DE3330496A1 - DEVICE FOR GUIDING AN AIRCRAFT INTO A TARGET - Google Patents

Description

9410

The invention relates to a device for guiding a missile into a target according to the preamble of Claim 1.

Such devices for steering a missile into a target have in a steering stand as an observation device E.g. a directional periscope with which a shooter aims at a target and by tracking the periscope in the Line of sight holds. On its tail, the missile carries a pyrotechnic which radiates in the optical and in the IR range Flare or the like. The IR radiation of the flare is perceived by a goniometer serving as a locating and steering device in the steering position. From the filing of the Missiles from the line of sight of the periscope are developed in the goniometer steering signals that are directed to the missile e.g. can be transmitted over a steering wire connection. The missile is guided by the guidance signals onto the line of sight of the Periscope guided and held on this so that the target is always hit when the shooter hits the target the line of sight holds. Such steering methods are becoming general referred to as semi-automatic processes.

Such devices are essentially only suitable for use during the day, since target observation and target tracking takes place with the periscope in the range of visible light. In order to also enable night use, it is known to use additional image intensifiers or thermal imaging devices as observation devices in the steering stand.

The invention is based on the object of providing the equipment required in the steering position for target observation in such a case, Simplify target tracking and guidance of the missile and a robust device for guidance of the missile into the detected target.

This object is according to the invention by the characterizing Part of claim 1 specified features solved.

-ο-Ι According to these characteristics, target observation, target tracking and a common thermal imaging device is used to guide the missile, but two separate thermal imaging devices are used for the observation device and for the positioning and steering device Has optical channels, which with the help of a periodically switchable beam switch to the common receiver can be switched. The imaging systems for that The observation device as well as the location and steering device are each constructed in the same way, but the input optics have of the tracking and steering device has a larger focal length, so that the field of view of the tracking and steering device is smaller than that of the observation device. With this device according to the invention it is possible Simultaneously scan two fields of view of different sizes at the same time line by line, always one line of the field of view be directed to the common receiver after a line of the other field of view. The two fields of view are scanned periodically interleaved in this way. The two input optics are used as height scanning elements each rotating scanning mirror, while the common beam switch is preferably a rotating one Polygon wheel is formed along its circumference for deflecting the radiation of each optical channel and at the same time for cellular scanning sloping ceilings are provided that are opposite to the direction of the radius of the Polygon wheel are employed so that the radiation from both optical channels is deflected onto the common receiver will.

With the invention it is possible to target observation, target tracking and steering of the missile in one compact to integrate a robust unit within the steering stand, reducing size, weight and mechanical effort known facilities can be reduced.

Further refinements and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims in conjunction with the following Description shows in the two exemplary embodiments

are explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. In the drawing show:

Figure 1 is a schematic, partially sectioned view 'a device for the control of a

Missile in a target according to the invention with an observation device and with a location and Steering device;

Figure 2 schematically shows the structure of the observation device

and the positioning and steering device according to the figure with a rotating polygon wheel for scanning lines;

characters

3a and 3b a schematic view and a section along IHb-IIIb of the one shown in FIG Polygon wheel;

Figure 4 schematically the structure of an observation

and tracking and steering device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

In Figure 1, a part of a steering stand 1 is shown, in which an observation device 2 and a locating and steering device 3 are integrated. The observation device has an input telescope 4, the locating and steering device an input telescope 5 with a larger focal length. The sight lines 6 and 7 of the observation device or locating and steering device are parallel / so that with the input telescope 5 of the locating and steering device, an enlarged section of the field of view perceived with the observation device 2 is delivered. The from the entrance telescope 5 of the locating and the steering device 3 is captured via two deflection mirrors 8 and a line grating optics 9, the radiation picked up by the input telescope 4 of the observation device 2, however, directly into one designated by 10 Scan / receive block passed.

This sampling / receiving block is shown in more detail in FIG. The optical imaging systems for the observation device 2 and the tracking and steering device 3 are constructed identically. The Radiation of each device on a height scanning mirror 11a or 11b, each around a perpendicular to the beam path Rotate axis 12a / 12b. To clarify, the The beam path of the locating and steering device is shown hatched and denoted here by 13b, while the beam path of the observation device is shown in dashed lines at 13a. The beam path within the scan / receive block 10 is explained with reference to the locating and steering device 3: The radiation is from the height scanning mirror 11b onto a parabolic mirror 14b of an intermediate optics 15h £ n this In the case of a so-called Bouwers optics, and from there to a hyperbolic deflecting mirror 16b in the focal point of the parabolic mirror 14b deflected. From there, the light is thrown back onto and from the parabolic mirror 14b parallel to the incident beam path in the direction of a beam switch 17 is reflected.

This beam switch 17 is a rotating polygonal wheel, along the circumference of which planar roof slopes 18a and 18b are arranged are. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the polygon wheel has eight such sloping roofs, the radiation of the locating and steering device 3 falls in the case shown in Figure 2 on a sloping roof 18b, which against the radius direction 19 of the polygon wheel 17 is set at an angle • »6. The sloping roof 18b acts as a deflecting element for the radiation 13b and directs it in the direction of a thermal image receiver 20 on its detector the radiation is focused with the aid of collecting optics 21. If the height deflection mirror 11b is stopped, the If the polygon wheel 17 is rotated, a line of the field of view of the locating and steering device 3 is created through this sloping roof 18b scanned.

In the beam path 13a, that of the intermediate optics 15b is identical

Intermediate optics 15a with a parabolic mirror 14a and a deflecting mirror 16a are arranged. In the position of the polygon wheel 17 shown in FIG. 2, the radiation from the observation device also hits the roof slope 18b, but is not deflected by this onto the thermal image receiver. Only when the polygon wheel 17 is rotated further so that the subsequent sloping roof 18a is located in the beam path is the radiation from the observation device directed onto the thermal image receiver 20 so that a line of the field of view of the observation device 2 is scanned. The radiation of the locating and steering device 3 incident on this sloping roof 18a is deflected past the thermal image receiver. Correspondingly, the roof slopes 18a have the same setting angle OL in relation to the radius direction 19 of the polygonal wheel, which, however, lies on the other side of the radius direction 19. The angles of attack are therefore the same in opposite directions. During the scanning of a line of the two fields of view, the height scanning mirrors 11a and 11b remain in the same position and are only pivoted further when the respective radiation 13a or 13b falls on the roof slope 18a or 18b of the polygon wheel 17 next but one. In this way, the two fields of view of the observation device 2 or of the locating and steering device 3 are recorded in the thermal image receiver 20, nested in lines. The images of the two fields of view can be separated using conventional methods, so that, for example, the fields of view of the two devices are displayed on two different viewing screens. It is also possible to display the two fields of view on a common viewing screen, in which case the image of the field of view of the locating and steering device 3 can optionally be switched into the image of the observation device on the viewing screen.

In order to achieve a high image quality with the described scanning, the polygon wheel 17 has to be about twice as fast about its axis of rotation 22 perpendicular to the direction of the radius 19 driven, as when scanning a single

picture. The high centrifugal accelerations that occur here can be mastered perfectly by using the appropriate materials for the polygon wheel. Such a material is, for example, Zerodur.
5

The construction of the polygon wheel 17 emerges again from FIG. Here you can see that all roof slopes 18a and 18b have the same center angle, accordingly have the same length along the circumference of the polygon wheel 17. The size of the field of view is therefore only determined by the telescopes 4 and 5 of the observation device 2 and the locating and steering device 3 are determined.

FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a device for guiding a missile into a target only a sample / receive block 10 'is shown. This sample / receive block 10 'is up to the beam switch 17' constructed identically to the sampling / receiving block 10 according to FIG. Elements that are the same or have the same effect are with the the same reference numerals, to which, however, a dash C) has been added.

Accordingly, a height scanning mirror 11a ', intermediate optics 15a ¹ with a parabolic mirror 14a ¹ and a deflecting mirror 16a ^{1 are again} provided for the observation device 2'. A height scanning mirror 11b ', intermediate optics 15b ¹ made up of a parabolic mirror 14b ¹ and a deflecting mirror 16b' are also provided for the locating and steering device 3 '. Furthermore, a thermal image receiver 20 'and a collecting optics 21' are used to focus the radiation incident on the thermal image receiver 20 '.

The beam switch 17 'is also available as a polygonal wheel E.g. eight sloping roofs 18 "are also formed. These sloping roofs 18 'point opposite to the direction of the radius 19' of the polygon wheel all have the same angle of attack C * ' The polygon wheel 17 'rotates about its central axis of rotation 22 '. The polygon wheel 17 'is in two positions A and B

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pivotable, the polygon wheel in position A being shown in dashed lines. The swivel angle β corresponds to twice the angle of attack c <. The angular position of the axis of rotation also changes accordingly; these two angular positions are denoted by 22A and 22B in FIG.

In the position A of the polygon wheel 17 *, the radiation 13a ^{1 of} the observation ^{device 2 1 is directed} onto the thermal image receiver 20 ', so that the field of view of the observation device 2' is scanned in one line during the rotation along a sloping roof 18 '. Then the polygon wheel is swiveled into position B so that now when the polygon wheel is turned around the new position 22B of the axis of rotation, the radiation 13b ^{1 of} the locating and steering device 3 ¹ is deflected through the following roof slope 18 'into the thermal image receiver 20'.

In this device, too, the two fields of view are scanned line by line by the observation device 2 'and the locating and steering device 3', this line scanning being nested in one another. The two fields of view are scanned as a whole by the controlled pivoting of the height scanning mirrors 11a ¹ and 11b ^1.

In both exemplary embodiments, appear at the output of the thermal imaging device Image signals corresponding to the positions of the individual deflection elements of the observation phase or can be assigned to the locating and steering phase.

Of course, it is also possible to use the image signals from the observation phase to locate and steer the missile to use. An electrical selection circuit (not shown) can be used for this purpose. Such Use can be useful if the missile to be steered is not in the immediate vicinity of the steering position is shot down. In this case, care must be taken that the missile as early as possible after the launch is detected by the tracking and steering device.

By means of the specified electrical selection circuit, the observation device with the larger Opening angle of the field of view for capturing the missile and also for steering the missile onto the line of sight can be used.

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Claims (8)

Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH Ottobrunn, 08/22/82 BTO1 Mn / Cz - 9410 - Device for guiding a missile into a target Claims 1. Device for guiding a missile into a target with an observation device for target observation and possibly target tracking within a first field of view and with a locating and steering device for the missile which determines a second field of view and which is connected to the missile via a signal connection for the transmission of steering signals stands, whereby the observation device as well as the testing and steering device are combined in a steering stand, characterized in that the observation device (2) and the locating and steering device (3) form a thermal imaging device (10) with two the observation device (2) or the locating and Steering device (3) associated optical channels (13a, 13b) are combined that each optical channel (13a, 13b) Äbtastelemente (11a, 11b, 18a _f 18b) for cell-shaped scanning of the observation device (2) or the locating and Steering device (3) has associated fields of view in height and side, and that the scanning elements (18a, 18b) for one scanning direction on egg Nem two optical channels (13a, 13b) common controlled beam switch (17) are arranged, which the beam paths of the observation device (2) as well as locating and steering device (3) alternately lines up on a common thermal image receiver (20). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the beam switch is a rotating, driven polygonal wheel (17), along its circumference as scanning elements for which one scanning direction against the radius direction (19) inclined roof slopes (18a, 18b) are arranged. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the roof slopes (18 ') of the polygon wheel (17') all have the same center angle and the same angle of attack (<*) against the direction of the radius (19 '), and that the angular position (22A , 22B) of the axis of rotation (22) of the polygon wheel (17 ¹ ) can be changed periodically / so that the beam ^{paths from the observation device (2 1} ) and the locating and steering device (3 ¹ ) are directed alternately line by line onto the shared thermal image receiver (20 '). 4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that successive roof slopes (18a, 18b) of the polygon wheel (17) all have the same center angle, but opposite to the direction of the radius (19) in each case opposite Have angle of attack (oc), and that the polygon wheel (17) is driven about a fixed axis of rotation (22) perpendicular to the direction of the radius (19). 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optical channels (13a, 13b) from the observation device (2) as well as the location and steering device (3) one input optics each (input telescopes 4, 5), a height scanning mirror (11a, 11b) and intermediate optics (15a, 15b) for directing the associated beam path from the height scanning mirror (11a, 11b) to the common beam switch (17). 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the input optics (4, 5) of the observation device (2) and tracking and steering device (3) have different focal lengths. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locating and steering device (3) can also be connected to the thermal image receiver (20) in the observation phase if the optical channel (13a) of the observation device (2) is switched to the thermal image receiver (20). 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for observation device (2) and Locating and steering device (3) each have a viewing screen connected to the thermal image receiver (20).