Warhead structure for interceptor

Abstract

A warhead having a circumference, a radial direction and a longitudinal direction and comprising radially extending trapezoids. Each trapezoid having a length into said longitudinal direction and a plurality of said trapezoids extending around said circumference.

1 . A warhead having a circumference, a radial direction and a longitudinal direction and comprising radially extending trapezoids, each trapezoid having a length into said longitudinal direction and a plurality of said trapezoids extending around said circumference. 
     
     
         2 . The warhead of  claim 1 , wherein each trapezoid is separately detonatable. 
     
     
         3 . The warhead of  claim 2 , further comprising a controller configured to select ones of said trapezoids for detonation, thereby to provide a directed explosion. 
     
     
         4 . The warhead or  claim 2 , wherein the trapezoids are divided into segments along an axial direction of the warhead, each segment being provided with a detonation point at a midpoint of said segment along a central axis in said axial direction. 
     
     
         5 . The warhead of  claim 2 , wherein each trapezoid is separately detonatable from a detonator located on a radially outer surface of the respective trapezoid. 
     
     
         6 . A warhead having a circumference, a radial direction and a longitudinal direction and comprising radially extending explosive discs, a plurality of said explosive discs extending as a stack along said longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         7 . The warhead of  claim 6 , wherein each explosive disc is contained in a separate segment, the segment being defined by a segment wall. 
     
     
         8 . The warhead of  claim 6 , wherein each explosive disc is separately detonatable, being provided with a detonation point at a center of said segment along a central axis of said warhead. 
     
     
         9 . The warhead of  claim 1 , filled with high explosive, and further comprising fragmentation material. 
     
     
         10 . A warhead having a circumference, a radial direction and a longitudinal direction and comprising segments extending radially to a peripheral edge, each segment having a length
 into said longitudinal direction and a plurality of said segments along said longitudinal direction, at least some of said segments having individual detonators at said peripheral edge, the detonators being separately controllable to initiate an explosion in a given direction.   
     
     
         11 . The warhead of  claim 10 , comprising a controller to select among said plurality of individual detonators for detonation in accordance with a detected direction of a target from said warhead. 
     
     
         12 . The warhead of  claim 10 , comprising a solid cylinder of explosive. 
     
     
         13 . The warhead of  claim 6 , wherein said radially extending segments are filled with explosive, the segments being separated by divider walls and respective segments comprises detonators at points half way along said respective segment along a central axis of said warhead. 
     
     
         14 . The warhead of  claim 13 , comprising a guide along said central axis, the guide being hollow or filled with explosive and wherein said detonators are distributed along said guide at said respective points. 
     
     
         15 . The warhead of  claim 14 , wherein said individual detonators are controllable to be detonated in sequence. 
     
     
         16 . The warhead of  claim 6 , wherein each segment has a length along said central axis of said warhead and a maximum radius, and wherein a ratio of the length to the maximum radius is between 1 and 2. 
     
     
         17 . The warhead of  claim 16 , wherein the ratio is one member of the group consisting of 1, 1.5 and 2. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacture of a warhead, comprising:
 providing a mold defining a predetermined shape, the predetermined shape selected for producing the Munroe effect when used with high explosive;   filling the mold with high explosive to form the high explosive into said predetermined shape;   inserting a detonator; and   fitting within a housing to form the warhead.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising lining the explosive on the outside with a metallic liner. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising lining the mold on the outside with a metallic liner.