Missile Design

Missle design is a logical process implored to coordinate the diverse and intricate specifications which produce warheads that are powerful, lightweight or heavyweight, and maintain an adequate fissile payload that will totally obliterate intended targets..

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Missile - Map

Missile - Types

Missile - Titanium

Missile - Propulsion

Missile - Engineering

Missile - Nose Cones

Missile - Design Guide

Missile - Solid Mechanics

Missile - Design Concepts

Missile - Structural Design

Missile - Materials Science

Missile - Tecnology Trends

Missile - Structural Analysis

Missile - Digital Manufacturing

Missile - Tactical Missile Design

Missile - Surface to Surface Design

Missile - Automatic Control and Guidance

Missile - Factory Architectural Design Plan

Missile structural engineering consists of a forward bodysection, a warhead bodysection, a rear body section, and several fins. Missiles have five system components: targeting, guidance system, flight system, engine and warhead . Missiles come in types adapted for different purposes: surface-to-air, surface-to-surface and air-to-surface missiles (ballistic, cruise, anti-ship, anti-tank, etc.), surface-to-air missiles (and anti-ballistic), air-to-air missiles, and anti-satellite weapons. Finally, missile testing, both developmental / operational is a continuous and evolutionary activity spanning the lifetime of the device.

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RESEARCH GUIDES

DEFENSE SCIENCE JOURNAL

Program Development

The design / manufacturing process must be well understood at the macro level by the facility planning and engineering teams to ensure that an appropriate building concept is developed that is intergrated with manufacturing needs. Hiring a consultant(s) should be considered.

Design Aspects

The primary aspects of missile design are: Aerodynamics, Propulsion, Controls, Mass, and Structure. The various design aspects are joined together into a coherent whole. All missile design involves compromises of these factors to achieve the design mission.

Design Constraints

The design process starts with the missiles intended purpose. Hypersonic missiles are designed for stealth and quick strikes, while Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) are designed to destroy large human populations. Another key difference between the two is that hypersonic weapons remain in the atmosphere during flight, while ballistic missile / warheads spend much of their flight time in lower earth orbit.

Design Optimization

Hypersonic missiles and ICBM design projects are of such a large scale that every design aspect is supervised by different teams comprised of both engineers along with technicians and then amalgamated into an easily launched weapon system which is able to function under diverse meterological conditions.

Computer Designed Missile

Computer languages allow aeronautical engineers to write programs designed to enhance lethal efficiency along with optimizing nuclear payloads associated with many aspects of rocket science. Guidance technology translates electronic signals, which computers need to identify flight coordinates to successfully identify intended targets.

Design Process/Simulation

Missile conceptual design involves forming a variety of possible configurations that meet the desired design specifications. The design process is monitored by Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Structural configurations must satisfactorily meet all the requirements of the aformentioned design aspects.

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MISSILES 2024

“When you look at other countries that are developing the capabilities and the technology to deploy missiles of very significant destructive capability with nuclear, chemical, or biological warheads, then the MAD dogma makes even less sense”.

- Don Nickles: 1948 - : Aviation Quotes

Guided Missle Facility

Guided missle manufacturers require cost-effective, high-quality, and often highly technical facilities. To address these objectives, this article provides an overview of several key considerations for the design and construction of plants for guided missle (Hypersonic / ICBM) and associated components.

Everything about a guided missle manufacturing and assembly building must be driven by the manufacturing process, including process flow, process rate, and process requirements. The building must fully support the process, in addition to “keeping the weather out.” The manufacturing process must be well understood at a macro level by the facility planning and engineering team to ensure that an appropriate building concept is developed that is integrated with manufacturing needs. In addition, individual manufacturing areas within the building must be understood on a finite level to ensure that the facility and infrastructure supports manufacturing efficiently. Following are key considerations related to an assembly building that must be evaluated during planning to establish an appropriate building overall design:

fixed position assembly, parallel assembly, subassembly shops, and fishbone assembly, all of which will determine the buildings' size and layout. Different manufacturing process flows will likely be used for different components or steps within the overall process.

• Assembly rate and work-in-process — The assembly rate and work-in-process determine the total building size. The building’s designers and engineers will need to know how many missiles will be built — in a week, a month, or a year (the rate). Also, how many units will be in production at one time and in how many assembly positions.

• Methods of assembling components — Methods of assembling components may include bonding, riveting, fasteners, or even welding. These methods determine the necessary support utilities and potential hazards to assembly workers, defining which safety features will need to be incorporated into the building design.

• Sizes of components — Sizes of major components including wings, vertical stabilizers, engines, main body, and wing joint components are critical. These determine the overall size of the missile.

• Manufacturing tooling, fixtures, and jigs — Manufacturing tooling, fixtures, and jigs are directly related to the manufacturing process, space requirements, and utilities. Determining how components move into the tooling or whether the tooling moves to meet components are critical issues. If tooling is “parked” out of the way during certain processes or if there are missile relocations, this means that additional space is required.

• Materials conveyance — For the larger missiles (ICBM), materials conveyance includes getting the components into the building and moving them around inside. Components may arrive via aircraft, ship, train, or truck. Specialized fixtures are often used to transfer components into the assembly building. Once inside, material conveyance may involve true vertical lift cranes, under-hung cranes, transfer bridge cranes, multiple hoist / cranes, fixed jib crane assembly stations, wire guided vehicles, air bearing jigs on floors, carts, tugs, forklifts, and man lifts. The selected systems impact the overall building height, structural support requirements, floor quality, floor flatness, floor joint types, and floor finishes.

• Missle materials — Missile construction materials consist primarily of aluminum steel, and titanium. ( periodic table). Since aluminum has a high coefficient of expansion, stable temperatures are critical for accurate assembly and tolerances. Conversely, titanium and has a low coefficient of linear expansion which means it has smaller distortion values than aluminum. Space may need to be provided to acclimatize components or parts received from outside or other buildings prior to assembly. In addition, exposure to direct sunlight is usually prohibited due to thermal issues. Composite components may also require critical humidity and ventilation. Composite materials, when machined, can create hazardous dust and fibers. Composites, when bonded, often need solvents for cleaning and adhesives that can have strong odors or generate hazardous fumes. Raw composite materials are often stored in freezers to extend their expiration date. Corrosion control coatings on metals, such as alodine and chromium, are often considered hazardous, but may be necessary to apply or for touch up at assemblies, joints, or fasteners.

• Manufacturing utilities — Missle manufacturing has a high reliance on clean, dry compressed air as a primary utility. Therefore, providing redundancy, reliability, maintainability, and distribution and access flexibility for compressed air is critical. It needs to be close to the missle in the event of voltage loss due to unforseen circumstances. Also, exhaust air for fumes or heat processes is often necessary.

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Additional utility considerations are as follows:

• Critical lighting levels and color are needed for some processes and inspections.

• Vacuuming is necessary for composite materials assembly and bonding. Housekeeping vacuums for chip collection and cleanup are often required.

• Fuel test agents are often piped to critical testing locations during component or assembly testing. Keep in mind, fuel test agents are combustible oils with special requirements, as well. Code officials and insurance underwriters need to understand the fire-related issues with these materials.

• An engine system provides any missle with power to function its flaps, and guidance systems. Hydraulic systems need to be filled, drained, and may operate at high pressures. Care must be taken for personnel safety, avoiding leaks or spills and to ensure over-pressurization or damage does not occur to the missile.

• High-volume, low-pressure compressed air is used for pneumatic testing, such as fuselage pressure testing.

• Missile grounding is important. Static electricity can damage sensitive electronic components.

In an automated assembly factory, data communication is often necessary everywhere on the shop floor, including at the aircraft and all jigs and fixtures. High speed and wireless networks enable critical data to be available or sent directly from the shop floor.

• Utility distribution — Getting each of the required utilities to the right assembly location in a flexible and adaptable method can be a challenge. The option of overhead utilities distribution is impacted by cranes, while in-floor trenches can impact rolling material handling systems or prevent air bearings from working effectively. Recessed in-floor boxes are an option but impact flexibility for future factory modifications. In-floor retractable pedestals are expensive but proving to be a functional alternative. Electrical cords, air hoses, pipes, and conduits splayed across the floor are safety issues, but are often necessary. Each individual manufacturing position may need a different distribution method based on its specific manufacturing or workflow requirements.

• Foreign object debris (FOD) — No building materials, condensation, water, manufacturing waste, fasteners, or other objects can fall on or into the missle during assembly. All potential sources of FOD must be well thought out and mitigated. Broken light bulbs, fireproofing fibers, paint chips, and other building-related foreign debris need to be prevented from entering the manufacturing process .

• Exiting — Missle manufacturing facilities are often large buildings. Exit distances can often exceed code requirements. Exit egress from jigs or tooling platforms and around missle and materials must be well thought out. When exit distances become a problem, exit tunnels under the manufacturing floor can be used to create an exit path or an area of refuge. Emergency lighting is also a challenge in these large facilities. Designated marked exit paths are usually used.

• Noise — Some riveting systems are extremely loud and are a personnel safety issue. These manufacturing processes are often enclosed and isolated to prevent exposure to personnel and to limit hearing protection requirements within the overall assembly space. Often, components requiring these types of riveting are preassembled in controlled facilities outside the assembly building. Sometimes, these types of noisy or hazardous operations can be scheduled during off hours.

• Fire protection — Typically, a missle assembly facility houses only unfueled missles. This limits the fire protection requirements, and wet sprinkler systems can be used. Early Suppression Fast Response (ESFR) sprinklers are often used. High Expansion Foam (HEF) is also an option. Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) is now rarely used in assembly facilities, due to the potential environmental issues and requirements relating to disposal. It is important to note that the facility is a manufacturing facility — per code, it is not an missle storage facility. The missle is not able to launch and is, therefore, not yet a viable warhead. This is a critical code and hazard distinction in selecting the appropriate fire protection and addressing other code requirements.

Additional special attention must be understood and given to the unique requirements of final finish buildings. These types of facilities include paint and paint preparation, as well as final assembly, delivery center, and nuclear test facilities (e.g., underwater testing).

ARCTURUS

MODERN MISSLE DESIGN