International Journal of Energetic Materials and Chemical Propulsion

MITIGATING THE SHAPED CHARGE JET IMPACT THREAT IN MAIN CHARGE FILL AMMUNITION

ABSTRACT

In the 1980s, in response to major ammunition losses caused by accident and hostile action, the Department of Defense initiated a program to reduce the vulnerability of ammunition items to external stimuli. This effort, labeled the Insensitive Munitions (IM) Program, eventually focused on seven external stimuli (threats); Sympathetic Detonation, Slow Cook off, Fast Cook-off, and Bullet Impact, Fragment Impact, Shaped Charge Jet Impact and Shaped Charge Jet Spall. Of these threats, the one that has been extremely difficult to mitigate has been the shaped charge jet impact. Recently, a new explosive has been developed which shows promise of reducing the violence of response to this threat. This material has been designated PAX-35. Initial tests of PAX-35 have demonstrated an excellent IM response while retaining the fragmentation performance of existing explosive formulations. The response of PAX-35 when subjected to shaped charge jet impact in an actual munition configuration, in conjunction with its subscale performance characteristics, is considered credible evidence to suggest that explosives can be used to render munitions totally IM compliant while meeting the performance criteria for fragmentation.