Advanced Development of Insensitive PBX's for Less Vulnerable Munitions

Abstract

Three approaches that can be taken to formulate safer explosives are: (1) Use of low energy explosives; (2) Use of fuel/oxidizer mixtures; and (3) Use of soft, rubbery explosives. Munition vulnerability is strongly affected by the explosive's properties, but it is also very dependent on the warhead physical characteristics. Other things that affect vulnerability include the quality of the explosive charge, ambient conditions, the presence of other ordnance items, and the way external energy is deposited into the explosive. An insensitive explosive must not react easily to external stimuli, or must react mildly under a variety of conditions. The difference in sensitivity must be large enough in practical situations to be worthwhile. Test results will be discussed that show that certain new, high-performance explosives also have exceptionally good vulnerability behavior.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1982
Accession Number
ADP000477

Entities

People

  • Max J. Stosz

Organizations

  • Naval Ordnance Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Combustion
  • Composite Materials
  • Composite Propellants
  • Detonations
  • Explosions
  • Explosive Charges
  • Explosives
  • Fires
  • Impact Tests
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Munitions
  • Physical Properties
  • Projectiles
  • Propellants
  • Sympathetic Detonations
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Vulnerability

Readers

  • Rocket Propulsion.
  • Systems Analysis and Design