Fuzing

Lesson 13
 3 Components of a Warhead?
Fuze
Explosive Fill
Warhead Case
 Introduction
What is a fuze?
Devise designed to detonate, or set forces
into action to ignite or detonate the charge
under specific conditions
What is the difference between fuse and
fuze?
Fuse simple pyrotechnic
Fuze more complicated device
 Functions of the Fuze
Keep weapon safe
Arm weapon
Recognize or detect target
Initiate detonation
 Basic Fuzing System

Target
Detecting Safing
Device Explosive Warhead
And Output Warhead
TDD Detonator Arming Lead
(sensor) Device

Detonator
Target Detecting Device
Saving and Arming Device
 Fuzing Catagorization
Fuzes catagorized by the manner of fuze
operation
i.e. by target sensor
Fuze Catagories
Impact or contact
Ambient
Timer
Proximity
 Impact Fuze
Contact
Detects weapons first impact with an object
Output initiate the detonator
Typical Sensor mechanisms
Displacing an inertial mass
Stressing a piezoelectric crystal
Short-circuiting a coaxial transmission line
Interrupting an electrical circuit
 Impact Fuze
Sidewinder
Mk-46 Torpedo*
Tomahawk
Harpoon
 Ambient Fuze
Senses particular environment
Depth charges
Air pressure

Mark XI
 Timer/Delay Fuze
Preset time elapse a timing devise will
send a fire signal to the detonator
Mechanical, electronic, igniferous, or chemical
Can be combined with impact fuze.
 Proximity Fuze
Most complex class of fuze
Developed by US and England early in WWII
why?
Called Variable Time (VT) to mask their true
nature
Can be Active, Semi-active, or passive
Electromagnetic range gates
Magnetostatic presence of magnetic flux
Acoustic acoustic distrubances
Seismic similar to acoustic, however lower
bandwidth and extremely sensitive
 Active
Proximity Fuzes

Semi-Active

Passive
 Safing & Arming Mechanism

Safety & Arming Sensor:

Barrier between the TDD and the warhead
Isolate detonator from the booster

Target
Detecting Safing Explosiv
Device And e Warhead
Detonator Output
TDD Arming Lead
(sensor) Device
 Activation Forces

Used to arm the warhead

Time
Acceleration (Setback)
Deceleration (Creep)
Centrifugal
Impact
 Redundancy in Fuze System
Safety - Devices placed in series in firing
path for safety.
Reliability - Components placed in parallel
in firing path for arming & firing reliability.
 Redundancy in Fuze System

Safety and Arming devices Detonators and Target

arranged in series for safety Sensors arranged in parallel
for reliability
A B A
B

A S S F F A S S F F
B S F S F B S F S F
System S F F F System S S S F
Questions?