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Warhead

 
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Typically, a warhead is the explosive material
Explosive material

File:M112 Demolition Charge.jpgAn explosive material is a material that either is chemistry or otherwise energetically unstable or produces a sudden expansion of the material usually accompanied by the production of heat and large changes in pressure upon initiation; this is called the explosion....
 and detonator
Detonator

A detonator is a device used to detonation an explosive device. Detonators can be chemically, mechanically, or electrically initiated, the latter two being the most common....
 that is delivered by a missile
Missile

A guided missile is a self-propelled projectile used as a weapon. Missiles are typically propelled by rockets or jet engines. Missiles generally have one or more explosive warheads, although other weapon types may also be used....
, rocket
Rocket

A rocket or rocket vehicle is a missile, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust by the Reaction of the rocket to the ejection of fast moving fluid exhaust from a rocket engine....
, or torpedo
Torpedo

Note: Prior to 1900, in naval usage "torpedo" could also refer to what today is called a naval mine. For that usage, see naval mine.The modern torpedo is a self-propelled explosive projectile weapon, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater toward a target, and designed to detonate on contact or in proximity t...
.

Etymology
During the early development of naval torpedo
Torpedo

Note: Prior to 1900, in naval usage "torpedo" could also refer to what today is called a naval mine. For that usage, see naval mine.The modern torpedo is a self-propelled explosive projectile weapon, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater toward a target, and designed to detonate on contact or in proximity t...
es, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises.






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B 61 Bomb (doe)
Typically, a warhead is the explosive material
Explosive material

File:M112 Demolition Charge.jpgAn explosive material is a material that either is chemistry or otherwise energetically unstable or produces a sudden expansion of the material usually accompanied by the production of heat and large changes in pressure upon initiation; this is called the explosion....
 and detonator
Detonator

A detonator is a device used to detonation an explosive device. Detonators can be chemically, mechanically, or electrically initiated, the latter two being the most common....
 that is delivered by a missile
Missile

A guided missile is a self-propelled projectile used as a weapon. Missiles are typically propelled by rockets or jet engines. Missiles generally have one or more explosive warheads, although other weapon types may also be used....
, rocket
Rocket

A rocket or rocket vehicle is a missile, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust by the Reaction of the rocket to the ejection of fast moving fluid exhaust from a rocket engine....
, or torpedo
Torpedo

Note: Prior to 1900, in naval usage "torpedo" could also refer to what today is called a naval mine. For that usage, see naval mine.The modern torpedo is a self-propelled explosive projectile weapon, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater toward a target, and designed to detonate on contact or in proximity t...
.

Etymology


During the early development of naval torpedo
Torpedo

Note: Prior to 1900, in naval usage "torpedo" could also refer to what today is called a naval mine. For that usage, see naval mine.The modern torpedo is a self-propelled explosive projectile weapon, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater toward a target, and designed to detonate on contact or in proximity t...
es, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This was referred to as a peacehead. The explosive payload carried by weapons intended for use in combat became known as a warhead. The term peacehead subsequently fell out of use.

Classification


Types of warheads include:

  • Explosive
    Explosive material

    File:M112 Demolition Charge.jpgAn explosive material is a material that either is chemistry or otherwise energetically unstable or produces a sudden expansion of the material usually accompanied by the production of heat and large changes in pressure upon initiation; this is called the explosion....
    : An explosive charge is used to disintegrate the target, and damage surrounding areas with a shock wave
    Shock wave

    A shock wave is a type of propagating disturbance. Like an ordinary wave, it carries energy and can propagate through a medium or in some cases in the absence of a material medium, through a field such as the electromagnetic field....
    .
    • Conventional
      Conventional weapon

      A conventional weapon or conventional arm is a weapon that is not forbidden according to conventions, such as the Convention on Cluster Munitions or the Ottawa Treaty....
      : Chemicals such as gunpowder
      Gunpowder

      Gunpowder, also called black powder, is an explosive mixture of sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate, KNO3 that burns rapidly, producing volumes of hot solids and gases which can be used as a propellant in firearms and as a pyrotechnic composition in fireworks....
       and high explosives store significant energy within their molecular bonds. This energy can be released quickly by a trigger, such as an electric spark. Thermobaric weapon
      Thermobaric weapon

      Thermobaric weapons distinguish themselves from conventional explosive weapons by using atmospheric oxygen, instead of carrying an oxidizer in their explosives....
      s are something of a special case.
      • Blast: A strong shock wave is provided by the detonation of the explosive
      • Fragmentation
        Fragmentation (weaponry)

        Fragmentation is the process by which the casing of an artillery shell , bomb, grenade, etc is shattered by the detonate high explosive filling....
        : Metal fragments are projected at high velocity to cause damage or injury.
      • Continuous rod: Metal bars welded on their ends forming a compact cylinder of interconnected rods, which is violently expanded into a contiguous "zig-zag" shaped ring by an explosive detonation. The rapidly expanding ring produces a unique planar "guillotine" effect that is particularly devastating against military aircraft, which are designed to be resistant to traditional shrapnel.
      • Shaped charge
        Shaped charge

        A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Various types are used to cut and form metal, initiate nuclear weapons, and penetrate armour....
        : The effect of the explosive charge is focused onto a specially shaped metal liner to project a hypervelocity jet of metal, to perforate heavy armour
        Armour

        Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat....
        .
        • Explosively formed penetrator
          Explosively Formed Penetrator

          An explosively formed penetrator , also known as an explosively formed projectile, a self-forging warhead, or a self-forging fragment, is a special type of shaped charge designed to penetrate armour effectively at stand-off distances....
          : Instead of turning a thin metal liner into a focused jet of metal plasma, the shaped charge is directed against a concave metal plate at the front of the warhead, propelling it at super high-velocity while simultaneously deforming it into a dense ogive
          Ogive

          An ogive is a curved shape, figure, or feature....
           projectile
    • Nuclear
      Nuclear weapon

      A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either nuclear fission or a combination of fission and nuclear fusion....
      : A runaway nuclear fission
      Nuclear fission

      In nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the atomic nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts, often producing free neutrons and lighter atomic nucleus, which may eventually produce photons ....
       or nuclear fusion
      Nuclear fusion

      In nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, nuclear fusion is the process by which multiple like-charged atomic nuclei join together to form a heavier nucleus....
       reaction causes immense energy release.
  • Chemical
    Chemical warfare

    Chemical warfare involves using the poison of chemical substances as weapons to kill, injure, or incapacitate an Enemy .This type of warfare is distinct from the use of conventional weapons or nuclear weapons because the destructive effects of chemical weapons are not primarily due to their explosion force....
    : A toxic chemical, such as poison gas or nerve gas, is dispersed, which is designed to injure or kill human beings.
  • Biological
    Biological warfare

    Biological warfare , also known as germ warfare, is the use of pathogens as biological weapons . Using nonliving toxic products, even if produced by living organisms , is considered chemical warfare under the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention....
    : An infectious agent, such as anthrax spores, is dispersed, which is designed to sicken or kill humans.
  • Kinetic
    Projectile

    A projectile is any object propelled through space by the exertion of a force, which ceases after launch. In a general sense, even a Football or baseball may be considered a projectile....
    : Collides the target with high speed. Detonation is not applicable.


Often, a biological or chemical warhead will use an explosive charge for rapid dispersal.

Detonators


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
    Proximity fuze

    A proximity fuze is a Fuse #Munition_fuses that is designed to detonate an Explosive material device automatically when the distance to target becomes smaller than a predetermined value or when the target passes through a given plane....
    : Using radar
    Radar

    Radar is a system that uses electromagnetic radiation waves to identify the range, altitude, direction, or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as aircraft, ships, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain....
    , sound waves, a magnetic sensor, or a laser
    Laser

    A laser is a device that emits light through a process called stimulated emission. The term laser is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation....
     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
    Shrapnel

    Shrapnel shells were anti-personnel artillery munitions which carried a large number of individual bullets to the target and then ejected them forwards, relying almost entirely on the shell's velocity for their lethality....
     primarily towards the target that triggered it.
  • Remote: remotely detonated via signal from operator (Not normally used for warheads except for self-destruction)
  • Timed: Warhead is detonated after a specific amount of time.
  • Altitude: Warhead is detonated once it falls to a specified altitude. See air burst
    Air burst

    An air burst is the detonation of an explosive device such as an anti-personnel artillery shell or a nuclear weapon in the air instead of on contact with the ground or target or a delayed armor piercing explosion....
    .
  • Combined: Any combination of the above.


See also

  • Guidance system
    Guidance system

    A guidance system is a device or group of devices used to navigation a ship, aircraft, missile, rocket, satellite, or other craft. Typically, this refers to a system that navigates without direct or continuous human control....
  • Missile
    Missile

    A guided missile is a self-propelled projectile used as a weapon. Missiles are typically propelled by rockets or jet engines. Missiles generally have one or more explosive warheads, although other weapon types may also be used....
     and List of missiles
    List of missiles

    Below is a list of missiles, sorted alphabetically by name. See also the list of rockets and the list of missiles by country....
  • List of aircraft weapons
    List of aircraft weapons

    This is an incomplete list of aircraft weapons, past and present....
  • Nuclear weapon yield
    Nuclear weapon yield

    The explosive yield of a nuclear weapon is the amount of energy, called the yield, discharged when a nuclear weapon is detonated, expressed usually in the equivalent mass of trinitrotoluene , either in kilotons or megatons , but sometimes also in terajoules ....