HTK Lethality Analysis CET
Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) and the Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMC) collaborated to establish performance of the hit-to-kill lethal mechanism compared to other interceptor kill mechanisms. Multiple eulerian shock physics and couple shock physics/structural simulations were performed to evaluate the performance of two interceptor kill mechanisms – hit to kill and blast fragment – against a conventional target. These simulations showed each kill mechanism’s advantages and disadvantages. Sandia/DOE benefitted by exercising the Sandia-developed computational codes with scenarios that had not been simulated before, providing insight and experience with highly relevant and timely intercept scenarios that will be representative of future work. LMCO benefitted by the experience using the coupled code which they acquired from SNL. They also were provided data that was relevant to interceptor systems being considered and in development. The public benefitted by providing information that will be useful in choosing an interceptor system that will be used for national defense at lower cost than relying solely on an extensive testing program.