Army engineers patent bullet that self-destructs

[Midwest]

Army engineers patent limited range bullet that self-destructs


Army engineers have patented a bullet that self destructs and has limited range. The idea is to reduce the risk in hitting things other than the target. The article says .50 caliber ammo is being tested for "proof of concept" although other calibers could in theory be developed.

The patent was filed on May 7, 2013, approved last year and the story is now hitting the press today February 23, 2016 through Fox News.

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2016/02...limited-range-bullet-that-self-destructs.html



"The bullet contains both pyrotechnic and reactive material, according to the patent filing, with the pyrotechnic material ignited at launch. “The pyrotechnic material ignites the reactive material,” the patent explains. “If the projectile reaches a maximum desired range prior to impact with a target, the ignited reactive material transforms the projectile into an aerodynamically unstable object.”

The idea here is that once the bullet has reached its range, it simply drops to the ground. McFarlane noted that the distance at which the round “disassembles” can be adjusted based on the type of reactive material used."

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[Deaf Smith]

28mm (1.1 inch) WW2 ammo used in the 'Chicago piano' would 'self destruct' at 20,000 feet. It was a contact fuse AAA shell with a fuse in the base that would be ignited by the gunpowder that launched it down the barrel.

No big deal.

Deaf

 

[LiveLife]

Whatever happened to the DARPA self-guiding 50 cal bullet that would adjust flight trajectory to hit a moving target? - http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...ed-50-caliber-exacto-bullet-article-1.2202939

[YOUTUBE]YoOaJclkSZg[/YOUTUBE]

 

[trentcwwilson]

I remember that. Was weird watching ammo adjust midair.

 

[DeepSouth]

Hum, can't help but wonder what happens when/if one screws up and self destructs half way down the barrel.

I always wonder what this kind next of stuff would cost to, no one ever talks about that.

 

[trentcwwilson]

Hum, can't help but wonder what happens when/if one screws up and self destructs half way down the barrel.

I always wonder what this kind next of stuff would cost to, no one ever talks about that.

Price doesn't matter. Remember, this is the same government that's trillions in debt to other world powers.

 

[lysanderxiii]

28mm (1.1 inch) WW2 ammo used in the 'Chicago piano' would 'self destruct' at 20,000 feet. It was a contact fuse AAA shell with a fuse in the base that would be ignited by the gunpowder that launched it down the barrel.

No big deal.

Deaf

Oerlikon 20mm did that as well, but all previous self destructing ammo used an high explosive bursting charge.

This one does it without exploding.

Oh, and the 1.1" used a very rudimentary self-destruct mechanism, the first version just had a hole drilled between the tracer cavity and the HE cavity, the second model used a small explosive change at the top of the tracer. In both cases when the tracer burned to the top of the tracer cavity, either the main HE charge, or the small initiator charge would go off.

Later designs were more sophisticated (and bore safe), self-destruct fuzing that was armed by the spin of the projectile and the firing set-back and when the spin drops off, the projectile self destructs.

The bore-safe design require both the high acceleration of firing and the maximum RPM, achieved only at the muzzle, to arm.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Yup, solves the single greatest problem I had with my Ma-Deuce, AMAC or Barrett...

Sometimes, the pointy bits can just go too darn far!

Never once did I have cause to puzzle over: "Wonder where that one went?..."

REALLY!?!?!?!?!

This is what we should be spending money on?


Todd.

 

[trentcwwilson]

I'm with ya todd. There's better uses of China's money.

 

[rcmodel]

I'm thinking a really tiny drag parachute would be cheaper.

Or really light for caliber bullets?

Like Badminton Shuttlecocks.

Yea, that's the ticket!!

New snipers mantra instead of 'One shot, one kill'?

Using the .50 Shuttlecock round.
'Heres a .50 for ya, That Serves you right!'

Rc

 

[steveracer]

Ummm...we used self-defeating ammo in CIWS mounts in Iraq in 2006 up to we pulled the mounts out and brought them home in 2012. I think we got those 20mm rounds out to about 3500 yards before the tracer material ignited the HE charge in the projectile.
Nothing new here...move along.

 

[Tirod]

The tactical application for ground troop use is the new part.

You see a target, it's close enough, the backstop is a village a few hundred meters further. If you fire on the target the backstop takes casualties and you have an international incident with film at 6 and 10.

New ammo? Light them up. Bullets that fly further fall down in the dirt where they are harmless, and the school kids or hospital isn't another war crime. That IS something new, if it can be done, same as the grenades launched to detonate overhead and behind their cover.

No, there's not much new under the sun, just new ways to use it, tho.

 

[MErl]

I'd guess the intended use is air defense/shield over populated areas. Not against jets but against mortars, small rockets, future small drones. Right now 20mm is used in that role because there are self destructing bullets. Shooting 20mm at a mortar shell in the air makes the systems larger and more expensive than necessary when a .50 will kill it just as dead.

Developing it to use directly against troops might be iffy due to the exploding nature. That won't change what happens on the ground, if it is there it'll get used as needed, but I cannot see the stated use being against personnel.

 

[Dave P]

Meh. I have been using my own versions for years. 308 sniper loads mainly. Target falls down fast, and the po-po can never figger out who shot him. Ice bullets, doncha know.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

The tactical application for ground troop use is the new part.

You see a target, it's close enough, the backstop is a village a few hundred meters further. If you fire on the target the backstop takes casualties and you have an international incident with film at 6 and 10.

New ammo? Light them up. Bullets that fly further fall down in the dirt where they are harmless, and the school kids or hospital isn't another war crime. That IS something new, if it can be done, same as the grenades launched to detonate overhead and behind their cover.

No, there's not much new under the sun, just new ways to use it, tho.

Sure, right up till you've got a can full o' that crap and you really do need to reach out and touch someone or the natives figure out an effective range limitation beyond just gettin' smacked by energy.

What if the "village" is still within the range? "Pack 'er up boys, an' back 'er up... I don't wanna U.N. investigation this week!"

Sure, scenarios can be built with back-up weapons with standard ammo but why bother - especially as in our case where the other "heavy" was already a MK19?

Nope, total ass-hat idea by wonks looking to further endanger more troops with their "better ideas".


Todd.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The problem is this would be an explosive bullet, and that's a violation of the Hague Convention. Explosive ammunition can only be used for area fire, or against armored targets.

 

[trentcwwilson]

The problem is this would be an explosive bullet, and that's a violation of the Hague Convention. Explosive ammunition can only be used for area fire, or against armored targets.

Here we go...Hague convention 1 or 2? First in 1899, second in 1907. Please explain the usage(on both sides) of anti aircraft guns in world War 2. Planes, at that point in aviation, we're not considered armored targets.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The justification for using explosive ammunition against aircraft was three fold:

1. Most explosive anti-aircraft ammunition was supposed to explode in the air and disable the aircraft with fragments.

2. When shooting directly AT THE AIRCRAFT, it was the aircraft and not an individual who as the target.

3. Many WWII aircraft DID have armor. Most American fighters, for example, had armored seats.

 

[trentcwwilson]

That is debatable. I know at one point, to be labeled as an armored vehicle, I was required to have an armored exterior. Then again, how many rules and regulations changes during the middle of a war?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I will bet money that ammunition like this will not be used in combat -- or if it is, it will raise such a stink that it will be withdrawn from service.

I remember when we used silenced .22s in Viet Nam and had to develop jacketed bullets, since the lead bullet was thought to violate the Hague Convention.

 

[trentcwwilson]

I will bet money that ammunition like this will not be used in combat -- or if it is, it will raise such a stink that it will be withdrawn from service.

I remember when we used silenced .22s in Viet Nam and had to develop jacketed bullets, since the lead bullet was thought to violate the Hague Convention.

Really? Never thought the lead would cause such a ruckus. And it wouldn't last long. Like one said, let's back up so we don't hit the civilians.

 

[LiveLife]

I like having options. Combat environment is ever changing but our military personnel still must fulfill their mission objectives.

What if we still only had dumb bombs and artillery rounds? Our military may not be able to take out targets with smart bombs and GPS artillery rounds they do now.

Our military having smart bullet option will allow them to take out targets they otherwise could not.

And I am sure dumb bullets, artillery and bombs will continue to be used alongside rail guns, laser weapons and other new and nano weapon systems in the future.

 

[lysanderxiii]

Ummm...we used self-defeating ammo in CIWS mounts in Iraq in 2006 up to we pulled the mounts out and brought them home in 2012. I think we got those 20mm rounds out to about 3500 yards before the tracer material ignited the HE charge in the projectile.
Nothing new here...move along.

Current 20mm ammunition does not use the tracer to initiate self-destruct. That design is not bore-safe, in that it is possible that the self-destruct does so in the bore. Not good.

I have some drawing of how a 20mm Self-Destruct fuse works.

As to why this is a good idea:

In urban combat, where are all the friendly forces?

What if they are in the next building over from where the bad guys are? What if they are 'down range' from where you are? What do you do? Don't use the .50 because you don't want blue-on-blue casualties?

Now you have options.

1) These do not use high explosive (HE) filler, and therefore are not "explosive" projectiles.
2) Since there is no HE, you don't have to worry about unexploded munitions littering the battle-field, which are a danger to not only non-combatants, but to yourself as well (eventually you will want to occupy the objective).
3) These are also useful in the training environment as the range safety fan is now greatly reduced.

 

[lysanderxiii]

Here's how a modern self-destructing HE filled shell works:

Initially, the fuze is in the 'safe' condition, there are two major features that make the fuze as inert as possible, 1) the firing pin is locked in position by two firing pin locks (140 and 142), and 2) the initiator train (104/106) is rotated out of line with the firing pin.

SAFE:


On firing, the high acceleration sets back the heavy internal parts, and the detent balls (60) spring out on to lock the internals back closer to the booster well. After the shell has accelerate to full velocity and reached maximum RPM (at the muzzle) the firing pin locks are force away from the firing pin by centrifugal force, releasing the firing pin. However, the initiator train is not allowed to rotate, being held by another set of centrifugal locks (not shown).

SET-BACK:


After the RPM has dropped off slightly the initiator train is released and rotates to align the initiator with the firing pin. This allows the fuze to arm only after the shell has traveled to a "safe arming distance" from the cannon.

ARMED:


As the RPM continues to drop the detent balls are forced back into their recesses and the spring forces the internals upward against the firing pin, igniting the initiator train.

When the point impacts a surface the firing pin is driven into the initiator igniting it and the booster. In the case of a grazing contact, the deceleration causes the internals to shift forward against the firing pin, again setting of the initiator and booster.

SELF-DESTRUCT or IMPACT:


You can just make out the initiator drum in the fourth shell:

The invention noted the the article is simpler, and safer as their is no associated blast and fragment when the projectile self-destructs. The projectile breaks up into several un-aerodynamic pieces that quickly loose energy and velocity.