Shaped Charge!

This is coolbert:

One of the most significant but perhaps underrated and misunderstood weapons of modern times is the shaped charge.

Applications of this weapon has drastically changed warfare in modern times.

What is most amazing about the shaped charge is that how it works is not fully understood [theoretical models exist but are not fully conclusive]. What can best be said is that it is appreciated that it does work as it does and is used in a variety of interesting applications.

The shaped charge as best described for the layman is an explosive that concentrates the explosive force into one specific direction, creating an extreme blast effect against a small area. To read some descriptions of the shaped charge effect, and the theory behind it, click here.

One area where the shaped charge has been employed most effectively is in the area of anti-tank weaponry.

Prior to the use of the shaped charge as an anti-tank weapon, the infantryman had no weapon as his disposal that could defeat a tank.

With the advent of the panzerfaust, a German anti-tank weapon utilizing the shaped charge effect, the infantry now had a weapon that could defeat a tank, and do so quite handily. The shaped charge as used in the panzerfaust, creates a jet of extremely hot gas [plasma], that actually melts a hole through the steel armor of the tank, destroying the tank and the occupants.

A whole range of anti-tank weapons are based upon the shaped charge principle as first demonstrated with the panzerfaust. To include the Soviet RPG [rocket propelled grenade] family of weapons, and the U.S. LAW [light anti-tank weapon], TOW, and Hellfire. Read about the panzerfaust and it's use against tanks by clicking here.

Another area where the shaped charge played a significant role is in the development of nuclear weapons.

When nuclear weapons were first developed, the significant problem of controlled detonation was encountered.

The theory of critical mass [being able to bring together that specific amount of fissionable material together in just a split second so that a self-sustaining nuclear reaction and detonation would occur] was well understood as the means to achieve a detonation.

To be able to achieve the critical mass was however, not something that was easy to do.

Two methods were proposed.

One method to achieve critical mass was the gun method. Have a plug of fissionable uranium fired into a specific amount of other carefully weighted and machined fissionable uranium to create the critical mass and the self-sustaining chain reaction leading to a nuclear detonation.

The second method was the plutonium implosion method. Wedges of carefully machined plutonium would be brought together [imploded, squeezed together] in a precise split second to create the critical mass and achieve the nuclear detonation. At first, no feasible method could achieve the implosion fast enough and accurately enough. Finally, British scientists that were experts on shaped charges were brought in and solved the problem. Use shaped charges to drive the plutonium wedges together. This was successful and the plutonium bomb was detonated at Alamagordo in 1945.

Both in World War Two and in Vietnam, shaped charges were used as demolition devices.

Indeed, the first use of shaped charges in warfare was employed by the Germans during their airborne attack on the Belgian forts of Eban Emael.

German glider borne troops who had landed atop the Belgian forts carried forth from their gliders a large shaped charge [50 kilograms each?], placed these charges atop the steel gun cupolas of the forts, and detonated the charges.

The resultant jet of plasma melted it's way through the steel of the gun emplacements and destroyed the capability of the forts. Click here to see an outstanding site about Eban Emael. Shows photos of the gun emplacements and the damage done by the shaped charges.

U.S. forces in Vietnam used shaped charges to destroy VC bunker and tunnel complexes.

Rather than using traditional explosives, the U.S. forces would place a shaped charge over the suspected tunnel complex and detonate. The concentrated force of the shaped charge blast would create a narrow but deep hole, destroying the tunnel complex and killing anyone inside. To read further about the use of shaped charges in Vietnam, click here.

coolbert.