Kill Enhancing Devices

RT&L FOCUS AREA(S): Hypersonics TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Battlespace; Weapons The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 3.5 of the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: Develop technology to improve kill effectiveness of interceptors. DESCRIPTION: Highly maneuverable threats challenge the performance abilities of hit to kill interceptors. Increasing the effective kill volume of a hit to kill interceptor may relax overall system requirements and improve affordability of defense systems. This topic will explore kill enhancing devices, to include warheads, which improve the probability of kill for highly maneuverable advanced threats. Relevant technology and investments could fall under numerous categories, such as: modeling and simulation, fuzing, warhead, sensors, etc. Improvements in hardware should minimize size and mass while increasing the effective kill volume. The kill enhancing device should improve the kill volume, warhead compactness, and/or lethality given the following technical parameters. The maximum missile fairing size should not exceed a 21-inch diameter. The maximum warhead mass should not exceed 50 kilograms. Improvements in fuzing technology should optimize end-game distance and timing to interception. Improvements in sensor technology should consider a minimum closing velocity at 1.5 km/s. Kill enhancing devices can be, but are not limited to: blast/fragmentation/shaped charge warhead, fragmentation material, fuzing technology, sensor technology, etc. PHASE I: In the Phase I effort, the contractor will perform a trade study to identify kill enhancing devices in relation to the advancing missile defense environment. The optimal kill enhancing device will be down-selected for initial conceptual design from the performed trade study. An analytical study should demonstrate the kill enhancing technology improves the kill volume, lethality and/or compactness of the warhead. PHASE II: In the Phase II effort, the contractor will design and develop sub-scale warhead component technology demonstrated through bread board/brass board testing. The sub-scale testing should validate the analytical predictive modelling. Portions of the Phase II effort are likely to be classified. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: In the Phase III effort, the contractor will produce a full scale prototype demonstration and evaluation of the technology. Contractor will provide manufacturing, quality, and safety documentation to be transferred to a program of record. REFERENCES: 1. Fundamentals of Naval Weapons Systems, Chapter 13 Warheads. , https://fas.org/man/dod-101/navy/docs/fun/part13.htm ; 2. An, X.; Ye, P.; Liu, J.; Tian, C.; Feng, S.; Dong, Y. Dynamic Fracture and Fragmentation Characteristics of Metal Cylinder and Rings Subjected to Internal Explosive Loading. Materials 2020, 13, 778. ; 3. Fong et al. Adaptive Fragmentation Mechanism to Enhance Lethality. US 8276520 B1, United States patent and Trademark Office, 02 Oct. 2012 4. Kuhns et al. Fragmentation Warhead. US 6484642 B1, United States patent and Trademark Office, 26 Nov. 2002