Apparatus for Defeating Threat Projectiles

Abstract

An armor system for protecting a vehicle from a projectile, the projectile having an expected trajectory, is disclosed. The armor system has a material capable of being detonated and configured to substantially retain a shape, wherein the material leads a vehicle exterior surface relative to the expected projectile trajectory. The material has a dimensional thickness that is greater than a minimum detonation thickness of the material.

1 . An armor system for protecting a vehicle from a projectile, the projectile having an expected trajectory, the armor system comprising:
 a material capable of being detonated and configured to substantially retain a shape; wherein   the material leads a vehicle exterior surface relative to the expected projectile trajectory; and   the material has a dimensional thickness that is greater than a minimum detonation thickness of the material.   
     
     
         2 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein the material is a liquid in gel form. 
     
     
         3 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein the material includes a reactive liquid. 
     
     
         4 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein the material is substantially entirely transparent. 
     
     
         5 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein the material includes one or more of ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, urea nitrate, urea, and tetranitro-isopropanol. 
     
     
         6 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein the material includes one or more of nitromethane, isopropyl nitrate, nitrobenzene, nitrogen tetroxide, and toluene. 
     
     
         7 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein the material includes a mixture of about 82% nitrogen tetroxide and about 18% toluene. 
     
     
         8 . The armor system of  claim 1 , wherein the material includes a mixture of about 50% methanol and about 50% water. 
     
     
         9 . An armor system for protecting a vehicle from a projectile, the projectile having an expected trajectory, the armor system comprising:
 a module including
 a first element, leading relative to the expected projectile trajectory; 
 a second element disposed behind the first element, relative to the expected projectile trajectory, wherein the first element and the second element are spaced apart to form a cavity; and 
 an apparatus for mounting the module to the vehicle, the module leading a vehicle exterior surface relative to the expected projectile trajectory; 
   wherein a fill capable of being detonated is disposed in the cavity; and   wherein the dimensional thickness of the fill is greater than a minimum detonation thickness of the fill.   
     
     
         10 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the fill includes substantially only nitromethane and has a 1″ dimensional thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the fill includes a reactive gas. 
     
     
         12 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the fill includes a liquid fuel or a liquid explosive. 
     
     
         13 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the fill includes one or more of ether, ethylene, acetylene, and hydrogen. 
     
     
         14 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the fill includes a mixture of one or more reactive gases and one or more nonreactive gases. 
     
     
         15 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the fill includes one or more of a mixture of ether and oxygen, a mixture of ethylene and oxygen, a mixture of acetylene and oxygen, and a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. 
     
     
         16 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second elements are sheet-like layers including one or more of glass, transparent ceramics, acrylic, polycarbonate, aluminum, delrin, UHMW PP, UHMW PE, and borosilicate. 
     
     
         17 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second elements have a thickness of about ½″ and include substantially only borosilicate. 
     
     
         18 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the module is oriented at about a 45° angle from a trajectory that is substantially perpendicular to a vehicle exterior surface. 
     
     
         19 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second elements include a plurality of glass sheets having a thickness of about ⅛″. 
     
     
         20 . The armor system of  claim 19 , wherein each of the first and second elements further include a layer of water having a thickness of about ½″, the layer of water being disposed between the plurality of glass sheets. 
     
     
         21 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the fill includes one or more of nitromethane and isopropyl nitrate. 
     
     
         22 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the module is rotatably mounted to the vehicle as a louver. 
     
     
         23 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of the first and second elements includes an aperture in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to receive a stopper. 
     
     
         24 . The armor system of  claim 9 , wherein the cavity is fluidly connected to a passageway that is disposed within the vehicle. 
     
     
         25 . The armor system of  claim 24 , wherein the passageway has an internal diameter that is less than a minimum detonation thickness of the fill. 
     
     
         26 . The armor system of  claim 24 , wherein the passageway is fluidly connected to a pump that draws the fill from a fill storage reservoir and pumps the fill to the cavity. 
     
     
         27 . An armor system for protecting a vehicle from a projectile, the projectile having an expected trajectory, the armor system comprising:
 a first module and a second module, each of the first and second modules including
 a first layer, leading relative to the expected projectile trajectory; 
 a second layer disposed behind the first layer, relative to the expected projectile trajectory, wherein the first layer and the second layer are spaced apart; 
 at least one spacing element extending from the first layer to the second layer; and 
 a cavity formed by the first layer, the second layer, and the at least one spacing element; 
 wherein a fill including at least one of a liquid and a gas is disposed in the cavity; and 
 wherein the first module is adjacent to the second module. 
   
     
     
         28 . The armor system of  claim 27 , wherein a separation element is disposed between the first module and the second module. 
     
     
         29 . The armor system of  claim 28 , wherein the separation element is a layer of polycarbonate material. 
     
     
         30 . The armor system of  claim 27 , wherein the first and second modules are configured to be removable from the armor system and are pre-filled with the fill. 
     
     
         31 . The armor system of  claim 27 , wherein the first and second modules are fluidly connected by a passageway having an internal diameter less than the minimum detonation thickness of the fill. 
     
     
         32 . The armor system of  claim 27 , further including a ballistic-resistant module that leads the first and second modules, relative to the expected projectile trajectory. 
     
     
         33 . The armor system of  claim 27 , further including a spall-resistant module that follows the first and second modules, relative to the expected projectile trajectory.