Apparatus and method for penetrating a barrier

Abstract

A penetrator includes a shaped charge warhead defining a bore therethrough, an augmenting warhead disposed within the bore, and a detonating mechanism coupled with and capable of detonating the shaped charge warhead and the augmenting warhead. A projectile includes a shaped charge warhead defining a bore therethrough being disposed within the projectile, an augmenting warhead disposed within the bore, and a detonating mechanism disposed within the projectile and being coupled with and capable of detonating the shaped charge warhead and the augmenting warhead. A method includes at least partially perforating the barrier to form a slug and dislodging the slug from the barrier.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A penetrator, comprising: 
 a shaped charge warhead defining a bore therethrough;    an augmenting warhead disposed within the bore; and    a detonating mechanism coupled with and capable of detonating the shaped charge warhead and the augmenting warhead.    
     
     
         2 . A penetrator, according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaped charge warhead further comprises: 
 a first explosive charge having a forward surface; and    a liner affixed to the forward surface.    
     
     
         3 . A penetrator, according to  claim 2 , wherein the first explosive charge comprises an explosive material selected from the group consisting of HMX, an HMX blend, RDX, an RDX blend, and LX-14.  
     
     
         4 . A penetrator, according to  claim 2 , wherein the first explosive charge comprises an explosive material having a detonation velocity of at least about 6000 meters per second.  
     
     
         5 . A penetrator, according to  claim 2 , wherein the liner comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper and a copper alloy.  
     
     
         6 . A penetrator, according to  claim 2 , wherein the forward surface is generally V-shaped in cross-section.  
     
     
         7 . A penetrator, according to  claim 6 , wherein the generally V-shaped forward surface comprises an included angle within a range of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees.  
     
     
         8 . A penetrator, according to  claim 2 , wherein the forward surface comprises 
 cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of a V-shape, a C-shape, a parabolic shape, and a trumpet shape.    
     
     
         9 . A penetrator, according to  claim 1 , wherein the augmenting warhead further comprises: 
 a second explosive charge disposed within the bore; and    a flying plate disposed within the bore and forward of the second explosive charge.    
     
     
         10 . A penetrator, according to  claim 9 , wherein the second explosive charge comprises a material selected from the group consisting of HMX, an HMX blend, RDX, an RDX blend, and LX-14.  
     
     
         11 . A penetrator, according to  claim 9 , wherein the flying plate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of tantalum, a tantalum alloy, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, and steel.  
     
     
         12 . A penetrator, according to  claim 9 , wherein the augmenting warhead further comprises a detonation wave barrier disposed within the second explosive charge.  
     
     
         13 . A penetrator, according to  claim 9 , wherein the second explosive charge defines a void therein capable of influencing a propagation of a detonation wave therethrough.  
     
     
         14 . A penetrator, according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaped charge warhead further comprises: 
 an upper portion; and    a lower portion, hingedly attached to the upper portion.    
     
     
         15 . A penetrator, according to  claim 1 , wherein the detonation mechanism further comprises: 
 at least one detonator affixed to the shaped charge warhead; and    at least one detonator affixed to the augmenting warhead.    
     
     
         16 . A penetrator, according to  claim 15 , further comprising a ribbon mild detonating cord coupling the at least one detonator affixed to the shaped charge warhead and the at least one detonator affixed to the augmenting warhead.  
     
     
         17 . A penetrator, according to  claim 15 , further comprising a ribbon mild detonating cord affixed along an aft portion of the shaped charge warhead from the at least one detonator affixed to the shaped charge warhead.  
     
     
         18 . A penetrator, according to  claim 1 , wherein the detonation mechanism is capable of detonating the shaped charge warhead no later than the augmenting warhead.  
     
     
         19 . A penetrator, according to  claim 1 , further comprising a firing mechanism coupled with the detonating mechanism.  
     
     
         20 . A penetrator, according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaped charge warhead is generally frustoconical in shape and is capable of projecting a generally annular, radially expanding jet upon its detonation.  
     
     
         21 . A penetrator, according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaped charge warhead is generally frustoconical in shape and is capable of projecting a generally annular jet that expands radially within a range of about one degree to about 10 degrees upon its detonation.  
     
     
         22 . A penetrator, according to  claim 1 , further comprising a stand for holding the penetrator.  
     
     
         23 . A projectile, comprising: 
 a shaped charge warhead defining a bore therethrough being disposed within the projectile;    an augmenting warhead disposed within the bore; and    a detonating mechanism disposed within the projectile and being coupled with and capable of detonating the shaped charge warhead and the augmenting warhead.    
     
     
         24 . A projectile, according to  claim 23 , wherein the shaped charge warhead further comprises: 
 a first explosive charge having a forward surface; and    a liner affixed to the forward surface.    
     
     
         25 . A projectile, according to  claim 23 , wherein the augmenting warhead further comprises: 
 a second explosive charge disposed within the bore; and    a flying plate disposed within the bore and forward of the second explosive charge.    
     
     
         26 . A projectile, according to  claim 23 , further comprising a firing mechanism coupled with the detonating mechanism.  
     
     
         27 . A projectile, according to  claim 23 , wherein the shaped charge warhead is generally frustoconical in shape and is capable of projecting a generally annular, radially expanding jet upon its detonation.  
     
     
         28 . A method of penetrating a barrier, comprising: 
 at least partially perforating the barrier to form a slug; and    dislodging the slug from the barrier.    
     
     
         29 . A method, according to  claim 28 , wherein at least partially perforating the barrier further comprises: 
 generating a generally annular jet; and    at least partially perforating the barrier with the jet to form the slug.    
     
     
         30 . A method, according to  claim 29 , wherein generating the generally annular jet further comprises generating a generally annular, radially expanding jet.  
     
     
         31 . A method, according to  claim 29 , wherein generating the generally annular jet further comprises generating a generally annular jet that expands radially within a range of about one degree to about 10 degrees.  
     
     
         32 . A method, according to  claim 28 , wherein at least partially perforating the barrier further comprises: 
 detonating a shaped charge warhead to form a generally annular jet; and    at least partially perforating the barrier with the jet to form the slug.    
     
     
         33 . A method, according to  claim 28 , wherein dislodging the slug from the barrier further comprises impacting the slug with a flying plate.  
     
     
         34 . A method, according to  claim 28 , wherein dislodging the slug from the barrier further comprises: 
 detonating an augmenting charge to propel a flying plate; and    impacting the slug with the flying plate.    
     
     
         35 . A method, according to  claim 28 , further comprising propelling a penetrator toward the barrier, wherein: 
 at least partially penetrating the barrier to form a slug further comprises detonating a first portion of the penetrator; and    dislodging the slug from the barrier further comprises detonating a second portion of the penetrator.    
     
     
         36 . A method, according to  claim 28 , further comprising positioning a penetrator near the barrier, wherein: 
 at least partially penetrating the barrier to form a slug further comprises detonating a shaped charge warhead of the penetrator; and    dislodging the slug from the barrier further comprises detonating an augmenting warhead of the penetrator.    
     
     
         37 . A method, according to  claim 36 , further comprising hingedly pivoting a first portion of the shaped charge warhead relative to a second portion of the shaped charge warhead.  
     
     
         38 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 means for at least partially perforating the barrier to form a slug; and    means for dislodging the slug from the barrier.    
     
     
         39 . An apparatus, according to  claim 38 , wherein at the means for least partially perforating the barrier further comprises: 
 means for generating a generally annular jet; and    means for at least partially perforating the barrier with the jet to form the slug.    
     
     
         40 . An apparatus, according to  claim 39 , wherein the means for generating the generally annular jet further comprises means for generating a generally annular, radially expanding jet.  
     
     
         41 . An apparatus, according to  claim 39 , wherein the means for generating the generally annular jet further comprises means for generating a generally annular jet that expands radially within a range of about one degree to about 10 degrees.  
     
     
         42 . An apparatus, according to  claim 38 , wherein the means for at least partially perforating the barrier further comprises: 
 means for detonating a shaped charge warhead to form a generally annular jet; and    means for at least partially perforating the barrier with the jet to form the slug.    
     
     
         43 . An apparatus, according to  claim 38 , wherein the means for dislodging the slug from the barrier further comprises means for impacting the slug with a flying plate.  
     
     
         44 . An apparatus, according to  claim 38 , wherein the means for dislodging the slug from the barrier further comprises: 
 means for detonating an augmenting charge to propel a flying plate; and    means for impacting the slug with the flying plate.    
     
     
         45 . An apparatus, according to  claim 38 , further comprising means for propelling a penetrator toward the barrier, wherein: 
 the means for at least partially penetrating the barrier to form a slug further comprises means for detonating a first portion of the penetrator; and    the means for dislodging the slug from the barrier further comprises means for detonating a second portion of the penetrator.    
     
     
         46 . An apparatus, according to  claim 3   8 , further comprising means for positioning a penetrator near the barrier, wherein: 
 the means for at least partially penetrating the barrier to form a slug further comprises means for detonating a shaped charge warhead of the penetrator; and    the means for dislodging the slug from the barrier further comprises means for detonating an augmenting warhead of the penetrator.    
     
     
         47 . An apparatus, according to  claim 46 , further comprising means for hingedly pivoting a first portion of the shaped charge warhead relative to a second portion of the shaped charge warhead.