Warhead
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A warhead is an explosive device used in military conflicts, used to destroy enemy vehicles or buildings.
Typically, a warhead is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo. It consists of the explosive material, and a detonator.
The types of warhead are:
- Explosive: An explosive charge is used to disintegrate the target, and damage surrounding areas with a shockwave.
- * Conventional: Chemicals such as gunpowder store significant energy within their molecular bonds. This energy can be released quickly by a trigger, such as an electric spark. Thermobaric weapons are something of a special case.
- * Nuclear: See Nuclear weapon.
- Chemical: A toxic chemical, such as nerve gas is dispersed, which is designed to injure or kill human beings.
- Biological: An infectious agent, such as anthrax is dispersed, which is designed to sicken and kill humans.
The types of detonators are:
- 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, sound waves, 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 shrapnel 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. See air burst.
- Combined: Any combination of the above.
See also
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