Explosive payloads are delivered in a variety of vehicles including missiles, gun fired projectiles, bombs and the like. Targets are located within hardened structures having impact and explosive resistant walls or structure (e.g., overlying rock and the like). Successful delivery of the payload to the target often requires penetration of the payload through the protective structure followed by detonation within or near the target.
Impact and penetration of the delivery vehicle and explosive payload transmits significant shock loads to the sensitive materials within the vehicle and causes one or more of acceleration, deceleration, rebounding of materials, movement of the material relative to other sensitive components and the like. One sensitive feature within the delivery vehicle is the initiator used to detonate the explosive payload. The shock loading and rapid deceleration of the delivery vehicle transmits stress to the explosive charge within the initiator. The stress may cause the explosive charge to crack and correspondingly prevent proper initiation of the charge resulting in failure of the explosive payload to detonate.