COLD-FLOWED WARHEAD LINERS: CONTROLLED MICROSTRUCTURE FOR ENHANCED PERFORMANCE

THE INCONSISTENCY OF MICROSTRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES CONTAINED WITHIN THE INPUT MATERIALS USED IN PRESENT MANUFACTURING METHODS MAY BE A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ERRATIC PERFORMANCE OF CURRENT SHAPED-CHARGE AND EXPLOSIVELY-FORMED PENETRATOR WARHEADS. CURRENT LOW-DEFORMATION MANUFACTURING PROCESSES,SUCH AS MACHINING OR SHEAR FORMING, THAT ARE USED TO PRODUCE EFP'S DO LITTLE TO CHANGE THE GRAIN STRUCTURE OR MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE INPUT STOCK. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS COUSINO PHASE I STUDY WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT COLD FLOWING HAS THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE ENHANCED AND CONSISTENT METALLURGICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES IN EFP MATERIALS REGARDLESS OF INPUT SOURCES AND/OR ORIGINAL METALLURGY. THIS PHASE I PROJECT PROPOSES A STUDY COMPARING THE COLD-FLOWED MANUFACTURING PROCESS TO STARTING MATERIAL CONDITIONS OF OTHER MANUFACTURING METHODS. AN ANALYSIS OF GRAIN ORIENTATION, GRAIN SIZE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES WILL QUANTIFY ENHANCED MATERIAL BENEFITS OFFERED BY THE COLD-FLOWING PROCESS. IN FACT, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THESE SUPERIOR PROPERTIES WILL ENHANCE THE KILL RATIO OF THE EFP AND SHAPED-CHARGE WARHEAD WHICH COUSINO INTENDS TO DEMONSTRATE IN THE FOLLOW-ON PHASE II STUDY.