Ammunition unit

Abstract

An ammunition unit suitable for combat in urban terrain. The ammunition unit includes a warhead including a kinetic pre-cursor, a main charge, an impact sensor and an ignition system. A pre-charge is accommodated in the kinetic pre-cursor. The ignition of the pre-charge is controlled by the ignition system by introducing a time delay between a sensed impact and the ignition of the pre-charge and the ignition of the main charge is controlled by the ignition system by introducing a further time delay before ignition of the main charge.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A projectile having a warhead, the projectile comprising:
 a kinetic target penetrating precursor comprising a rigid envelope, a pre-charge and a precursor ignition system, wherein the rigid envelope entirely surrounds the pre-charge and precursor ignition system, wherein the precursor ignition system introduces a time delay between a sensed impact of the precursor with the target and ignition of the pre-charge; and   a main part comprising a main charge having an explosive effect that extends radially from a rotation axis in a flight direction of the projectile, an envelope surrounding the main charge, and a main charge ignition system, wherein the main charge ignition system comprises an impact sensor and delay device arranged between the precursor and the main charge, and wherein the main charge ignition system introduces a further time delay between ignition of the pre-charge and ignition of the main charge.   
     
     
         11 . The projectile according to  claim 10 , wherein the precursor ignition system comprises a pre-charge detonation fuse configured to operate as an impact sensor and a delay device. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The projectile according to  claim 10 , wherein a kinetic precursor radius perpendicular to a rotational axis in a flight direction of the ammunition unit is less than half a radius of the main charge. 
     
     
         15 . The projectile according to  claim 10 , wherein the rigid envelope comprises steel. 
     
     
         16 . The ammunition unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the kinetic pre-charge comprises a forwardly effecting shaped charge. 
     
     
         17 . The ammunition unit according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a pre-precursor arranged in front of the precursor and detonating prior to the kinetic pre-charge.   
     
     
         18 . The projectile according to  claim 10 , wherein the precursor has a weight between 1 and 5 kilograms. 
     
     
         19 . The projectile according to  claim 18 , wherein the kinetic pre-charge has a weight more than 1/30 of the precursor weight and less than 1/10 of the precursor weight. 
     
     
         20 . The projectile according to  claim 10 , wherein the ammunition unit comprises a shell, missile, or charge carrying projectile. 
     
     
         21 . The ammunition unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the precursor further comprises a liner configured to obtain the effect of a shaped hollow charge from detonation of the pre-charge.