A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Different types of shaped charges are used for various purposes such as cutting and forming metal, initiating nuclear weapons, penetrating armor, or perforating wells in the oil and gas industry.
A typical modern shaped charge, with a metal liner on the charge cavity, can penetrate armor steel to a depth of seven or more times the diameter of the charge (charge diameters, CD), though depths of 10 CD and above[1][2] have been achieved. Contrary to a misconception, possibly resulting from the acronym for high-explosive anti-tank, HEAT, the shaped charge does not depend in any way on heating or melting for its effectiveness; that is, the jet from a shaped charge does not melt its way through armor, as its effect is purely kinetic in nature[3] – however the process creates significant heat and often has a significant secondary incendiary effect after penetration.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2013-12-21.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Post, Richard (June 1, 1998). "Shaped Charges Pierce the Toughest Targets" (PDF). Science & Technology Review. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 17, 2016.
- ^ "Introduction to Shaped Charges, Walters, Army Research Laboratory, 2007" (PDF). p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-23. Retrieved 2017-03-23.