Abstract:
An electromagnetic coil gun system includes a launcher having a barrel with a longitudinal bore therethrough, and a plurality of longitudinally extending electrical excitation coils arranged circumferentially around the bore of the barrel so that a magnetic field produced by an electrical current in each electrical excitation coil penetrates into the bore. Each electrical excitation coil is independently activated by the electrical current passed therethrough. There is a projectile sized to be received within the bore of the barrel and having a circumferential armature at a tail end thereof, and a nose end. The projectile placed into the bore is fired by producing a traveling sequence of propulsive currents in the electrical excitation coils moving in a direction from the breech end toward the muzzle end of the barrel, so that a traveling propulsive magnetic field produced by the electrical excitation coils interacts with the armature of the projectile to propel the projectile in the direction from the breech end toward the muzzle end of the barrel. Simultaneously, a traveling sequence of field-nulling currents in the electrical excitation coils moves in the direction from the breech end toward the muzzle end of the barrel but closer to the muzzle end of the barrel than the traveling sequence of propulsive currents and spatially leading the traveling sequence of propulsive currents. The field-nulling currents are in a circumferential direction opposite to the propulsive currents, thereby at least partially nulling the traveling propulsive magnetic field at the nose end of the projectile.
Abstract:
An improved imaging system. The inventive imaging system (10) is adapted to transmit a plurality of first radar signals at millimeter wave frequencies at an area including an object along with background clutter. The return signals are processed to provide a three dimensional image for applications demanding visibility through fog, haze, smoke and other obscurants. Such applications include enhanced vision for helicopters, ships, buses, trucks, traffic observation stations for an intelligent highway or security cameras for plants and military installations. In a guidance system application, for example, the inventive system would include an electronically scanning antenna (12) to provide range and amplitude signals representative of a target area. The range and amplitude signals (18, 20) are compared to stored signals (26, 30) to create the three dimensional image. The stored signals are selected for comparison based on the dive angle of the missile (28, 32). The three dimensional image is then processed (22, 24, 34, 36, 38, 40) to derive guidance commands for the missile.
Abstract:
A vehicle guidance system. The system includes a first mechanism for tracking a vehicle based on time-of-arrival information associated with energy emanating from the vehicle and providing vehicle position information in response thereto. A second mechanism steers the vehicle based on the vehicle position information. In a specific embodiment, the system of further includes a third mechanism for locating the target based on time-of-arrival information associated with energy radiating from the target and providing target location information in response thereto. The second the second mechanism steers the vehicle based on the target location information and the vehicle position information.
Abstract:
A precision-guided hypersonic projectile weapon system. The inventive system includes a first subsystem for determining a target location and providing data with respect thereto. A second subsystem calculates trajectory to the target based on the data. The projectile is then launched and guided in flight along the trajectory to the target. In the illustrative application, the projectile is a tungsten rod and the first subsystem includes a forward-looking infrared imaging system and a laser range finder. The second subsystem includes a fire control system. The fire control system includes an optional inertial measurement unit and predicts target location. The projectile is mounted in a missile launched from a platform such as a vehicle. After an initial burn, the missile launches the projectile while in flight to the target. The missile is implemented with a rocket with a guidance system and a propulsion system. In accordance with the present teachings, the guidance system includes a transceiver system mounted on the projectile. The transceiver system includes a low-power continuous wave, millimeter wavelength wave emitter. A system is included at the launch platform for communicating with the projectile. The platform system sends a blinking command to the projectile and measures the round trip delay thereof to ascertain the range of the projectile. Velocity is determined by conventional Doppler techniques or differentiation. Azimuth and elevation are then determined by a monopulse antenna on the launch platform. As a consequence, the platform ascertains the location of the projectile and the impact point thereof. The platform generates a command to the projectile which is received by the projectile and used to actuate control surfaces to adjust the trajectory and impact point thereof as necessary.
Abstract:
A missile guidance system designed to operate on GPS signals in an anti-jamming environment. The inventive system includes first, second and third airborne vehicles (20). A GPS receiver (24) is mounted on each of the three vehicles (20) to receive signals transmitted from spaceborne satellites (14). Each vehicle (20) acts as a pseudo-satellite or ‘pseudolite’. The received GPS signals are processed by a processor (26) to provide a first intermediate signal indicating the position of the vehicle (20). This signal is retransmitted from each vehicle and received by a GPS receiver mounted on a missile. The received intermediate signal is processed on the missile to provide an output signal indicating the position thereof. The pseudolites would be airborne in the vicinity of a target area. Because the pseudolites are relatively close to the targets compared to a satellite in high altitude orbit and because the pseudolites would be able to transmit a kilowatt or more power, the signal strength may be improved significantly. To succeed as a jammer, a jammer, successful against GPS satellites, would need considerably more power to succeed against aircraft carried pseudolites. The pseudolite system delivers GPS signals into the target area 40-70 dB stronger than signals coming directly from GPS satellites. By timing the signals for 100% time coverage, enemy C/A code receivers will be jammed because they are limited to a J/S capability of 30 dB.
Abstract translation:导弹引导系统设计用于在抗干扰环境中对GPS信号进行操作。 本发明的系统包括第一,第二和第三机载车辆(20)。 GPS接收器(24)安装在三个车辆(20)中的每一个上,以接收从星载卫星(14)发射的信号。 每个车辆(20)用作伪卫星或“伪卫星”,所接收的GPS信号由处理器(26)处理以提供指示车辆(20)的位置的第一中间信号,该信号从每个 由导弹安装的GPS接收机接收,接收到的中间信号在导弹上进行处理,提供一个表示其位置的输出信号,伪卫星将在目标区域附近空中传播,因为伪卫星相对较近 与高空轨道的卫星相比,由于伪卫星能够传输千瓦或更大的功率,所以信号强度可能会大大提高。作为干扰器成功,干扰器将成功应对GPS卫星,将需要 相对于成功的飞机携带伪卫星的能力要大得多,伪卫星系统将GPS信号传输到目标区域,比直接来到的信号强40-70 dB m GPS卫星。 通过对100%时间覆盖的信号定时,敌方C / A码接收机将被卡住,因为它们被限制在30dB的J / S能力。
Abstract:
A bomb damage assessment system that is carried by a weapon and released to provide imagery of a bombed area before and after bomb delivery. The system comprises a glider that is releasably secured to the weapon that includes tracking and guidance electronics for programmably controlling the flight thereof. An imaging system is disposed in the front end of the glider and a deployable ballute is disposed at the rear end thereof. A data link is provided for transmitting images to a command center for review. The system provides imagery of a target area before, during and after weapon impact. Television or infrared cameras may be used for day or night missions. As a target area is approached, the glider is released, is decelerated by the ballute, wings are unfolded, and the ballute is released, resulting in an aerodynamic vehicle that flies much slower than the weapon. The imaging system tracks the weapon to impact. The explosion of the weapon produces a hot spot that is tracked by the imaging system. The hot spot is tracked until a preselected depression angle is reached. The glider banks until the hot spot is at a predetermined angle relative to the centerline thereof. This results in a spiral glide path around the hot spot so that the target area is viewed from all aspects. The spiral path also results in a monotonically decreasing range to the hot spot. The glider may employ a GPS receiver, and the target location in GPS coordinates may be entered into the guidance and control system. The glider may be programmed to fly along a specific path or geometric surface in GPS coordinates toward the target. Using a fixed field of view imaging system, a large amount of background is seen from long range and better linear resolution is obtained at short range until the glider descends to the ground. Bomb damage assessment may be performed at the command center within minutes of weapon impact.
Abstract:
The present invention generally concerns inductive power transfer systems and their components. More particularly, representative and exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally relate to systems, devices and methods for transferring modulated current between a launcher and at least one guided missile.
Abstract:
The disclosed system, device and method for guiding a hypersonic kinetic penetrator projectile (300) generally includes a kinetic penetrator body (110, 230) and a slip-over electronic guidance unit (120, 220), where the kinetic penetrator body slidably mounts through the slip-over electronic guidance unit. Disclosed features and specifications may be variously controlled, adapted or otherwise optionally modified to improve accuracy and control of a hypersonic projectile. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally provide multi-use slip-over electronic guidance units for hypersonic kinetic penetrator projectiles in 105 mm and 120 mm munition rounds, surface-to-surface missiles, and air-to-surface missiles.
Abstract:
A system for guiding the flight of a projectile to a target. The system comprises a tracking and guidance system, the projectile, and a projectile reference and control system that is part of the projectile. The tracking and guidance system includes a target tracker, a projectile tracker for providing a projectile-tracking laser beam, and a target designator for designating the target using a target-tracking laser beam, and for providing range data indicative of the range to the target. A processor is coupled to the target designator, the target tracker, and the projectile tracker for processing target and projectile return signals and target range signals to generate an actuator command signal that is transmitted by the projectile tracker using the projectile-tracking laser beam and that is used to alter the flight of the projectile. The projectile reference and control system includes an optical reference including polarized and unpolarized retroflectors for reflecting the projectile-tracking laser beam back to the projectile tracker, and a detector that is responsive to the projectile-tracking laser beam provided by the projectile tracker, for detecting the actuator command signal transmitted by the projectile tracker. A command operated actuator is coupled to the detector for processing the actuator command signal and for generating a trajectory modification signal that is used to alter the flight of the projectile. A divert assembly coupled to the command operated actuator for generating thrust that diverts the trajectory of the projectile in response to the trajectory modification signal.
Abstract:
Embodiments of an inductive power transfer method are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a method of transferring data and power to a plurality of guided projectiles located in launcher tubes on a helicopter is described herein. In some embodiments, power and data are inductively transferred across the launcher windings to the projectile windings to configure the control systems of the guided projectiles to provide a lock-on-before-launch capability.