Slow Cook-Off Insensitive Munitions Solutions for Solid Rocket Motors

The objective of this proposal is to develop highly reliable technologies for initiating and venting large diameter SRMs subjected to slow cook-off. Systima with support from Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK), Tactical Propulsion and Controls Division, proposes to integrate auto-ignition propellant, safe and arm mechanisms, and novel techniques to sever large diameter rocket motor casing. In slow cook-off conditions, thermally controlled rocket motor case venting, by skin severance, greatly reduces the probability of an explosion, violent reaction, or detonation. Since solid propellants deflagrate before detonation, severing the rocket motor case prevents detonations and explosions caused by the buildup of abnormally high pressures inside a thermally weaken rocket motor case. Equally important Systima’s proposed concepts do not place reactive materials next to the solid rocket propellant. The proposed concepts will likely improve fast cook-off compliance and furthermore should not increase the solid rocket motor (SRM) sensitivity to other stimuli, such as bullet impact or sympathetic detonations.