Innovative Designs for Reliable Electro-Explosive Ordnance Devices

America"s ballistic missile defense system provides the only means currently available to protect it, and its allies, from a catastrophic attach by nuclear or conventionally armed ballistic missiles. A critical component of that system is the Interceptor missile, which relies of a number of electro-explosive devices (EEDs) to perform reliably in order to successful carry out its mission. MDA is seeking ways to improve on the EED"s reliability and lower the failure or inadvertent activation rate of these devices. SEA CORP proposes that instead of improving on the EED design, that EEDs be replaced by COTS automotive airbag inflators to perform the required pneumatic functions. These inflators have a proven reliability record of greater than 99.9999% and are currently produced in the millions per year by a number of manufacturers on highly automated production lines under very strict quality control methods. Inflators have been successfully used by SEA CORP in a number of pneumatic applications to do mechanical work, so adaption to the specific devices required in the Interceptor missile is entirely feasible. Interface with the devices is a threaded fitting, and the same electrical circuits that are used to activate EEDs can be adapted to the inflators.