GB2104024A

GB2104024A - Search apparatus for a seagoing vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2104024A
Application number: GB08221781A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rolf Volkhausen
Original assignee: Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm AG
Current assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
Priority date: 1981-08-13
Filing date: 1982-07-28
Publication date: 1983-03-02
Also published as: DE3131993A1; GB2104024B; DE3131993C2

Abstract

Apparatus is provided on board a high-speed seagoing vehicle which considerably increases the range of vision of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising an aerodynamically-flying body 4 which is released by means of an extensible towing cable 5 from the deck or a mast 2 of the seagoing vehicle and which carries search equipment. Mast 2 carries radar antenna 3 and flying body 4 carries a radar antenna 6 and/or an optical scanner. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Search apparatus for a seagoing vehicle This invention relates to apparatus for searching for objects floating on or flying over the sea comprising a body which ascends from aboard a seagoing vehicle and which is selfsupporting in the air.

An object underlying the present invention is substantially to increase the range of vision of the seagoing vehicle with the air of a search instrument (or locator) which is installed in or on a body which is self-supporting in the air. In this way it is possible to detect the ships or low-flying aircraft, more particularly helicopters, early enough to take some decisive action.

Furthermore, the combatting of objects which are over a ship's horizon and therefore cannot be seen from the ship can be effected, with the aid of such a body, even beyond the range of the horizon.

Known apparatus provides for allowing captive balloons or helicopters which carry the requisite search equipment to ascend from the ships. A captive balioon ascends with static lift and has, inter alia, the disadvantage of presenting a target of a large cross-sectional area to-enemy vehicles.

A heiicopter, whether acting independently or under the control of the ship, needs a separate drive, the engine noise of which is easy to make out.

The problem underlying the invention is, therefore, to provide apparatus of the kind mentioned at the beginning hereof, with which an increase in the range of vision of the seagoing vehicle is possible in a simple manner without the apparatus being able to be discovered easily by vehicles beyond the horizon.

To solve this problem the present invention provides apparatus for searching for objects floating on or flying over the sea comprising a body which ascends from aboard a seagoing vehicle and which is self-supporting in the air, characterised in that said body comprises a driveless aerodynamically-flying apparatus or airborne vehicle which is towable behind said seagoing vehicle by means of an extensible cable and which carries equipment for searching for objects floating on or flying over the sea.

The advantages of the invention can more particularly be seen in that the increase in the range of vision of a fast seagoing vehicle is effected by raising the horizon with the aid of a simple aerodynamically-flying body or airborne vehicle which does not generate any noise and which has a comparatively small cross-sectional area. In this respect, any expedient kind of apparatus for scanning the horizon may be installed into the flying body.

The invention will be described further, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a ground-effect vehicle or hydroplane with a mast for the installation of a towed flying body; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mast of the ground-effect vehicle of Fig. 1 with the flying body installed; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ship's mast of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of the increased range of vision of the ground-effect vehicle of Fig. 1 with the aid of the flying body of Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 1 illustrates an aerodynamic ground-effect vehicle or hydroplane 1 which can travel at speeds of up to about 200 knots above the surface of water. The vehicle 1 is equipped with an antenna mast 2, at the top of which mast 2 is arranged, as is customary, a radar antenna 3.

The antenna mast 2 with the radar antenna 3 is more fully illustrated in Fig. 2 from which it can be seen that on a masthead 2a there is arranged a flying body 4. The flying body 4 is shown in two positions, namely in its rest position and in its airborne position, in which respect it is fettered to the masthead 2a by a towing cable 5. To stabilise its position, the flying body 4 is equipped with rudder assemblies 4a and control surfaces 4b (Fig. 3) which can be actuated selectively, in a manner which is not shown, by way of lines embedded in the towing cable 5. The flying body 4 carries, in its interior, a radar antenna 6 which is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3. In this way, a panoramic view far beyond the horizon of the ground-effect vehicle 1 is possible, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 4 as an example of the degree to which the horizon or the range of vision of the vehicle 1 is increased by the flying body 4 if the vehicle 1 has a mast 2 of 1 5 metres in height, by means of its radar apparatus 3 it can see masthead of the same height of a ship 7 only when the ship 7 is within 25 km of the vehicle 1.

With the aid of the flying body 4, which is towed behind the mast 2 at a height of 200 metres, the range of vision is increased to about 65 km.

The flying body 4 may, for example, have a wing span of 5 metres, a wing length (or cord) of 1.5 metres, and a wing surface of 7.6 square metres. Therefore the flying body 4 may, with a lift value of nca=1.0 and a speed of N160 km/h, carry or support an overall mass of 1000 kg. If the airframe of the flying body 4 has a mass of 150 kg, a sufficient mass remains for the instrumentation.

It lies within the scope of the invention to use instead of a radar set, an optical scanner or an electronic scanner or a combination of both.

Equally, the flying body may have any other form than the one shown.

Claims

1. Apparatus for searching for objects floating on or flying over the sea comprising a body which ascends from aboard a seagoing vehicle and which is self-supporting in the air, characterised in that said body comprises a driveless aerodynamically-flying apparatus or airborne vehicle which is towable behind said seagoing vehicle by means of an extensible cable and

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Search apparatus for a seagoing vehicle This invention relates to apparatus for searching for objects floating on or flying over the sea comprising a body which ascends from aboard a seagoing vehicle and which is selfsupporting in the air. An object underlying the present invention is substantially to increase the range of vision of the seagoing vehicle with the air of a search instrument (or locator) which is installed in or on a body which is self-supporting in the air. In this way it is possible to detect the ships or low-flying aircraft, more particularly helicopters, early enough to take some decisive action. Furthermore, the combatting of objects which are over a ship's horizon and therefore cannot be seen from the ship can be effected, with the aid of such a body, even beyond the range of the horizon. Known apparatus provides for allowing captive balloons or helicopters which carry the requisite search equipment to ascend from the ships. A captive balioon ascends with static lift and has, inter alia, the disadvantage of presenting a target of a large cross-sectional area to-enemy vehicles. A heiicopter, whether acting independently or under the control of the ship, needs a separate drive, the engine noise of which is easy to make out. The problem underlying the invention is, therefore, to provide apparatus of the kind mentioned at the beginning hereof, with which an increase in the range of vision of the seagoing vehicle is possible in a simple manner without the apparatus being able to be discovered easily by vehicles beyond the horizon. To solve this problem the present invention provides apparatus for searching for objects floating on or flying over the sea comprising a body which ascends from aboard a seagoing vehicle and which is self-supporting in the air, characterised in that said body comprises a driveless aerodynamically-flying apparatus or airborne vehicle which is towable behind said seagoing vehicle by means of an extensible cable and which carries equipment for searching for objects floating on or flying over the sea. The advantages of the invention can more particularly be seen in that the increase in the range of vision of a fast seagoing vehicle is effected by raising the horizon with the aid of a simple aerodynamically-flying body or airborne vehicle which does not generate any noise and which has a comparatively small cross-sectional area. In this respect, any expedient kind of apparatus for scanning the horizon may be installed into the flying body. The invention will be described further, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a ground-effect vehicle or hydroplane with a mast for the installation of a towed flying body; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mast of the ground-effect vehicle of Fig. 1 with the flying body installed; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ship's mast of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of the increased range of vision of the ground-effect vehicle of Fig. 1 with the aid of the flying body of Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 1 illustrates an aerodynamic ground-effect vehicle or hydroplane 1 which can travel at speeds of up to about 200 knots above the surface of water. The vehicle 1 is equipped with an antenna mast 2, at the top of which mast 2 is arranged, as is customary, a radar antenna 3. The antenna mast 2 with the radar antenna 3 is more fully illustrated in Fig. 2 from which it can be seen that on a masthead 2a there is arranged a flying body 4. The flying body 4 is shown in two positions, namely in its rest position and in its airborne position, in which respect it is fettered to the masthead 2a by a towing cable 5. To stabilise its position, the flying body 4 is equipped with rudder assemblies 4a and control surfaces 4b (Fig. 3) which can be actuated selectively, in a manner which is not shown, by way of lines embedded in the towing cable 5. The flying body 4 carries, in its interior, a radar antenna 6 which is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3. In this way, a panoramic view far beyond the horizon of the ground-effect vehicle 1 is possible, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Referring to Fig. 4 as an example of the degree to which the horizon or the range of vision of the vehicle 1 is increased by the flying body 4 if the vehicle 1 has a mast 2 of 1 5 metres in height, by means of its radar apparatus 3 it can see masthead of the same height of a ship 7 only when the ship 7 is within 25 km of the vehicle 1. With the aid of the flying body 4, which is towed behind the mast 2 at a height of 200 metres, the range of vision is increased to about 65 km. The flying body 4 may, for example, have a wing span of 5 metres, a wing length (or cord) of 1.5 metres, and a wing surface of 7.6 square metres. Therefore the flying body 4 may, with a lift value of nca=1.0 and a speed of N160 km/h, carry or support an overall mass of 1000 kg. If the airframe of the flying body 4 has a mass of 150 kg, a sufficient mass remains for the instrumentation. It lies within the scope of the invention to use instead of a radar set, an optical scanner or an electronic scanner or a combination of both. Equally, the flying body may have any other form than the one shown. Claims

1. Apparatus for searching for objects floating on or flying over the sea comprising a body which ascends from aboard a seagoing vehicle and which is self-supporting in the air, characterised in that said body comprises a driveless aerodynamically-flying apparatus or airborne vehicle which is towable behind said seagoing vehicle by means of an extensible cable and which carries equipment for searching for objects floating on or flying over the sea.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the flying body gives off high-frequency waves or has an optically scanner or an electronic scanner or a combination of both.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the flying body is installed on a radar mast and carries a radar installation.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and 2 or 3, characterised in that the flying body is controllable or steerabie by means of the extensible cable.

5. Apparatus for searching for objects floating on or by flying over the sea substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.