TUNED TACTICAL ROCKET MOTOR CASES FOR INSENSITIVE MUNITIONS

PROPELLANT TECHNOLOGY HAS EVOLVED TO PRODUCE MORE ENERGETIC PROPELLANTS FOR NAVY TACTICAL MISSILES. THE IMPETUS FOR THIS EVOLUTION IS FLEET DEFENSE WHERE THERE IS A PAY-OFF FOR HIGHER THRUST/ WEIGHT ROCKET MOTORS WHICH WILL RESULT IN MORE RANGE AND/OR LESS TIME-TO-TARGET. HOWEVER THERE IS AN INCREASED DETONATION HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH THESE MORE ENERGETIC PROPELLANTS WHICH RESULTS IN HIGHER LEVELS OF RISK TO PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT REQUIRED TO TRANSPORT, STORE, AND HANDLE THESE MUNITIONS. IN ADDITION, THE HIGHER HAZARD LEVELS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE MUNITIONS MAY REDUCE THE BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH MAXIMIZING THE SHIPBOARD STORAGE/STOWAGE CAPACITY OF MUNITIONS AND THE BENEFIT IN MORE FLEXIBLE MUNITION STORAGE SCENARIOS ACHIEVED BY MAINTAINING THE MUNITIONS CLOSE TO THE LAUNCHER VEHICLES. THIS EFFORT WILL DEFINE A DESIGN METHODOLOGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TUNED ROCKET MOTOR CASES WHICH MITIGATE THE PEAK SHOCK PRESSURES WHICH LEAD TO PROMPT INITIATION OF PROPELLANTS.