Influence of Initiation Modes on Lethality Capability Enhancement of Asymmetric Initiation Warheads

Abstract

Several Asymmetric Initiation(AI) warheads using different initiation modes are proposed to increase lethality capabilities of conventional antiaircraft missile warheads. In the aimed direction of minus 45 degrees to plus 45 degrees around warhead axis enhancements of fragment quantity and velocity are extensively studied on the basis of numerical simulations and field experiments, where warheads using four different initiation modes including central axially single-point initiation, 6-point adjacent asymmetric initiation with a spacing angle of 45 degrees, 6-point interval asymmetric initiation with a spacing angle of 90 degrees and 9-point continuous asymmetric initiation with a spacing angle of 90 degrees. The field experiments results show one AI warhead using 9-point continuous asymmetric initiation with a spacing angle of 90 degrees, having fragment quantity and velocity gains of 15.69%, 25.62% respectively, is more excellent than AI warheads using the other initiation modes, which dramatically increases letahlity effects in the aimed direction around AI warhead axis towards intended threats.