EP1150089B1 - Weapon system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a weapon system with a weapon, a pointing device and one with the weapon lockable ammunition unit.

In main battle tanks, the main weapon is usually via a fire control computer and an associated straightening system controlled. It is for example from DE 41 37 819 A1 known, the ammunition-specific data, such as ammunition type, Lot number, date of manufacture etc., directly on one arranged on the ammunition To store data storage. This data is saved after the respective cartridge has been inserted automatically read into and in the cargo space of the weapon by means of a reading device transmit the fire control computer. The fire control computer then generates taking into account this as well as the target and system-specific data (e.g. "system error") Control of the straightening system.

A disadvantage of this known weapon system is that only such types of ammunition that the fire control computer recognizes, i.e. the type before are recorded. Because the type registration before delivery of the first batch of ammunition is carried out (otherwise the corresponding main battle tank would be delivered with ammunition cannot be used), the fire control computer is programmed with a Unit data set that was created on the basis of development patterns. The middle one However, the behavior of the combat ammunition actually delivered usually corresponds not the permanently programmed unit shooting table, so that there are lots of ammunition There is a distance to the firing board's fire board. Even small deviations from lot too Batches of the same type of ammunition often lead to a slightly changed firing table. The resulting deterioration in the hit performance must either be accepted or the program of the respective fire control computer must go to the respective lot be adjusted accordingly.

Another disadvantage of the known weapon system with identifiable, i.e. beforehand by type detected, ammunition is that developmental ammunition improvements to Combat value increase can not be used immediately, because previously the complex Way of "type-based registration" with a corresponding computer card for the entire Main battle tank fleet must be entered. For this reason, the well-known Weapon systems with the ammunition production running the "resources of good ammunition lots" cannot be used to increase combat value, because the "old type-based recording" always must be achieved. In addition, today's main battle tank is only one has a very limited number of slots for new type-based acquisitions.

DE-OS 2 059 665 describes a device for determining the powder temperature known in the cargo space of a weapon, electrically ignitable cartridge. The Corresponding temperature data are passed on to the fire control computer and are used to correct the directional and / or ignition signals determined by the fire control computer.

The present invention has for its object to provide a weapon system by means of this both with different types of ammunition and with different ones Lots of the same type of ammunition, taking into account individual pipe and device properties, a high first hit probability (ETW) of those to be fired Ammunition can be individually made from any main battle tank in a simple manner without that the type of ammunition must first be recorded in the fire control system.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1. More beneficial Embodiments of the invention disclose the subclaims.

Essentially, the invention is based on the idea that the conventional means Fire control computer controlled weapon system through an ammunition controlled weapon system to replace. This is achieved in that on or in the respective ammunition unit a microcontroller with a data memory for storing the ammunition-specific Data is provided. When the weapon is loaded, a link is found Ammunition-specific data with the weapon and target-specific data through this microcontroller instead of. The microcontroller then carries out the data exchange between a directional controller and the one intended for the target and system-specific data Data entry facilities through.

The information given by the microcontroller to the directional controller is a correction value for height and side, which are to be understood as the current individual system error leaves. The aiming controller then uses the aiming optics of the gunner to take care of the Straightening system for tracking the pipe parallel to the straightening optics. This makes good coincidence conditions ensured.

This system, consisting of two microcontrollers, takes over the function of conventional ones Weapon systems required fire control system.

The weapon system according to the invention has a number of advantages:

The complex, cost-intensive type-specific recording of new ammunition in the fire control computer cards all main battle tanks of a main battle tank fleet are eliminated. It will be simple Way achieved a significant increase in combat value of the main battle tank fleet.

Furthermore, the individual lot properties can be checked during a quality check of an ammunition lot thereby be directly taken into account that the in the data memory of the microcontroller of the respective ammunition unit (or the program of the microcontroller) can be changed accordingly.

In addition, the batches of ammunition no longer have to be set exactly during production, so that the "resources of good lots" as well as developmental improvements can be used immediately to increase combat value, as it is linked to a fire control card eliminated.

Finally, effective ammunition management is possible, since the one specified in Changes in ammunition monitoring carried out at intervals the ammunition-less by changing the information content of the respective Ammunition unit arranged data storage can be taken into account. So that is the ammunition lot can be used optimally in combat.

In order to achieve a high ETW, it has proven to be advantageous if the microcontroller with a temperature sensor arranged in the ammunition unit for determination the temperature of the propellant powder as well as with a moisture sensor for determination the moisture of the propellant powder is connected.

It has also proven to be useful to also determine the respective air pressure the directional and ignition signals and the microcontroller with one to connect the corresponding air pressure sensor.

It has proven to be particularly advantageous to use a tube card evaluation device as the data input device to provide, via which the on a removable card storage (Tube map) stored weapon-specific data read into the weapon system and transmitted to the second microcontroller (outside the ammunition unit). This data is then used to generate the relevant information for the directional controller used.

Another data input device preferably serves as a control unit, e.g. for the Commanders of a corresponding main battle tank, with which this, among other things that in one Combat module of the ammunition stored program for a tactical shooting Query (number of shots and spatial distribution), and if available, can command.

It has also proven to be advantageous to use an evaluation device from the Tracer of the previous shot to determine the side storage of the projectile and to take the relevant influencing factors into account in the subsequent shot.

If the drive of the cartridge is equipped with controllable combustion components a control unit for ignition and charge erosion is provided so that when the shot is released the corresponding firing pulse that the microprocessor previously with the current one Data fed control unit triggers.

Fig. 1 eine schematische Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Waffensystems;

Fig.2 einen Patronenboden mit integriertem Mikrocontroller und

Fig.3 ein Blockschaltbild eines Ausführungsbeispieles eines erfindungsgemäßen Waffensystems.

Further details and advantages of the invention result from the following exemplary embodiments explained with reference to figures. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the weapon system according to the invention;

Fig.2 a cartridge base with an integrated microcontroller and

3 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a weapon system according to the invention.

In Fig. 1, 1 designates the barrel weapon of a main battle tank, the one with only a schematic indicated directional system 2 is mechanically coupled. In the cargo space 3 the Gun 1 is a cartridge 4, in the bottom 5 of which a microcontroller 6 is located on the inside is integrated (see also Fig. 2). The microcontroller 6 is via lines 7 (data and Control bus) both with the directional controller 6 "of a directional system 2 and with others Connected units, of which only two data input devices 8 in Fig.1 and 13 (e.g. an operating unit 8 for the gunner and a control unit 13 for the Commanders).

The microcontroller 6 must be arranged in the cartridge 4 such that after the shot no data can get into unauthorized hands, i.e. it has to go completely through the heat or be destroyed by the pressure created during the shot. It has therefore proven to be proven to be advantageous, the microcontroller 6 on the inside of the base plate 10 of the cartridge base 5 to arrange and 11 via lines with corresponding external contacts connect (Fig.2). The external contact 11 can also be designed as a ring contact. about these contacts are the microcontroller 6 galvanically via the lines 7 with the directional controller 6 "connected.

The arrangement of the microcontroller 6 on the inside of the base plate 10 also has the advantage that the first microcontroller 6 from contamination and mechanical Damage etc. is protected.

3 shows a block diagram with the microcontroller 6 and the directional controller 6 "and some components of the invention, for example connected to the controllers Weapon system. With 2, 8 and 13 are the straightening system, the control units designated for the gunner and the control unit for the commander. Furthermore, a tube card evaluation device 12 and an evaluation device 9 intended for the traces of the missiles.

To determine the temperature of the propellant powder and to determine the Moisture of the propellant charge powder is in the cartridge 4 corresponding sensors 14, 15th arranged, which are connected to the microcontroller 6 via electrical lines. In addition, a sensor 18 is provided which measures the respective air pressure.

In addition to a processor and a clock generator, the microcontroller 6 also contains one Read / write memory 19 shown in dashed lines in FIG Quality control newly determined lot data are stored, as well as a control module 20, in which tactical with special ammunition (e.g. with explosive and fragmentation cartridges) Control programs are filed.

The mode of operation of the invention is described below using an exemplary embodiment Weapons system explained in more detail:

First, the commander puts his pipe card in a pipe card reader, which over the tube card evaluation device 12 is connected to the microcontroller 6. Only the weapon system can be activated.

The cartridge 4 is then loaded by closing the corresponding weapon 1, the line 7 is connected to the microcontroller 6 and it the microcontroller 6 is activated by external energy supply to the system. thereupon the control program 20 becomes the control program into a data memory the microcontroller 6 copied. On the other hand, the quality control data from the Data storage 19 together with the current data for the propellant charge temperature Propellant charge moisture and the air pressure in the first microcontroller 6 and preprocessed transfer the result into a read / write memory of the microcontroller 6.

The data is updated regularly using the microcontroller 6 Intervals (e.g. 1-minute intervals), as long as the cartridge is loaded and the Main battle tank is ready for battle.

The control unit 13 of the commander is used to exercise the option "tactical Shoot "(fire salvo) according to the program stored on the control module 20 and is not activated in the "single shot" battle type.

The battle sequence "single shot" takes place as follows: by a target range measurement, e.g. by means of a laser rangefinder known per se and automatically Feeding of the distance data into the microcontroller via the data input device 8 6, the microcontroller 6 generates using the preprocessed quality check data in the data memory and use of the data from the tube card evaluation device 12 (tube statics, total number of rounds of the weapon and information about any pipe-influencing shots fired beforehand) and the data from a Illuminated track evaluation device 9 (if this is due to a previous shot are available) the current correction values for straightening the pipe with regard to height and page.

The microcontroller 6 writes these directional correction values into the data memory 19 ″ Straightening controller 6 ". The straightening controller 6" has the task of processing the data from target optics 21 of the gunner and the correction values from the data memory 19 "to generate the directional signals for the straightening system 2 and thus the tracking of the Ensure pipe.

The pipe is straightened in a manner known per se with the aid of the target optics 21 of the gunner, so that no additional data or Signals are exchanged and so the coincidence window and the coincidence frequencies (as is common today).

The directional controller 6 "can advantageously receive the data in the data memory 19 "by a signal on an additional optical display (not shown) acknowledge with the commander and possibly also with the gunner and so the Show "readiness for fire".

The invention is of course not based on the exemplary embodiments described above limited. The microcontroller of the ammunition unit can also use it be connected to other functional units and / or sensors and cooperate. So For example, the wind direction and the wind speed can also be measured and be used for obtaining the directional signals.

Furthermore, when upgrading existing main battle tanks with the new weapon system the existing fire control system remain in the tank and serve as "emergency firing".

The connection between the ammunition-side microcontroller and the external components does not necessarily have to have a galvanic arrangement on the weapon respectively. Rather, a contactless connection, e.g. using a transponder, conceivable.

As a rule in the ammunition unit because of the long storage times (often ≥ 10 years) the ammunition-side microcontroller will be accommodated no energy supply elements 6 only when the cartridge is loaded by the energy supply of the respective Main battle tank activated.

In addition, the microcontroller 6 ″ assigned to the straightening system 2 does not necessarily have to be are located at the mechanical parts of the straightening system, but can also be within a central electronics. It is also conceivable to assume the function of Microcontrollers 6 "by a central computer that is already available for other purposes.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Gun, barrel weapon, gun barrel

2

straightening plant

3

cargo space

4

Ammunition unit, cartridge

5

Cartridge bottom, bottom

6

microcontroller

6 "

directional controller

7

management

8th

Data entry device, control unit

9

Evaluation device, tracer evaluation device

10

baseplate

11

outside Contact

12

Rohrkartenauswertevorrichtung

13

Data entry device, control unit

14.15

sensors

18

sensor

19.19 "

Read / write memory, data memory

20

fighting module

21

optical sight

Claims (9)

1. Weapon system with a weapon (1), an aiming system (2) and a munitions unit (4) which may be fired with the weapon, wherein

   a) the weapon system has at least one data input device (8, 13)

   b) the munitions unit (4) contains a data memory (19) for storing munition-specific data

   c) a microcontroller (6) is located on or in the munitions unit (4) in question

   d) the microcontroller (6) on or in the munitions unit (4) in the weapon's (1) loading chamber (3) is connected to the data input device(s) (8, 13), the aiming unit (2) and the data memory (19) in such a way

   e) that the microcontroller (6) determines the aiming signals required to control the aiming unit (2) from the munition-, target- and weapon-specific data and transmits them to the aiming unit (2).
2. Weapon system according to claim 1, characterised in that a barrel map evaluation device (12) is provided via which the weapon-specific data stored in an interchangeable map memory may be read into the weapon system and transmitted to the microcontroller (6) to determine the aiming signals.
3. Weapon system according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that the data input device (8, 13) is a operator unit for the gunner and/or a control unit for the commander of a battle tank with which inter alia the readiness to fire, the number of weapon rounds, the firing programme and the firing authorisation may be prespecified.
4. Weapon system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the microcontroller (6) is connected to a temperature sensor (14) located in the munitions unit (4) to determine the temperature of the propellant powder.
5. Weapon system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the microcontroller (6) is connected to a moisture sensor (15) located in the munitions unit (4) to determine the moisture of the propellant powder.
6. Weapon system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that that the microcontroller (6) is connected to an air pressure sensor (18).
7. Weapon system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the munitions unit (4) is cartridge munition and the microcontroller (6) is located on the inner side of the base plate (10) of the cartridge base (5).
8. Weapon system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the power supply to the microcontroller (6) is provided by a power source located outside the munitions unit (4).
9. Weapon system according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the connection between the microcontroller (6) and the units (8, 9, 12, 13) located outside the munitions unit (4)is contactless.

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