EP0352237A1 - Antimissile fuze for gun shells - Google Patents

Antimissile fuze for gun shells Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0352237A1
EP0352237A1 EP89830322A EP89830322A EP0352237A1 EP 0352237 A1 EP0352237 A1 EP 0352237A1 EP 89830322 A EP89830322 A EP 89830322A EP 89830322 A EP89830322 A EP 89830322A EP 0352237 A1 EP0352237 A1 EP 0352237A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
fuze
missile
sensor
infra
signal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP89830322A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Mario Mule'
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BPD DIFESA E SPAZIO Srl
Original Assignee
BPD DIFESA E SPAZIO Srl
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by BPD DIFESA E SPAZIO Srl filed Critical BPD DIFESA E SPAZIO Srl
Publication of EP0352237A1 publication Critical patent/EP0352237A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42C—AMMUNITION FUZES; ARMING OR SAFETY MEANS THEREFOR
    • F42C13/00—Proximity fuzes; Fuzes for remote detonation
    • F42C13/02—Proximity fuzes; Fuzes for remote detonation operated by intensity of light or similar radiation

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a fuze for shells fired by a gun against an approaching missile propelled by a rocket or ram jet engine.
  • the invention is particularly suited to the defence of ships against missiles launched from a great distance from ships or aircraft, which fly parallel to the sea level at an altitude of a few meters.
  • One of the defence systems consists in firing against a missile, using a rapid fire gun, shells which explode on passing near the missile, so as to damage or destroy it before it hits the target.
  • the shells are provided with fuzes for initiating the shell explosion at the desired moment.
  • Fuzes presently available and used against anti-ship missiles are radio frequency fuzes. These produce elec­tromagnetic waves having a frequency which reaches at most a few gigaherz.
  • the signal reflected from the missile creates a low-frequency doppler signal which, when suitably treated, triggers off the explosion of the shell.
  • the surface of the sea also reflects electromagnetic waves, and it is therefore necessary for the fuze to pass quite close to the missile, in order to distinguish the signal created by the missile from that created by the surface of the sea.
  • a suitable distance must not exceed about 4-5 meters above the missile or 2 meters below it.
  • the technical problem which forms the basis of the present invention is to obtain a fuze which can cause the shell to explode when the missile is still as far as possible from the target ship. This makes it possible, in fact, to shoot a greater number of shells before the missile reaches the ship, thus increasing the likelihood of damaging the missile and causing it to miss its target.
  • the present invention resolves the problem by using a fuze containing a passive infra-red (IR) sensor which is not influenced by the surface of the sea, and renders the fuze capable of identifying the missile at a distance of 20 meters from the shell, when the electronics are suitivelyably adjusted to this end.
  • IR passive infra-red
  • the advantage is that of being at a greater distance from the explosion, and of being able to commence shooting at the missile much earlier than in the case of radio frequency fuzes.
  • An object of the present invention is therefore an antimissile fuze for gun shells having the shape of a cone with a detonator which is detonated by a signal pro­duced by an electronic module, when the shell approaches the missile, said fuze comprising: an optical group posi­tioned in said cone, sensitive to the infra-red light energy produced by the plume of the approaching missile, comprising view windows cut in said cone, to allow the entry of a beam of said light energy from the plume to­wards the inside of the cone, a mirror element having parabolic mirrors capable of receiving said beam of light on one of said mirrors and of reflecting it towards a flat mirror, and an infra-red sensor placed on the focal plane of the light beam reflected by the flat mirror, to generate an electric signal as a function of the light energy received, said sensor and said windows defining a field of vision having a restricted angle of view; and an electronic circuit to amplify said electric signal and to generate a firing signal when the amplified signal ex
  • a ship 1 is illustrated on the surface of the sea 2, while a missile 3 heads towards the ship 1 propelled by a jet engine, which can be, for example, a rocket engine or a ram jet engine.
  • a jet engine which can be, for example, a rocket engine or a ram jet engine.
  • a gun 4 which fires shells along a trajectory T in the direction of approach of the missile with the line of sight indicated by a dashed line C.
  • the above represents the situation using the infra-red sensitive fuze according to the present invention
  • the corresponding situation using a radio frequency fuze according to the prior art is represented by the missile 3′ with the gun firing along trajectory T′ with a line of sight C′ forming a same angle of deviation as line C.
  • the fuze according to the invention can explode the shell at a distance of 20 meters from the missile, whereas the fuze according to the prior art triggers off the explosion at a point corresponding to a distance of 5 meters from the missile, using the fuze according to the invention it is possible to defend against the missile at a much greater distance and there­ fore for a longer time an with greater probabilities of success with respect to the prior art.
  • Figure 2 illustrates the working principles of the infra-red sensor fuze.
  • the shell 5 provided with the fuze travels on a trajectory T substantially parallel to that of the mis­sile 3.
  • the optics of the fuze are such that the sensor is able to see the plume 6 of the exhaust gases of the missile 3 through a greatly restricted angle of view ⁇ .
  • the angle of view can be theoretically variable between 0.1 and 3°, preferably having a typical value of 1.5°, inclined with respect to the axis of the shell T by an angle ⁇ of between 35 and 45°, preferably of 40°.
  • angles ⁇ and ⁇ are such that, bearing in mind the speed of the shell, which is a known value, the speeds of both existing and anticipated anti-ship missiles, the speed and direction of the shrapnel, which are also known values, it is possible to obtain the maximum probability of damaging the attacking missile.
  • the fuze according to the present invention comprises a support cone 7 in which windows 8 are formed, said windows open­ing onto an optical group which comprises an upper flat mirror 9 and a lower element 10 with mirrors 11 having a parabolic surface.
  • Each window 8 defines a beam of light which is con­centrated by a parabolic mirror 11 and reflected by the flat mirror 9 onto a focal point situated on the lower element 10, in correspondence to an infra-red sensor 12 which is preferably situated at the center of the lower element 10.
  • the IR sensor 12 is connected to an electronic module 13 able to create an electric discharge with a contact plate 14 to trigger off a detonator 15 which explodes a trigger charge 16 to set off the explosive in the shell.
  • the optical group is fixed by means of a tie-rod 17 and a screw 18 onto a support body 19, through holes 34 in the element 10.
  • the cone 7 is further provided with an entrance hole 32 and exit holes 33 which form a turbogenerator for the electric power supply of the electronic module 13.
  • the lower mirror element 10 comprises a number of parabolic mirrors 11 equal to the number of windows 8 present on the cone 7. In this manner the rotation of the shell around its axis causes the source of infra-red rays to enter the field of vision formed by each window 8 successively, thus sending to the electronic module 13, rather than a continuous signal, a pulse train which is easier to treat electronically.
  • the IR sensor is preferably a PbSe sensor with a 4.321-4.483 micrometer narrow band filter.
  • An infra-red sensor 12 with this filter is not sensitive to solar radiation, as the CO2 in the atmosphere absorbs the solar radiations in this band. It is, on the contrary, sensi­tive to the radiations from the missile, as the layer of atmosphere between the missile and the shell is thin.
  • the fuze contains two types of sensor: a PbSe sensor 12 provided with an IR filter with a pass-band having a lower limit between 3.4 and 4.32 micrometers and an upper limit between 4.48 and 5.2 micrometers, preferably a pass-band from 3.56 to 4.83 micrometers, and furthermore four silicon sensors 20 pro­vided with filters having a pass-band from a minimum limit of 0.2-0.38 to a maximum limit of 1.1 micrometers, with a sensitivity within the range of vision.
  • a PbSe sensor 12 provided with an IR filter with a pass-band having a lower limit between 3.4 and 4.32 micrometers and an upper limit between 4.48 and 5.2 micrometers, preferably a pass-band from 3.56 to 4.83 micrometers
  • four silicon sensors 20 pro­vided with filters having a pass-band from a minimum limit of 0.2-0.38 to a maximum limit of 1.1 micrometers, with a sensitivity within the range of vision.
  • FIG. 6 A block diagram of the electronic circuit for this second embodiment is shown in figure 6.
  • the circuit comprises a channel 21 for the signal produced by the sighting of the infra-red rays and a channel 22 for the signal produced by the sighting of the sun.
  • the essential elements of the circuit are the fol­lowing.
  • an IR filter 23 For the channel 21: an IR filter 23, an IR PbSe sensor 24, a pre-ampli­fier 25, an amplifier and filter 26, a threshold circuit 27. This branch of the circuit is sufficient for the functioning using the IR filter alone, that is to say without the need for channel 22.
  • the circuit also comprises a visible radiation filter 28, silicon sensors 29, a pre-amplifier 30 and a two colour comparator to compare the signals caused by visible light and those caused by infra-red light, which sends an output signal to the threshold circuit 27.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)
EP89830322A 1988-07-12 1989-07-11 Antimissile fuze for gun shells Withdrawn EP0352237A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT4817788 1988-07-12
IT8848177A IT1226697B (it) 1988-07-12 1988-07-12 Spoletta contro missile per proiettili da cannone

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0352237A1 true EP0352237A1 (en) 1990-01-24

Family

ID=11265030

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP89830322A Withdrawn EP0352237A1 (en) 1988-07-12 1989-07-11 Antimissile fuze for gun shells

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP0352237A1 (it)
IT (1) IT1226697B (it)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2434632A (en) * 1999-05-27 2007-08-01 Diehl Munitionssysteme Gmbh Shell with heat-sensitive sensor
US11300384B2 (en) * 2018-12-20 2022-04-12 Safran Electronics & Defense Optical detection device of a self-guided flying vehicle

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1169273A (fr) * 1956-03-12 1958-12-24 Brinro Ltd Perfectionnements apportés aux fusées de proximité
US2892093A (en) * 1944-12-30 1959-06-23 Joseph E Henderson Fuze
FR1464783A (fr) * 1965-11-23 1967-01-06 Fr D Etudes Et De Const Electr Perfectionnements aux systèmes de détection de radiations infrarouges
US3621784A (en) * 1955-12-29 1971-11-23 Us Navy Optical system for an infrared missile fuze
GB1298661A (en) * 1965-12-06 1972-12-06 Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Ltd Improvements in or relating to fuze devices
GB1511643A (en) * 1960-07-13 1978-05-24 Dehavilland Aircraft Missiles
DE2923547B1 (de) * 1979-06-09 1980-07-31 Bodenseewerk Geraetetech Zielsuchvorrichtung fuer Flugkoerper

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2892093A (en) * 1944-12-30 1959-06-23 Joseph E Henderson Fuze
US3621784A (en) * 1955-12-29 1971-11-23 Us Navy Optical system for an infrared missile fuze
FR1169273A (fr) * 1956-03-12 1958-12-24 Brinro Ltd Perfectionnements apportés aux fusées de proximité
GB1511643A (en) * 1960-07-13 1978-05-24 Dehavilland Aircraft Missiles
FR1464783A (fr) * 1965-11-23 1967-01-06 Fr D Etudes Et De Const Electr Perfectionnements aux systèmes de détection de radiations infrarouges
GB1298661A (en) * 1965-12-06 1972-12-06 Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Ltd Improvements in or relating to fuze devices
DE2923547B1 (de) * 1979-06-09 1980-07-31 Bodenseewerk Geraetetech Zielsuchvorrichtung fuer Flugkoerper

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2434632A (en) * 1999-05-27 2007-08-01 Diehl Munitionssysteme Gmbh Shell with heat-sensitive sensor
GB2434632B (en) * 1999-05-27 2007-12-05 Diehl Munitionssysteme Gmbh Shell for defence against an approaching kinetic-energy projectile
US11300384B2 (en) * 2018-12-20 2022-04-12 Safran Electronics & Defense Optical detection device of a self-guided flying vehicle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT8848177A0 (it) 1988-07-12
IT1226697B (it) 1991-02-05

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