CA2078764C - High intensity infra-red pyrotechnic decoy flare - Google Patents
High intensity infra-red pyrotechnic decoy flare Download PDFInfo
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- CA2078764C CA2078764C CA002078764A CA2078764A CA2078764C CA 2078764 C CA2078764 C CA 2078764C CA 002078764 A CA002078764 A CA 002078764A CA 2078764 A CA2078764 A CA 2078764A CA 2078764 C CA2078764 C CA 2078764C
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- Prior art keywords
- pyrotechnic
- decoy flare
- pellet
- flare according
- infra
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- Expired - Fee Related
Links
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 74
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 63
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 33
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 26
- 239000011230 binding agent Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 16
- 150000003839 salts Chemical class 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 239000007769 metal material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 239000011800 void material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 239000008188 pellet Substances 0.000 claims description 63
- 239000011159 matrix material Substances 0.000 claims description 22
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 14
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 claims description 14
- 229920001343 polytetrafluoroethylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 14
- 239000004810 polytetrafluoroethylene Substances 0.000 claims description 14
- FYYHWMGAXLPEAU-UHFFFAOYSA-N Magnesium Chemical compound [Mg] FYYHWMGAXLPEAU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000004411 aluminium Substances 0.000 claims description 9
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 9
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000011777 magnesium Substances 0.000 claims description 9
- 229910052749 magnesium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 7
- BQCIDUSAKPWEOX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1,1-Difluoroethene Chemical compound FC(F)=C BQCIDUSAKPWEOX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- 229920001577 copolymer Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical group [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 5
- -1 polytetrafluoroethylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 5
- RTAQQCXQSZGOHL-UHFFFAOYSA-N Titanium Chemical compound [Ti] RTAQQCXQSZGOHL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000010936 titanium Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910052719 titanium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000002788 crimping Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- HCDGVLDPFQMKDK-UHFFFAOYSA-N hexafluoropropylene Chemical group FC(F)=C(F)C(F)(F)F HCDGVLDPFQMKDK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 13
- CSCPPACGZOOCGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N Acetone Chemical compound CC(C)=O CSCPPACGZOOCGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 12
- 239000002360 explosive Substances 0.000 description 11
- 239000000047 product Substances 0.000 description 10
- VLKZOEOYAKHREP-UHFFFAOYSA-N n-Hexane Chemical compound CCCCCC VLKZOEOYAKHREP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 9
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 7
- 229920002449 FKM Polymers 0.000 description 5
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000000470 constituent Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000003610 charcoal Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000000725 suspension Substances 0.000 description 3
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 238000009736 wetting Methods 0.000 description 3
- 229910000838 Al alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- ZOXJGFHDIHLPTG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Boron Chemical compound [B] ZOXJGFHDIHLPTG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910000861 Mg alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229920002313 fluoropolymer Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 230000000977 initiatory effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000314 lubricant Substances 0.000 description 2
- 150000002739 metals Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 description 2
- BFKJFAAPBSQJPD-UHFFFAOYSA-N tetrafluoroethene Chemical group FC(F)=C(F)F BFKJFAAPBSQJPD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- PXGOKWXKJXAPGV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Fluorine Chemical compound FF PXGOKWXKJXAPGV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicium dioxide Chemical compound O=[Si]=O VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- QCWXUUIWCKQGHC-UHFFFAOYSA-N Zirconium Chemical compound [Zr] QCWXUUIWCKQGHC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000007864 aqueous solution Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910000416 bismuth oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052796 boron Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052810 boron oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- UUAGAQFQZIEFAH-UHFFFAOYSA-N chlorotrifluoroethylene Chemical group FC(F)=C(F)Cl UUAGAQFQZIEFAH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 150000001879 copper Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- ORTQZVOHEJQUHG-UHFFFAOYSA-L copper(II) chloride Chemical compound Cl[Cu]Cl ORTQZVOHEJQUHG-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- XTVVROIMIGLXTD-UHFFFAOYSA-N copper(II) nitrate Chemical compound [Cu+2].[O-][N+]([O-])=O.[O-][N+]([O-])=O XTVVROIMIGLXTD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- ARUVKPQLZAKDPS-UHFFFAOYSA-L copper(II) sulfate Chemical compound [Cu+2].[O-][S+2]([O-])([O-])[O-] ARUVKPQLZAKDPS-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- OPQARKPSCNTWTJ-UHFFFAOYSA-L copper(ii) acetate Chemical compound [Cu+2].CC([O-])=O.CC([O-])=O OPQARKPSCNTWTJ-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002950 deficient Effects 0.000 description 1
- TYIXMATWDRGMPF-UHFFFAOYSA-N dibismuth;oxygen(2-) Chemical compound [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[Bi+3].[Bi+3] TYIXMATWDRGMPF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000002708 enhancing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001914 filtration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052731 fluorine Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011737 fluorine Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920001519 homopolymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000002844 melting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008018 melting Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920001296 polysiloxane Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000002244 precipitate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003380 propellant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003756 stirring Methods 0.000 description 1
- 150000003751 zinc Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229910052726 zirconium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
- F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
- F42B12/00—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material
- F42B12/02—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect
- F42B12/36—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
- F42B12/56—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information for dispensing discrete solid bodies
- F42B12/70—Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material characterised by the warhead or the intended effect for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information for dispensing discrete solid bodies for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
- C06B—EXPLOSIVES OR THERMIC COMPOSITIONS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS EXPLOSIVES
- C06B27/00—Compositions containing a metal, boron, silicon, selenium or tellurium or mixtures, intercompounds or hydrides thereof, and hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
- C06B—EXPLOSIVES OR THERMIC COMPOSITIONS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS EXPLOSIVES
- C06B45/00—Compositions or products which are defined by structure or arrangement of component of product
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C06—EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
- C06C—DETONATING OR PRIMING DEVICES; FUSES; CHEMICAL LIGHTERS; PYROPHORIC COMPOSITIONS
- C06C15/00—Pyrophoric compositions; Flints
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S149/00—Explosive and thermic compositions or charges
- Y10S149/116—Flare contains resin
Abstract
An aircraft-launched pyrotechnic decoy flare for luring an incoming missile away from the aircraft's exhaust which comprises a compactly clustered substantially void free array of discrete pieces of a gassy high intensity infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition contained in a rupturable air-tight container. On ignition of the flare, combustion spreads rapidly along the interfaces between the discrete pieces to produce gaseous combustion products. When the pressure within the air-tight container reaches a predetermined level the container ruptures and the discrete pieces burst apart. The plurality of pieces have a large combined surface area over which combustion occurs and so produce a high intensity emission of infra-red radiation. In a preferred embodiment the discrete pieces comprise a mixtured fibrous activated carbon cloth impregnated with a metallic salt and coated with a mixture of an oxidising halogenated polymer, an oxidisable metallic material and an organic binder.
Description
207~76~
HIGH INTENSITY INFRA-RED PYROTECHNIC DECOY FLARE
This invention relates to a high intensity infra-red pyrotechnic decoy flare and in particular to a decoy flare which can be aircraft ~ nr~ed to lure inf n~ missiles with infra-red seeker systems away from the aircraft exhaust which is itself an infra-red source.
Known decoy flares conventionally comprise mixtures of fine particulate oxidisable and oxidising materials which undergo pyrotechnic reactions on ignition and which are bound together with an organic binder and pressed to form pellets. Examples of oxidisable materials are oxidisable metals, in particular magnesium and alloys thereof and examples of oxidising materials are oxidising halogenated polymers, in particular polytetrafluoroethylene (hereafter PTFE). When an incoming missile is detected by an aircraft a pellet is launched from the aircraft and is ignited as it is launched. The pellet burns over its surface to produce an infra-red source more intense than the aircraft's exhaust. If the incoming missile has an infra-red seeker system then the missile can be lured away from the aircraft exhaust to the more intensely burning pellet which falls quickly away from the aircraft.
Decoy flares can only lure a seeker system from an aircraft exhaust if the infra-red intensity of the burning pellet is greater than that of the aircraft exhaust. The velocity of the aircraft is limited if the decoy flare is to be effective because as the aircraft velocity increases the reheat of the aircraft's ~n~in~s increases and the infra-red intensity of the exhaust increases. Conventional decoy flares are not able to protect an aircraft near to the maximum reheat value of its ~n~;n~S. This limit on the aircraft velocity is a disadvantage because it extends the time it takes an aircraft to leave a hostile region and it limits the velocity at which the aircraft can manoeuvre away from an incoming missile.
A known method of enhAncing the decoy effect of conventional decoy flares is to launch two or more pellets in quick succession in order to confuse the missile seeker system with further infra-red sources.
` ~07~7~
However such decoys are still not able to protect an aircraft near to the maximum reheat of its engines.
The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the aforementioned disadvantages by providing an infra-red decoy flare which burns with an increased infra-red intensity than known decoy flares and so is able to lure seeker systems away from aircraft travelling at higher velocities than has previously been possible.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an aircraft-lal~chPd pyrotechnic decoy flare for luring an incoming missile away from the aircraft's exhaust, comprising at least one pellet which is contained within an air-tight rupturable container, characterised in that the pellet comprises a compactly clustered, substantially void free array of discrete pieces of an infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition optionally embedded in a matrix, where the matrix, if present, or the discrete pieces, if no matrix is present, is/are made of a gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition and the container is designed to rupture and dispense the said discrete pieces when subjected to a pre-determined internal pressure generated by the combustion of the gassy pyrotechnic composition. By employing a decoy flare according to the first aspect of the present invention a higher infra-red intensity results from the combustion of the pellet than from a conventional flare comprising a homogeneous pellet of the same size and same pyrotechnic composition.
When the flare according to the first aspect of the present invention is la~n~hed from an aircraft and ignited, if no matrix is present, then combustion spreads rapidly over the surface of the pellet and furthermore rapidly penetrates the pellet along the interfaces between the pieces. The gaseous products from the combustion of the pieces increases the pressure in the container which in turn increases the burning rate of the pieces so that substantially all of the pieces are ignited in a fraction of a second. When the pressure inside the container due to the build up of gaseous products reaches the said ~7~7~4 pre-determined internal pressure the container ruptures. When the container ruptures the pellet bursts apart into its constituent pieces because of the evolution of gaseous products at the interfaces between the pieces.
If a matrix is present then on ignition combustion spreads rapidly through the matrix igniting the discrete pieces as it spreads. Again the gaseous products from the combustion of the matrix, and also perhaps from the combustion of the pieces, increases the pressure inside the container which in turn increases the burning rate of the matrix. Again, all the pieces are ignited in a fraction of a second and when the pressure inside the container due to the build up of gaseous products reaches the said pre-determined internal pressure the container ruptures. When the container ruptures the pellet bursts apart into its constituent pieces because of the evolution of gaseous products between the pieces. Using a matrix is advantageous particularly if the discrete pieces are made of a pyrotechnic composition which is difficult to ignite.
The plurality of pieces have a combined surface area which is much greater than the surface area of the pellet and so the pyrotechnic composition (which combusts at its surface) which makes up the first pellet is combusted more quickly than if it was in a single homogeneous pellet. Also because of the increase in surface area the pieces are decelerated much more quickly by air resistance. This rapidly reduces the velocity of air flow over the pieces and so rapidly reduces the cooling effect of the air flow causing the pieces to burn more quickly.
Therefore a pellet according to the present invention burns with a higher intensity for a shorter period of time than a single homogeneous pellet of the same pyrotechnic composition.
Preferably the gassy infra-red pyrotechnic composition has a burning rate of between Scms~1 and 15cms~1 in air at atmospheric pressure. A
pyrotechnic composition with such a high burning rate is preferable because it enables substantially all of the discrete pieces to be ignited in a fraction of a second. When all the discrete pieces are ignited, 207~76~
_ they can be dispensed and so if the pieces are ignited quickly they can be dispensed quickly and so can burn for longer after they have been dispensed thus produc;n~ an infra-red source of longer duration.
Preferably the pellet is tightly packed within the air tight container so that the gaseous combustion products produced when the gassy pyrotechnic composition combusts increases the pressure inside the container more rapidly than if air gaps were present between the pellet and the container. Such an increase in the pressure can cause the burning rate of the preferred gassy pyrotechnic composition to increase to several metres per second, thus causing the discrete pieces to be ignited more quickly.
Preferably the pre-determined internal pressure under which the container ruptures is that pressure generated by the combustion of the gassy pyrotechnic composition at the earliest time when substantially all the discrete pieces are ignited. It is advantageous that substantially all the discrete pieces are ignited before the container ruptures, because any unignited pieces cannot be ignited once the pellet bursts apart and so are wasted. Furthermore it is advantageous that the container ruptures soon after substantially all the pieces have been ignited so that when the pellet bursts apart the ignited pieces burn for as long as possible.
Preferably the discrete pieces that make up the pellet each have a volume of at least Smm'. If the discrete pieces are smaller than this then the time it takes the cloud of burning pieces to burn out may not be long enough for the seeker system to detect and be lured to the flare.
Preferably the combined surface area of the discrete pieces that make up the pellet is between 5 and 75 times the surface area of the pellet. Within this range the deceleration of the cloud of pieces is significantly greater than the deceleration of the pellet, thus significantly reduc;n~ the cooling air flow over the burning pieces.
HIGH INTENSITY INFRA-RED PYROTECHNIC DECOY FLARE
This invention relates to a high intensity infra-red pyrotechnic decoy flare and in particular to a decoy flare which can be aircraft ~ nr~ed to lure inf n~ missiles with infra-red seeker systems away from the aircraft exhaust which is itself an infra-red source.
Known decoy flares conventionally comprise mixtures of fine particulate oxidisable and oxidising materials which undergo pyrotechnic reactions on ignition and which are bound together with an organic binder and pressed to form pellets. Examples of oxidisable materials are oxidisable metals, in particular magnesium and alloys thereof and examples of oxidising materials are oxidising halogenated polymers, in particular polytetrafluoroethylene (hereafter PTFE). When an incoming missile is detected by an aircraft a pellet is launched from the aircraft and is ignited as it is launched. The pellet burns over its surface to produce an infra-red source more intense than the aircraft's exhaust. If the incoming missile has an infra-red seeker system then the missile can be lured away from the aircraft exhaust to the more intensely burning pellet which falls quickly away from the aircraft.
Decoy flares can only lure a seeker system from an aircraft exhaust if the infra-red intensity of the burning pellet is greater than that of the aircraft exhaust. The velocity of the aircraft is limited if the decoy flare is to be effective because as the aircraft velocity increases the reheat of the aircraft's ~n~in~s increases and the infra-red intensity of the exhaust increases. Conventional decoy flares are not able to protect an aircraft near to the maximum reheat value of its ~n~;n~S. This limit on the aircraft velocity is a disadvantage because it extends the time it takes an aircraft to leave a hostile region and it limits the velocity at which the aircraft can manoeuvre away from an incoming missile.
A known method of enhAncing the decoy effect of conventional decoy flares is to launch two or more pellets in quick succession in order to confuse the missile seeker system with further infra-red sources.
` ~07~7~
However such decoys are still not able to protect an aircraft near to the maximum reheat of its engines.
The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the aforementioned disadvantages by providing an infra-red decoy flare which burns with an increased infra-red intensity than known decoy flares and so is able to lure seeker systems away from aircraft travelling at higher velocities than has previously been possible.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an aircraft-lal~chPd pyrotechnic decoy flare for luring an incoming missile away from the aircraft's exhaust, comprising at least one pellet which is contained within an air-tight rupturable container, characterised in that the pellet comprises a compactly clustered, substantially void free array of discrete pieces of an infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition optionally embedded in a matrix, where the matrix, if present, or the discrete pieces, if no matrix is present, is/are made of a gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition and the container is designed to rupture and dispense the said discrete pieces when subjected to a pre-determined internal pressure generated by the combustion of the gassy pyrotechnic composition. By employing a decoy flare according to the first aspect of the present invention a higher infra-red intensity results from the combustion of the pellet than from a conventional flare comprising a homogeneous pellet of the same size and same pyrotechnic composition.
When the flare according to the first aspect of the present invention is la~n~hed from an aircraft and ignited, if no matrix is present, then combustion spreads rapidly over the surface of the pellet and furthermore rapidly penetrates the pellet along the interfaces between the pieces. The gaseous products from the combustion of the pieces increases the pressure in the container which in turn increases the burning rate of the pieces so that substantially all of the pieces are ignited in a fraction of a second. When the pressure inside the container due to the build up of gaseous products reaches the said ~7~7~4 pre-determined internal pressure the container ruptures. When the container ruptures the pellet bursts apart into its constituent pieces because of the evolution of gaseous products at the interfaces between the pieces.
If a matrix is present then on ignition combustion spreads rapidly through the matrix igniting the discrete pieces as it spreads. Again the gaseous products from the combustion of the matrix, and also perhaps from the combustion of the pieces, increases the pressure inside the container which in turn increases the burning rate of the matrix. Again, all the pieces are ignited in a fraction of a second and when the pressure inside the container due to the build up of gaseous products reaches the said pre-determined internal pressure the container ruptures. When the container ruptures the pellet bursts apart into its constituent pieces because of the evolution of gaseous products between the pieces. Using a matrix is advantageous particularly if the discrete pieces are made of a pyrotechnic composition which is difficult to ignite.
The plurality of pieces have a combined surface area which is much greater than the surface area of the pellet and so the pyrotechnic composition (which combusts at its surface) which makes up the first pellet is combusted more quickly than if it was in a single homogeneous pellet. Also because of the increase in surface area the pieces are decelerated much more quickly by air resistance. This rapidly reduces the velocity of air flow over the pieces and so rapidly reduces the cooling effect of the air flow causing the pieces to burn more quickly.
Therefore a pellet according to the present invention burns with a higher intensity for a shorter period of time than a single homogeneous pellet of the same pyrotechnic composition.
Preferably the gassy infra-red pyrotechnic composition has a burning rate of between Scms~1 and 15cms~1 in air at atmospheric pressure. A
pyrotechnic composition with such a high burning rate is preferable because it enables substantially all of the discrete pieces to be ignited in a fraction of a second. When all the discrete pieces are ignited, 207~76~
_ they can be dispensed and so if the pieces are ignited quickly they can be dispensed quickly and so can burn for longer after they have been dispensed thus produc;n~ an infra-red source of longer duration.
Preferably the pellet is tightly packed within the air tight container so that the gaseous combustion products produced when the gassy pyrotechnic composition combusts increases the pressure inside the container more rapidly than if air gaps were present between the pellet and the container. Such an increase in the pressure can cause the burning rate of the preferred gassy pyrotechnic composition to increase to several metres per second, thus causing the discrete pieces to be ignited more quickly.
Preferably the pre-determined internal pressure under which the container ruptures is that pressure generated by the combustion of the gassy pyrotechnic composition at the earliest time when substantially all the discrete pieces are ignited. It is advantageous that substantially all the discrete pieces are ignited before the container ruptures, because any unignited pieces cannot be ignited once the pellet bursts apart and so are wasted. Furthermore it is advantageous that the container ruptures soon after substantially all the pieces have been ignited so that when the pellet bursts apart the ignited pieces burn for as long as possible.
Preferably the discrete pieces that make up the pellet each have a volume of at least Smm'. If the discrete pieces are smaller than this then the time it takes the cloud of burning pieces to burn out may not be long enough for the seeker system to detect and be lured to the flare.
Preferably the combined surface area of the discrete pieces that make up the pellet is between 5 and 75 times the surface area of the pellet. Within this range the deceleration of the cloud of pieces is significantly greater than the deceleration of the pellet, thus significantly reduc;n~ the cooling air flow over the burning pieces.
2(~7876~
Preferably the air tight container comprises two container parts joined together by rupturable connection means so that the internal pressure under which the connection ruptures can be accurately pre-determined. More preferably a first container part comprises a metal cylinder closed at one end and a second container part comprises a metal disc with a diameter just less than the diameter of the container and the rupturable connection means is made by crimping the open end of the cylinder over the circumference of the disc. Preferably the container is made of aluminium, titanium or alloys thereof as such metals are light in mass, strong and well suited to the particular type of rupturable connection means described above.
Preferably the discrete pieces are made of a gassy pyrotechnic composition which has a tacky consistency such that the pieces cohere to form the pellet under pressure. Pyrotechnic compositions with such a consistency are well known.
Preferably the discrete pieces are made of a mixture of fibrous activated carbon impregnated with a metallic salt and a preferred gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition comprising a mixture of an oxidising halogenated polymer and an oxidisable metallic material capable of reacting exothermically with each other on ignition to emit infra-red radiation and an organic binder.
The addition of impregnated fibrous activated carbon to a pyrotechnic composition can increase the infra-red intensity of the composition when it combusts. This is because the presence of the impregnated fibrous activated carbon increases the rate of combustion of the composition by a mechanism as yet unknown. By using the pyrotechnic composition comprising impregnated fibrous activated carbon for the discrete pieces in the present invention an infra-red output of up to 3 times that produced by a co-l~elltional flare can be produced, and so the decoy flare according to the present invention can protect an aircraft to up to the maximum reheat of the aircraft's Pngines. Furthermore the ,~07~764 inclusion of impregnated fibrous activated carbon makes the flare safer to process, store and handle because the carbon is inert.
The activity of the fibrous carbon, as measured by its specific heat of wetting with silicone is preferably between 20Jg-l (low activity) and 120Jg-l (high activity). A fibrous activated carbon with a heat of wetting of greater than 120Jg-l will have low fibre strength and on ignition may disintegrate. On the other hand using low activity fibrous activated carbon with a heat of wetting lower than 20Jg-l it may be difficult to impregnate the carbon with a sufficient amount of the metallic salt.
Preferably the concentration of the metallic salt in the impregnated fibrous activated carbon is such that the impregnated fibrous activated carbon contains between 1% and 20% by weight of the metal. The presence of a metal within this range facilitates ignition and sustains the combustion of the carbon within the pyrotechnic composition.
Preferably the metallic salt is a copper salt, for example, copper sulphate, copper nitrate, copper acetate and copper chloride as such salts are easily deposited onto the fibrous carbon and produce relatively high combustion rates in the fibrous carbon in atmospheres depleted of oxygen. Other metal salts can also be used, for example aluminium and zinc salts.
Preferably the fibrous activated carbon is provided in the form of activated carbon cloth. Cloth is preferable because it can be coated with the preferred pyrotechnic composition to give a uniform interface between the impregnated fibrous activated carbon and the preferred composition. Loose fibres may be less uniformly spaced and 80 carbon deficient parts would combust to give a relatively low infra-red intensity. As an alternative to activated carbon cloth an activated carbon felt could be coated with the preferred pyrotechnic composition to give a similar result to the cloth.
207876~
The discrete pieces preferably contain between 15% and 45X by weight of the impregnated fibrous activated carbon. Within this range a substantial part of the preferred pyrotechnic composition will be beneficially affected by direct contact with the impregnated fibrous activated carbon during combustion and the impregnated fibrous activated carbon can be completely coated with the said composition.
Preferably the matrix is made of the preferred gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition as such a pyrotechnic composition will have a high burning rate which can increase to several metres per second under pressure.
.
Suitable oxidising halogenated polymers are well known in the art of pyrotechnics and include polytrifluorochloroethylene and copolymers of trifluorochloroethylene with, for example, vinylidene fluoride.
Similarly suitable organic binders are well known and include straight chain chlorinated paraffins, for example Alloprene (TM) and Cereclors (TM), also polyvinlychloride can be used. Suitable oxidisable metallic materials are also well known in the art of pyrotechnics and include magnesium, magnesium/aluminium alloys, aluminium, titanium, boron and zirconium.
Preferably the oxidising halogenated polymer used in the preferred pyrotechnic composition is a fluorinated polymer, for example, copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene with perfluolopropylene, homopolymers of perfluoropropylene and copolymers of perfluoloplo~ylene with vinylidene fluoride, polyhexafluoroprop~lene and copolymers of hexafl~orop,op~lene with vinylidene fluoride. More preferably the oxidising fluorinated polymer is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). PTFE is a compound that is very well known in the art of pyrotechnics and has a high percentage of fluorine in it and is known to react vigorously with the oY;~;~Ahle metallic materials in the group listed above.
Preferably the preferred pyrotechnic composition contains between 15% and 50% by weight of PTFE and between 35% and 70% by weight of 20~816~
magnesium. The ratio of oxidising halogenated polymer to oxidisable metsllic material in the flare composition is generally not stochiometric. Preferably there is an excess of metallic material because at lower altitudes oxygen present in the air will react with the metallic material. Also if the organic binder is fluorinated this too will react with the metallic material.
Preferably the organic binder is a fluorinated organic binder, for example the tripolymer of vinylidene fluoride, hexafl~oroplopylene and tetrafluoroethylene and more preferably the fluorinated organic binder is a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluo~opIopylene, for example, VITON A (TM). VITON A (TM) coats and binds the oxidising halogenated polymer and the oxidisable metallic material very well and gives the preferred pyrotechnic composition a suitable tacky consistency so that pieces of the preferred pyrotechnic composition will cohere to form the pellet under pressure.
Preferably the preferred pyrotechnic composition contains between 1%
and 20% by weight of the organic binder. Generally the more organic binder that is used the safer the processing of the preferred composition is. Generally the more binder that is used the easier the preferred composition is to ignite but the combustion rate decreases. The amount of binder used can be varied to vary the tackiness of the preferred composition.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a pyrotechnic decoy flare comprising at least two pellets of a pyrotechnic composition and time delay means for igniting the pellets sequentially with a pre-determined time delay between the ignition of successive pellets, wherein at least the first ignited pellet is a pellet according to the first aspect of the present invention.
The decoy flare according to the second aspect of the present invention enhA~ces the decoy effect of the first aspect of the present invention because lal~nch;ng two or more pellets in quick succession ~078764 confuses the seeker system with further infra-red sources. The time delay means are arranged so that each pellet is ignited just before the procee~;ng pellet burns out so that the seeker system is not lured towards the aircraft exhaust between the combustion of successive pellets.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a pyrotechnic decoy flareaccording to the first aspect of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through a double pyrotechnic decoy flare according to the second aspect of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a graph of radiant intensity against time when the pyrotechnic flare shown in Figure 1 is ignited at an altitude of 300m and a velocity of 200ms~l.
Figure 4 is a graph of radiant intensity against time when the pyrotechnic flare shown in Figure 2 is ignited at an altitude of 300m and a velocity of 200ms~l.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through a second embodiment of the pyrotechnic decoy flare according to the first aspect of present invention.
Figure 6 is a section along line AA of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a graph of radiant intensity against time when the pyrotechnic decoy flare shown in Figures 5 and 6 is ignited at an altitude of 300m and a velocity of 200ms~l.
~, Figure 8 is a graph of the weight of metal salt per 50ml of water and per 5g of charcoal cloth against the percentage of metal impregnated 2~78~6~
in the treated charcoal cloth to be used in the preferred composition for the discrete pieces in the decoy flare according to the present invention.
A pellet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be made in the following way. 20g of VITON A (TM) is dissolved in 200ml acetone. To the resulting solution is added 179g of granular magnesium, 16g of VITON A (TM), 104g of granular grade PTFE and 26g of lubricant grade PTFE. The resulting mixture is stirred to form a suspension which has a spreadable consistency. The suspension is then coated evenly onto 150g of commercially available copper treated C-Tex (TM) carbon cloth which can be obtained from Siebe Gorman & Co Ltd. This is done by spreading the suspension over the cloth with a spatula. The copper treated C-Tex cloth had been impregnated with approximately 11% by weight of copper. The coated cloth is then left to dry for a few hours until the acetone has evaporated off the cloth, leaving a rubbery coating on the cloth. The coated cloth is cut into small sguares having sides of 0.5cm and 140g of the small squares of cloth are pressed into a cylindrical pellet under a pressure of 64X106 Pa.
Alternatively the impregnated carbon cloth can be made by impregnating charcoal cloth, for example untreated C-Tex (TM) carbon cloth (also available from Siebe Gorman & Co Ltd) with water soluble metallic salts in the following way. Approximately 5g (25xl5cm) of cloth, dried at 105C is immersed in 50ml aqueous solution of the metallic salt for 2 minutes at 90C. The fabric is then removed, drained and dried. The appLu~imate amounts of some copper salts per 50ml water per 5g of dry fabric necessary to give required percentages of metal in the fabric at 60% relative humidity are shown in Figure 8. This process can be scaled up according to the amount of carbon cloth required.
Referring now to Figure 1 the pyrotechnic decoy flare shown generally at 1 comprises a cylindrical pellet 2 constructed as described above which is located inside a cylindrical casing 4 open at its rearward end. The casing 4 is made of a low melting point aluminium alloy and has 2~7~71~
a thickness of O.Smm. A metallic rear plug 6 preferably made of aluminium fits into the rearward end of the casing 4 so that the rear plug 6 touches the pellet 2. The open end of the casing 4 is crimped over the circumference of the rear plug 6 to protuce a rupturable connection. Holes are bored in the rear plug 6 for the location of an expulsion charge 8, a takeover charge 10, 12, 16, 18 and a sprung shutter 14. The expulsion chsrge 8 is a charge that produces a large volume of gas on initiation, for example a propellant charge. In this embodiment the expulsion charge 8 is a ~c~-1er charge. The takeover charge is made of a first explosive charge 10, a first delay train 12, a second delay train 16 separated from the first delay train 12 by a metal (preferably aluminium) sprung shutter 14 and a second explosive charge 18. The first and second explosive charges 10 and 18 respectively and the first and second delay trains 12 and 16 respectively are made of a gasless delay fuze material, for example a mixture of boron and bismuth oxide. The decoy flare 1 is located inside a cylindrical launch tube 20 which is fitted onto an aircraft. The launch tube 20 has a thin aluminium cap 22 fitted into its forward end to restrain the decoy flare 1 within the launch tube 20 until the decoy flare is launched.
In operation the aircraft detects an incoming missile and a signal from the aircraft computer initiates the expulsion charge 8 and the first explosive charge 10. The expulsion charge 8 combusts to produce a build up of hot gases at the rear of the decoy flare 1. When the hot gases reach a predetermined pressure the thin aluminium cap 22 breaks and the decoy flare 1 is accelerated along the launch tube 20. Meanwhile the first explosive charge 10 initiates the explosive train 12. ~hen the decoy flare 1 exits the launch tube 20 the sprung shutter 14 is no longer pressed into rear plug 6 by the internal surface of the launch tube 20 and so the sprung shutter 14 is pushed out of the rear cap 6. Delay train 12 then initiates delay train 16 and delay train 16 initiates the second explosive charge 18 which in turn initiates the cylindrical pellet 2. Combustion of the pellet 2 spreads over the surfaces of the agglomerated pieces of coated cloth (ie over the surface of the pellet 2 and the interfaces between the pieces of coated cloth). The gaseous 2~787~
products produced by the combustion of the pieces of cloth causes the connection between the casing 4 and the rear plug 6 to rupture.
Combustion at the interfaces between the pieces of cloth produces hot gaseous products and causes the pellet 2 to burst apart into its constituent pieces of burning coated cloth as it leaves the casing 4. A
cloud of burning pieces of coated cloth is formed which rapidly decelerate and burn with a high infra-red intensity for a short period of time.
Referring now to Figure 3 which shows how the radisnt intensity in the 3 to 5~m wavelength range varies with time when the decoy flare shown in Figure 1 is lA-~nrh~d and ignited from an aircraft at a velocity of 20nms-~ and an altitude of 300m. As can be seen the cloud of coated carbon cloth pieces burns with an intensity of up to llkWsr~l for a period of approximately 0.2 seconds.
Referring now to Figure 2 which shows a first decoy flare shown generally at 42 and a second decoy flare shown generally at 44. The first and second decoy flares 42 and 44 respectively are similar to the decoy flare 1 shown in Figure 1 except that the cylindrical pellet 46 is made of a homogeneous pressed MTV composition similar to that which is coated onto the carbon cloth. A time delay fuze 48 made of a length of igniter cord that takes 0.2 seconds to burn along its length connects expulsion charge 50 of decoy flare 42 and expulsion charge 52 of decoy flare 44.
In operation the aircraft detects an incoming missile and a signal from the aircraft computer initiates the expulsion charge 50 and explosive charge 54. The expulsion charge 50 initiates the time delay fuze 48. The first decoy flare 42 is l~nched and ignited as described above for decoy flare 1. The time delay fuze 48 burns along its length and initiates expulsion charge 52 and explosive charge 56 0.2 seconds after expulsion charge 50 and explosive charge 54 were initiated. The second decoy flare 44 is then launched as described for decoy flare 1.
~ 1~ 7 3 ~
Referring now to Figure 4 which shows how the radiant intensity in the 3 to 5~m wavelength range varies with time when the decoy flare shown in Figure 2 is l~l~nch~ and ignited from an aircraft at a velocity of 200ms~l and an altitude of 300m. The initial spike corresponds to the spike in Figure 3 and is produced by the first flare 42. While the first pellet is burning the aircraft can be m2noeuvred so that the infra-red intensity of the aircraft exhaust as seen from the direction of the seeker system is reduced. The time delay between the initiation of the flares 42 and 44 is chosen so that when the first flare 42 burns out the second flare 44 is burning and acting as an infra-red source. This corresponds to the second rise in infra-red intensity shown in Figure 4 which lasts for 0.5 seconds. If the aircraft is successfully manoeuvred the flare 44 will be the brightest infra-red source the seeker system sees and so the seeker system will be lured towards the pellet 46 instead of the aircraft.
Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 which shows a further embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention. The flare shown generally at 60 comprises 91 pieces 62 (approximately 345g) made of a gassy pyrotechnic composition (hereafter referred to as composition A) potted in a matrix 64. The pieces 62 are cylindrical with a diameter of 14mm and a length of llmm. The gassy pyrotechnic composition A is made in the following way. 25g of VITON A (TM) is dissolved in 250ml of acetone, the solution is stirred vigorously. More acetone can be added throughout the process to give the mixture a consistency so that it is easily stirrable and to replace acetone that evaporates. 275g of granular magnesium, 120g of granular grade PTFE and 80g of lubricant grade PTFE are added to the solution, while contiml;n~ to stir the mixture vigorously. Then 1200ml hexane is added and the magnesium, PTFE, VITON A (TM) composition (the composition A) precipitates out of the mixture. The composition A is separated from the hexane/acetone solution by filtration under vacuum.
The pyrotechnic composition A is washed three times with 1200ml of hexane which is filtered off under vacuum each time. The composition A is then left to dry.
- ~7~7 ~4 When it is dry the composition A is pressed under a pressure of approximately 64X106 Pa to form the individual pieces 62. The pieces 62 are then potted in the matrix 64 which is made of the same composition that is coated onto the impregnated activated carbon cloth as described above. The pieces 62 are arranged in the matrix 64, as shown in Figure 5 and 6, in 7 cylinders, each cylinder being made of 13 pieces 62 stacked on top of one another.
The pieces 62 and matrix 64 are located within an aluminium casing 66, with a diameter of 50mm and a length of 160mm, the casing having a thickness of 0.5mm. A rear plug 68 identical to the rear plug 6 shown in Figure 1 is fitted into the open rearward end of the casing 66.
In operation the flare 60 is lA-~rhed and initiated as described above for the decoy flare 1. The second explosive charge 70 initiates the matrix 64. The combustion of the matrix 64 spreads quickly and ignites the pieces 62 which combust over their surface. Combustion of the matrix 64 and the pieces 62 produce hot gaseous products which cause the rear plug 68 and pellet 60 fly out of the open end of the casing 66 and causes the pellet 60 to burst apart into its constituent pieces 62 of burning pyrotechnic composition A. A cloud of pieces 62 of burning pyrotechnic composition A is formed which rapidly decelerates and burn with a high infra-red intensity for a short period of time.
Referring now to Figure 7 which shows how the radiant intensity in the 3 to 5~m wavelength range varies with time when the decoy flare 60 shown in Figures 5 and 6 is lA~nrhed and ignited from an aircraft at a velocity of 200ms~1 and an altitude of 300m. The initial spike corresponds to the combustion of the matrix 64. As can be seen the cloud of pieces 62 burns with an intensity of up to 7.5kWsr~~ for a period of app.~imately 2 secon~
Preferably the air tight container comprises two container parts joined together by rupturable connection means so that the internal pressure under which the connection ruptures can be accurately pre-determined. More preferably a first container part comprises a metal cylinder closed at one end and a second container part comprises a metal disc with a diameter just less than the diameter of the container and the rupturable connection means is made by crimping the open end of the cylinder over the circumference of the disc. Preferably the container is made of aluminium, titanium or alloys thereof as such metals are light in mass, strong and well suited to the particular type of rupturable connection means described above.
Preferably the discrete pieces are made of a gassy pyrotechnic composition which has a tacky consistency such that the pieces cohere to form the pellet under pressure. Pyrotechnic compositions with such a consistency are well known.
Preferably the discrete pieces are made of a mixture of fibrous activated carbon impregnated with a metallic salt and a preferred gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition comprising a mixture of an oxidising halogenated polymer and an oxidisable metallic material capable of reacting exothermically with each other on ignition to emit infra-red radiation and an organic binder.
The addition of impregnated fibrous activated carbon to a pyrotechnic composition can increase the infra-red intensity of the composition when it combusts. This is because the presence of the impregnated fibrous activated carbon increases the rate of combustion of the composition by a mechanism as yet unknown. By using the pyrotechnic composition comprising impregnated fibrous activated carbon for the discrete pieces in the present invention an infra-red output of up to 3 times that produced by a co-l~elltional flare can be produced, and so the decoy flare according to the present invention can protect an aircraft to up to the maximum reheat of the aircraft's Pngines. Furthermore the ,~07~764 inclusion of impregnated fibrous activated carbon makes the flare safer to process, store and handle because the carbon is inert.
The activity of the fibrous carbon, as measured by its specific heat of wetting with silicone is preferably between 20Jg-l (low activity) and 120Jg-l (high activity). A fibrous activated carbon with a heat of wetting of greater than 120Jg-l will have low fibre strength and on ignition may disintegrate. On the other hand using low activity fibrous activated carbon with a heat of wetting lower than 20Jg-l it may be difficult to impregnate the carbon with a sufficient amount of the metallic salt.
Preferably the concentration of the metallic salt in the impregnated fibrous activated carbon is such that the impregnated fibrous activated carbon contains between 1% and 20% by weight of the metal. The presence of a metal within this range facilitates ignition and sustains the combustion of the carbon within the pyrotechnic composition.
Preferably the metallic salt is a copper salt, for example, copper sulphate, copper nitrate, copper acetate and copper chloride as such salts are easily deposited onto the fibrous carbon and produce relatively high combustion rates in the fibrous carbon in atmospheres depleted of oxygen. Other metal salts can also be used, for example aluminium and zinc salts.
Preferably the fibrous activated carbon is provided in the form of activated carbon cloth. Cloth is preferable because it can be coated with the preferred pyrotechnic composition to give a uniform interface between the impregnated fibrous activated carbon and the preferred composition. Loose fibres may be less uniformly spaced and 80 carbon deficient parts would combust to give a relatively low infra-red intensity. As an alternative to activated carbon cloth an activated carbon felt could be coated with the preferred pyrotechnic composition to give a similar result to the cloth.
207876~
The discrete pieces preferably contain between 15% and 45X by weight of the impregnated fibrous activated carbon. Within this range a substantial part of the preferred pyrotechnic composition will be beneficially affected by direct contact with the impregnated fibrous activated carbon during combustion and the impregnated fibrous activated carbon can be completely coated with the said composition.
Preferably the matrix is made of the preferred gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition as such a pyrotechnic composition will have a high burning rate which can increase to several metres per second under pressure.
.
Suitable oxidising halogenated polymers are well known in the art of pyrotechnics and include polytrifluorochloroethylene and copolymers of trifluorochloroethylene with, for example, vinylidene fluoride.
Similarly suitable organic binders are well known and include straight chain chlorinated paraffins, for example Alloprene (TM) and Cereclors (TM), also polyvinlychloride can be used. Suitable oxidisable metallic materials are also well known in the art of pyrotechnics and include magnesium, magnesium/aluminium alloys, aluminium, titanium, boron and zirconium.
Preferably the oxidising halogenated polymer used in the preferred pyrotechnic composition is a fluorinated polymer, for example, copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene with perfluolopropylene, homopolymers of perfluoropropylene and copolymers of perfluoloplo~ylene with vinylidene fluoride, polyhexafluoroprop~lene and copolymers of hexafl~orop,op~lene with vinylidene fluoride. More preferably the oxidising fluorinated polymer is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). PTFE is a compound that is very well known in the art of pyrotechnics and has a high percentage of fluorine in it and is known to react vigorously with the oY;~;~Ahle metallic materials in the group listed above.
Preferably the preferred pyrotechnic composition contains between 15% and 50% by weight of PTFE and between 35% and 70% by weight of 20~816~
magnesium. The ratio of oxidising halogenated polymer to oxidisable metsllic material in the flare composition is generally not stochiometric. Preferably there is an excess of metallic material because at lower altitudes oxygen present in the air will react with the metallic material. Also if the organic binder is fluorinated this too will react with the metallic material.
Preferably the organic binder is a fluorinated organic binder, for example the tripolymer of vinylidene fluoride, hexafl~oroplopylene and tetrafluoroethylene and more preferably the fluorinated organic binder is a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluo~opIopylene, for example, VITON A (TM). VITON A (TM) coats and binds the oxidising halogenated polymer and the oxidisable metallic material very well and gives the preferred pyrotechnic composition a suitable tacky consistency so that pieces of the preferred pyrotechnic composition will cohere to form the pellet under pressure.
Preferably the preferred pyrotechnic composition contains between 1%
and 20% by weight of the organic binder. Generally the more organic binder that is used the safer the processing of the preferred composition is. Generally the more binder that is used the easier the preferred composition is to ignite but the combustion rate decreases. The amount of binder used can be varied to vary the tackiness of the preferred composition.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a pyrotechnic decoy flare comprising at least two pellets of a pyrotechnic composition and time delay means for igniting the pellets sequentially with a pre-determined time delay between the ignition of successive pellets, wherein at least the first ignited pellet is a pellet according to the first aspect of the present invention.
The decoy flare according to the second aspect of the present invention enhA~ces the decoy effect of the first aspect of the present invention because lal~nch;ng two or more pellets in quick succession ~078764 confuses the seeker system with further infra-red sources. The time delay means are arranged so that each pellet is ignited just before the procee~;ng pellet burns out so that the seeker system is not lured towards the aircraft exhaust between the combustion of successive pellets.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a pyrotechnic decoy flareaccording to the first aspect of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through a double pyrotechnic decoy flare according to the second aspect of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a graph of radiant intensity against time when the pyrotechnic flare shown in Figure 1 is ignited at an altitude of 300m and a velocity of 200ms~l.
Figure 4 is a graph of radiant intensity against time when the pyrotechnic flare shown in Figure 2 is ignited at an altitude of 300m and a velocity of 200ms~l.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through a second embodiment of the pyrotechnic decoy flare according to the first aspect of present invention.
Figure 6 is a section along line AA of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a graph of radiant intensity against time when the pyrotechnic decoy flare shown in Figures 5 and 6 is ignited at an altitude of 300m and a velocity of 200ms~l.
~, Figure 8 is a graph of the weight of metal salt per 50ml of water and per 5g of charcoal cloth against the percentage of metal impregnated 2~78~6~
in the treated charcoal cloth to be used in the preferred composition for the discrete pieces in the decoy flare according to the present invention.
A pellet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be made in the following way. 20g of VITON A (TM) is dissolved in 200ml acetone. To the resulting solution is added 179g of granular magnesium, 16g of VITON A (TM), 104g of granular grade PTFE and 26g of lubricant grade PTFE. The resulting mixture is stirred to form a suspension which has a spreadable consistency. The suspension is then coated evenly onto 150g of commercially available copper treated C-Tex (TM) carbon cloth which can be obtained from Siebe Gorman & Co Ltd. This is done by spreading the suspension over the cloth with a spatula. The copper treated C-Tex cloth had been impregnated with approximately 11% by weight of copper. The coated cloth is then left to dry for a few hours until the acetone has evaporated off the cloth, leaving a rubbery coating on the cloth. The coated cloth is cut into small sguares having sides of 0.5cm and 140g of the small squares of cloth are pressed into a cylindrical pellet under a pressure of 64X106 Pa.
Alternatively the impregnated carbon cloth can be made by impregnating charcoal cloth, for example untreated C-Tex (TM) carbon cloth (also available from Siebe Gorman & Co Ltd) with water soluble metallic salts in the following way. Approximately 5g (25xl5cm) of cloth, dried at 105C is immersed in 50ml aqueous solution of the metallic salt for 2 minutes at 90C. The fabric is then removed, drained and dried. The appLu~imate amounts of some copper salts per 50ml water per 5g of dry fabric necessary to give required percentages of metal in the fabric at 60% relative humidity are shown in Figure 8. This process can be scaled up according to the amount of carbon cloth required.
Referring now to Figure 1 the pyrotechnic decoy flare shown generally at 1 comprises a cylindrical pellet 2 constructed as described above which is located inside a cylindrical casing 4 open at its rearward end. The casing 4 is made of a low melting point aluminium alloy and has 2~7~71~
a thickness of O.Smm. A metallic rear plug 6 preferably made of aluminium fits into the rearward end of the casing 4 so that the rear plug 6 touches the pellet 2. The open end of the casing 4 is crimped over the circumference of the rear plug 6 to protuce a rupturable connection. Holes are bored in the rear plug 6 for the location of an expulsion charge 8, a takeover charge 10, 12, 16, 18 and a sprung shutter 14. The expulsion chsrge 8 is a charge that produces a large volume of gas on initiation, for example a propellant charge. In this embodiment the expulsion charge 8 is a ~c~-1er charge. The takeover charge is made of a first explosive charge 10, a first delay train 12, a second delay train 16 separated from the first delay train 12 by a metal (preferably aluminium) sprung shutter 14 and a second explosive charge 18. The first and second explosive charges 10 and 18 respectively and the first and second delay trains 12 and 16 respectively are made of a gasless delay fuze material, for example a mixture of boron and bismuth oxide. The decoy flare 1 is located inside a cylindrical launch tube 20 which is fitted onto an aircraft. The launch tube 20 has a thin aluminium cap 22 fitted into its forward end to restrain the decoy flare 1 within the launch tube 20 until the decoy flare is launched.
In operation the aircraft detects an incoming missile and a signal from the aircraft computer initiates the expulsion charge 8 and the first explosive charge 10. The expulsion charge 8 combusts to produce a build up of hot gases at the rear of the decoy flare 1. When the hot gases reach a predetermined pressure the thin aluminium cap 22 breaks and the decoy flare 1 is accelerated along the launch tube 20. Meanwhile the first explosive charge 10 initiates the explosive train 12. ~hen the decoy flare 1 exits the launch tube 20 the sprung shutter 14 is no longer pressed into rear plug 6 by the internal surface of the launch tube 20 and so the sprung shutter 14 is pushed out of the rear cap 6. Delay train 12 then initiates delay train 16 and delay train 16 initiates the second explosive charge 18 which in turn initiates the cylindrical pellet 2. Combustion of the pellet 2 spreads over the surfaces of the agglomerated pieces of coated cloth (ie over the surface of the pellet 2 and the interfaces between the pieces of coated cloth). The gaseous 2~787~
products produced by the combustion of the pieces of cloth causes the connection between the casing 4 and the rear plug 6 to rupture.
Combustion at the interfaces between the pieces of cloth produces hot gaseous products and causes the pellet 2 to burst apart into its constituent pieces of burning coated cloth as it leaves the casing 4. A
cloud of burning pieces of coated cloth is formed which rapidly decelerate and burn with a high infra-red intensity for a short period of time.
Referring now to Figure 3 which shows how the radisnt intensity in the 3 to 5~m wavelength range varies with time when the decoy flare shown in Figure 1 is lA-~nrh~d and ignited from an aircraft at a velocity of 20nms-~ and an altitude of 300m. As can be seen the cloud of coated carbon cloth pieces burns with an intensity of up to llkWsr~l for a period of approximately 0.2 seconds.
Referring now to Figure 2 which shows a first decoy flare shown generally at 42 and a second decoy flare shown generally at 44. The first and second decoy flares 42 and 44 respectively are similar to the decoy flare 1 shown in Figure 1 except that the cylindrical pellet 46 is made of a homogeneous pressed MTV composition similar to that which is coated onto the carbon cloth. A time delay fuze 48 made of a length of igniter cord that takes 0.2 seconds to burn along its length connects expulsion charge 50 of decoy flare 42 and expulsion charge 52 of decoy flare 44.
In operation the aircraft detects an incoming missile and a signal from the aircraft computer initiates the expulsion charge 50 and explosive charge 54. The expulsion charge 50 initiates the time delay fuze 48. The first decoy flare 42 is l~nched and ignited as described above for decoy flare 1. The time delay fuze 48 burns along its length and initiates expulsion charge 52 and explosive charge 56 0.2 seconds after expulsion charge 50 and explosive charge 54 were initiated. The second decoy flare 44 is then launched as described for decoy flare 1.
~ 1~ 7 3 ~
Referring now to Figure 4 which shows how the radiant intensity in the 3 to 5~m wavelength range varies with time when the decoy flare shown in Figure 2 is l~l~nch~ and ignited from an aircraft at a velocity of 200ms~l and an altitude of 300m. The initial spike corresponds to the spike in Figure 3 and is produced by the first flare 42. While the first pellet is burning the aircraft can be m2noeuvred so that the infra-red intensity of the aircraft exhaust as seen from the direction of the seeker system is reduced. The time delay between the initiation of the flares 42 and 44 is chosen so that when the first flare 42 burns out the second flare 44 is burning and acting as an infra-red source. This corresponds to the second rise in infra-red intensity shown in Figure 4 which lasts for 0.5 seconds. If the aircraft is successfully manoeuvred the flare 44 will be the brightest infra-red source the seeker system sees and so the seeker system will be lured towards the pellet 46 instead of the aircraft.
Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 which shows a further embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention. The flare shown generally at 60 comprises 91 pieces 62 (approximately 345g) made of a gassy pyrotechnic composition (hereafter referred to as composition A) potted in a matrix 64. The pieces 62 are cylindrical with a diameter of 14mm and a length of llmm. The gassy pyrotechnic composition A is made in the following way. 25g of VITON A (TM) is dissolved in 250ml of acetone, the solution is stirred vigorously. More acetone can be added throughout the process to give the mixture a consistency so that it is easily stirrable and to replace acetone that evaporates. 275g of granular magnesium, 120g of granular grade PTFE and 80g of lubricant grade PTFE are added to the solution, while contiml;n~ to stir the mixture vigorously. Then 1200ml hexane is added and the magnesium, PTFE, VITON A (TM) composition (the composition A) precipitates out of the mixture. The composition A is separated from the hexane/acetone solution by filtration under vacuum.
The pyrotechnic composition A is washed three times with 1200ml of hexane which is filtered off under vacuum each time. The composition A is then left to dry.
- ~7~7 ~4 When it is dry the composition A is pressed under a pressure of approximately 64X106 Pa to form the individual pieces 62. The pieces 62 are then potted in the matrix 64 which is made of the same composition that is coated onto the impregnated activated carbon cloth as described above. The pieces 62 are arranged in the matrix 64, as shown in Figure 5 and 6, in 7 cylinders, each cylinder being made of 13 pieces 62 stacked on top of one another.
The pieces 62 and matrix 64 are located within an aluminium casing 66, with a diameter of 50mm and a length of 160mm, the casing having a thickness of 0.5mm. A rear plug 68 identical to the rear plug 6 shown in Figure 1 is fitted into the open rearward end of the casing 66.
In operation the flare 60 is lA-~rhed and initiated as described above for the decoy flare 1. The second explosive charge 70 initiates the matrix 64. The combustion of the matrix 64 spreads quickly and ignites the pieces 62 which combust over their surface. Combustion of the matrix 64 and the pieces 62 produce hot gaseous products which cause the rear plug 68 and pellet 60 fly out of the open end of the casing 66 and causes the pellet 60 to burst apart into its constituent pieces 62 of burning pyrotechnic composition A. A cloud of pieces 62 of burning pyrotechnic composition A is formed which rapidly decelerates and burn with a high infra-red intensity for a short period of time.
Referring now to Figure 7 which shows how the radiant intensity in the 3 to 5~m wavelength range varies with time when the decoy flare 60 shown in Figures 5 and 6 is lA~nrhed and ignited from an aircraft at a velocity of 200ms~1 and an altitude of 300m. The initial spike corresponds to the combustion of the matrix 64. As can be seen the cloud of pieces 62 burns with an intensity of up to 7.5kWsr~~ for a period of app.~imately 2 secon~
Claims (24)
1 An aircraft-launched pyrotechnic decoy flare for luring an incoming missile away from the aircraft's exhaust, comprising;
a pellet, comprising a compactly clustered, substantially void free array of discrete pieces, said discrete pieces being made of a gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition, and an air-tight container for containing said pellet, said container comprising a means for causing said container to rupture and dispense said discrete pieces when subjected to a pre-determined internal pressure generated, at least partly, by combustion of said discrete pieces.
a pellet, comprising a compactly clustered, substantially void free array of discrete pieces, said discrete pieces being made of a gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition, and an air-tight container for containing said pellet, said container comprising a means for causing said container to rupture and dispense said discrete pieces when subjected to a pre-determined internal pressure generated, at least partly, by combustion of said discrete pieces.
2 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 1 wherein the gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition has a burning rate of between 5cms-1 and 15cms-1 in air at atmospheric pressure.
3 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 1 wherein the pellet additionally comprises a matrix in which said discrete pieces are embedded, said matrix being made of a gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition.
4 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 3 wherein the gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition from which the matrix is made has a burning rate of between 5cms-1 and 15cms-1 in air at atmospheric pressure.
A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 1 wherein the pellet is tightly packed within the air-tight container.
6 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 1 wherein the pre-determined internal pressure is that pressure generated by the combustion of the pellet at the earliest time when substantially all of the discrete pieces are ignited.
7 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 1 wherein the discrete pieces each have a volume of at least 5 mm3.
8 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 1 wherein the combined surface area of the discrete pieces is between 5 and 75 times the surface area of the pellet.
9 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 1 wherein the air-tight container comprises two container parts joined together by rupturable connection means.
A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 9 wherein a first container part comprises a metal cylinder closed at one end, and a second container part comprises a metal disc with a diameter just less than the diameter of the cylinder and the rupturable connection means is made by crimping the open end of the cylinder over the circumference of the disc.
11 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 1 wherein the container is made of aluminium, or titanium or alloys thereof.
12 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 1 wherein the discrete pieces are made of a pyrotechnic composition which has a tacky consistency such that the pieces cohere to form the pellet under pressure.
13 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 1 wherein the discrete pieces are made of a mixture of fibrous activated carbon impregnated with a metallic salt and a preferred gassy infra-red emitting pyrotechnic composition which comprises a mixture of an oxidising halogenated polymer and an oxidisable metallic material capable of reacting exothermically with each other on ignition to emit infra-red radiation and an organic binder.
14 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 13 wherein the concentration of the metallic salt in the impregnated fibrous activated carbon is such that the impregnated fibrous activated carbon contains between 1% and 20% by weight of the metal.
A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 13 wherein the metallic salt is a copper salt.
16 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 13 wherein the fibrous activated carbon is activated carbon cloth.
17 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 13 wherein the pyrotechnic composition contains between 15% to 45% by weight of the impregnated fibrous activated carbon.
18 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 13 wherein the halogenated polymer is polytetrafluoroethylene (hereafter PTFE).
19 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 13 wherein the oxidisable metallic material is magnesium.
A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 13 wherein the pyrotechnic composition contains between 15% to 50% by weight of PTFE and between 38% and 70% by weight of magnesium.
21 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 13 wherein the organic binder is a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene.
22 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 13 wherein the pyrotechnic composition contains between 1% and 20% by weight of the organic binder.
23 A pyrotechnic decoy flare according to claim 3 wherein the matrix comprises a mixture of an oxidising halogenated polymer and an oxidisable metallic material capable of reacting exothermically with each other on ignition to emit infra-red radiation and an organic binder.
24 A pyrotechnic decoy flare comprising at least two pellets of a pyrotechnic composition and time delay means for igniting the pellets sequentially with a pre-determined time period between ignition of successive pellets, wherein at least the first ignited pellet is a pellet according to any one of claims 1 to 23.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9120803.3A GB9120803D0 (en) | 1991-10-01 | 1991-10-01 | Pyrotechnic decoy flare |
| GB9120803.3 | 1991-10-01 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2078764A1 CA2078764A1 (en) | 1995-12-22 |
| CA2078764C true CA2078764C (en) | 2000-09-05 |
Family
ID=10702218
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002078764A Expired - Fee Related CA2078764C (en) | 1991-10-01 | 1992-09-21 | High intensity infra-red pyrotechnic decoy flare |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US5585594A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU660914B1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2078764C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE4244682B4 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB9120803D0 (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1262996B (en) |
| SE (1) | SE510589C2 (en) |
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| US5866840A (en) * | 1997-09-17 | 1999-02-02 | Her Majesty The Queen In Right Of Canada, As Represented By The Minister Of National | Nozzles for pyrophoric IR decoy flares |
| US6055909A (en) * | 1998-09-28 | 2000-05-02 | Raytheon Company | Electronically configurable towed decoy for dispensing infrared emitting flares |
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| US20050199323A1 (en) * | 2004-03-15 | 2005-09-15 | Nielson Daniel B. | Reactive material enhanced munition compositions and projectiles containing same |
| USRE45899E1 (en) * | 2000-02-23 | 2016-02-23 | Orbital Atk, Inc. | Low temperature, extrudable, high density reactive materials |
| US8122833B2 (en) * | 2005-10-04 | 2012-02-28 | Alliant Techsystems Inc. | Reactive material enhanced projectiles and related methods |
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| DE10065816B4 (en) * | 2000-12-27 | 2009-04-23 | Buck Neue Technologien Gmbh | Ammunition for generating a fog |
| FR2840977B1 (en) | 2002-06-12 | 2004-09-03 | Giat Ind Sa | DEVICE AND MUNITION FOR PROTECTING A VEHICLE OR A FIXED PLATFORM AGAINST A THREAT |
| FR2840978B1 (en) | 2002-06-12 | 2004-09-03 | Giat Ind Sa | MASKING AMMUNITION |
| US20040103031A1 (en) * | 2002-08-15 | 2004-05-27 | Henry Weinschenk | System and method for electronically locating items |
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| US8784583B2 (en) * | 2004-01-23 | 2014-07-22 | Ra Brands, L.L.C. | Priming mixtures for small arms |
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| US8568542B2 (en) * | 2008-06-25 | 2013-10-29 | United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy | Perchlorate-free yellow signal flare composition |
| US8277583B2 (en) * | 2008-06-25 | 2012-10-02 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy | Perchlorate-free red signal flare composition |
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| SG190105A1 (en) * | 2010-10-20 | 2013-06-28 | Alloy Surfaces Co Inc | Training munition with a payload of pyrophoric material |
| DE102010053812A1 (en) | 2010-12-08 | 2012-06-14 | Diehl Bgt Defence Gmbh & Co. Kg | Pyrotechnic mock target active mass useful for infrared mock target, comprises a first particle comprising a first fuel, a second particle comprising the first or a second fuel, an oxidant for the first fuel and a binder |
| DE102010053694A1 (en) | 2010-12-08 | 2012-06-14 | Diehl Bgt Defence Gmbh & Co. Kg | Pyrotechnic decoy target for infrared targets |
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| DE102013010266A1 (en) | 2013-06-18 | 2014-12-18 | Diehl Bgt Defence Gmbh & Co. Kg | Decoy target active body with a pyrotechnic active mass |
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| DE102017124351A1 (en) * | 2017-10-18 | 2019-04-18 | Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh | decoys |
| DE102019111722B3 (en) * | 2019-05-06 | 2020-09-17 | Ernst-Christian Koch | Pyrotechnic active mass for infrared targets |
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-
1991
- 1991-10-01 GB GBGB9120803.3A patent/GB9120803D0/en active Pending
-
1992
- 1992-09-11 US US07/941,872 patent/US5585594A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-09-21 CA CA002078764A patent/CA2078764C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-09-28 IT ITRM920709A patent/IT1262996B/en active IP Right Grant
- 1992-09-29 AU AU27343/92A patent/AU660914B1/en not_active Ceased
- 1992-09-29 DE DE4244682A patent/DE4244682B4/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-09-30 SE SE9202834A patent/SE510589C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2078764A1 (en) | 1995-12-22 |
| DE4244682A1 (en) | 1995-10-05 |
| IT1262996B (en) | 1996-07-23 |
| ITRM920709A0 (en) | 1992-09-28 |
| DE4244682B4 (en) | 2004-06-24 |
| US5585594A (en) | 1996-12-17 |
| ITRM920709A1 (en) | 1994-03-28 |
| SE9202834L (en) | 1998-11-06 |
| AU660914B1 (en) | 1995-07-13 |
| SE510589C2 (en) | 1999-06-07 |
| GB9120803D0 (en) | 1995-03-08 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |