said projectile is capable of selectively firing sub-projectiles (16), suitably with the aid of primers (18) each coupled to an electronic controller (15). to provide a predetermined pattern of deployed sub-projectiles. A defence system employing projectiles of the type described is also disclosed, together with a method for disguising the launch location of a projectile utilising divert propulsion.

Description

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This present invention relates to the deployment of objects in the nature of projectiles and in particular, although not exclusively, to the formation of a predetermined pattern of deployed sub-projectiles by a parent projectile and to a projectile launching method for masking the launch location of a projectile.

[0003] 2. Discussion of the Background Art

[0004] Projectiles that incorporate explosive charges have been used as fragmentation devices to deploy a plurality of fragments. In a simple form the casing of such a projectile fragments on detonation of the explosive charge such that individual fragments of the casing are deployed radially to form a fragmentation pattern roughly in the shape of the surface of a sphere.

[0005] In other configurations, the shape of the charge and the configuration of the casing may be varied to control the fragmentation pattern. However, such fragmenting projectiles produce a relatively thin, shell like fragment...

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