Abstract
A fragmentation warhead for a missile includes a warhead casing, an active charge arranged within the warhead casing, and a fragmentation filling arranged within the warhead casing in front of the active charge of the fragmentation warhead in an effective direction of the fragmentation warhead. When the active charge is ignited, fragments are hurled out of the fragmentation filling in the effective direction within a first outlet opening angle. The fragmentation warhead includes a fragmentation damping charge, which is arranged within the warhead casing laterally to the effective direction on the fragmentation filling, to exert a lateral damping pressure on the fragmentation filling upon ignition. The fragmentation warhead includes a fragmentation damping filling, which is arranged within the warhead casing laterally to the effective direction on the fragmentation filling such that the metal powder is released laterally from the fragmentation filling when the active charge is ignited.
Claims
1. Fragmentation warhead (10) for a missile (100), comprising: a warhead casing (1); an active charge (2), which is arranged within the warhead casing (1); a fragmentation filling (3), which is arranged within the warhead casing (1) in front of the active charge (2) of the fragmentation warhead (10) in an effective direction (7) of the fragmentation warhead (10) and designed such that when the active charge (2) is ignited, fragments (11) are hurled out of the fragmentation filling (3) in the effective direction (7) within a first exit opening angle (6a); and a fragmentation damping charge (4), which is arranged within the warhead casing (1) laterally to the effective direction (7) on the fragmentation filling (3) and designed to exert a lateral damping pressure on the fragmentation filling (3) upon ignition.
2. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 1, wherein the fragmentation damping charge (4) is formed in a ring around the fragmentation filling (3).
3. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 1, wherein the fragmentation damping charge (4) completely covers the fragmentation filling (3) laterally.
4. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 1, further comprising: a safety and control device (8), which is designed to ignite the fragmentation damping charge (4) in a time-synchronised manner with the active charge (2).
5. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 1, further comprising: a deformation charge (9), which is arranged in front of the fragmentation filling (3) in the effective direction (7) and designed to push the fragmentation filling (3) in the direction of the active charge (2) by ignition, so that the first exit opening angle (6a) of the fragmentation filling (3) is reduced to a second exit opening angle (6b).
6. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 1, wherein the fragmentation filling (3) is designed for delivering preformed fragments (11) and/or controlled fragments (11).
7. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 1, wherein the warhead casing (1) is made of a fibre composite material.
8. Missile (100) having a fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 1.
9. Fragmentation warhead (10) for a missile (100), comprising: a warhead casing (1); an active charge (2), which is arranged within the warhead casing (1); a fragmentation filling (3), which is arranged within the warhead casing (1) in front of the active charge (2) of the fragmentation warhead (10) in an effective direction (7) of the fragmentation warhead (10) and designed such that when the active charge (2) is ignited, fragments (11) are hurled out of the fragmentation filling (3) in the effective direction (7) within a first exit opening angle (6a); and a fragmentation damping filling (5), which has a metal powder and which is arranged within the warhead casing (1) laterally to the effective direction (7) on the fragmentation filling (3) and designed such that the metal powder is released laterally from the fragmentation filling (3) when the active charge (2) is ignited.
10. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 9, wherein the fragmentation damping filling (5) is formed in a ring around the fragmentation filling (3).
11. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 9, wherein the fragmentation damping filling (5) completely covers the fragmentation filling (3) laterally.
12. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 9, wherein the fragmentation damping filling (5) is divided into several filling containers.
13. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 12, wherein the filling containers are designed as plastics tubes.
14. Fragmentation warhead (10) according to claim 9, wherein the metal powder comprises a heavy metal.
Description
(1) The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiments specified in the schematic figures, in which:
(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a fragmentation warhead according to an embodiment of the invention;
(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a fragmentation warhead according to a further embodiment of the invention;
(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of a fragmentation warhead according to a further embodiment of the invention;
(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of a missile having a fragmentation warhead from FIGS. 1 to 3;
(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the mode of operation of the fragmentation warhead from FIG. 3 before and after deformation; and
(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a fragmentation warhead according to an example.
(8) The accompanying figures are intended to provide further understanding of the embodiments of the invention. They illustrate embodiments and, in conjunction with the description, serve to explain principles and concepts of the invention.
(9) Other embodiments and many of the advantages mentioned can be seen in the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale with one another.
(10) In the figures of the drawing, identical, functionally identical and identically acting elements, features and components are each provided with the same reference signs, unless stated otherwise.
(11) FIGS. 1 to 3 are schematic sectional views of fragmentation warheads 10 according to embodiments of the invention. FIG. 4 also shows a missile 100 having such a fragmentation warhead 10.
(12) The missile 100 can be, for example, a slow-flying missile, for example approx. 100 m/s. For example, the missile 100 can be a guided missile or an unmanned aerial vehicle such as a drone or the like. The target approach of the missile 100 to a target can take place in the final stage on sight (for example electro-optical or infrared).
(13) The fragmentation warheads 10 of FIGS. 1 to 3 are axially symmetrical with respect to an effective direction 7, i.e. their longitudinal axis lies in the effective direction 7. The fragmentation warheads 10 each comprise a warhead casing 1 in which an active charge 2, i.e. a primary charge, is arranged, which can for example consist of a shock-resistant, plastics-bound explosive material. The warhead casing 1 can for example consist of a metal material such as aluminium and/or steel or a corresponding alloy. To avoid unintentional accompanying damage (collateral damage), however, the warhead casing 2 can also be made of composite materials that generate little or no fragments, for example glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) or carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP).
(14) There is also a fragmentation filling 3 in the warhead casing 1, which filling has a carrier layer 13, e.g. plastics material and/or metal layer that is several millimetres thick, by means of which a plurality of preformed fragments 11 made of steel and/or a heavy metal alloy, e.g. tungsten, is carried. The fragmentation filling 3 is arranged within the warhead casing 1 in front of the active charge 2 of the fragmentation warhead 10 in relation to the effective direction 7 of the fragmentation warhead 10. When the active charge 2 is ignited, the fragments 11 are hurled out of the fragmentation filling 3 in the effective direction 7 within an exit opening angle 6a (cf. FIG. 5, left-hand side). For example, the first exit opening angle 5a can be approximately 60° or cover an angular range of, for example, 55° to 65° degrees, i.e. the fragments 11 are ejected at angles of up to a maximum of 55° to 65° degrees in relation to the effective direction 7. For this purpose, the fragmentation warhead 10 also has a safety and control device 8, which is integrated in a rear portion of the fragmentation warhead 10. The safety and control device 8 is designed, among other things, to detonate the active charge 2 by actuating an ignition 12. For this purpose, the safety and control device 8 can comprise a corresponding time control which controls the ignition 12 accordingly. For this purpose, the ignition 12 can have an ignition chain including a booster and a detonator in the usual manner known to a person skilled in the art.
(15) The embodiments in FIGS. 1 to 3 pursue different strategies in order to prevent undesired “stray” edge fragments which could possibly emerge laterally at large angles to the effective direction 7 (on this, see further below). In conventional systems, it is sometimes proposed to provide a metal border or the like which is intended to catch or intercept such edge fragments. FIG. 6 shows an example of a fragmentation warhead 10, which also has the basic structure described above. The warhead casing 1 of the fragmentation warhead 10 has a reinforcing, azimuthally extending retaining ring 15, which is intended to assume the task of suppressing large fragments at large exit angles. Said ring is sketched in a “thickened” manner, but can also be of the same calibre, i.e. extending into the interior of the warhead casing 1, it being possible to accordingly design the fragmentation filling 3 with a reduced diameter. In conventional systems of this type, there is now the problem that the retaining ring 15 can also generate edge fragments at large exit angles when the active charge 2 detonates. These are prevented by the present embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 3, as will be explained below.
(16) For this purpose, the fragmentation warhead 10 in FIG. 1 comprises a fragmentation damping charge 4, which is arranged within the warhead casing 1 laterally to the effective direction 7 on the fragmentation filling 3 and designed to exert a lateral damping pressure on the fragmentation filling 3 upon ignition. For this purpose, the fragmentation damping charge 4 in FIG. 1 is specifically designed as an explosive ring which completely covers the fragmentation filling 3 laterally, i.e. in the radial direction. The safety and control device 8 is now also designed to ignite the fragmentation damping charge 4 in a time-synchronised manner with the active charge 2. Due to the ignition of the fragmentation damping charge 4, a pressure wave arises into the interior of the warhead casing 1, i.e. in the radial direction perpendicularly to the effective direction 7 and thus also perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the fragmentation warhead 10. The fragmentation damping charge 4 can be configured in such a way that the resulting lateral pressure due to the detonation of the fragmentation damping charge 4 prevents fragments 11 from expanding laterally at large exit angles. It can thus be ensured that the first exit opening angle 6a of the fragmentation warhead 10 remains restricted in accordance with the relevant specifications of the application and that no dangerous edge fragments that may trigger collateral damage are ejected.
(17) As an alternative to this, the fragmentation warheads 10 of FIGS. 2 and 3 comprise a fragmentation damping filling 5, which is designed as a heavy metal powder ring inside the warhead casing 1 laterally to the effective direction 7 around the fragmentation filling 3, the fragmentation damping filling 5 completely covering the fragmentation filling 3 laterally, i.e. in the radial direction. The powder ring is broken up when the active charge 2 is ignited, so that the particles of the heavy metal powder are released laterally from the fragmentation filling 3. Due to the large surface-to-volume ratio of the particles, there is considerable deceleration within the surrounding atmosphere, so that edge fragments that occur are prevented from expanding. In this case, unlike in the embodiment according to FIG. 1, an “inert” variant is provided in order to limit the exit opening angle of the fragments 11 to a predetermined maximum opening angle.
(18) The embodiment according to FIG. 3 also has a deformation charge 9 on the fragmentation filling 3, i.e. the deformation charge 9 is arranged in front of the fragmentation filling 3 in the effective direction 7. The deformation charge 9 can be ignited in advance of the active charge 2 by a corresponding ignition (not shown) via the safety and control device 8. As a result, the fragmentation filling 3 is pressed into the warhead casing in the direction of the active charge 2, whereby the first exit opening angle 6a of the fragmentation filling 3 is reduced to a second exit opening angle 6b (see arrows pointing downwards in FIG. 3). This is sketched as an example on the right-hand side in FIG. 5. The fragmentation warhead 10 can thus switch between different modes of attack or action very briefly, for example shortly before an attack by the missile 100. A non-focused mode is used here for a targeted attack with a wide dispersion of the fragments (left-hand side in FIG. 5). Alternatively, however, the fragmentation warhead 10 can switch to a focused mode in which the fragments are hurled in a considerably reduced angular range (for example only 15° or 10° to 20° instead of 55° to 65° in the unfocused mode). In order to accommodate this movement of the fragmentation filling 3, the fragmentation damping filling 5 is expanded in this variant in the rearward direction of the fragmentation warhead 10 (see FIG. 3), so that it can still develop its effect even after the deformation charge 9 has detonated.
(19) FIG. 5 schematically indicates the two modes of action of the fragmentation warhead 10 from FIG. 3. On the left-hand side, the fragmentation warhead 10 is in a non-focused mode in which the deformation charge 9 has not (yet) been ignited. The fragmentation filling 3 thus still has its original shape, so that when the active charge 2 is ignited, the fragments 11 emerge up to a maximum of a first exit opening angle 6a. On the right-hand side in FIG. 5, the fragmentation warhead 10 is in a focused mode in which the deformation charge 9 has been ignited and the fragmentation filling 3 has been pressed into the warhead casing 1. The fragmentation filling 3 now has an approximately concave shape. As soon as the active charge 2 is ignited, the pressure wave triggered by this accelerates the fragments 11 to the front at angles up to a maximum of the reduced second exit opening angle 6b. Stray edge fragments are intercepted (not shown) by the heavy metal powder of the fragmentation damping filling 5, which is also released.
(20) As a result, a flexible active system with increased accuracy is thus provided that can react at short notice to different target encounter requirements.
(21) The embodiments in FIGS. 1 to 3 are merely exemplary in nature and can be modified accordingly by a person skilled in the art. For example, the fragmentation damping charge 4 or fragmentation damping filling 5 are designed as “thickened regions”, i.e. the fragmentation warheads 10 are designed to be over-calibrated towards a front end. It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the fragmentation damping charge 4 or fragmentation damping filling 5 can also have the same calibre, so that a diameter (the calibre) of the fragmentation warhead 10 does not vary in the effective direction 7. In this case, the fragmentation damping charge 4 or fragmentation damping filling 5 extends into the interior of the fragmentation warhead 10, and a diameter of the fragmentation filling 3 has to be adjusted accordingly, i.e. reduced.
(22) In the preceding detailed description, various features have been summarised in one or more examples in order to improve the stringency of the presentation. It should be clear, however, that the above description is merely illustrative and in no way restrictive in nature. It serves to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents of the various features and embodiments. Many other examples will be immediately and directly apparent to a person skilled in the art on the basis of his technical knowledge in view of the above description.
(23) The embodiments were selected and described in order to be able to present the principles on which the invention is based and their possible applications in practice as well as possible. This enables persons skilled in the art to optimally modify and use the invention and its various embodiments with regard to the intended use. In the claims and the description, the terms “including” and “having” are used as neutral terms for the corresponding term “comprising”. Furthermore, the use of the terms “a” and “an” should not fundamentally exclude a plurality of features and components described in this way.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
(24) 1 Warhead casing 2 Active charge 3 Fragmentation filling 4 Fragmentation damping charge 5 Fragmentation damping filling 6a First exit opening angle 6b Second exit opening angle 7 Effective direction 8 Safety and control device 9 Deformation charge 10 Fragmentation warhead 11 Fragments 12 Ignition 13 Carrier layer 14 Damping layer 15 Retaining ring 100 Missile
