ES3005260T3 - Warhead and method for combating a target with the warhead - Google Patents

Abstract

Warhead 1 for engaging a target with reactive armor and/or an active standoff protection system, with a plurality of charges, wherein the plurality comprises at least a first charge and a second charge, wherein the charges each comprise an insert 3a, 3b and an explosive 4a, b and are designed as projectile-forming charges, wherein the plurality of charges are arranged to form a sandwich arrangement, wherein an explosive layer 4a is arranged between every two inserts 3a, 3b. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, no legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Warhead and procedure for engaging a target with the warhead

The invention relates to a warhead with the features of the preamble according to claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for engaging a target with the warhead.

Shooting at hardened targets, particularly targets with reactive armor, is often carried out with multi-stage charges, for example, with tandem shaped charges. State-of-the-art ATGMs are known in this case, for example.

In tandem shaped charges, the time interval between the initiation of both charges is specified by the geometric distance, since a shaped charge (HL) requires a fixed distance to the target (Stand Off). For optimal effectiveness, the time interval is less than 1 millisecond. During this time, the protective plates of enemy reactive armor cannot leave the projectile's flight path quickly enough, resulting in interaction with the main shaped charge and a loss of performance.

Improved coatings and explosive devices with improved coatings are known from US 2012/0247358 A1. According to an exemplary embodiment, a coating for an explosive device comprises a plate that is configured to be positioned against an explosive charge. The plate comprises rhenium, palladium, or a combination thereof, at least one bimodal particle size distribution with a powder particle size of no more than 25 micrometers, a substantially circular diameter, and an interior that is substantially concave relative to a surface of the explosive charge.

From DE 3924087 C1, a tandem warhead is known for engaging active targets with two shaped or projectile-forming charges arranged one behind the other and an ignition delay unit that causes ignition of both the first and the second shaped or projectile-forming charge.

From US 6510797 B1 a segmented projectile with kinematic energy is known, which is formed by stacking several casings in a single warhead to generate a longer penetrator that is capable of considerably improving penetration.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a projectile that exhibits improved effect with respect to hardened and/or reactively armored targets.

The objective is achieved by a warhead with the characteristics of claim 1 and by methods with the characteristics of claim 10. Preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the dependent claims, the following description, as well as the attached figures.

A warhead is proposed. A warhead is also specifically referred to as a projectile. The warhead can be specifically designed for firearms, for example, for firing from an automatic cannon or tank gun. In particular, the warhead forms a tank munition, for example, a 120 mm, 130 mm, or 140 mm munition. The warhead is specifically designed for use against heavily armored targets, targets with reactive armor, and/or targets with an active protection system.

The warhead comprises a plurality of charges. In particular, the warhead comprises at least and/or exactly two charges, preferably at least and/or exactly three charges, and in particular at least and/or exactly five charges. In particular, one of the plurality of charges forms a first charge, and another of the plurality of charges forms a second charge. The charges are arranged spaced apart from one another, preferably in a flight direction of the projectile. The charges are each designed as projectile-forming charges. A projectile-forming charge is also referred to as a P charge or EEP (Explosively Formed Projectile). In particular, a projectile-forming charge forms armor-piercing ammunition. The projectile-forming charges are designed to emit a projectile upon and/or by detonation. The projectile is emitted, in particular, in the flight direction of the warhead. The projectile emitted by the projectile-forming charge is configured, for example, as an elongated but compact projectile, especially like a rifle projectile. The metal jacket is specifically made of a high-density metal, such as copper, tantalum, or steel.

The charges each comprise a casing and a detonating explosive. The casing may also form a casing and/or be so-called. The casing is configured, for example, in a parabolic and/or spherical shape. The metallic casing is specifically made of a high-density metal, such as copper, tantalum, or steel.

The charges are arranged in a sandwich arrangement and/or sandwich-like arrangement. In particular, the charges are arranged in the flight direction of the projectile in a sandwich-like manner, the flight direction defining, for example, a stacking direction of the sandwich arrangement. In particular, the liners each form a sandwich layer. Explosive is arranged between the lining of the first charge and the lining of the second charge, in particular between the linings of all or part of the charges, whereby the explosive arranged between two linings forms an explosive layer. For example, the sandwich arrangement comprising the first and second charges is constructed in the flight direction as an explosive layer, lining, explosive layer, and lining. Preferably, the sandwich arrangement in the flight direction begins with a layer of explosive at the rear and/or ends with a lining at the front in the flight direction. The charges and/or sandwich layers are stacked and/or arranged one on top of the other, in particular directly.

The invention provides a warhead that can effectively engage heavily armored targets, for example, targets with an active protection system and/or targets protected by reactive armor. The proposed warhead can be fired as a tandem charge and/or a multiple charge, whereby, due to its projectile-forming charges, it is independent of the distance to the target and/or can ignite at a distance of more than ten calibers from the target. By means of the projectiles of the ignited charges, the reactive armor and/or the active protection system can be released with the first and/or the fastest projectile, and subsequent projectiles and/or the next projectile can effectively damage the unprotected target. In particular, the released parts of the reactive armor can have already left the flight path of the following projectiles, such that the latter are not exposed to any obstacles and can effectively damage the target and be used to penetrate the main armor. The use of projectile-forming charges offers the advantage of increasing the fixed distance to the target. Attacks with two threats in rapid succession are difficult for an active protection system to deflect.

Preferably, the explosives of the first and second charges, in particular all or part of the multiple charges, differ in their composition, type, density, layer thickness, explosive mass, and/or arrangement. The layer thickness is oriented, in particular, in the stacking direction and/or direction of flight. The composition is in particular the chemical composition of the explosive. In particular, the explosives can differ in their thickness. Preferably, in a sandwich arrangement in the direction of flight, the first, in this case the rear explosive layer, is thicker than the front explosive layer. In particular, the relative velocity between the projectiles is adjusted by the selection of the explosives, in particular their composition and/or layer thickness.

In particular, the coatings of the first and second charge, in particular all or part of the plurality of charges, differ in their composition, material, mass, geometry, and/or layer thickness. For example, one coating is designed as a tantalum coating, and another coating is designed as a copper coating. Geometry refers in particular to their shape; for example, one coating is spherical, and another coating is parabolic. In particular, the coatings are arranged and/or designed, by their geometry, composition, material, mass, and/or layer thickness, to constructively adjust a shape of the resulting projectile and/or a penetration power of the projectile, in particular such that these differ for the different projectiles.

One design of the invention provides that the charges, coatings, explosive layers, and/or the sandwich arrangement, especially for the first and second charges, as an alternative and/or complement for all or part of the multitude of charges, exhibit a common symmetry and/or axis of symmetry. In particular, the axis of symmetry is parallel to the flight direction of the warhead. The symmetry is in particular an axis of symmetry. Preferably, the charges are configured to emit the charges originating along the axis of symmetry. This design is based on the idea of constructively emitting the projectiles along a common flight path, in particular, that the projectiles fly behind each other. This makes it possible for the first projectile to pierce the target, release the reactive armor, and/or release the active protection system, with the following projectile and/or subsequent projectiles impacting at the same location on the target and thus being able to continue causing damage.

The first charge is configured to emit a first projectile with a first velocity, and the second charge is configured to emit a second projectile with a second velocity. In particular, the charges are configured to emit a projectile with a respective velocity in each case. In particular, the velocities of the projectiles are parallel. Preferably, the velocities differ in magnitude, particularly for the first and second charges, especially for all or part of the multitude of charges.

Particularly preferably, the first charge is arranged before the second charge. In other words, the first charge is closer to the target than the second charge, and/or in other words, the projectile of the first charge flies ahead of the projectile of the second charge. In particular, the first and second charges are configured to emit the projectile of the first charge at a higher speed than the projectile of the second charge. The first and second charges are configured in this way to emit the projectiles with a speed difference, where the speed difference is the difference between the speed of the first projectile and the speed of the second projectile. The speed difference is preferably greater than or equal to an average speed of the reactive armor and/or the active protection system of the target, the average speed being, for example, the speed of an armor and/or a defense means that can be determined for release until it leaves the flight path of the released projectile.

The speed of the first and/or second projectile, in particular all or part of the projectiles emitted from the multitude of charges, has a speed of at least 1000 meters per second (m/s) and in particular at least 1500 meters per second, with the speed being in particular less than 2500 meters per second and in particular less than 2000 meters per second. This design is based on the idea of being able to release the charges at a great distance from the target, for example 100 meters and/or in particular outside a protective radius of the active protection system, so that successive projectiles cannot be repelled by the active protection system.

The warhead features, in particular, an ignition device, specifically a specific ignition device. The ignition device is preferably arranged in a rear section of the warhead. The ignition device is configured to ignite the multiple charges, in particular for common ignition. In other words, such a warhead provides only one ignition device for igniting all the charges. In this regard, the ignition device is configured in particular as a fuse, for example, as a fuse for top-off ignition and/or shock initiation. For example, the ignition device is configured to send a shock wave through the charges and initiate and/or ignite the charges accordingly.

The ignition system is preferably configured to ignite the charges at a distance greater than a protective radius of the target, particularly the active protection system. The ignition system is configured as a close-proximity fuse, for igniting the charges at a distance of at least 20 meters, preferably at least 50 meters, and especially at least 100 meters. This design is based on the idea of providing a warhead that ignites outside a protective radius of the target and therefore cannot be deflected.

Another object of the invention is a method for engaging a target with a warhead as described above. The method relates in particular to engaging a target with reactive armor and/or a target with an active protection system. In this case, the multitude of charges in the warhead ignite and generate a multitude of projectiles. The multitude of projectiles comprises a first and a second projectile. In particular, the projectiles, especially the first and second projectiles, are successively ejected along a common flight path. With the first projectile, the active protection system is released, the reactive armor is activated, and/or the target is pierced. The next projectile impacts the target, which in particular is now pierced and/or unprotected, at a time offset.

Preferably, the warhead charges are ignited at a distance greater than the protection radius of the active protection system. Specifically, the charges are ignited at a distance of at least 25 meters, particularly at least 50 meters, and preferably at least 100 meters from the target.

In particular, the charges are configured so that the projectiles are fired at different velocities, with the velocities preferably exceeding 1,000 meters per second in each case. A velocity difference is specifically set and/or planned between two projectiles, based in particular on the layer thicknesses of the explosive layers. The velocity difference is selected in particular so that it is greater than the average velocity of the reactive armor.

Other features, effects, and advantages of the invention are evident from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as well as from the accompanying figures. They show:

Figure 1 a section through the schematic warhead;

Figures 2a, b, c schematically show a procedure for engaging a target with the warhead.

Figure 1 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a warhead 1. The warhead 1 is designed in particular to engage a hardened target, a reactively armored target, and/or a target with an active protection system. The warhead 1 comprises a casing 2, the casing 2 comprising a plurality of charges with coatings 3a, b and detonating explosive 4a, 4b, a detonation waveguide 5, and an ignition device 6.

The charges are designed as projectile-forming charges that are brought to detonation by ignition, whereby in each case a projectile 7a, 7b is emitted in a projectile flight direction 8. The projectile flight direction 8 is parallel to a flight direction 9 of the warhead 1. A charge each comprises a casing 3a, 3b, also known as a liner, and an explosive 8a, 8b, which in each case forms an explosive layer. The casings 8a, b are spherical and/or parabolically curved inwardly against the flight direction 9. The casings 3a, b are designed to be rotationally symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry 10. The axis of symmetry 10 is parallel to the flight direction 8 of the warhead 1 and indicates the projectile flight direction 8.

The charges are stacked on top of each other in the manner of a sandwich in the flight direction 8. The sandwich structure in this respect relates in particular to the stacking of the linings 3a, b and the explosive layers 4a, b. The sandwich structure in the direction of the flight direction 9 begins in this respect with the explosive layer 4b, followed by the lining 3b, followed by the explosive layer 4a and the lining 3a.

The ignition device 6 is designed to ignite the explosive layers 4a, b. Upon ignition, the explosive layers 4a, b detonate such that the projectile 7a is released from the casing 3a and is ejected, and the projectile 7b is released from the casing 4b. Due to the arrangement of the charges, the projectile 7a is ejected, ejected, and/or fired with a velocity v1 and the projectile 7b with a velocity v2. In particular, the explosive layers 4a and 4b act on the projectile 7a with a positive acceleration, while the explosive layer 4b essentially acts on the projectile 7b with a positive acceleration. This results in the velocity v1 being greater than the velocity v2. Over time, after the charges are ignited, the distance between the projectiles 7a, b increases increasingly.

Figures 2a, b and c show schematically a shot of a tank 11 as a target with the projectile 1 from Figure 1. The tank 11 has an active protection system with a protection radius R. By approaching a projectile and/or warhead 1 at a distance less than the protection radius R, the protection system is released.

Figure 2a shows the firing at time t0, the ignition time of the warhead 11. In this case, the fired warhead 1 ignites outside the protective radius R, creating projectiles 7a, b and firing them at the target. Ignition occurs at a distance s from the target. Projectiles 7a, b have different velocities v1, v2, with the preceding projectile 7a having a higher velocity.

Figure 2b shows the shot at time t0+s/v1. Projectile 7a has now reached the target and impacted in a position, releasing the reactive armor and/or damaging the target. Projectile 7b is still at a distance from the target, specifically outside the reactive armor's range of action.

Figure 7b shows the shot at time t0+s/v2. Projectile 7b thus reaches target 11, specifically in the same position as projectile 7a before it. Projectile 7b can act on the now unprotected and/or previously damaged target with full effect.

List of reference symbols

1 warhead

2 wraps

3a, b coating

4a, b explosive

5 detonation waveguide

6 ignition equipment

7a, b projectile

8 direction of projectile flight

9 flight direction

10 axis of symmetry

11 tank

v1.2 speed

R protection radius

s distance

Claims (12)

1. Warhead (1) for engaging a target with reactive armor and/or an active protection system, with a multitude of charges, wherein the multitude comprises at least a first charge and a second charge, wherein the charges each comprise a casing (3a, 3b) and a detonating explosive (4a, b) and the charges are each configured as projectile-forming charges, wherein each of the charges is configured to emit a respective projectile (7a, b) upon detonation, characterized in that the multitude of charges is arranged to form a sandwich arrangement, where between two coatings (3a, 3b) a layer of explosive (4a) is arranged in each case. 2. Warhead (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the explosives (4a, 4b) of the first charge and the second charge differ in their composition and/or have different layer thicknesses. 3. Warhead (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the coatings (3a, 3b) of the first and second charge differ in their material, their mass, their geometry and/or their layer thickness. 4. Warhead (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coatings (3a, 3b), explosive layers (4a, b), the charges and/or the sandwich arrangement have a common axis of symmetry (10). 5. Warhead (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first charge is configured to emit a first projectile (7 a) with a first velocity (v1) and the second charge is configured to emit a second projectile (7 b) with a second velocity (v2), wherein the first and second charges are arranged to emit the projectiles (7 a, b) along a common projectile flight direction (8). 6. Warhead (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the first charge is arranged in the flight direction (9) in front of the second charge, wherein the charges are configured to adjust a speed difference (v1 -v2) between the first and second projectile (7a, b), wherein the first speed (v1) is greater than the second speed (v2). 7. Warhead (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the first and/or second velocity (v1, v2) amounts to at least 1000 m/s and at most 2500 m/s. 8. Warhead (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an ignition device (6) for the common ignition of the multitude of charges. 9. Warhead (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the ignition equipment (6) is configured as an approach fuse and is configured to ignite the charges at a distance greater than a protection radius (R) of the target, specifically at least 20 meters. 10. Method for engaging a target with the warhead (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the charges are ignited and at least a first and a second projectile (7a, b) are formed and emitted, wherein with the first projectile (7a) a reactive armor of the target is released and with the second projectile the unprotected target is reached with a time delay. 11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the charges are ignited at a distance greater than the protection radius (R) of the target, specifically at least 20 meters. 12. Method according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the difference in speed (v1 -v2) between the first and second projectile (7a, 7b) is adjusted such that it is greater than an average speed of a reactive armor of the target.