Explosive Water Barrier for Maritime RPG Interception
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Maritime vessels lack effective defense mechanisms against rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attacks, which can penetrate and cause significant damage due to the inability to intercept and neutralize the shape charge jets effectively.
Innovation Solution
An active defense system for maritime vessels that includes an IR detection device, cued radar for tracking, and a launcher to deploy an explosive countermeasure into the water's path, creating a water barrier to intercept and absorb the shape charge jet from the RPG.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional passive armor systems are used to protect maritime vessels against RPG threats, then vessel protection is provided, but the vessel's speed, maneuverability, and displacement are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system launches explosive countermeasures in advance to create a water barrier before the RPG threat reaches the vessel. This preliminary action neutralizes the threat outside the protected zone, eliminating the need for heavy armor that would compromise speed and maneuverability.
Solution Approach 2:
A water barrier is introduced as an intermediary medium between the RPG threat and the vessel. The water barrier absorbs and dissipates the shape charge jet energy, providing protection without requiring direct contact between the threat and the vessel structure, thus avoiding heavy armor.
2Strength
If heavy armor systems are installed on maritime vessels to defend against projectiles, then protection against primary fragmentation is improved, but secondary fragmentation protection remains inadequate and overall device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water barrier serves as an intermediary that simultaneously addresses both primary and secondary fragmentation threats. It disrupts the shape charge jet formation and absorbs fragmentation energy through hydrodynamic effects, providing comprehensive protection without complex multi-layer armor systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes hydraulic principles by deploying a water barrier that leverages water's incompressibility and hydrodynamic pressure to neutralize threats. The water column creates resistive forces that dissipate projectile energy, replacing complex mechanical armor with a hydraulic defense mechanism.
3Reliability
If no active defense system is deployed, then the system structure remains simple, but the probability of successful threat interception is low
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection using sensors and tracking to identify incoming RPG threats before they reach the vessel. This early detection enables timely launch of countermeasures, significantly increasing interception probability compared to passive defense.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through sensor tracking and trajectory analysis that continuously monitor the threat and adjust countermeasure deployment. This closed-loop control optimizes the timing and positioning of water barrier creation, enhancing interception reliability.
4Strength
If explosive countermeasures are launched to create a water barrier, then protection against shape charge jets is improved, but energy consumption and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of directly countering the RPG with an equally powerful explosive, the system uses a smaller explosive countermeasure that creates a water barrier. This indirect approach copies the protective function of heavy armor through a much less energy-intensive mechanism, using hydrodynamics rather than direct kinetic or chemical energy opposition.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The water barrier system provides enhanced protection by increasing the dwell time for interception, reducing the performance requirements of kill chain instrumentation, and preventing both primary and secondary fragmentation, thereby minimizing casualties and damage.
Implementation Method 1
the explosive countermeasure detonates at a target distance from the maritime vessel and at a target depth, and the detonation creates a water barrier that initiates and absorbs the shape charge jet from the target projectile
Implementation Method 2
the detonation creates a water barrier that initiates and absorbs the shape charge jet
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and system to provide protection for maritime vessels from multiple threat types including shoulder launched rocket propelled threats, ballistic (howitzer), and larger scale missile systems. According to an exemplary embodiment, the protection system is based on the ballistic launch (from the protected vessel) of an explosive charge(s) aimed ˜5 meters away from the vessel and ˜1 meter beneath the waterline followed by detonation to enable the formation of a water wall. Through the formation of a water wall, incident threats can be initiated (piezo fuze) and passivated through dynamic interaction with the water formation. In addition, the upward velocity of the water wall can enable an upwards rotation of the incident threat changing the orientation of the warhead jet formation (for shape charge warheads) above the vessel.