LESS-THAN-LETHAL AMMUNITION UTILIZING A SUSTAINER MOTOR

• US 20110226149A1
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Limited (Government of Israel)
• Original Assignee: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Limited (Government of Israel)
• Inventors: Tepe, Yosef, Frieman, Avraham
• Application Number:
  US12/671,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20110226149A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/376
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/40 with combustion of a slow-burning charge, e.g. fumers, base-bleed projectiles
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/02 characterised by the warhead or the intended effect
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/10 Missiles having a trajectory only in the air

Abstract

A weapon system and corresponding ammunition for causing less-than-lethal effects to a target employ a projectile fired from a rifle-mounted, rifle-operated or dedicated rifle-like device and configured for generating less-than-lethal effects to a human target. The projectile includes a rocket motor configured to mitigate velocity decay of the projectile. The rocket motor is preferably a sustainer motor for maintaining a roughly constant cruise velocity of the projectile.

Claims

1. Ammunition for causing less-than-lethal effects to a target, the ammunition comprising a projectile configured for generating less-than-lethal effects to a human target, said projectile including a rocket motor configured to mitigate velocity decay of the projectile.

2. The ammunition of claim 1, wherein said rocket motor is a sustainer.

3. The ammunition of claim 1, further comprising a cartridge initially associated with said projectile, said cartridge containing a quantity of propellant for firing said projectile, wherein said rocket motor is configured to be ignited by hot gases generated by combustion of said propellant.

4. The ammunition of claim 3, further comprising a pyrotechnic delay element associated with said rocket motor and deployed such that ignition of said rocket motor by said hot gases occurs via said pyrotechnic delay element at a delay after firing of said projectile.

5. The ammunition of claim 1, further comprising an electronic initiation system associated with said projectile for initiating operation of said rocket motor.

6. The ammunition of claim 5, wherein said electronic initiation system is configured to initiate operation of said rocket motor at a time delay after firing of said projectile.

7. A less-than-lethal weapon system for causing less-than-lethal effects to a human target located between a minimum range and a maximum range, said weapon system comprising:

(a) a projectile configured for generating less-than-lethal effects to a human target; and

(b) a firing arrangement configured for firing said projectile towards the human target,

wherein said projectile includes a rocket motor configured to mitigate velocity decay of the projectile.

8. The weapon system of claim 7, wherein said rocket motor is a sustainer.

9. The weapon system of claim 7, wherein said firing arrangement includes a cartridge initially associated with said projectile, said cartridge containing a quantity of propellant for firing said projectile, wherein said rocket motor is configured to be ignited by hot gases generated by combustion of said propellant.

10. The weapon system of claim 9, further comprising a pyrotechnic delay element associated with said rocket motor and deployed such that ignition of said rocket motor by said hot gases occurs via said pyrotechnic delay element at a delay after firing of said projectile.

11. The weapon system of claim 7, wherein said projectile includes an electronic initiation system for initiating operation of said rocket motor.

12. The weapon system of claim 11, wherein said electronic initiation system is configured to initiate operation of said rocket motor at a time delay after firing of said projectile.

13. The weapon system of claim 7, wherein said rocket motor is configured to operate for a burn time of at least 5% of a time of flight of said projectile from firing to the maximum range.

14. The weapon system of claim 7, wherein said rocket motor is configured to operate for a burn time of at least 25% of a time of flight of said projectile from firing to the maximum range.

15. The weapon system of claim 7, wherein said rocket motor is configured to operate for a burn time of at least 50% of a time of flight of said projectile from firing to the maximum range.

16. The weapon system of claim 7, wherein said rocket motor is configured to operate for a burn time of at least 75% of a time of flight of said projectile from firing to the maximum range.

17. The weapon system of claim 7, wherein said rocket motor is configured to operate for a burn time of at least 95% of a time of flight of said projectile from firing to the maximum range.