ACTIVE BODY FOR A SUBMUNITION HAVING EFFECTIVE AGENTS

CORPS ACTIF POUR UNE SOUS-MUNITION A ELEMENTS ACTIFS

English Abstract

The invention relates to a submunition having effective masses, particularly
having at
least one pyrotechnic fog body (1), comprising an insulation layer (2) between
an active
body container (3) and a pyrotechnic unit (4), wherein the active body
container (3) can
be closed by a cover (5) having a blow-out opening (6).

French Abstract

Il est proposé selon l'invention qu'une sous-munition avec masses actives, en particulier avec au moins un corps fumigène pyrotechnique (1), possède une couche isolante (2) entre un conteneur de corps actifs (3) et un ensemble pyrotechnique (4), le conteneur de corps actifs (3) pouvant être fermé par un couvercle (5) avec ouverture de sortie (6).

Claims

-5-
CLAIMS
1. An active mass body for a submunition having
active masses, in particular a pyrotechnic smoke body
(1), having an effective agent body container (3) and a
pyrotechnic charge (4), characterized in that an
insulating layer (2) is included between the active
body container (3) and the pyrotechnic charge (4), and
the active body container (3) can be closed by a cover
(5) with a blow-out opening (6).
2. The active mass body as claimed in claim 1,
characterized in that a plurality of smoke bodies (1)
form the submunition.
3. The active mass body as claimed in claim 2,
characterized in that the active body containers (3)
are distributed symmetrically around an imaginary
projectile longitudinal axis (10).
4. The active mass body as claimed in one of claims 1
to 3, characterized in that compounds whose chemical
and physical characteristics comply with the
characteristic preconditions of an insulating layer are
used as the basis for the insulating layer (2).
5. The active mass body as claimed in claim 4,
characterized in that preparations or products of
non-toxic, organic or inorganic compounds from groups
2, 3 and 4 of the periodic table of the elements, such
as magnesium, calcium, boron, aluminum, carbon, silicon
and tin, are preferably used.
6. The active mass body as claimed in one of claims 1
to 5, characterized in that the insulating layer (2)
has a shock-absorbing effect.

Description

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DESCRIPTION
Active body for a submunition having effective agents
The invention relates to a thermal insulating layer in
particular between smoke and flare containers.
Infrared-guided, radar-guided and dual-mode-guided
missiles are used, inter alia, to attack, for example,
seaborne targets, such as marine vessels, or other
objects on the land and in the air. After being fired,
these missiles or rockets initially fly with inertial
assistance (for example DE 196 01 165 Al) or are guided
by GPS to the target region. The missile then enters a
search phase once it is sufficiently close to the
target. Furthermore, the missiles are switched to the
target (lock-on) and track this target until impact
(track phase) . A "track-gate" depth D is approximately
150 meters in relatively old missiles, and only a few
meters in modern missiles.
Various decoy bodies are used to decoy such guided
missiles, in order to impede the function of the
missiles by jamming or interference, in order to
protect objects. When a threat is identified, some
decoy bodies emit electromagnetic decoy signals (DE 100
16 781 C2), and others form "clouds" of floating
dipoles (chaff clouds), which are matched to the radar
frequency of the missile.
Pyrotechnic objects are ejected as submunition from a
projectile at a specific altitude and are initiated in
the process, before they then fall to the ground as
they burn.
However, conventional submunitions occasionally have
the disadvantage that heating can result in

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uncontrollable separation of the active mass from the
active mass container, which could lead to uncontrolled
involvement in the exothermic reaction of the active
mass in the system.
Until now, the aim of achieving an active mass assembly
of greater strength has been attempted by greater
compression forces during manufacture.
EP 1 026 473 discloses a method for providing a decoy
target for protection of land vehicles, aircraft or
watercraft or the like, in which the missiles have a
target seeker head which operates in the infrared band
or radar band, or a target seeker head which operates
in both wavelength bands at the same time or
successively. In this case, the RF active mass in the
form of dipole packs, in particular, is protected by a
heat shield against the blow-out heat.
The object of the invention here is to specify a
submunition with active masses which avoids the
abovementioned disadvantages and in which the
functional reliability of the active masses is
considerably improved.
The invention is based on the idea of including an
insulating layer, in particular a thermal insulating
layer, between the submunitions to prevent the heat
development that results from deliberate combustion of
the active masses and the heat transfer which then
follows via the active mass container to active mass
layers located underneath. The insulating layer is
fitted in/on the active mass container by pushing in,
insertion, injection and/or application, after which
filling with the active mass takes place. This ensures
that a minimum amount of heat is introduced into the
active mass that has not yet been burnt, as a result of
the heat transfer during combustion. Flashover and

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explosive combustion are prevented. The separation of
the active mass from the container prevents heat being
introduced from the container to the active mass,
and/or a reaction from the container on the active
mass, during combustion.
One advantage associated with this is that this layer
has a shock-absorbing effect and is therefore suitable
for minimizing the force/impulse introduced to the
active mass as a result of striking the ground. At the
same time, the insulating layer prevents the active
mass from falling out as a result of strength losses,
in particular resulting from heat development.
Preparations or products of non-toxic, organic or
inorganic compounds from groups 2, 3 and 4 of the
periodic table of the elements, such as magnesium,
calcium, boron, aluminum, carbon, silicon and tin, are
preferably used, that is to say compounds whose
chemical and physical characteristics comply with the
characteristic preconditions of an insulating layer are
used, as the basis for the insulating layer.
The inclusion of an insulating layer therefore improves
the functional reliability by initiation of uniform
combustion of the active mass until completion of
burning, and, associated with this, improves a more
uniform function by the active bodies, as well as
improving safety with regard to objects thrown out
during explosive combustion.
The invention will be explained in more detail with
reference to one exemplary embodiment and a drawing.
The single figure shows the basic design of a
pyrotechnic smoke body 1 having an insulating layer 2
between the active body container 3 and the pyrotechnic
charge 4. The active body containers 3 are distributed
symmetrically around an imaginary projectile

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longitudinal axis 10. A plurality of active body
containers 3 can form a submunition to be fired (not
illustrated in any more detail). The container 3 or the
housing can be closed by a cover 5 with a blow-out
opening 6.

Representative Drawing