Ammunition and explosives – Shells – Focused or directed detonation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-17
2001-04-17
Price, Thomas (Department: 3643)
Ammunition and explosives
Shells
Focused or directed detonation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216597
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The technical scope of the invention is that of projectiles, notably direct-fire anti-tank projectiles, acting radially with respect to their objective.
Known projectiles comprise an explosive warhead, generally of the explosively-formed kind, whose initiation is triggered by the detection of a target by means of a sensor.
The sensors usually used employ infra-red or radar technology. Generally, these projectiles have means enabling their roll position to be controlled so as to keep their charge pointing in the required direction.
Patent FR-A-2,406,800 thus describes a projectile equipped with a radial action shaped charge. The drawback of such a charge is that it is necessary for complicated means to be provided to ensure its roll is controlled so that the charge can attain the target. These control means can only be activated once the target detection signals supplied by a high-performance nose-cone sensor have been exploited, such sensor notably being able to detect the target before the projectile has passed over it.
It would also be possible to design a projectile in which the warhead roll is stabilized so as to be permanently pointing in a vertical direction.
In addition to the sheer complexity of such a direction control, the roll stabilization of the warhead results in a reduction in the area of effectiveness of the projectile, which in this case must practically pass over its target in order to attack it.
It is notably impossible using such projectiles to attack a target placed in a different direction, for example a helicopter in low-flight located above or laterally with respect to the projectile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the invention is to propose a projectile allowing such drawbacks to be overcome.
The projectile according to the invention has thus an enlarged area of effectiveness and can, in a simple manner which does not adversely affect flight stability, ensure the detection and destruction of a target located on the ground or perhaps even located above or laterally to the projectile.
The subject of the invention is thus a projectile, notably a direct-fire anti-tank projectile, comprising at least one payload associating at least one explosive warhead and at least one target sensor, such warhead having an inclined direction of action with respect to the projectile axis and whose initiation is triggered further to the detection of a target by the sensor, said sensor having an observation direction close to the action direction, wherein it incorporates scanning means enabling the payload, at a given time during the trajectory, to be provided with a ratio of longitudinal velocity V over spin rate &OHgr; which is less than or equal to a limit value so as to ensure ground scanning in the observation direction with a sufficiently small pitch to enable a target to be detected.
The limit value will advantageously be selected equal to 3 m.
According to an essential characteristic of the invention, the scanning means comprise a device enabling the spin rate of the payload to be increased at a given time during the trajectory and/or a device to ensure translational braking for the payload.
According to a first embodiment, the device enabling the spin rate of the payload to be increased comprises at least one pyrotechnic booster whose direction of action is oriented such as to cause the payload to rotate around its axis.
According to a second embodiment, the translational braking device comprises at least one pyrotechnic booster, the direction of action of all the boosters being substantially the same as the payload axis.
According to another embodiment, the translational braking device comprises means to increase the aerodynamic drag of the payload.
According to a third embodiment, the payload is a sub-munition expelled from the projectile during its trajectory, such sub-munition carrying a braking device and/or a device to make it rotate with respect to the projectile.
The payload can be integral with the projectile, which incorporates a braking and/or rotational device.
The projectile can incorporate a proximity fuse intended to trigger the scanning means upon approaching a target.
The projectile can also incorporate timer means intended to trigger the scanning means at a certain time after the projectile has been fired.
The projectile can lastly comprise a receiver for a remotely-controlled signal, such signal intended to trigger the scanning means.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4160415 (1979-07-01), Cole
patent: 4242962 (1981-01-01), Wakeman et al.
patent: 4245560 (1981-01-01), Rambauske
patent: 4262596 (1981-04-01), Allier et al.
patent: 4374495 (1983-02-01), Thomanek
patent: 4614317 (1986-09-01), Stavis
patent: 5386951 (1995-02-01), Gaywood
patent: 5801323 (1998-09-01), Kerdraon
patent: 5932833 (1999-08-01), Hammon et al.
patent: 3216142 (1988-06-01), None
patent: 2406800 (1979-05-01), None
Giat Industries
Parkhurst & Wendel L.L.P.
Price Thomas
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