GB2025585A - Guided hollow charge projectile - Google Patents

Abstract

A projectile incorporating a hollow explosive charge includes a cover member for one end of the charge, which cover member serves during flight of the missile as a reflector for electromagnetic waves transmitted to and/or from the projectile and also as an armour-piercing spike on explosion of the charge. The combination of functions in one member avoids minimising the effectiveness of the spike and reduces the inactive weight of the projectile.

Description

SPECIFICATION A projectile This invention relates to a projectile, such as an artillery shell or a projectile, and particularly to a projectile comprising a casing containing a hollow explosive charge.

Such projectiles are used for attacking armoured targets such as tanks, the use of a hollow charge being more efficient in blowing holes in such targets than the use of a solid charge, as is well known.

Such projectiles are often guided to a target by electromagnetic waves transmitted to a receiver carried by the projectile, in which case the projectile must also carry a receiving aerial and often, for example when the waves are in the millimetre waveband, a reflector for the aerial.

In known projectiles utilising a hollow charge one end of the charge is closed by a cover member adapted to function as an armour-piercing spike under the action of explosion of the charge.

According to this invention there is provided a projectile comprising a casing containing a hollow explosive charge one end of which is closed by a cover member adapted to function as an armourpiercing spike under the action of explosion of the charge, in which the cover member serves during flight of the missile as a reflector for electromagnetic waves used for guidance of the projectile.

The projectile of this invention has the advantage that since the cover member is used as both an armour-piercing spike and a reflector, there is no need to provide a separate reflector which if provided would reduce the effectiveness of the spike.

Any separate reflector provided must normally be directed towards the leading end of the projectile and must be situated at the leading end of the projectile so that no unnecessary part of the projectile is positioned in front of the reflector. The separate reflector would therefore be positioned in the line of action of the spike, and would thus reduce the effectiveness thereof. No such problem occurs with the projectile of this invention in which the reflector and the spike are both constituted by the same member.

This dual use of the cover member gives the further advantage of reducing the weight of the inactive, i.e. non-explosive, part of the projectile.

-A projectile according to this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing which is a side elevationai view of the projectile, partly in section.

The projectile 1 has a head porion 11 comprising a metal casing 2 of circular cylindrical cross-section having a longitudinal axis I and open at its leading end 3. The leading end 3 is closed by a rounded nose member 4 which is permeable to electromagnetic waves transmitted to the projectile for guidance thereof.

The casing 2 contains a hollow charge 8 the leading end of which is closed by a cover member 5, the rim 51 of which is secured between the casing 2 and nose cover 4. The cover member 5 extends into the hollow charge 8, and the outer surface 7 of the cover member 5 is parabolic in shape.

An aerial 6 is mounted in the space between the cover member 5 and the nose cover 4, and serves for the transmission of electromagnetic waves passing through the nose cover 4 to and from a receiver/ transmitter located in a rear portion 9 of the casing 2 behind the hollow charge 8, the waves constituting guidance signais for the projectile.

The projectile is completed by a tapering middle portion 10, a tail support portion 11, and a stabilising tail 12.

The rear portion 9 of the casing 2 also contains a detonator for the hollow charge 8.

During flight of the missile guidance signals pass through the nose-cover4to and from the aerial 6, being reflected and focussed by the parabolic surface 7 of the cover member 5.

When the projectile is a predetermined distance from the target, e.g. when the nose cover 4 is deformed by impact, the hollow charge 8 is exploded and the cover member 5 is formed, in known manner, into an armour-piercing spike to penetrate the target, the spike moving along the longitudinal axis L of the projectile in the direction of the arrow 13.

1. A projectile comprising a casing containing a hollow explosive charge one end of which is closed by a cover member adapted to function as an armour-piercing spike under the action of explosion of the charge, in which the cover member serves during flight of the missile as a reflector for electromagnetic waves used for guidance of the projectile.

2. A projectile as claimed in Claim 1, in which the cover member is parabolic in shape and extends into the hollow charge.

3. A projectile as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the axis of the reflective cover member is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the projectile, the reflective cover member being directed towards the leading end of the projectile.

4. A projectile substantiaily as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A projectile This invention relates to a projectile, such as an artillery shell or a projectile, and particularly to a projectile comprising a casing containing a hollow explosive charge. Such projectiles are used for attacking armoured targets such as tanks, the use of a hollow charge being more efficient in blowing holes in such targets than the use of a solid charge, as is well known. Such projectiles are often guided to a target by electromagnetic waves transmitted to a receiver carried by the projectile, in which case the projectile must also carry a receiving aerial and often, for example when the waves are in the millimetre waveband, a reflector for the aerial. In known projectiles utilising a hollow charge one end of the charge is closed by a cover member adapted to function as an armour-piercing spike under the action of explosion of the charge. According to this invention there is provided a projectile comprising a casing containing a hollow explosive charge one end of which is closed by a cover member adapted to function as an armourpiercing spike under the action of explosion of the charge, in which the cover member serves during flight of the missile as a reflector for electromagnetic waves used for guidance of the projectile. The projectile of this invention has the advantage that since the cover member is used as both an armour-piercing spike and a reflector, there is no need to provide a separate reflector which if provided would reduce the effectiveness of the spike. Any separate reflector provided must normally be directed towards the leading end of the projectile and must be situated at the leading end of the projectile so that no unnecessary part of the projectile is positioned in front of the reflector. The separate reflector would therefore be positioned in the line of action of the spike, and would thus reduce the effectiveness thereof. No such problem occurs with the projectile of this invention in which the reflector and the spike are both constituted by the same member. This dual use of the cover member gives the further advantage of reducing the weight of the inactive, i.e. non-explosive, part of the projectile. -A projectile according to this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing which is a side elevationai view of the projectile, partly in section. The projectile 1 has a head porion 11 comprising a metal casing 2 of circular cylindrical cross-section having a longitudinal axis I and open at its leading end 3. The leading end 3 is closed by a rounded nose member 4 which is permeable to electromagnetic waves transmitted to the projectile for guidance thereof. The casing 2 contains a hollow charge 8 the leading end of which is closed by a cover member 5, the rim 51 of which is secured between the casing 2 and nose cover 4. The cover member 5 extends into the hollow charge 8, and the outer surface 7 of the cover member 5 is parabolic in shape. An aerial 6 is mounted in the space between the cover member 5 and the nose cover 4, and serves for the transmission of electromagnetic waves passing through the nose cover 4 to and from a receiver/ transmitter located in a rear portion 9 of the casing 2 behind the hollow charge 8, the waves constituting guidance signais for the projectile. The projectile is completed by a tapering middle portion 10, a tail support portion 11, and a stabilising tail 12. The rear portion 9 of the casing 2 also contains a detonator for the hollow charge 8. During flight of the missile guidance signals pass through the nose-cover4to and from the aerial 6, being reflected and focussed by the parabolic surface 7 of the cover member 5. When the projectile is a predetermined distance from the target, e.g. when the nose cover 4 is deformed by impact, the hollow charge 8 is exploded and the cover member 5 is formed, in known manner, into an armour-piercing spike to penetrate the target, the spike moving along the longitudinal axis L of the projectile in the direction of the arrow 13. CLAIMS

1. A projectile comprising a casing containing a hollow explosive charge one end of which is closed by a cover member adapted to function as an armour-piercing spike under the action of explosion of the charge, in which the cover member serves during flight of the missile as a reflector for electromagnetic waves used for guidance of the projectile.

2. A projectile as claimed in Claim 1, in which the cover member is parabolic in shape and extends into the hollow charge.

3. A projectile as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the axis of the reflective cover member is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the projectile, the reflective cover member being directed towards the leading end of the projectile.

4. A projectile substantiaily as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.