Abstract: An improved fiber reinforced penetrator rod for a kinetic energy projectile aving enhanced penetrating strength is disclosed herein. Embedded in a matrix medium of depleted uranium, or liquid phase sintered tungsten, are long fibers of tungsten-hafnium-carbide which are knitted into a continuous weave over the entire length of the fibers. This prevents splaying open or splitting of the front end of the fibers, and hence of the whole penetrator rod front end, upon impact, penetration, and receiving of the compressive forces upon hitting an armor target.

Abstract: An improved penetrator rod for a kinetic energy projectile is disclosed. edded as a central core within said penetrator rod is a lubricating rod, comprising metal alloys such as tin zinc, aluminum, or lead, which will continue to follow as it erodes upon penetration despite the heat and pressures of impact to an armor target. A new, lubricating, front end surface constantly re-appears as the front end of the penetrator erodes upon impact.

Abstract: A method for casting a rotating band onto a projectile having a metallic ll, with a nose at one end, a closed base at the other end, and a hollow core axially formed within said shell. The method comprises the steps of (a) forming a projectile mold having three sections, a first section for the nose, a second section for the closed base, and a third section for the rotating band seat; (b) casting hot metal into the mold; (c) removing the mold from the third section so as to expose the rotating band seat therein; (d) clamping a ring mold about the rotating band seat; (e) casting hot metal into the ring mold to form a rotating band within and above the rotating band seat; and (f) cooling the projectile.

Abstract: A long rod penetrator has a severable guide fin assembly which is severably attached to the long rod and is sheared from the long rod when the fins reach the surface of the armor being penetrated by the long rod. The shear force required to sever the fins from the long rod is the minimum force necessary to ensure that the fins remain attached to the long rod during the firing of the long rod penetrator and its movement toward a target.

Abstract: A method of casting high melting point metal such as refractory metals into ngots to provide substantially improved strength and density. A quantity of high melting point metal is placed in an arc area of a furnace having a "T" shaped vacuum chamber with a pair of opposing electrodes which generate an arc to cause droplets of the metal to melt from the heat thereby generated. The droplets fall into a mold positioned to receive the droplets and shaped to form the desired ingot. The method includes an additional step of further heating the droplets as they fall into the mold with a plasma arc gun mounted inside the furnace. The gun is directed to impinge its heat torch to control the rate of solidification such that a small pool of the liquid phase is maintained on the ingot. The last step comprises solidifying the molten metal in the ingot by controlling the plasma arc gun and the heat generated from it.