Tandem warhead for combatting active targets

US5744746A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Rheinmetall GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Peter Tripptrap · Langenfeld, DE
• Jorg Peters · Düsseldorf, DE
• Torsten Niemeyer · Celle, DE
• Herbert Scholles · Meerbusch, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 12, 1990
• Grant date: Apr 28, 1998
• Expiry date: Jul 12, 2010

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F42B12/18
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A tandem warhead for combatting actively armored targets including two shaped or projectile forming charges arranged one behind the other, and an ignition or firing delay unit which causes the ignition of the first charge and then the second charge with a time delay. To avoid the target's active armor plate (which moves when hit by the first charge, from impeding or even destroying the following charge) the tandem warhead is provided with a device for determining the actual angle of the warhead relative to the target, i.e., the firing or attack angle, and an ignition time delay .DELTA.t associated with the respective firing angle .alpha.. To determine the firing angle .alpha., an angle determining device includes a plurality, preferably four, distance measuring devices with which respective distance coordinates between the tandem warhead and the target are measured and used for determining the momentary firing angle .alpha.. Thereafter, the delay time .DELTA.t is determined with the aid of a characteristic curve .DELTA.t=f (.alpha.) which is specific for the particular warhead.