AU2015238173B2

AU2015238173B2 - Armed optoelectronic turret

Info

Publication number: AU2015238173B2
Application number: AU2015238173A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bernard Boehm; Patrick Curlier; Jean-Paul SICRE
Original assignee: Safran Electronics and Defense SAS
Current assignee: Safran Electronics and Defense SAS
Priority date: 2014-03-28
Filing date: 2015-03-30
Publication date: 2018-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 2035-03-30
Also published as: RU2672454C2; FR3019279B1; CA2943372A1; EP3123097B1; CA2943372C; RU2016142400A3; FR3019279A1; WO2015144937A1; AU2015238173A1; EP3123097A1; RU2016142400A; NO3123097T3

Abstract

The invention relates to an armed optoelectronic turret including a body {3) pivoting around a bearing axis (Z), a weapon (15) rotatably secured to the body (3) according to the bearing axis (Z) and mounted such as to pivot about a first site axis (XI), and an optoelectronic viewfinder (6) mounted such as to pivot about the same bearing axis (Z) irrespective of the pivoting of the body (3) about the bearing axis (Z).

Description

ARMED OPTO-ELECTRONIC TURRET¹

The invention relates to an opto-electronic remote weapon station (RWS) including a weapon pivotally mounted about a bearing axis and a sight pivotally mounted about the same bearing axis independently of the pivoting of the weapon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An vehicle, on a navel vessel or a military land to protect of external attacks, (missiles,

Such

RWS, e.g.

serves, both in daylight and at night, the vessel or the land vehicle against a variety in particular by firing projectiles firearm bullets, etc.).

an opto-electronic RWS generally comprises a machine gun, etc.) and an optoincorporating an infrared camera, a laser telemeter, and an RWS gun, a

e.g.

a video camera,

Such also frequently of equipment such locating the a hemispherical viewer device;

weapon (a electronic sight, a thermal camera, serving to aim the weapon, includes a variety of additional pieces as for example: means for detecting and firing of projectiles;

etc. Finally, such an RWS is frequently remotely it can be controlled remotely.

of opto-electronic RWSes are problems .

Finally, operable, i.

The designers and users conventionally confronted with the following

The first problem concerns pointing the which on certain RWSes cannot be used in all weapon, bearing and elevation directions because of potential physical interactions with other pieces of equipment mounted on such as a field for example a panoramic observation view that is likewise also of by the RWS.

relates to RWSes on which the the vehicle, sight having partially obstructed

The second problem weapon and the opto-electronic sight are mounted to turn together about a bearing axis. Turning the opto¹ Translation of the title as established ex officio.

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2015238173 08 Oct 2018 electronic sight about the bearing axis in order to make observations results in the weapon turning simultaneously, which people present in the proximity of the RWS might mistakenly interpret as a threat.

It is thought that it may be desirable to provide means for increasing the zone that can be engaged by the weapon of the RWS and the zone that can be observed by a neighboring sight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one form or embodiment of the invention, there is provided an opto-electronic remote weapon station comprising a body pivotable about a bearing axis, a weapon constrained to turn with the body about the bearing axis and pivotally mounted about a first elevation axis, and an opto-electronic sight pivotally mounted about the same bearing axis independently of the pivoting of the body about the bearing axis.

Since the weapon is constrained to turn with the body about the bearing axis, the weapon can be pointed in bearing in any direction without any risk of physical interaction with other pieces of equipment of the RWS, since they are likewise constrained to turn with the body about the bearing axis . ·>

Since the opto-electronic sight is pivotally mounted about the same bearing axis independently of the pivoting of the body and thus of the weapon, the sight may be pointed in bearing without the weapon turning, so this is not interpreted as a threat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Reference is made to the figure of the accompanying drawing, which is a cutaway perspective view of the optoelectronic remote weapon station of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The opto-electronic remote weapon station (RWS) 1 of the invention is intended in this example for fitting to a light armored land vehicle and comprises a base 2 that is fastened directly on the vehicle, a body 3 constituted by a turntable 4 and by a notched support 5, and an optoelectronic sight 6 comprising a sight body 6a and two active portions 6b and 6c. The outside shapes of the base 2 and of the turntable 4 of the opto-electronic RWS 1 are cylinders of revolution about a common vertical axis referred to in this description as the bearing axis Z .

The body 3 of the opto-electronic RWS 1 is pivotally mounted about the bearing axis Z and it is driven to turn about the bearing axis Z by first drive means 7 that are positioned inside the base 2. The first drive means 7 comprise a first electric motor 8 co-operating with a first bearing 9 having a stationary portion 11 constrained to turn with the base 2 and a rotary portion 12 constrained to turn with the turntable 4 of the body 3.

The notched support 5 is fastened to the turntable 4 of the body 3 of the opto-electronic RWS 1. The notched support 5 has two arms extending vertically from the turntable 4 up to a top portion 14 of the opto-electronic RWS 1 .

A light weapon 15 is situated on the top portion 14 of the body 3 of the opto-electronic RWS 1 and is mounted on the notched support 5. The light weapon 15 is thus constrained to turn with the body 3 about the bearing axis Z, and it is thus likewise pivotally mounted about the bearing axis Z. Consequently, the light weapon 15 is pointed in bearing in order to shoot at targets on different bearing angles by means of the first drive means 7.

The light weapon 15 is also pivotally mounted about a first elevation axis XI, thus enabling the light weapon

2900819vl to be pointed in elevation in order to shoot at targets on different elevation angles. The light weapon is pointed in elevation by means of second drive means comprising a second electric motor and mounted on the notched support 5.

The sight body 6a of the opto-electronic sight 6 is pivotally mounted about the bearing axis Z independently of the pivoting of the body 3 of the opto-electronic RWS 1 and thus of the light weapon 15. The opto-electronic sight 6 is pointed in bearing both when acting as a gun sight for the light weapon 15 and also when making observations at various bearing angles, under drive from third drive means 18 that are positioned like the first drive means 7 inside the base 2 of the opto-electronic RWS 1. The third drive means 18 comprise a third electric motor 19 co-operating with a second bearing 21 having a stationary portion 22 constrained to turn with the base 2 and a rotary portion 23 constrained to turn with the sight body 6a of the opto-electronic sight 6. The first bearing 9 and the second bearing 21 are thus mounted on the same bearing axis Z. The first electric motor 8 and the third electric motor 19 operate independently of each other, thereby enabling the light weapon 15 and the opto-electronic sight 6 to be pointed in bearing independently of each other. Nevertheless, it should be observed that the opto-electronic sight 6 can be used as a gun sight for the weapon. Under such circumstances, the opto-electronic sight 6 sends bearing position setpoints that are copied by the servo-control for copying the position of the weapon, each of the two devices being provided with angular bearing position sensors of sufficient accuracy for this purpose. Boresighting is achieved by adjusting the angular offset between the indications from the sensors of the weapon and of the sight when they are pointing in the same direction (this is a conventional procedure for boresighting the sight relative to the weapon as performed in RWSes in which the position of the weapon is servo-controlled on the sight).

The active portions 6b and 6c of the opto-electronic sight 6 are also pivotally mounted about a second elevation axis X2, thus enabling the opto-electronic sight 6 to be pointed in elevation both in order to aim the light weapon 15 and also in order to take observations at different elevation angles. The active portions 6a and 6b of the opto-electronic sight 6 are pointed in elevation by means of fourth drive means 25 (shown diagrammatically in the figure) comprising a fourth electric motor and situated inside the sight body 6a of the opto-electronic sight 6.

In the figure it can be seen that the light weapon is situated above the opto-electronic sight 6, and the notched support 5 on which the light weapon 15 is mounted leaves free a majority peripheral zone around the optoelectronic sight 6. Thus, for a given bearing position of the body 3 of the opto-electronic RWS 1, the optoelectronic sight 6 can be pointed over a wide range of bearing angles without its field of view being masked by obstacles situated on the opto-electronic RWS 1, which obstacles are constituted in this example in particular by the vertical arms of the notched support 5. This serves to minimize the angular zone in which the field of view of the opto-electronic sight 6 is masked.

Nor is there any need to cause the body 3 of the opto-electronic RWS 1 to pivot together with the light weapon 15 in order to take observations with the optoelectronic sight 6 over a large range of bearing angles.

It should also be observed that since the bearing axis around which the opto-electronic sight 6 pivots and the bearing axis about which the body 3 of the optoelectronic RWS 1 and thus the light weapon 15 pivot coincide, the opto-electronic RWS 1 of the invention presents very high quality boresighting. Furthermore, since the opto-electronic sight 6 and the light weapon 15

2900819vl are very close to each other on the RWS, potential parallax problems are minimized.

The opto-electronic RWS 1 also includes a hemispherical viewing device 32 and detector means 31 for detecting the firing of a projectile, both of which are situated on the top portion 14 of the body 3 of the optoelectronic RWS 1 and mounted on the notched support 5.

The detector means 31 comprise a detector head 33 of hemispherical shape fitted with a plurality of acoustic sensors 34 distributed over the entire surface of the detector head 33, together with processor means 35 situated in the detector head 33 (represented diagrammatically in the figure). The processor means 35 are adapted to acquire acoustic measurements made by the acoustic sensors 34 and to analyze the acoustic measurements. The processor means 35 deduce from the acoustic measurements that a projectile has been fired. The processor means 35 are also adapted to locate the origin of the projectile, by analyzing differences between the sound intensities associated with the acoustic measurements as perceived by the various acoustic sensors 34.

The position of the detector means 31, which are situated on the top portion 14 of the body 3 of the optoelectronic RWS 1, enables them to take acoustic measurements without these measurements being disturbed by interfering reflections on obstacles situated on the opto-electronic RWS 1.

The hemispherical viewer device 32 comprises in particular a camera 38 having a fish-eye lens enabling the camera 38 to provide panoramic images over 220°.

The position of the hemispherical viewer device, which is situated on the top portion 14 of the body 3 of the opto-electronic RWS 1, provides a view that is completely unencumbered by the surroundings and the top of the vehicle.

The opto-electronic RWS 1 further includes a grenade launcher device 41 made up of two portions 41a and 41b adapted to launch smoke grenades. The grenade launcher device 41 is mounted on the turntable 4 of the body 3 of the opto-electronic RWS 1 and is constrained to turn with the body 3. The grenade launcher 41 is thus pointed in bearing by the first drive means 7 as is the light weapon 15 .

Finally, the opto-electronic RWS 1 includes a centralized computer 42 (represented diagrammatically in the figure) situated in the base 2 of the opto-electronic RWS 1 .

In this example, the centralized computer 42 is connected to various pieces of equipment of the RWS in order to control and/or acquire data coming from those pieces of equipment.

Specifically, the centralized computer 42 is connected to the light weapon 15 and to the grenade launcher device 41 in order to actuate them. The centralized computer 42 is also connected to the first drive means 7 for controlling the pointing in bearing of the body 3 of the opto-electronic RWS 1 and thus of the light weapon 15, of the grenade launcher device 41, of the detector means 31, and of the atmospheric viewer device 32. The centralized computer 42 is also connected to the second drive means 16 to control the pointing in elevation of the light weapon 15, to the third drive means 18, and to the fourth drive means 25 for the purpose of controlling the pointing respectively in bearing and in elevation of the opto-electronic sight 6. Finally, the centralized computer 42 is connected to the processor means 35 of the detector means 31, to the hemispherical viewer device 32 and to the opto-electronic sight 6 in order to acquire data (images, acoustic measurements, location of the origin of a projectile, etc.) coming from those pieces of equipment.

2900819V1

The centralized computer 42 includes communications means symbolized at 43 (by way of example, these communications means may be a connection via electric cables, but they could also be a wireless connection) enabling the opto-electronic RWS 1 to be remotely operated. The term remote operation is used to mean that the control means (aiming stick, display screen, trigger button, ...) are offset to the inside of the vehicle .

The use of a centralized computer 42 situated within the opto-electronic RWS 1 makes the opto-electronic RWS 1 easier to integrate in the vehicle, reduces the number and the length of cables connected to the various pieces of equipment of the opto-electronic RWS 1, reduces the response times associated with controlling these pieces of equipment, improves functions of monitoring these pieces of equipment, etc.

Advantageously, the first drive means 7 and the third drive means 18 may be controlled by the central computer 42 in order to implement a coordinated mode of operation in which the body 3 and the opto-electronic sight 6 are driven to turn in coordinated manner about the bearing axis Z. The coordinated mode of operation is used to reduce or even completely eliminate the angular zone in which the field of view of the opto-electronic sight 6 is masked.

When the coordinated mode is selected (from the vehicle, remotely, etc.), the centralized computer 42 controls the first drive means 7 and the third drive means 18 while coordinating the first drive means 7 and the third drive means 18 in such a manner as to ensure that the angular positions in bearing of the body 3 and of the opto-electronic sight 6 remain such that the field of view of the opto-electronic sight 6 is never masked by the vertical arms of the notched support 5.

The opto-electronic sight 6 can thus be pointed over a bearing angle having an extent of 360° without its field of view being masked. When the opto-electronic sight 6 is driven to turn, this is accompanied by the body 3 being driven to turn in coordinated manner whenever the bearing angular position of the optoelectronic sight 6 is such that its field of view is about to become masked by the vertical arms of the notched support 5. Advantageously, use is made of estimator means for estimating the rates at which the bearing angles of the opto-electronic sight 6 and of the body 3 are being driven to turn, and of estimator means for estimating the bearing angular positions of the optoelectronic sight 6 and of the body 3 in order to cause the coordinated mode to be put into operation.

When the relative angular position of the optoelectronic sight 6 and of the body 3 and when the rate at which the opto-electronic sight 6 is being driven to turn are such that the first drive means 7 cannot point the body 3 fast enough to prevent the field of view of the opto-electronic sight 6 becoming masked, the centralized computer 42 causes the third drive means 18 to operate in order to interrupt the drive for turning the optoelectronic sight 6.

Alternatively, the centralized computer 42 may be configured to take the angular bearing positions respectively of the opto-electronic sight 6 and of the body 3, and to deduce thereupon that the field of view of the opto-electronic sight 6 is going to be masked by one of the arms. Under such circumstances, the centralized computer 42 causes the third drive means 18 to drive the opto-electronic sight 6 in the opposite turning direction so as to reposition the opto-electronic sight 6 in an angular position in which its field of view is not masked.

Alternatively, reference data concerning the angular positions in bearing of the body 3 and of the optoelectronic sight 6 and concerning the rates of turning of the body 3 and of the opto-electronic sight 6 is stored

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2015238173 08 Oct 2018 in a memory module associated with the centralized computer 42. The centralized computer 42 uses this reference data to put the coordinated mode into operation, e.g. by stopping turning drive of the opto5 electronic sight when its turning rate exceeds a predefined threshold included in the reference data, or when its angular position goes past a predefined position included in the reference data.

The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described above, but on the contrary covers any variant coming within the ambit of the invention as defined by the claims.

Although the base of the opto-electronic RWS is described as being fastened directly on the light armored 15 land vehicle, the opto-electronic RWS could naturally be mounted on a turret of that vehicle. It should also be observed that the term RWS includes any type of mount carrying any weapon, whether or not it is suitable for mounting on a turret.

Likewise, although it is stated that the optoelectronic RWS is fitted to a light armored land vehicle, it could naturally be mounted on some other type of support: a navel vessel, a combat helicopter or airplane, a stationary military installation (an anti-aircraft turret), etc .

Although the bearing axis in this description is a vertical axis, it could be an axis of arbitrary orientation forming a non-zero angle with a vertical axis .

During the movement of the opto-electronic sight 6, the body 3 may be held stationary or it may be driven in the same direction as the opto-electronic sight 6 (in order to avoid masking the field of view of the optoelectronic sight 6 by one of the arms), or in the opposite direction (in order to increase the speed at which the arm goes past the opto-electronic sight, thereby reducing the duration of masking).

2015238173 08 Oct 2018

It is to be clearly understood that mere reference in this specification to any previous or existing products, devices, apparatus, systems, methods, ways of doing things, practices, publications or indeed to any other information, or to any problems or issues, does not constitute an acknowledgement or admission that any of those things, whether individually or in any combination, were known or formed part of the common general knowledge of those skilled in the field, or that they are admissible prior art.

In this specification, the terms 'comprises', 'comprising', 'includes', 'including', or similar terms are intended to mean a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a method, system or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include those elements solely, but may well include others elements not listed.

Claims

1. An opto-electronic remote weapon station (RWS) comprising a body pivotable about a bearing axis, a weapon constrained to turn with the body about the

5 bearing axis and pivotally mounted about a first elevation axis, and an opto-electronic sight pivotally mounted about the same bearing axis independently of the pivoting of the body about the bearing axis, wherein the weapon is situated on a top portion of the body of the

10 RWS above the opto-electronic sight, and the weapon is mounted on a notched support leaving free a majority peripheral zone around the opto-electronic sight.

2. An opto-electronic RWS according to the preceding

15 claim, including drive means arranged to authorize coordinated drive of the body and of the opto-electronic sight in turning about the bearing axis so as to avoid a field of view of the opto-electronic sight being masked by an obstacle situated on the body.

3. An opto-electronic RWS according to claim 2, wherein an angular position in bearing of the opto-electronic sight and/or of the body is used to cause coordinated turning drive to be put into operation.

4. An opto-electronic RWS according to claim 2, wherein a rate of turning in bearing of the opto-electronic sight and/or of the body is used in order to cause coordinated turning drive to be put into operation.

5. An opto-electronic RWS according to claim 2, wherein reference data concerning angular position and/or rate of turning is stored in a memory module and used to cause coordinated turning drive to be put into operation.

2015238173 08 Oct 2018

6. An opto-electronic RWS according to any preceding claim, wherein the opto-electronic sight is pivotally mounted about a second elevation axis.

5

7. An opto-electronic RWS according to any preceding claim, including detector means for detecting the firing of a projectile, said detector means being situated on the top portion of the body of the RWS.

10

8. An opto-electronic RWS according to claim 7, wherein the detector means are also adapted to locate an origin for the projectile.

9. An opto-electronic RWS according to claim 7 or claim

15 8, wherein the detector means include an acoustic sensor.

10. An opto-electronic RWS according to any preceding claim, including a hemispherical viewer device situated on the top portion of the body of the RWS.

11. An opto-electronic RWS according to any preceding claim, including a centralized computer connected to a plurality of pieces of equipment of the RWS in order to control them and/or acquire data coming from the pieces

25 of equipment, the plurality of pieces of equipment, comprising the weapon and/or the opto-electronic sight and/or the detector means and/or the hemispherical viewer device and/or the rotary drive means for the pieces of equipment.

12. An opto-electronic RWS according to claim 11, wherein the centralized computer is remotely controllable.