Summary and Analysis of U.S. Electrothermal Chemical Gun Successes.
Abstract
This report provides a summary of the status of U.S. electrothermal chemical propulsion. Systematic research points out that--with regard to areas associated with different combat missions--it is a vital design. The ones with the best prospects are theater missile defense, anti warship missile defense, and defense against indirect fire support with very long ranges. Results with regard to countering armor are not that clear. Besides that, research points out that it is necessary to consider reducing electric energy requirements (on the basis of more mature calculations done at the present time with regard to pulse power). At the same time, what is even more important is that methods relying on the use of electrical energy inputs to control combustion go through increases in chemical energy in order to raise performance. As a result, development work on propellants, cutting across broad fields in new forms of chemistry, is the main focal point of U.S. electrothermal chemical research work now. In the report, what is presented is that, as far as multiple types of propellants are concerned, there are clear increases in energy densities (as compared to solid propellents at the present time). It seems that the use of electric power to produce controllable plasma phases is compatible. Finally, the current status of U.S. electrothermal chemical plans, which is introduced in this report with regard to different combat task areas, clearly shows that the concept of electrothermal chemical propellants is in the process of going out of the laboratory, and, in conjunction with that, entering into the battlefield test and verification stage in relevent weapons systems of the next generation. p5
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 08, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA306653
Entities
People
- Daimo Cheng
- Zhongxin Xu
Organizations
- National Air and Space Intelligence Center