SEA LANCE WEAPON DEVELOPMENT — SYSTEM AND NAVAL ENGINEERING ASPECTS OF THE CAPSULE

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe developmental Sea Lance Weapon System is an encapsulated supersonic standoff antisubmarine warfare missile, launched from an attack submarine torpedo tube. The buoyant capsule rises to the surface, broaches, the forward closure separates, and the rocket motor ignites, powering the missile and payload from the capsule to the target coordinates.This paper emphasizes the system engineering and naval engineering aspects of the Sea Lance capsule, a lightweight high strength composite material pressure hull. Performance, environmental and interface requirements were identified to which analyses and comparisons were made. Concept development tradeoff studies comparing different methods of launch, materials, and structural geometry led to reasons that drove selection of a composite material for the capsule. Encapsulation, buoyancy, and underwater propulsion concepts with advantages and disadvantages of each concept are compared. Determination of expected shock loads and the derivation of requirements this placed on the capsule to protect the missile are covered. Capsule requirements imposed by transportation and handling, submarine weapon shipping, and torpedo tube launch are explained.The capsule cylinder material is a layered composite material with a pressure vessel sandwich layer consisting of filament wound graphite‐epoxy skins with phenolic honeycomb in between, overlaid with a damage resistant layer of filament wound Kevlar over a crushable honeycomb. Future marine possibilities of composite capsule applications are presented. The paper concludes with the naval engineering advantages of composites capsules.