On the drag of a warhead fragment flying at different orientation angles

This study investigates the aerodynamic characteristics of a non-spherical fragment at Mach numbers 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 across 30 distinct orientations, focusing on the drag coefficient (CD) and drag force in each configuration. Results reveal significant variability in CD values due to changes in orientation and exposed area, with values ranging widely at each Mach number. Average CD values were determined as 1.27, 1.28, and 1.28 for Mach 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2, respectively, accompanied by corresponding increases in average drag forces with higher Mach numbers. In contrast, a geometrically optimized shape derived from averaged coordinates consistently displayed lower CD values and reduced drag forces, underscoring the potential of optimized configurations to achieve meaningful reductions in aerodynamic drag. The analysis also shows that while larger exposed areas generally lead to higher CD values, this relationship is not strictly linear, indicating that shape and orientation plays a critical role in aerodynamic behavior. In practical applications, using an average CD for trajectory calculations provides a balance between computational efficiency and predictive reliability. This approach simplifies calculations and is particularly advantageous for real-time assessments, where computationally intensive orientation-specific models are less feasible. These findings highlight the importance of adaptable modeling techniques, such as machine learning-based surrogates, which can provide accurate aerodynamic predictions while minimizing computational demands. This study contributes to a better understanding of fragment dynamics in supersonic conditions and supports the development of efficient predictive models for safety-critical applications.