Patent ID: 6662726
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: F42B

Abstract:
An ammunition system for use with a weapon having a chamber and a barrel extending from the chamber to a muzzle, the system comprising:a subcaliber kinetic energy penetrator having a penetrator mass and extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising: an elongate body having fore and aft ends; and a plurality of stabilizing fins projecting from the body; and a discardable segmented sabot comprising: a plurality of longitudinal segments, having an assembled configuration surrounding the penetrator and secured thereto against relative longitudinal movement, the assembled segments defining at least one flange projecting radially outward and effective to allow the sabot and penetrator to be propelled forward through the barrel by the expansion of gas behind the at least one flange, wherein the body comprises:a first portion of the body having a first mass of between about 9% and 15% of the penetrator mass; and a second portion of the body having a second mass greater than the first mass and positioned aft of the first portion of the body; a coupling frangibly securing the first portion of the body to the second portion of the body via interfitting features and a threaded stud; the interfitting features comprising a reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body, the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body adjacent the fore end thereof, a mating cylindrical bore having a base and formed in the aft end of the first portion of the body and in receipt of the reduced diameter portion of the second portion of the body; wherein the threaded stud extends centrally and longitudinally from within the reduced diameter portion through the cylindrical bore and the base and into the first portion of the body; and whereby the coupling maintains the first portion of the body secured to the second portion of the body until a torque on the body transverse to the longitudinal axis exceeds a threshold, said threshold being selected to permit deformation of the first portion of the body when the body impacts an armor face plate at an oblique relation while substantially confining such deformation to said first portion of the body; wherein the first portion of the body consists essentially of material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tungsten-based alloys, and tungsten-based composites; and wherein the second portion of the body consists essentially of uranium, uranium-based alloys or uranium-based composites.