Payload expulsion system for deep-target penetrators

Abstract

Improved deep target penetrating munitions are disclosed which bring about controlled ejection of the payload following the penetration by the munition of the ceiling of a hardened facility. The ejection results from a plurality of selected propelling charges, which are activated following a signal from a fuze by a shock-hardened electronic trigger system. The shock-hardened electronic trigger system is programmed to automatically select the appropriate charges to match and cancel out the instantaneous terminal velocity of the munitions following the penetration of the ceiling of a hardened target facility. In this manner, the payload is deployed within the target facility for maximum effect and minimum collateral damage.

Description

[0001] Priority is claimed Provisional Patent Application 60 / 554,067, filed on Mar. 18, 2004.[0002] The U.S. Government may have rights in this application under contract No. F0830-02-C-0049 between Veritay Technology, Inc. and the Department of Defense, U.S. Air Force, Munitions DirectorateFIELD OF INVENTION [0003] This invention relates to munitions and more particularly to the deep-target penetrating munitions. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Certain future military munitions for penetrating hardened underground facilities carry payloads intended to be ejected immediately after they penetrate the ceiling of the interior of such facilities, but before they reach the floor. Due to inertia, upon entry into the interior the penetrator retains considerable terminal velocity, such that, unless the payload is ejected in the direction opposite the direction of travel of the penetrator at a velocity to cancel the instantaneous velocity of the penetrator, the payload would fail to be de...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] In accordance with further features of the invention, the propelling charge of the expulsion system, located in the nose cone of the penetrator, may include a number of separate fractional charges of different sizes. A shock-hardened electronic trigger system (SHETS) of the expulsion system receives the terminal velocity information from the fuze and initiates ignition of selected fractional charges to accomplish the payload expulsion in a controlled manner, including controlling the timing of the ignition of the fractional charges. The best to match the terminal velocity of the penetrator, the selected fractional charges may be ignited simultaneously or in a sequence. Because the penetrator may be damaged while penetrating the ceiling of the target facility, the timing of the expulsion events takes this into account, such that the expulsion occurs at the right time with sufficient, but not excessive, force so as to avoid rupture of the casing of the penetrator.

Problems solved by technology

Due to inertia, upon entry into the interior the penetrator retains considerable terminal velocity, such that, unless the payload is ejected in the direction opposite the direction of travel of the penetrator at a velocity to cancel the instantaneous velocity of the penetrator, the payload would fail to be deployed where intended in the facility's interior.

This could lead to collateral damage and, potentially, to dispersal of toxic materials or agents which may have been stored in the underground facility, instead of their deactivation.

Images