COLD-FLOW PROCESSING OF MOLYBDENUM SHAPED CHARGE LINERS

CURRENT RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT PERFORMANCE INCREASES ARE POSSIBLE BY USING LINERS OF HEAVIER METALS IN WARHEADS. THERE NEEDS TO BE AN EFFORT TO DEVELOP NOVEL METHODS FOR FORMING LINERS FROM CERTAIN HEAVY METALS. THE PHASE I TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES WILL BE TO PROVE THAT COUSINO'S COLD-FLOWING PROCESS IS A COMPETITIVE AND VIABLE TECHNIQUE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MOLYBDENUM SHAPED CHARGES. THIS EFFORT PROPOSES TO MANUFACTURE TWELVE SHAPED CHARGES TO NET SIZE PER THE 81MM DESIGN SUPPLIED BY THE DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY (DARPA). SIX OF THESE LINERS WILL BE PRODUCED FROM PURE MOLYBDENUM WHILE THE REMAINING PIECES WILL BE CREATED USING A MOLYBDENUM-RHENIUM ALLOY. THESE PARTS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO DARPA FOR TEST FIRING EVALUATION. IN ADDITION, COUSINO WILL IMPLEMENT X-RAY DIFFRACTION ANALYSIS TO SHOW THE BASIC ENHANCEMENTS IN MATERIAL PROPERTIES SUCH AS METALLURGICAL CONSISTENCY AND STRONG PREFERRED GRAIN ORIENTATION (TEXTURE) PRODUCED BY COUSINO'S PROCESS OVER THE MATERIAL PROPERTIES CONTAINED IN BOTH INCOMING BAR STOCK AND PLATE CONDITIONS. A FINAL REPORT CONTAINING THE X-RAY DIFFRACTION AND DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS RESULTS WILL BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH THE PARTS UPON COMPLETION OF PHASE I EFFORTS. DEMAND FOR IMPROVED WARHEAD CAPABILITIES IS ALMOST BEYOND QUANTIFICATION BECAUSE OF THE EVER CHANGING THREATS AND/OR TARGETS. DUE TO THE SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE OF SMART MUNITIONS SYSTEMS IN OPERATION DESERT STORM, IT APPEARS THAT THE MARKET WILL REMAIN STABLE FOR THE WEAPON SYSTEMS THAT UTILIZE THE SHAPED CHARGE LINER CONCEPT SUCH AS TOW, HELLFIRE, AND AAWS-M.