ROCKET MOTOR DESIGN FOR UNDERWATER SHOCK

Naval ships and equipment are designed to survive underwater shock. The underwater shock can result from a nearby explosion of a bomb or missile, or the underwater detonation of a nuclear weapon. The shock wave travels through the water and applies an impulsive pressure load to the ship. The ship responds by a sudden acceleration in a direction up and away from the explosion. The motion of the ship is imparted to its weapons and equipment. In the case of Standard missile, impulsive loads are applied to the missiles stowed in the magazines. The evolutionary design of rocket motor chambers and launch shoes for Standard missile for underwater shock is traced from the early Tartar missile to the latest version of Standard missile. As the weight of the missile has increased and the performance requirements have become more demanding, the design of the weapon for underwater shock has become more difficult. The paper explains the design approaches and techniques. Theoretical and experimental methods have been required. Finally, the paper highlights the experiences and problems in conducting underwater shock experiments with production systems in ships at sea.