DoD requires improvement over existing systems:
Transition opportunities include AIM-9X, Standard Missile, Tomahawk, Evolved Sea Sparrow, dual-range air-to-air missile, AMRAAM, Patriot, STAFF P3I, SADARM PI, Javelin, TOW follow-on, M829, F-22, JSF, JASSM, SSTD, LHT, Sidewinder, Patriot, and antisurface systems such as ARMs, JDAMs, and JSOWs.
Ordnance is the lethal or nonlethal mechanism of the munition that enables warfighters to incapacitate, neutralize, or destroy enemy personnel, materiel, and infrastructure to a degree that will inhibit the enemy's ability to engage in warfare.
3.5.2.1 Goals and Timeframes. The major goals for the ordnance subarea are to improve weapon lethality, multimission flexibility, and survivability and to reduce cost. The goals are listed in Table X-6.
| Application/Mission | Short Term (1-2 Years) | Mid Term (3-5 Years) | Long Term (6+ Years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antiarmor--defeat advanced armor and armor protection systems | Demo long EFP for smart weapon system. Demo advanced countermeasure warhead in missile flight Demo standoff fuze against reactive/active armor. Demo combined effects EFP warhead against light and heavy targets |
Demo 300% increase in probability of kill in dynamic armor engagement scenarios. | |
| Bombs | Conduct JDAM target ECM requirements analysis and susceptibility testing. | Demo JDAM ECM-resistant proximity fuze based on MMIC architecture. | Implement waveform-agile, ECM-hardened sensor for PGM and GP bomb antijam capability. |
| Gun munitions | Demo advanced GPS-based artillery registration. | Demo standoff fuze against reactive/active armor (AA). Demo miniaturized electronic fuzing for OICW bursting munition (guns). |
Demo detection of CM targets in clutter for sensor-fuzed weapons (AA). Eliminate UXO |
| Hard target--defeat WMD in storage, production, and the field | Evaluate chemical & thermal defeat mechanism and quantify performance. | Demo interim capability in prototype (BLU-109M) 2,000-lb warhead. | Expand lethal mechanism to harder and more diverse target spectrum. |
| Hard target--defeat hardened C3 and countermeasured buried targets | Double penetration capability of BLU-109. | Boost penetration velocity using external propulsion, increase penetration depth 300%. | Introduce advanced high-energy density explosives into hard target supersonic penetrators. |
| Hard-target penetration technology | Development of shock and temperature insensitive components. Nonvolatile memory for hard-target test events records. |
Advance hard-target L/V analysis, including synergistic effects of blast and fragmentation warheads and maturation of statistical techniques to qualify uncertainties. The results should reduce the need for testing and produce cost and time savings of 30:1 (test analysis). Penetrate reinforced concrete targets greater than 20 ft. |
Hard-target penetrating radar actively determines stratification of penetration media to determine in void burst point. Use advanced kill mechanisms to defeat electronic components and chem/bio agents. Use multisensor, noninertial void sensors for hard-target penetration fuzing. |
| Missiles--defeat spectrum of air and surface threats using target-adaptable warheads, reactive fragments, advanced explosives, and hypervelocity missiles for time-critical targets | Conduct flight test of multimode warhead and submunition. Quality advanced explosive for aimable warhead. |
Demo reactive fragments lethality. | Demo next generation of adaptable warheads capable of expanding target spectrum and range of missions. |
| Missiles | Architecture for modular missile and environment simulation based on JMASS. Imaging IR analysis and design. Clutter discrimination algorithm. |
Proximity and GIF modules for simulation library. Imaging IR fuze/safe & arm and focus warhead integration. Distributed initiation systems. Low-energy S&A devices. |
Imaging IR fuze for dual-role missile application. Demonstrate GIF aimable warhead capabilities. Increase operational range for IR fuzes. Increase CM capabilities for active IR fuzes. Low-cost electronic S&A devices. |
3.5.2.2 Major Technical Challenges.Ordnance challenges include insensitive explosives with enhanced performance; quantification of very high velocity penetrator performance; development of material property models for adaptable warhead designs; all-weather, clutter ECM and chaff performance; high-resolution target imaging; safe and affordable multimode warhead initiation; and high-fidelity simulations for modeling system performance. For improved weapon lethality, challenges include cockpit-selectable robust algorithms for determining target parameters and com- puting warhead events in real time, high-fidelity sensors, and affordable high-shock survival components.
3.5.2.3 Related Federal and Private Sector Efforts. DOE explosives technology efforts are integrated with DoD efforts. Most benefits in this area are derived indirectly from advances in related areas of electronic research.
3.5.3.1 Technology Demonstrations. Demonstrations include:
3.5.3.2 Technology Development. Technology development efforts support demonstrations described above, lay the foundation for success, and address longer term military applications. Major task areas are described in the following paragraphs.
The missiles area includes air-to-air, air-to-surface, surface-to-air, and surface-to-surface missile warheads, fuzes, and explosives developed specifically for these ordnance packages. This includes 6.2 and 6.3 technologies for the warheads and fuzes, but only 6.3 for the explosives. Key technologies include advanced initiation and materials for aimable warheads and active and passive IR imaging for target detection and burst-point selection. For air-intercept encounters, key fuze technologies provide improved capability (increased lethality) for conventional edge-detection, side-looking target detection devices (TDDs) and development of guidance integrated fuze (GIF) concepts. Technology for conventional side-looking TDD improvements is being developed to provide weather capability, clutter discrimination, reduced jitter, precision separation timing, improved contact sensitivity, and increased warhead energy on target. All provide increased reliability and lethality. GIF technology is leading to a shift from edge detection and time delay algorithms to predictive algorithms, target aimpoint signal processing using high-range active systems, and passive imaging-type detectors to provide an increased capability for conventional and directional warheads. Ordnance technology for antisurface applications is moving from height of burst (HOB) to direct target detection to place more energy on target and reduce collateral damage while increasing lethality and reducing overall cost through the number sorties necessary to kill a target. The key for the antisurface and air application is the development of technology that truly provides an ordnance package.
The advanced explosives task area covers the generic 6.1 and 6.2 explosive technologies. It includes molecule development and formulation work. At the 6.3 level, it covers explosive processing and life-cycle work. Formulations for a specific ordnance package are included in that topic if accomplished at the 6.3 level. This topic covers generic technology areas needed to improve performance characteristics of explosives that have benefits and spinoffs for use in a broad range of applications. Key technologies include explosive formulations that provide significantly increased blast and fragmentation over existing formulations.
The hard target task covers penetration of cut-and-cover facilities, concrete or earth-covered facilities above ground, runways, and buried facilities. Technologies include fuzing, warheads, and 6.3 explosive work that supports this area. Key technologies are high-strength, high-toughness steels and heavy metal alloys for penetrator cases, high-energy-density explosives for restricted-volume penetrator warheads, explosives that can survive the high shock loading associated with hard target penetration, and precise fuzing against a wide spectrum of hardened targets with extensive and multiple layers. The hard-target smart fuze and advanced unitary penetrator components of the Counterproliferation ACTD contribute to this objective and are discussed in the JWSTP.
The bombs category includes general-purpose bomb technologies in warheads, fuzing, and 6.3 explosives. Key technologies are high-energy-density insensitive explosives, improved fragmentation control, and advanced initiation.
Ordnance components fit into the gun munitions area. Technologies include warheads, fuzing, and explosive payloads. The miniaturized 6.2 fuzing work will provide the basis for eventual integration of the full fuzing function with GPS/IMU into low-cost competent munitions.
The land mines task covers technologies in fuzing, explosives, and warheads developed specifically for the blocking, fixing, turning, and disrupting of armored and light vehicles and dismounted forces. This includes 6.2 and 6.3 technologies for the warheads and fuzing, but only 6.3 for the explosives.
The antiarmor category covers ordnance technologies in fuzing, explosives, and warheads for defeating heavily armored tanks and personnel carriers. This includes 6.2 fuzing sensors work to provide a standoff capability for projectiles and missiles to counter explosive reactive armor and active protection systems.
3.5.3.3 Basic Research. Research in mechanics is focused on gun propulsion; warheads and materials for antimateriel, antiarmor, and hard targets; mechanics of armor/antiarmor materials; explosives; and weapon system structures. These research areas are all critical for improving the performance of U.S. weapon systems. Basic research studies provide an essential foundation for the weapons technology required to defeat future threats and ensure that our forces can maintain a technological edge. Research is performed by a blend of university and in-house components uniquely suited to supplying the technologies needed for advanced weapons systems. Research related to mathematics and computer science, physics, chemistry, materials science, electronics, and mechanics all support our weapons technology requirements.
