Researchers develop multipoint initiation technology to tailor weapon effects.

The ever-changing nature of warfare presents constant challenges to weapon system designers, who must carefully consider various perspectives of mutual importance. Specifically, designers must address constraints associated with newly developed aircraft, such as the F-22 and F-35, which carry their stores internally and thus have size limitations on their payloads. Weapons designers must also recognize the weight of political pressures that fuel concerns about a given weapon’s potential to cause collateral damage to civilian populations. At the same time, they must respond adequately to warfighter demand for the flexibility to employ the most effective weapon against a given target.

These distinct—but interrelated— challenges emphasize the need for smaller, more efficient, and highly accurate weapons with controlled damage effects. Moreover, the availability of highly adaptable munitions that serve multiple functions will provide more options in meeting emergent threats and targets of opportunity on the battlefield. For example, if a small, dual-role warhead could dynamically focus a greater percentage of its total explosive energy towards a target, it would provide acceptable probability-of-kill values while also reducing the potential for collateral damage to the surrounding environment. The dual functionality of this warhead would also provide the warfighter with the real-time flexibility to engage in both counter air and interdiction operations with a single weapon.

Development of focused warhead weapons, such as the dual-role munition, requires an interdisciplinary technical solution incorporating aerodynamic, energetic, warhead, target detection, and initiation system technologies. AFRL is collaborating with the US Department of Energy’s Kansas City Plant (Missouri) to provide ordnance designers with the tools to address the initiation system element of
these requirements.