A Feasibility Study for a Fragment-Producing Chemical-Electrical Launcher

Summary form only given. The fragment-producing chemical-electrical launcher (FP-CEL) project has investigated the use of explosively driven magnetic loading techniques to launch controlled fragments in a predictable manner. A conventional fragmenting warhead uses high-explosive detonation products to throw fragments directly for various applications. This approach has remained unchanged for many decades; however, greater control is desired to enhance kinetic-energy lethality mechanisms, and to lower collateral effects associated with storage and usage. To establish the feasibility of such a system, we have conducted small-scale experiments using a capacitor-driven ramp-wave generator to accelerate flyers and fragments to velocities of 2 to 3 km/s, and have analyzed the data with multi-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamic computer codes. Although an explosive first stage-a flux-compression generator (or FCG)-would have similar electrical output to the capacitor-based approach, such a two-stage system would have a significantly reduced total efficiency. In addition to overall feasibility, the present effort has examined issues of system efficiency, as well as how scale-up to operational capabilities would be accomplished. The work has emphasized the study of the basic physics of the launching phenomena, while considering existing FCG technology as a prime power source.