GB2228066A

GB2228066A - Mine for protection from moving objects.

Info

Publication number: GB2228066A
Application number: GB8628165A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ulrich Sassmannhausen
Original assignee: Dynamit Nobel AG
Current assignee: Dynamit Nobel AG
Priority date: 1985-12-11
Filing date: 1986-11-25
Publication date: 1990-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2006-11-25
Also published as: GB8628165D0; GB2228066B; NL8603124A; IT1221063B; IT8648731A0; DE3543769A1; FR2643143A1; FR2643143B1

Description

MINE FOR PROTECTION FROM MOVING OBJECTS The invention relates to a mine for protection from moving objects, in particular helicopters, having a projectile-forming charge incorporated in a housing, an aerial for detection of the object and a control arrangement for the determination of the time for the detonation of the charge in accordance with the signal from the aerial.

Helicopters, in particular combat helicopters, represent to an increasing extent a threat to the army.

The usual defence systems are not especially well suited against extremely maneouvreable helicopters for combating of these operating at low flying heights, about 5 to 50 m).

The invention is based on the object of creating a mine of the initially indicated type which can be disposed quickly and without problem and is employable effectively against relatively rapidly moving targets.

The solution of this object consists according to the invention in that the housing is mounted on a base for universal movement, that a drive arrangement is provided which has the housing following in accordance with the direction of the incidence of the signals received by the aerial so that the effective direction of the charge - possibly with allowance for aiming-off follows the motion of the object, and that the control arrangement detonates the charge when the distance of the object from the aerial passes through a minimum or drops below a threshold value.

Such a mine forms an independent arrangement which can be laid on the ground with a laying vehicle or even for example can be ejected from a rocket. Obviously, the laid mines can be switched by remote control to the armed or disarmed state, in order to make it possible to pass over a minefield. Moreover each mine is an independent unit which contains all elements necessary for detecting the target and tracking the target and in which the control arrangement determines the time at which firing is to occur. Projectile-forming charges have a large range of about 100 to 150 metres with high penetration force. As a consequence of the detonation of an explosive charge, the projectile is formed, from a metal liner with which the explosive charge was covered.

The mine carries out an independent tracking of the target with the aid of the aerial and the control arrangement, following the effective direction of the movement of the object by corresponding operation of the drive arrangement. The aerial is preferably a radar aerial which is part of a radar apparatus. The centre of gravity of the target can be determined with the aid of such a radar apparatus, in order to be able to adjust exactly onto the object the effective direction of the charge.

The mine according to the invention is not only suitable for the protection from a helicopter but it is also employable against other low lying objects, as well as against armoured vehicles. A special advantage consists in that the mine must merely be laid. A special orientation is not necessary in the laying because the mine carries out an independent detection of the target and orientates the effective direction independently onto the target.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the aerial is fixed to the housing and is displaceable with it by means of the drive arrangement.

In this way it is ensured that the orientation of the aerial is in agreement with the effective direction. The aerial follows-up the target by means of the control arrangement and accordingly the projectile-forming charge is simultaneously directed towards the target.

The aerial can comprise a reflector which is tilted into a standby condition above the housing and is tilted up into a search condition so that the reflector axis is exactly parallel to the operating direction of the charge. In the standby condition, the reflector covers the housing and in this way protects the projectile-forming charge against environmental influences, for example rain.

Advantageously several sensors which are extendable in different directions from the base and receive sound waves emitted by the object are applied to the base. The sensors influence the control arrangement so that this is displaced into a search condition on approach of an object. If at least one of the sensors responds, the active body which points with the insert to the base in the standby condition, is oriented and the aerial is folded out. The sensors have a greater range than the aerials or the projectile forming charge so that the mine is already in a state of readiness if the object enters the reception range of the aerial. The sensors serve for the activation of the system and for rough detection of the approach direction of the object. They can be ejected by springs or with pyrotechnic auxiliary charges.It is possible with a signal emitter to check and to calibrate the sensors in regular intervals. If the aerial has detected the target, position, course and speed of the object are ascertained in the control arrangement, in order to guide the charge (the active body) correspondingly. Should the object be in a sufficiently good shooting position, the charge is detonated. Detected objects at the edge of the effective range are only attacked towards the end of the operating time of the mine, if it is no longer to be expected that the object is approaching the mine any further within the operating time.

In the following, a constructional example of the invention is explained further with reference to the drawings.

There is shown: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of the mine in the standby condition on approach of an object, Fig. 2 the searching condition and the detonation of the mine, Fig. 3 a schematic representation of the construction of the mine and Fig. 4 a schematic representation of a rocket for laying of several mines.

According to Figure 1 there is provided a mine laid on the ground which makes contact with the ground with the base 10. A housing 11 which contains the projectile-forming charge is mounted for universal motion on the base 10. The aerial 12 is inverted above the upper side of the housing 11.

The mine possesses four sensors 13 which are ejected in different directions from the base 10 after the laying. Each sensor 13 is connected with the base by means of a cable 14. The sensors 13 are preferably disposed in the form of a cross, that is two sensors are ejected in two oppositely set directions so that the angular separation between two neighbouring sensors 13, related to the base 10, amounts to 900. The sensors 13 are at a distance of several metres from the base 10.

The received signals of the acoustic sensors 13 are evaluated in order to make a rough determination of the direction of an approaching object 15. The determination of the object direction can for example take place in such manner that the phase relationships of the acoustic vibrations received by the sensors 13 are compared with one another.

If the sensors 13 have identified of the approach of an object 15, for example a helicopter, the mine is displaced into the search condition shown in Figure 2.

The aerial 12, which is a component of a target following radar apparatus, is tilted up and adjusted onto the object 15 so that the receiving axis of the aerial is directed onto the centre of gravity of the object 15.

Moreover, the housing 11 is oriented onto the object 15 at the same time. If the object 15 is in the effective region of the charge, the projectile-forming charge is detonated so that a projectile 16 is fired off towards the object 15.

With the above example, the detection radius r1 of the sensors 13 amounts to about 150 metres, while the effective radius r2 of the projectile-forming charge amounts to about 100 0 metres. The detonation of the charge is released when the object 15 is within the radius r2 and the mine is oriented onto the object 15. A 2 further possibility exists of evaluating the distance of the object 15 from the mine and then to effect the detonation when the distance of the object from the mine passes through a minimum.

The construction of the mine is shown schematically in Figure 3. The base 10 which is set on the ground contains the operating part of the mine. The ejectable sensors 13 are incorporated in the base 10. A structure 17 pivotable about a vertical axis is disposed on the upper side of the base 10, which structure is drivable by a motor 18 provided on the base 10. On the projecting limb of the structure 17 is disposed a bracket 19 to be pivotable about a horizontal axis and between whose limbs is mounted the housing 20. The housing 20 can be rigidly attached to the bracket 19; alternatively there exists the possibility of attaching the housing 20 to the bracket 19 to be pivotable about a horizontal axis and to provide for this a third motor. In principle the pivoting about two axes suffices in order to adjust the housing 20 in any desirable direction.The pivoting of the bracket 19 takes place about the horizontal axis bys means of a motor 21 fixed to the structure 17.

The essentially cylindrical housing 20 contains the projectile-forming charge 22 which consists of an explosive 23 which is covered on its forward side with a concave metal insert 24. At the end opposite from the insert 24 is located the detonating arrangement 26 and the intensifying charge 25. Furthermore, at the rear end of the housing 20 is incorporated the signal emitter 27 which transmits signals which are received by the sensors 13 in order to calibrate the sensors 13 and to check on their operability.

The aerial 12 comprises a parabolic reflector 28 which is attached by a hinge 29 to the upper end of the housing 20. The transmitting and receiving part 28a of the aerial 12 at the focus of the reflector 28 is arranged in known manner. The control arrangement 30 is fixed to the rear wall of the reflector 28.

When the sensors 13 have identified the approach of 'an object, the aerial 12, which had previously occluded the upper front side of the housing 20 is tilted up by means of a motor (not shown), so that the axis of the reflector extends parallel to the axis of the housing 20. The housing 20 is pivoted in a search phase, by actuation of the motors 18 and 21 until the axis of the aerial has been directed onto the object 15. In addition the radar apparatus emits in known manner impulses which are reflected by the object 15 and are received by the aerial 12. The distance of the object from the mine can be determined by the pulse timing. If this distance is less than the effective radius r2 (Fig. 2), the charge is detonated and the projectile 16 formed as a result is moved with high velocity towards the object 15.

If within a predetermined operating time after inception of the search condition, a condition sufficing for detonation is not achieved, that is in the case of unsatisfactory firing conditions (for example with too greater distance of the object), the system is transferred again to the standby condition. Moreover the aerial 12 is tilted again onto the housing 20. The mine is disarmed before the expiry of the operating time, and this condition is noted in order that for example a flag be ejected from the base 10.

The described mine can be laid or installed by a single person. There also exists the possibility of ejecting several mines in known manner from a rocket.

The principle of such a rocket is shown in Fig. 4.

The rocket 31 contains a propulsion charge 32 and a delay detonator 33 in the nose of the rocket. The propulsion gases developed by the propulsion charge 30 escape through nozzles 34 directed laterally and inclinedly to the rear. The rear part of the rocket is extended backwardly from the nozzles 34 and contains in the illustrated constructional example two mines M1 and M2. Each mine is provided with a discharge arrangement 35 and contains in addition a parachute.

The rocket is discharged from a single rocket ejector (for example a stowage tube). The delay detonator 33 is so disposed that it separates the mines M1 and M2 after a predetermined flight time at a height of about 150 to 200 metres, whereafter the mines descend under their parachute and are distributed in the laying region. The rocket 31 has a maximum range of about 5 km.

Claims

Claims: 1. Mine for protection from moving objects, in particular helicopters, having a projectile-forming charge incorporated in a housing, an aerial for detection of the object and a control arrangement for the determination of the time of detonation of the charge according to the signal from the aerial, characterised in that the housing (20) is mounted on a base (10) for universal movement, that a drive arrangement (18,21) is provided, which has the housing (20) follow-up the direction of incidence of the signals received by the aerial (12) so that the effective direction of the charge (23) - possibly with allowance for aiming-off - follows the motion of the object (15), and that the control arrangement detonates the charge (23) when the distance of the object (15) from the aerial (12) passes through a minimum or drops below a threshold value. 2. Mine according to claim 1, characterised in that the aerial (12) is fixed on the housing (20) and is displaceable with this. 3. Mine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the aerial (12) possesses a reflector (28) which is folded over the housing (20) in a standby condition and is tilted up into a search condition such that the axis of the reflector extends exactly parallel to the effective direction of the charge (23). 4. Mine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that several sensors are applied to the base (10) which are capable of being set out in different directions from the base (10) and receive acoustic waves emitted by the object (15), and that the sensors (13) influence the control arrangement so that this is displaced into a search condition on approach of an object (15). 5. Mine according to claim 4, characterised in that the sensors (13) respectively have a directional receiving characteristic. 6. Mine according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that a signal emitter (27) for calibrating of the sensors (13) is provided on the housing (20) or the base (10). Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. Mine for repelling a moving object, in particular a helicopter which is travelling at low altitude in the air space above the surface of the ground, the mine having an explosive charge with an associated liner which is formed into a projectile on detonation of the mine, which charge is incorporated in a housing mounted on a base, the mine additionally being associated with two drive means one of which imparts full rotation to the housing about a vertical axis and the other of which imparts full rotation to the housing about a horizontal axis to achieve between them universal movement of the housing on the base, a single aerial for detecting the object and a control arrangement for determination of the time when detonation of the charge should occur in relation to the time of receipt of a signal from the aerial, which aerial supplies signals which are processed in the control arrangement to operate both said drive means to achieve said universal movement and move the housing to follow the direction of incidence at the aerial of signals received by the aerial, thereby to achieve directing of the charge in accordance with the direction of motion of the object, optionally with allowance for aiming off, and to detonate the charge when the distance of the object from the aerial passes through a minimum or drops below a threshold value.

2. Mine according to claim 1, wherein the housing is mounted between limbs of a bracket which is rotatable about a horizontal axis and a third motor is present to rotate the housing thus mounted with respect to the bracket about a horizontal axis.

3. Mine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aerial is a radar aerial forming part of radar apparatus for determining the centre of gravity of the object.

4. Mine according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the aerial is secured to the housing and is displaceable with this.

5. Mine according to any preceding claim, wherein the aerial possesses a reflector which is folded over the housing in a standby condition and is tiltable up into a search condition such that the axis of the reflector extends exactly parallel to the effective direction of the charge.

6. Mine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein several sensors are attached to the base, which sensors are capable of being set out in different directions from the base and receive acoustic waves emitted by the object, and sensors influence the control arrangement so that this is displaced into a search condition on approach of an object.

7. Mine according to claim 6, wherein the sensors each have a directional receiving characteristic.

8. Mine according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a signal emitter for calibrating of the sensors is provided on the housing or the base.

9. Mine for repelling a moving object, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.