ADVANCED MATERIALS FOR ANTI-ARMOR APPLICATIONS

IMPROVEMENTS IN ADVANCED TANK ARMOR NECESSITATESKINETIC ENERGY PROJECTILES WITH GREATER PENETRATION CAPABILITY. PENETRATION CAPABILITY IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO KINETIC ENERGY (KE) ON TARGET. ONE WAY TO INCREASE THE KE ON TARGET FOR A GIVEN GUN SYSTEM IS TO LOWER THE PARASITIC MASS. THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY REPLACING EXISTING METAL DESIGNS WITH HIGHER SPECIFIC STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS COMPOSITEMATERIALS. CURRENT COMPOSITE SABOT FABRICATION TECHNIQUES INVOLVES LAYING UP COMPOSITE LAMINATED PANELS WHICH ARE CUT INTO WEDGE SECTIONS AND BONDED TOGETHER TO FORM A BILLET WHICH IS MACHINED INTO THE FINAL SHAPE. THIS RESULTS IN MISALIGNED FIBERS FROM THE PANEL LAYUP BEING CUT TO WEDGE SHAPES AND CAN CAUSE INCREASED COSTS, POOR CONSISTENCY, AND POTENTIAL FOR A WEAK PART DUE TO POOR BONDING. TO IMPROVE UPON THE CURRENT COMPOSITE AEROSHELL/SABOT DESIGN/FABRICATION, IT IS MANDATORY TO INTEGRATE THE ANALYTICAL AND FABRICATION DESIGN EFFORT. TO FULLY REALIZE THE INHERENT ADVANTAGES OF COMPOSITES, IT IS NECESSARY TO DESIGN THE PART ACCOUNTING FOR DIRECTIONAL PROPERTIES AND SPECIFIC FABRICATION CONSIDERATIONS. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM INVESTIGATES AN INNOVATIVE ALTERNATIVE TO THE CURRENT FABRICATION TECHNIQUE. THIS APPROACH IS DIRECTLY TIED TO THE ANALYSIS AND REQUIRES FEWER BONDED PARTS WITHOUT FIBER MISALIGNMENT BY USING SPECIALIZED NET COMPRESSION MOLDING. THE RESULT IS A CONSISTENT, RELIABLE AND COST EFFECTIVE FABRICATED PART REQUIRING MINIMUM SECONDARY MACHINING. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS - THE U.S. ARMY, NAVY/MARINE CORPS AND THEIR AFFILIATED RESERVE UNITS WILL HAVE REQUIREMENTS FOR SABOTED ROUNDS. THE ABILITY TO LOWER THE PARASITIC