Enhanced Lethal Mechanism Enabling Seeker for Low-Cost Base Defense Munition

The design of low-cost seekers usually results in lower performance for key characteristics such as resolution, power, antenna performance, or digital processing. Since seekers are generally the most expensive item in a missile or interceptor, this is a good approach to reduce the cost of interceptors. This reduced performance generally produces larger miss distances and more variations in fuze distance for target engagements which can lower lethality, particularly for air defense applications. However, it is possible to recover most of the lost effectiveness by designing a more lethal warhead. Recent developments of improved explosives, additive manufacturing for warhead bodies, reactive materials, and fragment materials provide the opportunity to design novel warheads that are more lethal for air defense weapons. Advanced modeling and simulation techniques developed at Practical Energetics Research and faster computers enable warhead designers to evaluate millions of designs in a short period of time. This research effort will analytically evaluate over 10,000 design permutations. New models and characterization will be developed when needed for novel damage mechanisms. The warhead developed in this program will enhance lethality of a low cost air defense munition such as the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System which will be the primary initial commercialization opportunity.