Reactive material enhanced projectiles and related methods

• US 8,122,833 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Nielson, Daniel B., Truitt, Richard M., Ashcroft, Benjamin N.
• Primary Examiner(s): BERGIN, JAMES S
• Application Number:
  US11/538,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20080035007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,973 Days
• Field of Search: 102/501, 102/516, 102/517, 102/518, 102/519, 102/364
• US Class Current: 102/517
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/00 Compositions or products which are defined by structure or arrangement of component of product explosive charges of particular form or shape F42B1/00, F42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/12 having contiguous layers or zones
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/06 with hard or heavy core; Kinetic energy penetrators F42B12/16, F42B12/74 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/204 for attacking structures, e.g. specific buildings or fortifications, ships or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/36 for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/44 of incendiary type F42B12/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/74 of the core or solid body
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/00 Manufacture of ammunition; Dismantling of ammunition; Apparatus therefor F42B5/188 takes precedence; manufacturing processes for hollow charges F42B1/036; manufacture of blasting cartridge initiators F42B3/195
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/001 Devices or processes for assembling ammunition, cartridges or cartridge elements from parts
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/02 Cartridges, i.e. cases with charge and missile

Abstract

A munition, such as a projectile formed of at least one reactive material, is provided. In one embodiment, the projectile includes a body portion formed of at least one reactive material composition wherein the at least one reactive material composition defines at least a portion of an exterior surface of the projectile. In other words, a portion of the reactive material may be left “unbuffered” or exposed to the barrel of a gun or weapon from which it is launched and similarly exposed to a target with which the projectile subsequently impacts. In one embodiment, the projectile may be formed with a jacket surrounding a portion of the reactive material to provide additional structural integrity. The projectile may be formed by casting or pressing the reactive material into a desired shape. In another embodiment of the invention, the reactive material may be extruded into a near-net shape and then machined into the desired shape.

Claims

1. A projectile comprising:

at least one reactive material composition comprised of a first component and at least a second component, wherein the first component is reactive with the at least a second component;

wherein at least a portion of the at least one reactive material composition defines an unbuffered exterior surface of the projectile, the at least a portion of the at least one reactive material composition comprising the first component and the at least a second component; and

wherein the unbuffered exterior surface comprises at least a substantial portion of the exterior surface of the projectile and comprises an intended leading tip of the projectile.

2. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the at least one reactive material composition comprises at least one fuel, at least one oxidizer and at least one binder.

3. The projectile of claim 2, wherein the at least one binder comprises at least one of a urethane binder, an epoxy binder and a polymer binder.

4. The projectile of claim 2, wherein the at least one fuel comprises at least one of a metal, an intermetallic material, and a thermitic composition.

5. The projectile of claim 2, wherein the at least one oxidizer comprises at least one of ammonium perchlorate, an alkali metal perchlorate, lithium nitrate, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, rubidium nitrate, cesium nitrate, strontium nitrate, barium nitrate, barium and strontium peroxide.

6. The projectile of claim 1, further comprising a jacket partially surrounding the at least one reactive material composition.

7. The projectile of claim 6, wherein the jacket is formed of a material comprising at least one of copper and steel.

8. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the at least one reactive material composition defining an unbuffered exterior surface of the projectile further comprises a main body portion of the projectile.

9. The projectile of claim 1, wherein the at least one reactive material composition is configured as a substantially monolithic body.

10. The projectile of claim 1, further comprising a core member at least partially disposed in the at least one reactive material composition.

11. The projectile of claim 10, wherein the core member is substantially surrounded by the at least one reactive material composition.

12. The projectile of claim 10, wherein the core member comprises a material that is denser than the at least one reactive material composition.

13. The projectile of claim 12, wherein the core member comprises tungsten.