The product includes an upright launch tube adapted to be self-supporting on a horizontal surface and a self-propelled aerial pyrotechnic device adapted to be received within a fairly closely confined relationship within the tube in preparation for launch. In its preferred form, the tube is slightly taller than the aerial device so that the aerial device is fully received within and surrounded by the side wall of the tube in the launch mode, except for a long fuse leading to the engine of the device and hanging out over the open upper edge of the tube. Except for a tapered nose cone, the device is substantially the same cross-sectional width along its entire length, including the lower regions thereof which are occupied by a plurality of stabilizing legs that support the device in an upright condition within the tube and balance the device during flight. The annular space surrounding the device within the tube is only slightly greater than that necessary to permit the fuse to extend up alongside of the device and out the open upper end of the tube, thus stabilizing the device prior to launch and during its progressive emergence from the launch tube.

A projectile comprises an imaging seeker at a front of the projectile; a front warhead behind the imaging seeker; a power supply; an electronics unit connected to the power supply and comprising a microprocessor circuit board, a voltage regulator circuit board, an inertial measurement circuit board and a fuze and safe and arm circuit board, all electrically connected to each other, the microprocessor circuit board also being connected to the imaging seeker; a rear warhead, the front and rear warheads being electrically connected to the safe and arm circuit board; a rocket motor electrically connected to the electronics unit; foldable fins mounted at the rear of the projectile; a shell that encases the front warhead, the power supply, the electronics unit, the rear warhead and the rocket motor; and a maneuver mechanism disposed in the shell and electrically connected to the microprocessor circuit board.

At least some of the segments of a segmented rod projectile are provided with a mechanism that causes them to divert away from the projectile's original line of flight after the segments are separated during flight to the target. That mechanism is illustratively a notched flare. The segments illustratively divert in a predetermined dispersion pattern. In order to ensure that each segment flies in the desired direction after separation, the disclosed projectile includes a mechanism that, just prior to segment separation, arrests spin of the projectile. Thus the segments are essentially non-spinning after separation and thus the desired diversion will not be counteracted by post-separation spin of the segments.

A weapon and weapon system, and methods of manufacturing and operating the same. In one embodiment, the weapon includes a warhead having an outer casing. The warhead includes a frangible container within the outer casing of the warhead and a destructive element within the frangible container. The destructive element is formed with a non-explosive material. The weapon may also include a guidance section configured to direct the weapon to a target.