Oxygen enhanced cruise missile weapon system

A major increase in terminal explosive energy of a missile by reacting bulk aluminum, titanium, magnesium, steel, and/or organic matrix composite missile structure with oxygen enriched air which is collected as the missile flies to its target. Oxygen rich air is produced from a small amount of engine bleed or atmospheric air processed through a molecular sieve on board oxygen generating system (OBOG), and stored under pressure in the missile fuel tanks as they are emptied during flight. Explosive reaction of the oxygen with missile structure is achieved with a flexible linear shaped charge (FLSC) attached to tank wall structure. Initiation of an explosive reaction between the bulk aluminum and oxygen can be achieved by a conventional shape charge or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is directed to missile weapons and more particularly to 
increasing the explosive pay load of a missile. 
Presently missile weapons depend on their explosive pay loads for target 
devastation and the missile structure itself serves no useful purpose 
except for delivering the pay load to a chosen target. 
Presently, to achieve the destructive force desired from a given missile 
the delivery range is sacrificed to increase the payload size. 
It would be highly desirable to increase the destructive power of the 
payload of a given missile and yet increase its range while substantially 
maintaining the same overall size. 
The present invention makes this possible and further enhances the 
destructive delivery capabilities of the missile. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is directed to increased payload and hence destructive 
capabilities of a missile. An onboard oxygen generator is carried by the 
missile. Engine bleed air or atmospheric air is processed onboard by a 
OBOG to generate oxygen enriched air. The oxygen enriched air is routed to 
the missile fuel tank under pressure and replaces fuel utilized during 
flight. An explosive charge (FLSC) is carried internal of the fuel tank 
and when the target is reached the charge is detonated. The detonation 
causes an explosive reaction between the oxygen enriched air in the tank 
and the material of tank construction. The firing of the explosive charge 
is substantially simultaneous with the explosion of the missile warhead 
payload. 
An alternative is to release the pay load warhead on a first target and 
proceed to a second target with the enhanced missile. 
In additions to missile applications, this invention has commercial 
applications where conventional explosives are customarily used. In these 
applications, an aluminum tube or container with FLSC attached to the 
interior is filled with oxygen from a concentrator or other source of at 
the point of use. By firing the FLSC, the explosive reaction between the 
bulk aluminum and the oxygen is initiated. The resulting energy is used to 
perform tasks in mining, construction, demolition, or other fields as 
required. 
An object of this invention is to increase the terminal ballistic energy 
release of a given missile. 
An other object of this invention is to increase the range of a given 
missile while maintaining substantially the same or greater terminal 
ballistic energy payload. 
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the 
drawings which follow are understood by reading the corresponding 
description thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to drawing FIG. 1 which depicts a non-scale schematic showing 
of a missile 10 generally of the cruise type including the payload warhead 
12, fueling tank 14 capable of withstanding at least 600 lbs. of internal 
pressure, engine 16 and an onboard combination oxygen from air separator 
and pressure pump 18 for producing oxygen at about 600 lbs. per square 
inch (psi). 
Bleed air from the engine is taken in through the input 20 to the separator 
portion 22 of the combination oxygen separator and pressure pump 18. The 
other elements separated from the air are dispensed back into the 
atmosphere via the vent 24. The oxygen about 70% pure produced by the 
separator 22 is pressurized to about 600 lbs. by the pressure pump 26 and 
fed into tank 14 through conduit 28. The air for the input 20 can be 
obtained either from engine 16 bled air if a turbine type engine is used 
to propel the missile or from the atmosphere. The fuel feed system from 
the tank to the engine is conventional and is not a part of this 
invention. The operation of the separator and compressor combination which 
would occupy about 1 ft.sup.3 weighing less than 50 lbs. would decrease 
the efficiency of the engine only by about 1 to 2 %. The missile tail cone 
section could be modified to accommodate the combined 
separator/compressor. 
It should be understood that the source of air for producing oxygen can 
also be obtained from the atmosphere as shown in drawing FIG. 1A. 
Referring now to drawing FIG. 2, the fuel tank 14 is shown with a plurality 
of explosive charges 30 partially in phantom linearly positioned along the 
inside surface of the tank. These charges 30 are detonated by any 
convenient means such as by way of example and not by way of limitation, a 
timer, radio transmitter and receiver combination, etc. The detonation of 
the explosive charges 30 is generally in conjunction with the missile 
reaching its target and the detonation of the missile warhead payload. The 
method and means for detonating the charges 30 is conventional and is not 
a part of this invention. 
As the missile is propelled along it guided flight path, oxygen is 
separated from the air taken in at 20, pressurized by compressor 26 and 
fed into the fuel tank to replace the space left by the used fuel. When 
the missile reaches the end of its flight a considerable quantity of 
oxygen is now present in the fuel tank, as for example and not by way of 
limitation, approximately 50.6 lbs. 
Referring now specifically to drawing FIGS. 3A through 3E. In drawing FIG. 
3A the linear charges 30 totaling about 50 to 100 feet in length are 
positioned and attached to the inner surface 31 of the missile fuel tank 
14. The tank is constructed of aluminum for the purpose of explanation. 
The charge 30 is generally attached with a non-reactive adhesive as for 
example, fluorosilicone material 32 or the like. 
As the charges are detonated, as shown in drawing FIG. 3B, the wall 34 of 
the tank 14 ruptures generally along a line 36 where the liner charges are 
positioned. 
The rupture of the wall 34 continues as the explosion of the linear charges 
detonates the oxygen in the tank and the aluminum tank material resulting 
in the dispersal of explosive energy and shrapnel from the tank walls not 
consumed in the reaction with the oxygen, see drawing FIGS. 3B through 3E. 
An increase in missile range can be achieved by decreasing the size of the 
conventional warhead, replacing this gained volume in the missile with 
added fuel capacity. Overall explosive energy release at the target could 
be made equal to or greater than that achieved by the larger warhead alone 
and still significantly increase the missile range. 
With a goal of doubling the explosive output of a 1000 lb. bomb with little 
increase in size of weight of a cruise missile, the following oxygen 
enhancement design is an example: 
EXAMPLE 1 
A 1000 lb. bomb has 361 lbs. of explosive, assuming TNT, with an explosive 
energy of 1.81.times.10.sup.5 Kcal. The same amount of energy will be 
released by reacting 50.6 lbs. of oxygen with 56.9 lbs. of aluminum. The 
source of aluminum being as, aforementioned, the fuel tank structure. 
Unreacted tank structure will act as shrapnel, as aforementioned. 
EXAMPLE 2 
In a second example, with a goal of increasing the 1000 lb. bomb and 
increasing the missile range by 300 miles without decreasing the terminal 
energy release, replacing a 500 lb. bomb (3.5 ft..sup.3) for the 1000 lb. 
bomb (7.0 ft..sup.3) will result in an increased fuel capacity of 26.2 
gal. Assuming a fuel consumption rate with a smaller bomb, i.e. warhead 
payload, of 12 miles Per gallon (MPG) of fuel, the range would be 
increased by 314 miles. Using the oxygen enhanced design in EXAMPLE 1 
would give a total terminal energy release greater than with a 
conventional 1000 lb. bomb alone. 
While a specific embodiment of the device of the present invention have 
been shown and fully explained above for the purpose of illustration it 
should be understood that many alterations, modifications and 
substitutions may be made to the instant invention disclosure without 
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the 
appended claims.