Micro Damage Mechanisms

Small caliber ballistically fired projectiles, explosively driven fragments and micro-sized (CM3) warheads fabricated from reactive materials are emerging as potential payloads for air, space, surface, and subterranean micro and larger scale delivery systems. Under laboratory and small scale testing platforms, various types of Metastable Intermolecular Composite (MIC) materials have demonstrated calculated energy densities up to 10 kcal per gram. This energy level exceeds that of Tri-Nitro Toluene (TNT) by more than a factor of 10. The exploitation of such energies and the ability to apply it to specific military objectives provides opportunities for next generation warhead systems. These systems will provide multi-functional applications for enhanced lethality, smaller weapons platforms, decreased payload requirements and reduction of collateral damage by localizing terminal effects to specific target sets. Exploitation of such capabilities requires the development of reactive material systems that are robust enough to survive ballistic and explosive launch platforms and retain abilities to penetrate a variety of targets with a broad range of material compositions and thickness. The target penetration parameters include capabilities for MIC projectiles and fragments to undergo rapid disassembly during penetration in a controllable and predictable manner to present kinetic, thermal and barometric insults. Additionally, the ability to accurately test the scalability and effectiveness of these munitions is needed to develop predictive weapons effects models that will provide mission planners and operators with the necessary tools to plan, resource and execute their requirements.