GB1383564A - Umpires ray gun for use in weapon training systems - Google Patents

Abstract

1383564 Teaching warfare SOLARTRON ELECTRONIC GROUP Ltd 20 July 1973 [29 July 1972] 35569/72 Addition to 1228143 Heading F3C [Also in Division H4] Apparatus for use with a responsive target forming part of a weapon training system, said target being equipped with detecting means for detecting the incidence of electromagnetic radiation and with transmitting means operable connected to said detecting means for transmitting radio signals in response to said. incident radiation, and with a selective circuit connected to receive signals from said detecting means and responsive to at least one mode of modulation of said radiation corresponding to a "kill" signal, said apparatus comprising in combination a source for providing a collimated beam of electromagnetic radiation, modulating means co-operating with source for modulating said beam in first and second modes, said first mode being adapted to activate said transmitting means to transmit without activating said selective circuit, and said second mode being adapted to activate said selective circuit on the target as a "kill" signal, manually operable switch means connected to said modulating means for selecting at will each of said modes of modulation and for causing the beam to be transmitted in said selected mode, aiming means connected to said source and aligned with said beam for aiming said beam at said target, radio receiving means for receiving the radio signals transmitted from said target in response to radiation from said beam incident on said target and indicating means connected to said receiving means for indicating that the detecting means on the target has detected the incidence of the beam. The first and second modes of modulation may have different modulating frequencies or one of said first and second modes of modulation may alternate between two modulating frequencies. The indicating means may have an indication visible through the aiming means. In an embodiment a soldier 1, Fig. 1, is holding an "umpire's gun" 2 comprising a body 3 containing a source which provides a modulated collimated beam of electromagnetic radiation, and a sight 5 which is aligned with said beam. A back pack 6 contains a radio receiver 18 connected to an aerial 7 and power supplies for the gun 2. The radio receiver 18 is connected to indicating lamp 17, Fig. 3, and the power supplies are connected to the gun 2 by a cable 19, Fig. 1. Press button switches 9, 10 are on stock 11 of the gun for "firing" the gun in each of its modes of operation. The source of the modulated collimated beam comprises a convex collimating lens 13, Fig. 2, and a gallium arsenide laser diode 12 situated on the optical axis and in the focal plane thereof. The laser diode 12 receives electrical pulses from a modulator 14. A sight 5, Fig. 3, is provided with cross-hairs 15 and a target tank 16 is viewed through eyepiece 8, Fig. 2, of the sight. In operation, detectors on the target 16, Fig. 3, receive radiation from the beam. The first mode of modulation at a single frequency f1 allows the soldier 1 to check that equipment on the target is switched on and is operating. A radio transmitter mounted on the target transmits when the beam is incident on the detectors. The signals from the radio transmitter are received by the aerial 7, Fig. 1, and the radio receiver 18 and the lamps 17, Fig. 3, are illuminated. The frequency selective circuits in the target tank 16 are arranged so that no indication is given in the target tank that the beam is being received from the umpire's gun, since the frequency f1 is characteristic of the umpire's gun and is a different frequency from the frequencies f2 and f3 used in the weapon simulation system which frequencies f2 and f3 are for "attack" and "kill" respectively. Protective circuits in the equipment on the target tank are arranged so that the target tank only responds to the "kill" frequency f3 after it has already received a beam modulated at the "attack" frequency f2. Thus the umpire's gun must first operate at frequency f2 and then at frequency f3 in order to effect a "kill". This is provided by the alternation between the frequncies f2, f3. The "kill" signal is detected by the frequency selective circuits receiving the signal from the detector on the target. A relay is operated to disable some or all of the functions of the target vehicle.