Watercraft with a protective device against shaped/hollow charges

Abstract

A watercraft includes a support structure and a protected space, object or the like within an outer shell of the support structure. To protect the space, object, or the like, for example, a sensitive subassembly in the watercraft, against threats posed by shaped charges, a protective device is positioned between the outer shell and the sensitive subassembly. The protective device includes a multitude of reactive protective elements arranged in a flexible support construction oriented at an angle to the direction of threat. And the support construction is connected, such as, with positive locking and/or friction locking and/or with substance-to-substance bond, to the support structure of the watercraft.

1 . Water craft, comprising:
 a support structure configured to protect an item within an outer shell of the support structure; and   a protective device between the outer shell and the protected item, the protective device having a multitude of reactive protective elements arranged in a flexible support construction and oriented to the direction of threat, the flexible support construction connected, with positive locking and/or friction locking and/or with substance-to-substance bond, to the support structure of the water craft.   
   
   
       2 . Water craft in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flexible support construction includes a multitude of modules made from an elastic material, each module configured to incorporate one or more reactive protective elements. 
   
   
       3 . Water craft in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the flexible support construction exhibits flexible and torsionally soft connecting elements serving to connect the modules with the support structure of the water craft. 
   
   
       4 . Water craft in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the protective device is designed or arranged in such a way that it follows the contour of the support structure of the water craft. 
   
   
       5 . Water craft in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the protective device is designed in a shock-proof manner and attached to the support structure of the water craft. 
   
   
       6 . Water craft in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the support construction of the protective device is attached to the vertical frames of the outer shell of the support structure of the water craft. 
   
   
       7 . Water craft in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the protective device is arranged at a distance from the outer shell of the support structure of the water craft. 
   
   
       8 . Water craft in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a further protective device to protect against threats posed by kinetic energy projectiles is provided between the protective device and the protected item. 
   
   
       9 . Water craft in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the protected item is a sensitive subassembly serving to ensure the operational reliability of the water craft. 
   
   
       10 . The reactive protection system for watercraft in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the protected item is a space, an object and/or the like. 
   
   
       11 . A protection system for a watercraft against shaped/hollow charges, comprising:
 a support structure configured to attach to the watercraft and to protect a space, an object and/or the like within an outer shell of the support structure; and   a protective device between the outer shell and the space, object or the like to be protected, the protective device having a multitude of reactive protective elements arranged in a flexible support construction and oriented at an angle towards the direction of perceived potential threat, the flexible support construction connected, with positive locking and/or friction locking and/or with substance-to-substance bond, to the support structure of the water craft.   
   
   
       12 . The protection system for watercraft in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the flexible support construction includes a multitude of modules made from an elastic material, each module configured to incorporate one or more reactive protective elements. 
   
   
       13 . The protection system for watercraft in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the flexible support construction exhibits flexible and torsionally soft connecting elements serving to connect the modules with the support structure of the watercraft. 
   
   
       14 . The protection system for watercraft in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the protective device is designed or arranged in such a way that it follows the contour of the support structure of the watercraft. 
   
   
       15 . The protection system for watercraft in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the protective device is designed in a shock-proof manner and attached to the support structure of the watercraft. 
   
   
       16 . The protection system for watercraft in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the support construction of the protective device is attached to the vertical frames of the outer shell of the support structure of the watercraft. 
   
   
       17 . The protection system for watercraft in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the protective device is arranged at a distance from the outer shell of the support structure of the watercraft. 
   
   
       18 . The protection system for watercraft in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein a further protective device to protect against threats posed by kinetic energy projectiles is provided between the protective device and the space, object or the like to be protected. 
   
   
       19 . The protection system for watercraft in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the space, object or the like to be protected is a sensitive subassembly serving to ensure the operational reliability of the watercraft.