EP1626245A1 - Lenkflugkörper mit verteiltem Lenkungsmechanismus - Google Patents

Lenkflugkörper mit verteiltem Lenkungsmechanismus Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1626245A1
EP1626245A1 EP05254970A EP05254970A EP1626245A1 EP 1626245 A1 EP1626245 A1 EP 1626245A1 EP 05254970 A EP05254970 A EP 05254970A EP 05254970 A EP05254970 A EP 05254970A EP 1626245 A1 EP1626245 A1 EP 1626245A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
guided missile
weapons system
guidance
signals
guided
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Withdrawn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
EP05254970A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Assa Fein
Ronen Ben-Horin
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.)
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd
Original Assignee
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd
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 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd filed Critical Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd
Publication of EP1626245A1 publication Critical patent/EP1626245A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G7/00—Direction control systems for self-propelled missiles
    • F41G7/20—Direction control systems for self-propelled missiles based on continuous observation of target position
    • F41G7/22—Homing guidance systems
    • F41G7/2206—Homing guidance systems using a remote control station
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G7/00—Direction control systems for self-propelled missiles
    • F41G7/20—Direction control systems for self-propelled missiles based on continuous observation of target position
    • F41G7/22—Homing guidance systems
    • F41G7/2233—Multimissile systems
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G7/00—Direction control systems for self-propelled missiles
    • F41G7/20—Direction control systems for self-propelled missiles based on continuous observation of target position
    • F41G7/30—Command link guidance systems
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G7/00—Direction control systems for self-propelled missiles
    • F41G7/20—Direction control systems for self-propelled missiles based on continuous observation of target position
    • F41G7/30—Command link guidance systems
    • F41G7/301—Details
    • F41G7/308—Details for guiding a plurality of missiles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to guided-missile-based weapons systems and, more particularly, to a weapons system that includes a guided missile and a separate guidance mechanism for steering the guided missile towards a target.
  • Figure I illustrates, schematically, a prior art guided missile 10.
  • Guided missile 10 includes a seeker head 12 that acquires an indication of the position of a target towards which guided missile 10 is to be steered.
  • Typical examples of such indications include an image of the target, a laser reflection from the target and a radar reflection from the target.
  • Guided missile 10 also includes a guidance computer 14, a propulsion mechanism represented by a rocket motor 16, and a steering mechanism represented by fins 18. Seeker head 12 sends to guidance computer 14 signals that represent the indication of the position of the target. Guidance computer 14 processes these signals to obtain estimates of the position and velocity of the target. Guidance computer 14 then combines these estimates with estimates of the position, velocity and attitude of guided missile 10 to generate control commands that are sent to propulsion mechanism 16 and steering mechanism 18 to propel and steer guided missile 10 towards the target.
  • This guidance mechanism suffers from drawbacks including the high cost and high weight of guidance computer 14 that is destroyed along with the rest of guided missile 10 when guided missile 10 strikes the target.
  • Guidance computer 14 typically has a high power requirement that must be satisfied by a bulky and expensive power supply. Updating the algorithms used to guide guided missile 10 often entails replacing guidance computer 14 with a more powerful guidance computer 14, which replacement must be done for every guided missile 10 separately. Furthermore, despite continuing advances in electronic miniaturization, guidance computer 14 typically is too bulky to be installed in a small missile such as a rocket-propelled grenade.
  • a weapons system including: (a) a guided missile including: (i) a seeker for producing signals indicative of a position of a target, and (ii) a steering mechanism for steering the guided missile; and (b) a guidance mechanism, separate from the guided missile, for controlling the steering mechanism, based on the signals, so as to steer the guided missile towards the target.
  • the guided missile is a rocket-propelled grenade, a rifle grenade or a mortar shell.
  • the signals are either digital signals or analog signals.
  • the weapons system also includes a communication mechanism for sending the signals from the guided missile to the guidance mechanism and for sending control commands from the guidance mechanism to the guided missile.
  • the communication mechanism is wireless.
  • the communication mechanism includes a transmission medium for conveying the signals from the guided missile to the guidance mechanism and for conveying the control commands from the guidance mechanism to the guided missile.
  • the transmission medium includes an optical fiber.
  • the transmission medium includes an electrically conductive wire.
  • the guidance mechanism includes an authentication mechanism for restricting use of the guidance mechanism to authorized users.
  • the authentication mechanism includes a biosensing mechanism.
  • the guidance mechanism is operative to provide battlefield damage assessment.
  • the guidance mechanism processes the signals produced by the seeker, and controls the steering mechanism based on results of that processing.
  • the processing of the signals produced by the seeker includes image processing and/or signal processing.
  • the guidance mechanism includes an input mechanism with which an operator of the guidance mechanism controls the steering mechanism.
  • the weapons system of the present invention includes a plurality of the guided missiles.
  • the weapons system of the present invention includes, in addition to the plurality of guided missiles, a communication system for sending the signals from each guided missile to the guidance mechanism and for sending the control commands from the guidance mechanism to each guided missile.
  • the communication system is wireless.
  • Each guided missile includes a respective transceiver for sending the guided missile's signals to the guidance mechanism and for receiving the missile's control commands from the guidance mechanism.
  • the guidance mechanism is operationally connected to a single transceiver for receiving the signals from all the guided missiles and for sending the control commands to the guided missiles.
  • the guidance mechanism is operationally connected to a plurality of dedicated transceivers, each transceiver for receiving the signals from a respective one of the guided missiles and for sending that guided missile's control commands to that guided missile.
  • the present invention is of a guided-missile-based weapons system with distributed guidance.
  • the present invention can be used to provide automatic guidance of small missiles, such as rocket-propelled grenades, rifle grenades and mortar shells, that conventionally are not thought of as "guided" missiles.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a weapons system 20 embodying the present invention.
  • Weapons system 20 includes a plurality of guided missiles 22. Each guided missile 22 inherits from prior art guided missile 10 seeker head 12, propulsion mechanism 16 and steering mechanism 18. Unlike guided missile 10, each guided missile 22 lacks guidance computer 14. Instead, weapons system 20 includes a single guidance computer 34 as part of a guidance unit 30 that is separate from guided missiles 22. Instead of guidance computer 14, each guided missile 22 includes a transceiver 24. Guidance unit 30 includes a set of corresponding transceivers 32.
  • Each transceiver 24 transmits the signals produced by seeker head 12, along with other signals that represent indications of the position, velocity and attitude of guided missile 22, as RF signals 26 that are received by the corresponding transceiver 32 and sent to guidance computer 34.
  • the signals from seeker head 12 represent the indication of the position of the target that is acquired by seeker head 12.
  • Guidance computer 34 performs whatever processing is necessary on the RF signals 26 received from each guided missile 22, including signal processing and image processing, to obtain estimates of the position and velocity of the target and of the position, velocity and attitude of guided missile 22.
  • Guidance computer 34 then performs guidance computing to combine all these estimates to generate control commands that are sent, as RF signals 28 via the appropriate transceivers 32 and 24, to each propulsion mechanism 16 and steering mechanism 18 to propel and steer each guided missile 22 towards its respective target. Unlike the prior art, none of this processing is done inside any of guided missiles 22. In this manner, guidance unit 30 controls several guided missiles 22, even guided missiles 22 of different types, at the same time.
  • guidance unit 30 includes a single transceiver 32 that communicates with all transceivers 24, using, for example, time domain multiplexing.
  • Transceivers 24 and 32 constitute a wireless communication mechanism with which guidance unit 30 communicates with guided missiles 22.
  • guidance unit 30 exchanges optical signals with guided missiles 22 via optical fibers that pay out behind guided missiles 22 as guided missiles 22 fly toward their targets.
  • guidance unit 30 exchanges electrical signals with guided missile 22 via electrically conductive wires that pay out behind guided missiles 22 as guided missiles 22 fly towards their targets.
  • the signals exchanged between guided missiles 22 and guidance unit 30 may be either analog signals or digital signals.
  • guidance unit 30 may be carried by an operator of weapons system 20, or may be mounted on a vehicle.
  • Guidance computer 34 includes a biosensor 36 such as a fingerprint detector or a retina scanner.
  • Guidance computer 34 is configured to be operated only by an operator that can authenticate himself or herself using biosensor 36.
  • Guidance computer 34 also includes a display mechanism 38.
  • Guidance computer 34 is operative to present battlefield damage assessment, based on signals 26, to the operator of guidance unit 30.
  • battlefield damage assessment is well-known in the art and need not be described in detail here.
  • RAFAEL's Popeye air-to-surface missile system features similar battlefield damage assessment capabilities.
  • Guidance computer 34 also includes a conventional input mechanism 40, for example a keyboard and/or a mouse and/or a joystick, that the operator of guidance computer 30 optionally uses to override the control commands produced by guidance computer 30 so as to steer one of guided missiles 22 manually to its target, for example with reference to an image of the target that is computed from the signals received by guidance computer 30 from that guided missile 22 and that is displayed to the operator of guidance computer 30 using display mechanism 38.
  • a conventional input mechanism 40 for example a keyboard and/or a mouse and/or a joystick
  • transceivers 22 are available that are considerably smaller and lighter than guidance computer 14 and so can be mounted in small missiles such as rocket-propelled grenades, rifle grenades and mortar shells.
  • the present invention also is applicable to larger missiles, such as air-launched missiles, that conventionally are guided missiles of the type illustrated in Figure 1.
  • Another advantage of the present invention is that only one guidance computer 34 must be upgraded as new algorithms and new hardware become available.
  • guidance unit 30 can be configured to operate with missiles 22 of several different types.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
EP05254970A 2004-08-10 2005-08-10 Lenkflugkörper mit verteiltem Lenkungsmechanismus Withdrawn EP1626245A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL163450A IL163450A (en) 2004-08-10 2004-08-10 Guided missile with distributed guidance mechanism

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1626245A1 true EP1626245A1 (de) 2006-02-15

Family

ID=35149639

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP05254970A Withdrawn EP1626245A1 (de) 2004-08-10 2005-08-10 Lenkflugkörper mit verteiltem Lenkungsmechanismus

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20080006735A1 (de)
EP (1) EP1626245A1 (de)
IL (1) IL163450A (de)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9163901B2 (en) * 2013-11-01 2015-10-20 Raytheon Company Guidance section connector interface for advanced rocket launchers
SE545174C2 (en) 2017-12-28 2023-05-02 Bae Systems Bofors Ab A guidance and reconnaissance unit and a process for guiding a projectile

Citations (6)

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DE3631944A1 (de) * 1986-09-19 1988-04-07 Messerschmitt Boelkow Blohm Einrichtung zur auswertung eines bildes zum zwecke der zielerkennung
DE4132233A1 (de) * 1990-11-22 1992-05-27 Rheinmetall Gmbh Panzerabwehrraketensystem
EP0655599A1 (de) * 1993-11-25 1995-05-31 AEROSPATIALE Société Nationale Industrielle Flugabwehrsystem und Flugabwehrkörper dafür
EP0797068A2 (de) * 1996-03-21 1997-09-24 Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd. Lenkungssystem für Luft-Luft-Flugkörper
EP1014028A1 (de) * 1998-12-15 2000-06-28 Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnik GmbH Lenk,- Navigations- und Regelsystem für Flugkörper
US6455828B1 (en) * 1998-06-25 2002-09-24 Lfk-Lenkflugkorpersysteme Gmbh Method for remote controlled combat of near-surface and/or surface targets

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US3725576A (en) * 1962-09-12 1973-04-03 Us Navy Television tracking system
GB1116801A (en) * 1963-03-22 1968-06-12 Dehavilland Aircraft Improvements in or relating to homing systems
US3567163A (en) * 1964-10-08 1971-03-02 Martin Marietta Corp Guidance system
US3557304A (en) * 1967-10-24 1971-01-19 Richard O Rue Remote control flying system
US3564134A (en) * 1968-07-03 1971-02-16 Us Navy Two-camera remote drone control
US3778007A (en) * 1972-05-08 1973-12-11 Us Navy Rod television-guided drone to perform reconnaissance and ordnance delivery
FR2389865B1 (de) * 1977-05-06 1981-11-20 Realisa Electroniques Et
US4537371A (en) * 1982-08-30 1985-08-27 Ltv Aerospace And Defense Company Small caliber guided projectile
DE3715909C1 (de) * 1987-05-13 1998-05-14 Daimler Benz Aerospace Ag Zielanflugverfahren
US5260709A (en) * 1991-12-19 1993-11-09 Hughes Aircraft Company Autonomous precision weapon delivery using synthetic array radar
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Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3631944A1 (de) * 1986-09-19 1988-04-07 Messerschmitt Boelkow Blohm Einrichtung zur auswertung eines bildes zum zwecke der zielerkennung
DE4132233A1 (de) * 1990-11-22 1992-05-27 Rheinmetall Gmbh Panzerabwehrraketensystem
EP0655599A1 (de) * 1993-11-25 1995-05-31 AEROSPATIALE Société Nationale Industrielle Flugabwehrsystem und Flugabwehrkörper dafür
EP0797068A2 (de) * 1996-03-21 1997-09-24 Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd. Lenkungssystem für Luft-Luft-Flugkörper
US6455828B1 (en) * 1998-06-25 2002-09-24 Lfk-Lenkflugkorpersysteme Gmbh Method for remote controlled combat of near-surface and/or surface targets
EP1014028A1 (de) * 1998-12-15 2000-06-28 Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnik GmbH Lenk,- Navigations- und Regelsystem für Flugkörper

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20080006735A1 (en) 2008-01-10
IL163450A (en) 2009-12-24

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