GB2251057A

GB2251057A - Antihelicopter mine

Info

Publication number: GB2251057A
Application number: GB8606158A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rolf Korver
Original assignee: Diehl GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Diehl Verwaltungs Stiftung
Priority date: 1985-04-30
Filing date: 1986-03-12
Publication date: 1992-06-24
Anticipated expiration: 2006-03-12
Also published as: FR2671623A1; DE3515496A1; IT8620087A0; DE3515496C2; IT1235699B; FR2671623B1; GB2251057B

Description

AN ANTIHELICOPTER HOLLOW-CHARGE MINE The invention relates to a mine in accordance with the definition of the species of claim 1.

Reference is made to the need to develop special antihelicopter mines in the article by W. Flume "Wer Bekampft den Kampfhubscrauber?" ("Who combats the combat helicopter?") in WEHRTECHNIK, No. 4/1984, pages 24 et sequ.; middle paragraph of the third column on page 30.

From this general representation it emerges that despite suitable mines (translator's note: "Sperrwaffen" literally means "blocking or barrier weapons"), effectively usable against helicopters operating in low-level flight from cover (concealment), in accordance with the current concept perforce the antihelicopter requirements have to be orientated at the possibilities of a modification of the existing aerial defence means. For example, from DE-OS 30 04 317 or from DE-OS 31 23 339 it emerges, however, that the expenditure which has to be incurred in order to achieve a satisfactory effect on the target is very great, since, contrary to the conditions in the case of conventional aerial defence, hits on the target cannot regularly be reckoned upon.The effectiveness of currently available helicopter combatting means is therefore comparatively slight and allows a detectable increase to be expected only with considerably increased demands on the detonation sensor system of the projectiles.

In recognition of these factors, the problem underlying the invention is to provide a relatively cheap and, in this respect, functionally competent mine which promises precisely in helicopter combatting very great effectiveness.

In accordance with the invention, this problem is essentially solved in that the mine in accordance with the species is designed in accordance with the characterising part of claim 1.

The aim of this solution is thus to achieve, by means of an explosive-formed projectile, a direct hit position and thus a great effect on the target, in that a target object (helicopter) detected as to be combatted is attacked as soon as a target acquisition and detonation triggering sensor ascertains the penetration of the target object into the instantaneous effective direction of the warhead. In order, in this respect, to cover a fairly large blocking region around the mine, the effective direction of its warhead rotates inclined relative to the perpendicular, so that thus the blocking region is describable by a conical jacket surface standing on the nose.

For reasons of saving energy, the rotary motion of the warhead is preferably effected only if or only when a switch-on sensor ascertains the approach of a helicopter to the conical-jacket-surface-shaped effective region of the warhead. Such a switch-on sensor can be based on functions which are described in DE-OS 32 33 327 for diverse design possibilities. The detonation-triggering sensor is preferably a passive infra-red sensor as is described in more detail for instance in DE-OS 33 26 876 for a different instance of use.Measures for suppressing the influence of superelevated radiation temperatures are expedient, because the sensor effective direction like the combat effective direction from the ground can, depending on the terrain environment, also cover parts of the sky and thus solar irradiation; in this respect, expediently recourse can be had to possibilities as are discussed as false-target suppression in our own older application P 34 10 942.0 dated 24th March 1984. Increase in hit accuracy, to increase the effect on the target, by a sensor with the combination of actively and passively working channels will be gone into below.

Additional alternatives and further developments as well as further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the further claims and from the following description of a preferred exemplified embodiment regarding the solution in accordance with the invention which is shown in a highly abstracted manner in the drawing indeed approximately to scale but along with a restriction to that which is essential. The sole figure of the drawing shows in axial longitudinal section an antihelicopter hollow-charge mine in accordance with the invention.

The hollow-charge mine 1 conceived for antihelicopter defence has a warhead 2 with a shallowly-arched or shallowly-conical, in other words projectile-forming insert 3. This is, upon the control of a detonation mechanism 4, fired by explosive 5 into a along the effective direction 6 at a target 7 (more especially a helicopter) which has been detected by means of a detonation-triggering sensor 8.

The sensor 8 is preferably arranged on the outside of the warhead 2.

The effective direction 6 of the warhead extends - preferably at about 45 - inclined relative to the longitudinal axis 9 of the mine 1, which is aligned substantially vertically. The warhead 2 stands by way of a shaft 10, extending coaxially with the longitudinal axis 9, in rotary connection with a driving motor 11 which is operable by way of a control circuit 12 from an energy supply part 13 such as for instance a primary or secondary battery. For the retention and rotary guidance of the warhead 2, which is rotatable by means of the motor 11 inside the mine casing 14, for example peripherally encircling rails 15 can be provided, into which the supporting structure 16 of the warhead 2 engages with mutually diametrically opposed regions, as is evident from the cross-sectional representation.

More especially when the mine 1, set out in the terrain 17, is to be usable as a scattered or dropped mine 1, it is expedient, as mechanical protection for the retention of the warhead 2 and for its detonation-triggering sensor 8, to fasten a, for example, pointedarch-shaped or hollow-spherical plastics randome 18 on the casing 14, so that that part of the mine 1 which protrudes from the casing 14 is concealed under this mechanically stable cupola. At the same time, such a protruding randome 18, especially with a centre-of-gravity, lying below the geometric centre point of the mine 1, of its design (which is readily ensurable by the high weights of the driving motor 11 of the energy supply part 13), after the launching promotes such an orientation of the mine 1 that its effective direction 6 at least does not point downwards, towards the terrain 17.For the righting from an undefined dropping position into an operational position which is aligned as vertically as possible, as is known 'per se' in the case of dropped mines, supporting arms 14 may be fastened to the casing 14, which (by reason of impact stress or in a time-controlled manner) are swung out laterally out of a folded-in position, for instance in jacket surface depressions 20, and thereby stand the mine 1 upright into its operational position. These or similar arms 19 can also be utilised for retaining a switch-on sensor 21 at a specific spacing from the casing 14; if such a switch-on sensor 21 for functional reasons is not arranged in the casing of the warhead 2 under or on the randome 18.

To remove the randome 18, a for example pyrotechnically triggerable jettisoning mechanism 18 can be provided in the fastening region to the mine casing 14, which mechanism is triggerable for example in a time-controlled manner (or initiated by one of the sensors 8,21) and leads to the lifting-off (blasting away) of the randome 18 for the freeing of the warhead 2. Should, however, the randome 18 not negatively influence the actual efficiency of the warhead 2 in an excessively aggravating manner, then its lifting-off can be dispensed with; in this case the sensor 21 is expediently situated on the cupola tip (not taken into account in the drawing).

For the sake of completeness, however, it is taken into account in the drawing that it is expedient to incorporate, coaxially with the longitudinal axis 9 which represents the axis of rotation for the warhead 2, in the randome 18 so-called windows 23 or openings 24, so that the sensor energy is weakened as little as possible by a mechanically stable design of the randome 18.

The switch-on sensor 21 has substantially an all-round or spherical reception characteristic and is designed (translator's note: arranged) for the signature of a helicopter, approaching in low-level flights, as the target 7 that is to be combatted. This signature can be impressed by the typically pulsating propeller noise and by the periodic propeller influence on the infra-red radiation structure of the target 7, is thus selectable in a relatively easy manner from influencing parameters that can be ascribed to objects not of interest.

When the switch-on sensor 21 detects the approach of a target 7 (helicopter) that is to be combatted, it brings about (as illustrated symbolically in the drawing by the wiring) the control of the control circuit 12 for the operation of the driving motor 11, in other words the onset of a rotary motion of the warhead 2. The effective direction 6 of the warhead, and at the same time the acquisition direction 25 of the detonation-triggering sensor 8 orientated in contrast thereto with a lead angle (which is dictated by the evaluation time of the circuit 27 and the flight time of the projectile), describe around the axis 9 generatrices of cone jacket surfaces standing on the tip.

To reduce the stressing of the energy supply part 13 provision can be made for the fact that the control circuit 12 is returned again into its waiting rest position if, within a specific timespan after response of the switch-on sensor 21, still no target 7 that is to be combatted has been acquired by the detonation-triggering sensor 8; in order to allow the rotary motion 26 to start afresh of the switch-on sensor 21 again responds by reason of approach of a new target 7.

When a target 7 is recognised in direction 25, the detonation mechanism 4 is controlled by the evaluation circuit 27 to transform the insert 3 into the projectile that is to be fired by the warhead 2.

The detonation-triggering sensor 8 can basically be designed as a passive sensor, preferably as an infra-red hot-point detector. In order to improve the probability of the hit position on the target 7, it can, however, be expedient to install, in addition to that passive channel 28, in the case of the detonation-triggering sensor 8, also an active channel 29 (for instance designed as a radar set), in order to be able to ascertain, from range measurements to the target 7, clear information regarding the movement vector thereof relative to the location of the mine 1, and therefrom, in combination with the information from the passive channel 28, to be able to obtain increased genuine-target certainty with a defined detonationtriggering instant for optimum hit position on the target; as described in more detail, with respect to the signal-processing-wise aspects, in our own older Patent Application P 35 02 186.1 dated 24th January 1985.

Claims

Patent claims

1. An antihelicopter hollow-charge mine (1), characterised in that it has a warhead (2) with a projectile-forming insert (3), which is drivable to perform a rotary motion (26) about the mine axis (9), with an effective direction (6) of the warhead which is inclined relative to this axis (9).

2. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it is equipped with a switch-on sensor (21), responding to the signature of an approaching helicopter, for a rotary-motion driving motor (11).

3. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the switch-on sensor (21) is held distanced, on a jib arm (19), from the mine casing (14).

4. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the switch-on sensor (21) is arranged under or on the randome 18.

5. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that arranged in a torsionally-rigid manner with the warhead (2) is a detonation-triggering sensor (8), the acquisition direction (25) of which is orientated approximately parallel, but with a lead, to the effective direction (6) of the warhead.

6. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the detonation-triggering sensor (8) is designed as a passive infrared detector.

7. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that a multi-channel detonation-triggering sensor (8), working both actively and passively, is provided.

8. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the warhead (2) is incorporated rotatably into a mine casing (14), the geometric centre of which lies between the warhead (2) and the centre-of-gravity of the mine.

9. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that parts of the warhead (2) which protrude from a mine casing (14) are enclosed under a randome (18) which closes the mine casing (14) off upwardly.

10. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the randome (18) is equipped with windows (23) and/or openings (24) for sensor energy.

11. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 9 or 10, characterised in that a cast-off mechanism (22) for the randome (18) is provided.

12. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that the cast-off mechanism (22) is activable by way of a time control.

Amendments to the claims have been fled as follows Claims 1. An antihelicopter hollow-charge mine, characterised in that it has a warhead with a projectile-forming insert, which is drivable to perform a rotary motion about the mine axis, with an effective direction of the warhead which is inclined relative to this axis.

2. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that it is equipped with a switch-on sensor, responding to the signature of an approaching helicopter, for a rotary-motion driving motor.

3. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the switch-on sensor is held distanced, on a jib arm, from the mine casing.

4. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the switch-on sensor is arranged under or on the randome.

5. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the warhead is provided with a detonation triggering sensor arranged so that they rotate together about the mines axis and so that the acquisition direction of said detonation-triggering is orientated approximately parallel, but with a lead angle, to the effective direction of the warhead.

6. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the detonation-triggering sensor is a passive infra-red detector.

7. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the detonation-triggering sensor works both actively and passively.

8. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the warhead is incorporated rotatably into a mine casing, the geometric centre of which casing lies between the warhead and the centre-of-gravity of the mine.

9. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that parts of the warhead which protrude from a mine casing are enclosed under a randome which closes the mine casing off upwardly.

10. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the randome is equipped with windows and/or openings for sensor energy.

11. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 9 or 10, characterised in that a cast-off mechanism for the randome is provided.

12. A hollow-charge mine as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that the cast-off mechanism is activable by way of a time control.

13. A hollow-charge mine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.