FAILURE ENGINEERED HEAVY METAL PENETRATORS

TUNGSTEN OR TUNGSTEN ALLOYS ARE USED AS PENETRATORS IN KINETIC ENERGY WEAPONS. USED BY ITSELF, TUNGSTEN IS A BRITTLE METAL AND FRACTURES UNLESS IT IS ALLOYED WITH OTHER METALS. TYPICAL METALS USED IN TUNGSTEN ALLOYS ARE COPPER, IRON, NICHEL AND SILVER. THEY PERMIT THE RESULTING ALLOY TO BE MACHINED. WHEN USED AS A KINETIC ENERGY PENETRATOR, THE TUNGSTEN HAS A TENDENCY TO DEFORM, GIVING A BLUNT NOSE AS IT PROGRESSES THROUGH THE TARGET. THE USE OF A LAYERED TUNGSTEN PENETRATOR WILL BE INVESTIGATED. THIS PENETRATOR WILL BE FABRICATED USING THIN SHEETS OF TUNGSTEN WHICH ARE VACUUM BRAZED TO FORM A SINGLE PART. DIFFERENT TUNGSTEN THICKNESSES WILL BE CONSIDERED AND DIFFERENT FILLER METALS AND FILLER METAL THICKNESS WILL BE EVALUATED. ALSO CONSIDERED WILL BE THE USE OF BUILT-IN MECHANICAL SHEAR LINES TO CAUSE THE PENETRATOR TO ITSELF SHARPEN AS IT PROGRESSES THROUGH THE TARGET.