Pyrophoric-Coated Flechette Study

Abstract

The objective was to determine the feasibility of improving the performance of the 60-grain steel (SAE 1066) antimateriel flechette by adding an incendiary capability. The incendiary capability should be inexpensive and must not degrade the ballistic characteristics of the flechette. The approach taken was to coat the flechettes with a thin layer of friction-activated pyrophoric metals which were selected based on an analysis of their physical and thermochemical properties and of the terminal effects of the materials when gun launched. The results of this effort demonstrate that flechettes can be coated with a friction-activated pyrophoric coating which can reliably initiate a self- sustaining gasoline fire in either truck tankage or POL drums and that a technique suitable for mass production is possible.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1972
Accession Number
AD0902536

Entities

People

  • H. R. Waite
  • T. B. Gortemoller

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Combustion
  • Dip Coating
  • Energy
  • Fires
  • Flash Point
  • Fuel Tanks
  • Fuels
  • Ignition
  • Ignition Lag
  • Mass Production
  • Materials
  • Munitions
  • Pyrophoric Materials
  • Rare Earth Alloys
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Petroleum Engineering
  • Rocket Propulsion.