The Secret World of Vickers Guided Weapons by John Forbat

Author:John Forbat [Forbat, John]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9780752487922
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2012-05-30T04:00:00+00:00

Fig.5.32 Mock-up of Blast warhead for Red Dean, showing the Initiator.47

The EMIE Fuze design dated back to the 1951 prototype, to meet the GW2 specification. Alternatives were considered for Red Dean, but in order to comply with the development programme timescales, this specification was nevertheless chosen. It used the well-proved National Bureau of Standards, Phase modulated Microwave (NBS PM-MW) design operating at X-Band radiated from the linear wave guide antennas mounted ahead of the four wing roots. The fuze system was designed to operate on a low-signal return from the target.48

This design used a Klystron for modulation of the X-Band radiation at under 1MHz. The phase of this transmitted signal was compared with the phase of the target return as the measure of range. Signal processing and output to the Initiator were executed in the third harmonic of these signals, since at this frequency, the side bands could contain the Doppler returns indicating range rate.

After laboratory development and consideration of other mechanical designs, the FM-1 Experimental Fuze became the preferred design for airborne missile trials.

The FM-1 Fuze contained a number of sub-units, which were not initially encapsulated (‘potted’) for shock and vibration protection. These units used wire-ended miniature valves and conventional wiring techniques of the time. In consequence, compensation had to be applied to reduce the effect of voltage drifts that otherwise caused pre-operational use warm-up problems. Power supplies for the final weapon fuze were to be received from the homing head. For trials purposes at the WTV4 stage, stabilised DC power supplies were not available due to the lack of stabiliser-valve ruggedness. Consequently, a battery power supply had to be designed and employed, and this provided satisfactory service, without producing spikes that could have caused spurious triggering.

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