Small-caliber ammunition for breaching barriers

Abstract

A small-caliber ammunition is disclosed. The small-caliber ammunition includes a casing and a frangible projectile located within the casing. The frangible projectile includes a metal inert capsule and a reactive material (RM) pellet embedded within the metal inert capsule. The top surface of the RM pellet flushes with the top surface of the metal inert capsule. The casing contains a smokeless propellant and a primer for igniting the smokeless propellant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ammunition comprising:
 a casing;   a frangible projectile, located within said casing, includes
 a metal inert capsule; 
 a reactive material (RM) pellet embedded within said metal inert capsule, wherein a top surface of said RM pellet is recessed from a top surface of said metal inert capsule; and 
   a smokeless propellant and a primer, contained with said casing, for igniting said propellant.   
     
     
         2 . The ammunition of  claim 1 , wherein said top surface of said RM pellet is hermetically sealed by a potting compound. 
     
     
         3 . The ammunition of  claim 1 , wherein said inert capsule has a cylindrical base and a tapered top. 
     
     
         4 . The ammunition of  claim 1 , wherein said inert capsule includes a nose and an annulus. 
     
     
         5 . The ammunition of  claim 1 , wherein said RM pellet is concentric with said inert capsule. 
     
     
         6 . The ammunition of  claim 1 , wherein said RM pellet is a homogeneous structure within said inert capsule. 
     
     
         7 . The ammunition of  claim 1 , wherein said RM pellet is made of a plurality of reactive materials. 
     
     
         8 . The ammunition of  claim 7 , wherein said reactive materials includes at least one binder, at least one fuel and at least one oxidizer. 
     
     
         9 . The ammunition of  claim 8 , wherein said fuel includes at least one of aluminum, iron, zirconium, magnesium, zinc, titanium, lithium, boron, and alloys. 
     
     
         10 . The ammunition of  claim 9 , wherein said oxidizer includes at least one of potassium perchlorate, potassium chlorate, potassium nitrate, ammonium perchlorate, ammonium chlorate, ammonium nitrate, lithium perchlorate, lithium chlorate, lithium nitrate, molybdenum oxide, copper oxide, tungsten oxide, iron oxide, bismuth oxide, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The ammunition of  claim 1 , wherein said inert capsule is cast into a mold, and said RM pellet is cast into a cavity within said inert capsule. 
     
     
         12 . The ammunition of  claim 1 , wherein said inert capsule is pressed into a mold, and said RM pellet is pressed into a cavity within said inert capsule. 
     
     
         13 . The ammunition of  claim 1 , wherein the position of said RM pellet within said inert capsule determines when an impact shock reaches said RM pellet. 
     
     
         14 . The ammunition of  claim 1 , wherein said smokeless propellant includes Hodgdon Tightgroup or Hodgdon 110.