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Design of a MAHEM Shaped Charge Warhead

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Army
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 20550
Amount: $258,500.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1994
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
Suite 500, 11120 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20904
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Dr. D. John Pastine
 (301) 593-4471
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

We describe our novel conceptof a magnetohydrodynamic explosive munition (MAHEM) and apply it to the design of a shaped charge. The MAHEM is an explosive warhead that utilizes magnetohydrodynamic effects to transfer the "global" explosive energy (that is mainly wasted in a conventional warhead) at electromagnetic speeds to a "localized" region where it may act on the metal mass of a shaped charge cone that is to be propelled in a given direction toward a target. Our concept exploits the phenomenon of electromagnetic braking for the purpose of transforming the kinetic energy of detonation products in one part of a system to kinetic energy of metallic ejecta in another part. Hence, the local region can become a region of huge energy accumulation. It should be possible to propel metallic ejecta at velocities much greater than can be done using expolsives alone...or to propel a much greater mass...in order to obtain greater kill probabilities. Methods for doing this are outlined, and some examples are provided. The explosive used in the MAHEM can be a truly insensitive explosive, e.g. TABT, resulting in invulnerability to accidental detonation.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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