New Heavyweight torpedo with 100 km range and 1t thermobaric warhead
A thermobaric bomb is essentially an oxygen user. It is specifically designed to operate in confined spaces where it can still access oxygen. And not suitable for underwater use.
However underwater explosions conducted that contain metalised aluminium with up to 40% boron have proved quite successful. And have provided higher degree of schockwave and detonation energy in underwater explosions than with conventional underwater bombs. Boron is the key ingredient here.
quote:
As the content of boron powders is increased, the heat of combustion of the metal mixtures increases, and the combustion efficiency of boron decreases. The highest value of the combustion heat is 38.2181 MJ/kg, with the boron content of 40%. All metallized explosive compositions (RDX/Al/B/AP) have higher detonation energy (including higher shock wave energy and bubble energy) in water than the TNT charge.
unquote.
Also hexogen-enriched novel hydrogen storage alloy has proven to have even higher explosive energy. Detonated underwater in a thremobaric fashion, this type of explosives have shown themselves to be even more destructive.
Quote:
hexogen-enriched novel hydrogen storage alloy can produce higher bubble energy than that enriched aluminum. The total useful energy was 4.7 % (160 g) and 6.4 % (500 g) higher than an explosive with the same aluminum content, and Trotyl (TNT) equivalent of 2.1 times. The heat of explosion test shows the similar result that the novel hydrogen storage alloy can improve the total energy, about 7.9 % higher than the aluminized.
unquote.
This shows that our R&D departments are not sitting on their laurels , and working hard to improve and better the munitions they already have as well as come up with novel ideas.
When you think of the fact that Akya has an explosive weight of 350-380kg; and this new thermobaric explosives carry a lot more explosive energy, and there is 1000kg of it.. plus 100km range…wow!!
An underwater explosion test is used to determine the detonation properties of metallized explosives containing aluminum and boron powders. An oxygen bomb calorimeter (PARR 6200 calorimeter, Parr Instrument Company, USA) is used to obtain the heat of combustion of the metal mixtures. As the...
link.springer.com