GP WARHEAD

Figure 2-13.—Mk 5 Mod 0 high-explosive antitank warhead. Figure 2-14.—Mk 32 Mod 0 AT/APERS warhead. Figure 2-15.—Mk 24 Mod 0 high-explosive, general-purpose (GP) warhead. the jet from the cone at the forward end. The booster in the aft end detonates the warhead by transmitting an explosive impulse along a length of detonating cord. It connects the booster charge to the initiating charge, which is next to the nose fuze. The combination of an instantaneous-acting nose fuze and rapid-burning detonating cord permits detonation of the explosive load in time for the shaped-charge to produce its explosive jet before being disintegrated upon target impact. The only AT/APERS warhead currently in use is the Mk 32 Mod 0. GP WARHEAD.— The high-explosive, general- purpose (GP) warhead (fig. 2-15) is a compromise between the armor-piercing and the fragmentation designs. The walls and nose section are not as strong as those of an armor-piercing warhead, yet they are stronger than those of a fragmentation warhead. The explosive charge is greater than that in the armor-piercing warhead, but less than that in the fragmentation warhead. The GP warhead is used against a variety of targets. Maximum penetration is obtained by using a solid nose plug and the delayed-action base fuze. Its maximum blast effect is obtained by using an instantaneous-acting nose fuze. The only GP warhead currently in use is the Mk 24 Mod 0. FLECHETTE WARHEADS.— Flechette war- heads (fig. 2-16) are used against personnel and light Figure 2-16.—WDU-A/A flechette warhead. 2-11