FR2514486A1 - DEVICE FOR COMBATING GOALS, SUCH AS ARMORED OR SIMILAR, USING POINTABLE MUNITION ON THE GOAL - Google Patents

Abstract

POINTABLE AND TRIGGERABLE AMMUNITION DEVICE ON THE GOAL BASED ON SIGNALS OF A DETECTION DEVICE. THE DETECTION DEVICE 9 INCLUDES, ON THE ONE HAND, AN ACOUSTIC PASSIVE STEERING SENSOR 15 WITH A MICROPHONIC DEVICE 14 RECEIVING AUDIO SIGNALS FROM THE GOAL, ON THE OTHER HAND AN ACTIVE ACOUSTIC DISTANCE SENSOR 17 TRIGGABLE BY SENSOR 15 AFTER DETECTION AND INCLUDING A SOUND SOURCE 27 AND THE SAME MICROPHONIC DEVICE 11 AS THE SENSOR 15. POSSIBLE APPLICATION AGAINST ARMOR, AIRCRAFT OR SIMILAR GOALS.

Description

i Combat device against targets, such as armored or similar, at

  The present invention relates to a device for fighting against objects, such as armored or

  means of a munition which, on the basis of signals from a dis-

  Positive detection of the goal, is pointable, and triggerable, on the detected goal It is known as a means of combat against ground goals, such as armored, aircraft or the like, a so-called on-the-watch munition that is deployed at the location expected target and automatically pulling the ammunition towards the goal after detection thereof This munition may be for example a mortar or a mortar device armed with one or more projectiles fired mortar A device for detecting the purpose The target detection device can be arranged in a number of ways. For example, it is possible to equip the detection device with the aim of a passive directional acoustic sensor comprising a microphonic pointing device composed for example of four microphones which are placed at the vertices of a tetrahedron and whose outputs are coupled with an evaluation circuit. microphonic device, we can correlate microphones output signals and determine from there the direction of the goal to fight On the basis of this determination, we then point the mortar in the direction of the goal and it is eventually followed on a determined criterion of the output signal of the evaluation circuit,

  criterion coupled for example with the intensity of the evaluation signal.

  tion, the projectile is fired from the mortar.

  the passive acoustic effect of the goal, only the

  direction of it. The same applies to other

  passive analogous goal detection devices that operate on an optical, electromagnetic or other

14486

  Particularly in the case of fast-moving ground goals, it would be desirable to allow, in addition to raising the direction, a distance determination. On the basis of this distance determination, it would be possible, for example, to point the mortar on the ground. goal with

  some lateral correction and then draw the projection

  tile One would thus increase the probability of reaching the goal

  by the munition on the lookout We can also consider

  your methods for such a determination of distance The most suitable device for this purpose is a laser range finder, because it can still be integrated in the ammunition on the watch in a relatively small footprint.

  in a scanning device, such a laser range finder

  would in principle further determine the direction

of purpose.

  The disadvantage of such active sensors, which, for their function, work permanently, lies in the fact that the enemy can easily locate them and then make harmless the munition on the lookout A laser range finder is also disadvantaged by its operation which is not always reliable in adverse weather conditions, for example fog or a dense dust atmosphere as often exists on a battlefield It is necessary to constantly feed the ammunition on the watch, with its sensor active, in an energy that strongly limits its total running time, this in particular in the case of a laser rangefinder In general, such active sensors are of more bulky construction than passive sensors, so that is still posed more the problem of a good camouflage The active systems are also generally very complex, so that the possible sources of error

  are more numerous than in passive sensors.

  The subject of the invention is a ground-based combat device in which the target detection device is improved so that a simple, relatively compact construction system can be obtained by which it can be determined without great difficulty.

direction and distance from the goal.

  This combat device, of the kind advertised, is characterized in that the target detection device comprises, for determining the direction of the goal, a passive acoustic pick-up sensor with a microphone device receiving the goal of sound signals as well as , for determining the distance from the goal, an active acoustic distance sensor triggerable by the direction sensor after the target detection and comprising a sound source and a microphone device, one and the same microphone device being used for the sensor of

  direction and for the distance sensor.

  The invention thus advocates a combination of a

  acoustic sensor for passive steering and acoustic sensor

  active distance tick for which the same microphone device is used. In addition, the acoustic sensor of

  active distance is activated only after the

  the passive presence found a concentrated purpose in space. Such a device for detecting the goal offers several advantages. Thus, the common use of the microphone device for the passive direction sensor and the active distance sensor allows a very compact and compact structure of the entire system. installation In addition to a passive direction sensor for example already existing, just provide a small source of sound pulse,

  for example a blank cartridge, or other means pyro-

  that the steering sensor switches on after detecting the target It is furthermore necessary to provide an electronic circuit

  for the measurement of travel time to and from

  audible pulse between the source and the detected target The emission of the sound pulse may in principle not be directed, but this pulse can also be transmitted in a coarse preferential direction by means of passive acoustic sounding It is also possible to emit not only an impuslion, but several, by lighting for example at certain time intervals several blank cartridges successively. The pulses emitted by the sound source are detected by the microphonic device of the passive direction sensor. For example, a microphonic device is used for a known tetrahedral device as indicated above. The differences in travel time of the output signals of the microphones obtained during of this determination of the distance allow a directed reception of the fraction of the transmitted pulse reflected by the

  goal, armored or aircraft for example.

  It is known, for example from the German patent application DE-OS 30 38 974, an acoustic distance measuring active device and similarly, for example by the patent

  US 3,421,138, microphonic devices tetra-

  in acoustic pickup sensors The invention

  protection only for the combination and the common action, indicated in the feature of claim 1, of a passive acoustic sensor and a sensor

active acoustics.

  The invention will be better understood using the

  detailed description of an embodiment taken as

  nonlimiting example and diagrammatically illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combat device according to said invention against ground goals with the aid of a goal detection device; FIG. 2 is a functional diagram of the goal detection device used for the device according to FIG.

figure 1.

  The combat device 1 against ground objects, such as armored, aircraft or the like, comprises a mortar 3 which is mounted on a tripod 5 only sketched here and which is pointable in azimuth and elevation using engines The mortar 3 shows four conical tubes 7 in which are housed small projectiles with hollow charge which, after ignition, are thrown out of said tubes on a goal not shown On the mortar is mounted a purpose detection device 9 which detects the latter in the direction and acoustic distance This detection device of the

  purpose controls the pointing movements of mortar 3 and

  also triggers projectiles ignition.

  As can be seen from FIG. 2, the goal detection device 9 comprises a microphone device 11

  of four microphones that are placed at the peaks of a tetra-

  13 sketched here in dashed line The supply of

  current possibly necessary for the micro-device

  11 and the downstream electronic circuit is not shown. The output signals of the microphones are implemented twice, the first in a passive direction sensor 15, the second in an active resistance sensor 17. output of the microphones are brought,

  in the passive direction sensor 15, to a correlation circuit

  tion 19 in which they are correlated in a known manner as indicated for example by US Pat. No. 3,421,138 cited above from this correlation, the direction

  of a detected goal can be determined in azimuth and elevation.

  These values can be brought to a direction transmitter

  21 which provides, in accordance with the azimuth and

  vation, signals to the pointing motors of the mortar, the

  which regulate it to the values of azimuth and elevation obtained; the control circuit which governs this process is designated in its entirety by the reference 23 in FIG. 2. The mortar is pointed in this way to a goal, for example an armored vehicle, whose engine noise has been received.

by the microphone device 11.

  This single pointing of the mortar 3 does not yet guarantee that the projectiles thrown out of the mortar tubes 7 will reach the goal with high reliability. This is due to the

  limited range and initial velocity of the projectiles.

  In order to reach the goal, we still have to measure the distance from which we can then

  point the mortar with a certain elevation and

  lateral rection: this is the fact of the active distance sensor 17. As soon as a goal is determined in its direction by the passive direction capper 15, the active distance sensor is activated by a start circuit 25 which receives Correlation circuit 19 an appropriate pulse The start circuit 25 simultaneously emits two trigger pulses: one switches on a pulse source

  sound 27 which emits such a pulse of short duration; the au

  be active u N travel time circuit 29 at entrances

  from which the output signals of the microphones 11 are fed.

  The differences in the travel time of the signals of the four microphones calculated, during the recovery of the direction, in the correlation circuit 19 allow a directed reception of the fraction reflected by the aim, for example the armored, of the sound pulse emitted by the source 27 The distance calculated from the measurement of the travel time is brought to a distance transmitter 31 As indicated above, on the basis of this value, the mortar is corrected.

  its direction developed by the passive direction sensor 15.

  The firing direction of the mortar is measured according to this distance measurement and set with a certain angle of lateral correction with respect to the direction of the goal. This adjustment is also carried out according to FIG. 2 by the control circuit 23. The latter also lights a single The ignition occurs for example when the pointing of the mortar by means of the distance value is completed On the basis of the pointing of the mortar corrected with the active distance sensor 17, the probability of reaching of purpose

is very high.

  The sound source 27 may, as shown in Figure 1, be placed on the side of the mortar 3 It consists for example of a blank cartridge In order to proceed to several distance measurements, or to determine a goal with more precision, or to fight with the mortar several purposes successively, it is possible to use as sound sources several blank cartridges then placed on both sides of the mortar in appropriate housings 33 These housings 33 can be established so as to print at the pulse

  sound triggered a preferential direction at least large-

  which is in the direction of the goal, that is to say according to the orientation determined by the passive direction sensor 15. The correlation of the signals makes it possible, of course, also to transmit

  the sound pulse without pointing thereof.

  In order to detach the distance measurement signals as much as possible from the background noise existing on a battlefield, it is possible to use sound sources whose frequency range is at least partly outside the frequencies prevailing on the field of view. Thus, for the measurement of distance, a high signal-to-noise ratio is obtained. In this case, in the travel time circuit 29 there are appropriate frequency filters which diaphragm the frequency range relevant to the measurement of travel time. For example, a high-power piezoelectric oscillator, as well as small explosive charges with ultrasound fractions can be envisaged as a sound source for ultrasound in the snap of the detonation for a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio with respect to noise. on the battlefield, one can already be content with a relatively high frequency range of the sound source, because the noise of the mp of battle is basically among the bass

  frequencies and decreasing towards the high frequencies.

  It is also possible to print on the transmitted sound pulse a signature, that is to say for example a frequency or amplitude rate, characterized by a special arrangement, for example in the form of a funnel, of the casings 33 in which the blank cartridges or explosive charges are accommodated With the aid of appropriate filters placed in the travel time circuit 29, these noise pulses thus characterized can then be extracted from the noise. The reception of the sound pulse reflected by the goal, or several sound pulses, is carried out with pointing by the microphone device 11, this direction of the goal being derived, by the maximum of correlation, the bearing in direction by the

passive direction sensor.

Claims (5)

RLVENDICATIONS   Fighting device against targets, such as shielded or the like, by means of a munition which, on the basis of signals of a target detection device, is pointable, and triggerable, on the detected target, characterized by the fact that the target detection device (9) comprises, for determining the direction of the latter, a passive acoustic pick-up sensor (15) with a microphone device (11) receiving the purpose of sound signals and, for determination of the distance from the goal, an active acoustic distance sensor engageable by the direction sensor after the detection of the goal and itself comprising a sound source (27) and a microphone device (11), a single device microphonic (11) being used   for the direction sensor (15) and the distance sensor (17).   2 Device according to claim 1 characterized in that a device of four microphones placed at the vertices of a tetrahedron (13) serves as a microphone device common (11).   3 Device according to any one of the   1 or 2, characterized by the fact that pyrotechnic means   techniques, such as blank cartridges, are planned as sound source (27).   4 Device according to any one of the   1 to 3 characterized in that at least a portion of the frequency range of the sound source (27) is outside the background noise frequency range and that there is in the detection device the purpose of filters (29) to eliminate the latter.   Apparatus according to any of the claims   cations 1 to 4 characterized by the fact that it comprises means 33 capable of printing a characteristic signature to the sound pulse emitted by the source (27) and that the target detection device (9) itself comprises filters to extract the signals thus characterized *