GB2282351A - A method of combattiing submarines - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method of combatting submerged submarines (11), individual effective bodies (19), or groups of them, are delivered by means of carriers (16), directly or from a launching apparatus (15) into the region above the immersion area (18) of the suspected submarine (11). After an entry into the water (17) at small angles of immersion, the effective bodies (19) are steered by means of flow-dynamic steering means (25) into a circular path approximately parallel to the surface of the water, so that they sink along a shallow spiral path of motion (26). When an effective body (19) acquires a submarine (11) by means of its echo-sounding location device (30) which is orientated rigidly ahead, an underwater drive device (32) is started, in order if possible to pierce the outer hull of the submarine by reason of the high kinetic energy of the effective body (19) of relatively small diameter and to detonate its warhead (34) against the pressure hull of the submarine. <IMAGE>

Description

A method of combatting submarines and effective bodies for carrying out the method The invention relates to a method in accordance with the definition of the species of claim 1 and to advantageous effective bodies for carrying it out.

To ward off the thread whicn emanates from submarines, it is known to equip aircraft and surface vessels with submarine hunting torpedoes which are usable with their target tracing control over a relatively great range ( of the order of magnitude above 10 km ).

However, for reasons of space and cost, as a rule only specific vessels, such as for instance convoy escort ships, can be equipped with such submarine hunting torpedoes - and even these ships can be equipped only with a relatively small quantity of such torpedoes.

This holds true accordingly for smaller target-seeking hunting torpedoes which ( see U.S. Patent 3 088 403 ), to bridge the necessary range, are delivered by means of rockets above the surface of the water as far as into the region above the submerged submarine.

What the navy lacks, on the other hand, is a smaller and technologically simple weapon for use over a shorter distance ( of the order of magnitude below 10 km ) and for combatting manifestations which are not unequivocally identifiable as an enemy submarine, thus scarcely justify the use of the costly long-range hunting torpedoes.

The problem underlying the invention is, therefore, to indicate a method of the kind in accordance with the species and effective bodies suitable for carrying it out which do not require the expense of conventional submarine hunting torpedoes, which can be used sensibly only in the case of clearly classified targets, and nevertheless can crucially impair the operability of a submarine or compel it even to surface.

In accordance with the invention this problem is essentially solved In that the method of the kind in accordance with the species has the zAaracterisinv features of claim 1, whilst an effective body suitable for carrying it out is characterised in claim 6.

In accordance with this solution, the combatting or warding-off is effected by using simply equipped and small-size effective bodies which are delivered individually, or several of them in carriers along the lines of submunition, into the vicinity of the submersion region of the suspected submarine, and which are equipped with warheads which lead at least to perforation of a submarine hull.

For the delivery, vessels and aircraft can be equipped with simple mechanisms for instance along the lines of mortars or multiple throwers, which can be reloaded by hand and can also for the rest be operated without problems, because no target-accurate-aimed delivery is effected, thus any manipulations for specific fligbtpaths or for the homing-in on a target object ( such as for instance a target steering from aboard a launched ( translator's note: presumably this is a typing error in the German text for "launching" ) ship ) before or after the firing can be dispensed with.

The effective bodies delivered into the neighbourhood above the submersion area of the target object, which is probably an enemy submarine, are, after entry into the water, deflected by means of hydrodynamic steering means, such as for instance fins or transverse thrust nozzles, into a circular path oriented approximateln parallel to the surface of the water, so that they sink in the water along a preferably approximately spiral path of motion and in so doing search axially ahead for the submarine suspected to be in this neighbourhood. Upon target acquisition, an underwater drive device is started, in order to cause the respective effective body, along with tangential exit from the previous spiral path of motion, to encounter at hig.n speed the outer hull of the submarine and if possible to penetrate into this.Since the effective body, of great length relative to its diameter, for the accommodation of its warhead needs to have a diameter of the order of magnitude of only 10 cm, a conventional underwater cruise engine ( as is known for instance from U.S. Patent 38 38 642, there for the acceleration of the hydrodynamic lift of sea-mines ) is sufficient for the high directionally-stable axial acceleration that is basically to be striven after. For acceleration over longer distances, a hydrodynamic ram-jet engine is more expedient, as is described in more detail in our own older British Patent Application No. 8523481.

If it is to be expected that the impact energy is not sufficient for penetrating the outer hull of a submarine, the warhead is preferably equipped with a tandem combat charge. In the interests of high effectiveness at the submarine pressure hull, its after-shoot ( secondary firing ) charge is detonated only in delayed manner, after the blasting open of the outer hull of the submarine.

For starting the underwater drive mechanism upon target acquisition, the effective body is equipped with a simple sonar location device orientated fixedly ahead, as is known 'per se' for instance as an echo sounding device.

Additional alternatives and further develonments as well as further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the further claims and, also taking into account what is set forth in the abstract, from the following description of a preferred example of realisation with regard to the solution in accordance with the invention which is shown in a highly abstracted manner in the drawing along with a restriction to that which is essential. The sole figure of the drawing shows in combined top-view and sectional sketch the function cycle upon use of effective bodies in accordance with the method as per the invention.

The position of a target object, which can be a submerged enemy, thus to be combatted, submarine 11, has been located for example by means of the sonar installation 12 of a surface vessel 13 which is equipped with a submarine hunting weapon 14 for close-range self-protection in accordance with the method as per the invention.

The submarine hunting weapon 14 has, in the exemplified instance shown, a launching apparatus 15 ( shown in the drawing as mortar barrels ), which - possibly laid by means of the location data supplied by the sonar installation 12 - delivers a carrier 16 above the water 17 approximately in the direction of the submersion area 18 of the submarine 11. The carrier 16 can, depending on the distance to be bridged, be fired ballistically as a projectile or be equipped with a rocket sustainer. Instead of a carrier 16 having several effective bodies 19, also individual effective bodies 19 can be launched, or possibly simply be thrown into the water.

In tim-controlled or remote-controlled manner, the carrier 16 delivers its effective bodies 19 ( in this instance thus delivered in the manner of submunition ) above the water 17, which then enter the water in an aerodynamically stabilised flightpath 20 in a scatter area 21 close to the submersion area 18 of the submarine. For this delivery of the effective bodies 19, in the exemplified instance shown in the drawing, provision is made for the fact that the carrier 16 is simply designed as a container which is opened forwardly by throwing-off a ballistic cap 22, whilst its delivery motion experiences, by means of a readwardly released braking parachute 23, an almost sudden retardation; so that the effective bodies 19 emerge, by virtue of their mass moment of inertia, from the forwardly opened container.

The flight-dynamic steering means 24 such as for instance fins or rudders, which give rise to a specific flightpath 20 for directionally-stable entry into the water 17, can be so designed that they are discarded as a result of the then almost sudden stressing.

To promote this separation procedure of functional parts which are no longer needed in the water and the deflection procedure, starting in the water 17, of the orientation of the effective bod 19, and, for switching-on units which are effective in the water 17 ( more especially the location device 30 ), a oydrodynamic braking mechanism 27 at the stern of the effective body can be activated, for instance by release of a braking parachute or extension of braking flaps, which are afterward also jettisoned.Furthermore, steering means 25 which are now effective in the water 17 are freed; or respectively by reason of the plunging into the water 17 previously aerodynamically used steering means 24 are swivelled into a position in which tney act as rodyna.mic steering means 25. This is because in tne water 17 a patn jf motion 26, differing from the descent flightpath 20, of the respective effective body 19 is to be brought about.

The body 19, which has plunged at the shallowest possible angle into t9.e water 17, initially runs through a stabilisation phase 28 which is as brief as possible and in which it is deflected, through the action of the hydrodynamic steering means 25, out of the entry orientation into an orientation, inclined only relatively slightly relative to the surface 17 of the water, with an approximately circular course of the smallest possible radius ( namely so that a submarine 11 does not if possible remain concealed in the interior of the circular path ).The hydrodynamic steering means 25 ( such as fins and planing surfaces ) are preferably so designed that the depth of this stabilisation phase 28 amounts to only a few metres and thus in any event does not materially exceed the depth region within which a submarine can hide closely under the surface 17 of the water.

Following on the stabilisation phase 28, namely the transition into the sinking motion of the effective body 19 along an approximately circular path, is the search phase 29, in which, on board the effective body 19, by means of a, preferably active, location device 30 in the longitudinal direction of the effective body 19 ahead a search is made for the target object, thus for the submarine 11.

By reason of the superimposed sinking and circular motion, the effective body 19 travels during this search phase 29 in a spiral path of motion 26, the pitch, thus spiral height 31, of which is predetermined so as to be as shallow as possible ( contrary to the schematised sketch in the drawing ) by way of the hydrodynamic steering means 25. This is because in this way - taking into account the aperture angle and the acquisition range of the active location device 30 as well as the location-relevant overall height of a submarine - it is reliably brought about that the location device 30 also in actual fact detects a submarine 11 which is still operating in the vicinity, thus that the submarine 11 does not fortuitously lie precisely in the intermediate region between two superjacent tangents ( the echo-sounding search beams ) to the spiral path 26.

On account of the significant difference between water-borne-sound echos from the bottom of the water 17 and from hollow bodies such as submarines 11, a change-over of the steering means 25 to transition into a more shallowly descending spiral path 26, i.e. more strongly horizontal location direction ahead, can be effected when the effective body 19 approaches the bottom, in order to achieve a duration of use which is as long as possible ( now with increased horizontal range ). This change-over from the initially more severely inclined search direction can, however, also be initiated in a depth-dependent or time-dependent manner, especially if the depth of the water 17 in the zone of operations is known, in order to prevent, after an initially rapid search-run sinking procedure, after that a too early sinking of the effective body 19 onto the bottom.

If in the course of this spiral path of motion 26 tangentially to this, namely in the instantaneous longitudinal orientation of the effective body 19 ahead, the submarine 11 is detected by means of the location device 3O, at the effective body 19 qan underwater drive mechanism 32 is started. Along with the jettisoning of ballast, such as the steering means 25, the echo-sounding signal processing and possibly a launching ( translator's note: German word used can also mean "starting" ) tube or similar starting/launching aid, the remaining effective body 19 emerges ( with its warped 34 together with the detonation device thereof ) tangentially from the spiral path 26 and transfers into its linear attack phase 33.

In this attack phase 33 the effective body 19 moves at the highest possible speed towards the target submarine 11, in order, by reason of its small effective cross-section and its high motional energy, if possible to pierce the outer hull of the submarine 11 and to detonate the warhead 34, for example an after-shoot tandem charge, for the perforation also of the internal pressure hull of the submarine 11. In this way the submarine 11 is at least impaired in its operational ability or even damaged as far as being unfit for action and if possible compelled to surface.

Claims (19)

Patent claims

1. A method of combatting submerged submarines by means of munition which can be delivered above the surface of the water, characterised in that effective bodies are steered, after their entry into the water, by means of flow-dynamic steering means into a path of motion which descends along shallow spiral arcs and out of which they are accelerated upon acquisition of a submarine in the longitudinal direction of the effective body, in order after striking the submarine to detonate their warhead.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the effective bodies are scattered from a carrier.

3. A metnod as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised In that, in the interests of a short stabilisation phase prior to entry into the spiral path of motion of the search phase, a directionally-stable plunging into the water at a small angle of immersion is fostered hydrodynamically.

4. A method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the effective body is changed over tyo a shallower spiral path when it detects bottom in the location direction ahead.

5. A method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the effective body upon plunging into the water jettisons aerodynamic steering means and upon acceleration for leaving the spiral path jettisons hydrodynamic steering means as well as further ballast.

6. An effective body (19) for carrying out the method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is equipped with aerodynamic and hydrodynamic steering means (24, 25) for defined flightpaths and paths of motion (20, 26) as well as with an underwater drive mechanism (32) which can be started by a location device (30) upon target acquisition ahead.

7. An effective body as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that it is equipped with braking mechanisms (27) whicn can be activated upon entry into the water (17) or respectively with steering means (24/25) which re-orientate themselves.

8. An effective body as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterised in that it is equipped with aerodynamic steering means (24) and hydrodynamic braking mechanisms (27) which are effective upon entry into the water (17), in order, after a short stabilisation phase, tn run at a small angle of glide into the spirally extending search phase (29).

9. An effective body as claimed in one of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that it is equipped with an active echo-sounding location device (30) which is orientated axially ahead.

10. An effective body as claimed in one of claims 6 to 9, characterised in that it is equipped with mechanisms for changing-over into a shallow inclined spiral path (26) upon approach to the bottom of the water (17).

11. An effective body as claimed in one of claims 6 to 10, characterised in that it is designed for jettisoning ballast upon ignition of its underwater drive mechanism (32).

12. An effective body as claimed in one of claims 6 to 11, characterised in that it can be scattered from a carrier (16) which can be decelerated aerodynanically.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A method of combatting a submarine by means of a munition or munitions comprising one or more projectile each having a drive device for underwater propulsion of the projectile, comprising the steps of: (a) delivering one or more of the projectile bodies above an area of water below which a submarine is suspected to be, so that the or each projectile body drops into the water and sinks; (b) hydrodynamically steering the or each projectile body so that it follows a shallow spiral path and searches ahead along its instantaneous longitudinal direction as it sinks; and (c) upon the projectile body, or any one of the projectile bodies, detecting a submarine ahead of the projectile, starting said drive device to accelerate the projectile body, directly along its instantaneous direction so as to depart from said path and travel directly towards the submarine to impact therewith and trigger a warhead of the projectile body.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein during step (b), upon the projectile body approaching water-bottom or at a predetermined depth or time, the rate of sinking is reduced by causing the projectile body to follow a shallower path.

3. A method of combatting submerged submarines by means of munition which can be delivered above the surface of the water, characterised in that the munition comprises at least one projectile body which is steered during a search phase after entry into the water, by means of hydro-dynamic steering means, into a path of motion which descends along a shallow spiral for a search phase, and out of which path the projectile body is accelerated by a drive device upon acquisition of a submarine in the longitudinal direction of the projectile body, in order after striking the submarine to detonate a warhead of the projectile body; and in that the projectile body is changed over to a shallower spiral path should it approach the bottom of the water or reach a predetermined depth or sink for a predetermined period during said search phase.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 1,2 or 3, characterised in that, in the fall of the projectile body to the water it is stabilised aerodynamically to give a directionallystable inclined entry into the water for shortening the underwater stabilisation phase necessary to enter the shallow spiral path.

5. A method as claimed in Claim 1,2,3 or 4 characterised in that the projectile bodies are scattered from a carrier.

6. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the projectilee body upon falling into the water jettisons aerodynamic steering means, and upon acceleration for leaving the spiral path jettisons hydrodynamic steering means.

7. A method as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, or Claim 4, 5 or 6 as appended to Claim 2 or 3 wherein detection of the water-bottom ahead of the projectile body along its longitudinal direction is utilised to initiate control of the projectile body into said shallower spiral path.

8. A method of combatting a submerged sub-marine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. A projectile body for carrying out the method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, having a location device for effecting searching underwater for a sub-marine, aerodynamic and hydrodynamic steering means for controlling the paths of motion of the projectile body as it falls through the air and sinks through the water, and an underwater drive device, and characterised in that the underwater drive device is controlled by the location device so as to be started upon detection of a sub-marine, to accelerate the projectile body linearly along its instantaneous longitudinal direction.

10. A projectile body as claimed in Claim 9 including a mechanism for actuating the steering means for reducing the inclination of a shallow inclined spiral path upon approach to the bottom of the water or at a predetermined depth or time.

11. A projectile body for carrying out the method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, having a location device for effecting searching underwater for a submarine, aerodynamic and hydrodynamic steering means, for controlling the paths of motion of the projectile body as it falls through the air and sinks through the water, and an underwater drive device which can be started by the location device, upon target acquisition ahead of the projecile for accelerating the projectile body directly forwrds; and a mechanism for actuating the steering means for reducing the inclination of a shallow inclined spiral path upon approach to the bottom of the water.

12. A projectile body as claimed in Claim 9,10 or 11 characterised in that it is equipped with braking mechanisms which can be activated upon entry into the water, or with steering means which re-orientates upon entering into the water.

13. A projectile body as claimed in Claim 9,10,11 or 12 characterised in that the steering means and the or a hydrodynamic braking mechanism is or are effective upon entry into the water to cause the projectile body to enter the spirally extending search path after a short stabilisation phase at a small angle of glide.

14. A projectile body as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 13, characterised in that it is equipped with an active echo-sounding location device which is orientated axially ahead.

15. A projectile body as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 14, characterised in that it is designed to jettison or depart without the steering means upon starting of its underwater drive device.

16. A projectile body as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 15 having a body diameter of the order of 10 cm.

17. A plurality of the projectile bodies as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 16, contained in a carrier from which they can be scattered upon the carrier being decelerated aerodynamically.

18. A projectile body substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

19. A munition comprising a carrier which can be aerodynamically braked and which contains several of the projectile bodies claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 15 or 17.