Warhead
A warhead is the section of a device that contains the explosive agent or toxic material that is delivered by a missile, rocket, torpedo, or bomb.
Classification
Types of warheads include:- Explosive: An explosive charge is used to destroy the target and damage surrounding areas with a blast wave.
- *Conventional: Chemicals such as gunpowder and high explosives store significant energy within their molecular bonds. This energy can be released quickly by a trigger, such as an electric spark. Thermobaric weapons enhance the blast effect by utilizing the surrounding atmosphere in their explosive reactions.
- **Blast: A strong shock wave is provided by the detonation of the explosive.
- **Fragmentation: Metal fragments are projected at high velocity to cause damage or injury.
- **Continuous rod: Metal bars welded on their ends form a compact cylinder of interconnected rods, which is violently expanded into a contiguous zig-zag-shaped ring by an explosive detonation. The rapidly expanding ring produces a planar cutting effect that is devastating against military aircraft, which may be designed to be resistant to shrapnel.
- **Shaped charge: The effect of the explosive charge is focused onto a specially shaped metal liner to project a hypervelocity jet of metal, to perforate heavy armour.
- ***Explosively formed penetrator: Instead of turning a thin metal liner into a focused jet, the detonation wave is directed against a concave metal plate at the front of the warhead, propelling it at high velocity while simultaneously deforming it into a projectile.
- *Nuclear: A runaway nuclear fission or nuclear fusion reaction causes immense energy release.
- Chemical: A toxic chemical, such as poison gas or nerve gas, is dispersed, which is designed to injure or kill human beings.
- Biological: An infectious agent, such as anthrax spores, is dispersed, which is designed to sicken or kill humans.
Detonators
Explosive warheads contain detonators to trigger the explosion.Types of detonators include:
| Type | Definition |
| Contact | When the warhead makes physical contact with the target, the explosive is detonated. Sometimes combined with a delay, to detonate a specific amount of time after contact. |
| Proximity | Using radar, sonar, a magnetic sensor, or a laser, the warhead is detonated when the target is within a specified distance. It is often coupled with directional explosion control system that ensures that the explosion sends the fragmentation primarily towards the target that triggered it. |
| Timed | Warhead is detonated after a specific amount of time. |
| Altitude | Warhead is detonated once it falls to a specified altitude, usually in an air burst. |
| Remote | Remotely detonated via signal from operator. |
| Combined | Any combination of the above. |