MUNITION MODULE, WARHEAD AND MUNITION

Abstract

A munition module includes an ignition point of an explosive configuration positioned away from a detonator within a casing of the explosive configuration. In an initial state, an ignition channel runs from the detonator to the ignition point. The ignition channel is formed so as to be open in an initial state and self-sealing in an exploded state after a detonation has taken place. A warhead with the munition module contains an active covering which at least partially surrounds the explosive configuration and can be accelerated by the reacted explosive. In a munition having the warhead, the detonator is an impact detonator. A munition in the form of an air-burst munition contains the warhead.

Claims

1. A munition module, comprising: an explosive configuration having a casing; a detonator for detonating said explosive configuration; an ignition point positioned at a location remote from said detonator within said casing; said detonator being disposed relative to said explosive configuration to enable said detonator to ignite said explosive configuration at said ignition point; an ignition channel surrounded by at least part of said explosive configuration and extending from said detonator to said ignition point in an initial state; and said ignition channel being formed as an open channel in said initial state and being self-sealing in an exploded state occurring after an explosive detonation.

2. The munition module according to claim 1, which further comprises at least one sealing element being introduced into said ignition channel by an at least partially reacted explosive, said at least one sealing element at least partially closing said ignition channel in said exploded state.

3. The munition module according to claim 2, which further comprises a body forming said sealing element, said body having an initial form in said initial state and being deformed into a closed form in said exploded state, and at least part of said deformed body being said sealing element.

4. The munition module according to claim 3, wherein said body is a shell surrounding said ignition channel in said initial form.

5. The munition module according to claim 3, wherein said body is a metal body.

6. The munition module according to claim 1, wherein said ignition channel is an unfilled cavity in said initial state.

7. The munition module according to claim 6, which further comprises a lead relay for detonating said explosive configuration, said lead relay being disposed at an end of said ignition channel opposite from said detonator, said detonator being a flyer-forming booster detonator and said ignition channel being a flyer channel.

8. The munition module according to claim 3, wherein said ignition channel contains a pyrotechnic material in said initial state, and said pyrotechnic material is converted into a residual material after a detonation of said explosive configuration.

9. The munition module according to claim 8, wherein said sealing element is formed by at least part of said residual material.

10. The munition module according to claim 8, wherein said residual material is slag.

11. A warhead, comprising: a munition module according to claim 1; and an active covering to be accelerated by a reacted explosive, said active covering at least partially surrounding said explosive configuration.

12. The warhead according to claim 11, wherein said active covering is a fragmenting covering.

13. The warhead according to claim 11, wherein said explosive configuration has a side facing said detonator, and at least part of said active covering is provided on said side of said explosive configuration.

14. A munition, comprising: a warhead including a munition module according to claim 1 and an active covering to be accelerated by a reacted explosive; said active covering of said warhead at least partially surrounding said explosive configuration; and said detonator of said munition module of said warhead being an impact detonator.

15. An air-burst munition, comprising: a warhead according to claim 11.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0039] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, longitudinal-sectional view of a munition with a detonator in an initial state;

[0040] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the munition of FIG. 1 in an exploded state;

[0041] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal-sectional view of an alternative munition indicating an alternative munition concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a part of a munition 2, in which the munition is a 40 mm fragmentation grenade. The munition 2 contains a warhead 4. The warhead 4 contains a munition module 6 with a detonator 8 and an explosive configuration 10 that can be detonated by the detonator 8. The explosive configuration 10 is represented by hatching. The warhead 4 also contains an active covering 12, which surrounds the explosive configuration 10 and which can be accelerated by reacted explosive of the explosive configuration 10, or which is accelerated in the case of detonation.

[0043] The detonator 8 in the present case is a nose fuze, since it is located (in the case of deployment) before the explosive configuration 10, or in this sense at the nose of the munition 2 with respect to a direction of flight 14 of the munition 2. The active covering 12 is a fragmenting covering in which a part 16 of the active covering 12 is provided on the side of the explosive configuration that is facing the detonator 8.

[0044] The detonator 8 is disposed in relation to the explosive configuration 10 in such a way that it can detonate the explosive configuration 10 at an ignition point 18, or detonates the explosive configuration 10 in the case of deployment. The ignition point 18 lies at a location remote from the detonator 8 within a casing 20 of the explosive configuration 10. For purposes of illustration, the casing 20 is depicted by dashed lines at a small distance from the explosive configuration 10. The casing 20 encloses both the explosive of the explosive configuration 10 and a recess in the form of an ignition channel 22 incorporated or formed in the explosive. The casing 20 has exclusively concave and planar surface regions and, in particular, does not follow the ignition channel, which leads into the interior of the explosive configuration 10. The ignition channel 22 runs from the detonator 8 to the ignition point 18.

[0045] The ignition channel 22 is lined by a body 26, in this case a shell in the form of a straight lateral surface of a cylindrical cone, or is surrounded or delimited with respect to the explosive. The body 26 in this case is in an initial form F. The body 26 is a metal body, in this case formed of copper.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows an initial state A of the munition 2 or of the munition module 6 or of the explosive configuration 10. In the initial state A, the detonator 8 is not activated or triggered. Consequently, no explosive reaction or the like has begun in the munition 2.

[0047] In the initial state A, the ignition channel 22 is open, i.e. a channel from the detonator 8 to the ignition point 18 has been opened up. The ignition channel 22 is constructed in such a way that, starting from the open initial state A, it seals itself in an exploded state S.

[0048] In the initial state A, the ignition channel 22 is an unfilled cavity. The detonator 8 is a flyer-forming booster detonator and the ignition channel 22 is a flyer channel for the detonator 8. A lead relay 28 is disposed (indicated by dashed lines) at the end of the ignition channel 22 opposite from the detonator 8. The lead relay 28 serves for the actual detonation of the explosive configuration 10 or its explosive. The flying path of the flyer is symbolized by an arrow.

[0049] FIG. 1 alternatively shows an ignition channel 22 that is not an unfilled cavity but instead contains a pyrotechnic material 30 (dashed, hatched). The pyrotechnic material 30 serves in this case for transmitting the detonating information from the detonator 8 to the ignition point 18.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows the munition 2 of FIG. 1 in the exploded state S. The exploded state S exists after detonation of the detonator 8 has taken place. The detonator 8 has already detonated the explosive of the explosive configuration 10 at the ignition point 18. The explosive 10 is in a reaction phase, i.e. at least part of the explosive has already reacted. A shell of the munition 2 that is no longer specifically represented is in any case deformed, but not yet destroyed and still keeps the reacted explosive within the active covering 12.

[0051] In the exploded state S, the ignition channel 22 (having its initial state A once again indicated by dashed lines) is at least partially closed by a sealing element 24. The sealing element 24 is introduced into the ignition channel 22 by the at least partially reacted explosive of the explosive configuration 10.

[0052] The sealing element 24 is formed in this case by at least part of the body 26, which in the exploded state S has been deformed into a closed form V. A part of the body 26, in this case its compressed end facing the explosion point S, forms the sealing element 24.

[0053] In the alternative embodiment, after detonation, the pyrotechnic material 30 has been reacted into a residual material 32. This residual material 32 additionally forms a further sealing element 24 and is slag.

[0054] The original ignition channel 22 is sealed by the sealing elements 24, so that no, or scarcely any, fumes of the reacted explosive can escape. Therefore, in the situation that is represented in FIG. 2, the entire energy of the reacted explosive is still available for the acceleration of the active covering 12.

[0055] FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows an alternative munition 2, in this case in the form of an air-burst munition, with an alternative warhead 4 having an alternative munition module 6 in the initial state A. In this case, the ignition point 18 lies approximately at the center of the casing 20 of the explosive configuration 10. The detonator 8 is again a flyer-forming booster detonator, which interacts with a lead relay 28. The flying path of the flyer is again symbolized by an arrow. The ignition point 18 is extended in this case and is formed of the explosive surrounding the lead relay or adjoining it. In this case, too, the sealing 24 is formed by a body 26, in this case a copper tube, which surrounds the ignition channel 22 in its initial form F in the manner of a straight lateral surface of a circular cylinder. During the reaction of the explosive configuration 10 in the exploded state, the body 26 is compressed to form the sealing element 24 (represented by dashed lines).

[0056] In summary, according to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 (as indicated by dashed lines), it is evident that the self-sealing of the ignition channel 22 has the effect that the reacting explosive of the explosive configuration 10 can no longer escape, or only slightly, in the form of fumes through the ignition channel 22. The entire explosive energy of the explosive configuration 10 is consequently used for the respective acceleration of all of the active covering 12. Thus, in particular, including the part 16 of the active covering 12 that lies in front of the explosive configuration 10, as seen in the direction of the detonator, i.e. on the side of the explosive configuration that is facing the detonator 8.

[0057] Consequently, in the case of FIG. 3, a 360-degree effect of the active covering 12, in this case a fragmenting covering, is obtained, and in FIG. 2 in particular a fragmenting effect in the direction of the arrow 14, that is to say in the direction of flight, is obtained.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

[0058] 2 Munition [0059] 4 Warhead [0060] 6 Munition module [0061] 8 Detonator [0062] 10 Explosive configuration [0063] 12 Active covering [0064] 14 Direction of flight [0065] 16 Part [0066] 18 Ignition point [0067] 20 Casing [0068] 22 Ignition channel [0069] 24 Sealing element [0070] 26 Body [0071] 28 Lead relay [0072] 30 Pyrotechnic material [0073] 32 Residual material [0074] A Initial state [0075] S Exploded state [0076] F Initial form [0077] V Closed form