KR810001061B1 - Automated fire control apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The automated fire control appts. includes servomotor positioned weapon, renge-determining radar, optical sight and controller, and a data processor. Multiple feedback networks control the optical sighting path vis-a-vis gun mount for automated lead angle implementation under overall gunner supervision. Optical line of sight deflection is controlled by radar antenna positioning target flight projection computations as well as manual gunner entry. Electrical signals emanating from the controller(105) cause a lead angle(114) to develop between the optical axis(104a) of a sight(104) & the actual pointing azimuth of guns(100), and rotation of the gun(100) mount vis-a-vis a fixed ref. to maintain the target in the optical sight (104) cross hair.

Description

Automatic Fire Control System

1 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional automatic fire control system.

2 is a general explanatory diagram of the situation of the automatic fire control system.

3 is a diagram of an automatic fire control system according to the principles of the present invention.

4 is a flow chart showing data processing for FIG.

The present invention relates to an improved automatic fire control system for electronic weapon control, particularly for anti-aircraft guns.

Fire control technology aiming at aircraft such as aircraft and missiles is a weapon system in which the gunner (at the anti-aircraft artillery position of the ship) fires where the target and projectile intersect, firing at the target and properly covering the target. Since the Kentucky windage era, where it was aimed manually, it has been intricately developed in many ways. So it is today's reality to supply digital computer control for launching the main gun system.

The computer determines the trajectory of the shell based on inputs obtained from gyro sensors, etc., which report the self-tracking ranging radar gun.

A gun control situation that is generally applicable to guns in accordance with the principles of the present invention is shown in FIG.

One or more guns 100 are secured to be rotatable to a gun support rotating mount 102, such as a large air station.

Self-tracking antenna 106 is used to track the target 112 at the current location 112a. The antenna is operated by a transmitter (108) to supply a recovery signal to the conventional self-radar receiver 110 to convey the range information to the computer (68). The antenna 106 is adapted to track the aircraft in any manner well known to those skilled in the art by the data processing device 68.

The catcher controller associated with the artillery 100 observes through the optical sight 104 along the optical sight 104a and attempts to align the aircraft 112a with the crosshair of the center of the optical sight here.

The catcher controller accomplishes this by issuing electrical commands from the controller 105 (multiple axis joystick).

Electrical signals from the controller 105 by the process described below form a lead angle 114 between the optical axis 104a of the optical collimator 104 and the actual orientation of the gun 100 and target the target. Optical aimer 104 causes rotation of the fabric 100 mount about a fixed axis (ship's axis) to maintain the crosshair.

The weapon system can be fired when the proper lead angle (relative to the range reported by the associated radar) is achieved and the target is in the proper sight position.

The gunner's main function then is to emit electrical signals from the controller 105 to keep the aircraft in the proper center of the optical sight.

By simply doing this, the rest of the functions necessary for shooting are automatically activated by the operation of the computer's individual and other systems.

The foregoing general description focuses on determining the proper angle, ie azimuth, of the gun. Similar operations will be performed to build the required altitude of the gun.

A conventional articulation system is shown in FIG. 1, where the catcher-operated controller 105 (FIG. 2) rotates at a rotational speed and direction defined by the controller output in response to an electrical signal generated. A gun mount servo motor 22 is used. When the servomotor 22 causes an angular (azimuth) rotation of the controlled firing artillery 100, the rate sensor 27 (i.e. the rate servo is included in the case and mount). The angular rotational speed of the motor is reported to the digital computer 68.

The computer 68 performs the lead angle calculation 30 to obtain an appropriate azimuth angle [lambda], in response to the target shooting distance reported by the radar and the rotational speed of the mount 102 by the catcher.

The lead angle is carried out by a servo motor 24 which determines the position of the optical axis 104a of the optical sight 104 having a gun and a common reference axis and is usually a sight line within the sight 104. This is done simply by rotating the mirror to determine 104a. Therefore, when the operator has caused the controller 105 to issue an out put rate command, the servo 22 is in full gun platform 102 and the optical sight case mounted thereon. 104), all elements such as the radar antenna 106 are rotated until the weapon is in the position facing the intersection 112b of the target-projector.

The servomotor 24 is further rotated compared to the case or mount cleat form rotation to change the optical axis 104a of the optical collimator 104. The radar antenna servomotor 25 is connected to the delivery angle [lambda] [o], which is the output of the computer 68, so that the antenna is aligned with the optical axis of the aimer 104 and the aimer points to the current position of the target 112a.

The term “servomotor” is a term that refers to any actuator that causes mechanical motion in response to a timely command signal.

In the case of the target aircraft 112 flying from left to right as in FIG. 2, the azimuth angle of the artillery 100 towards the future target position 112a, ie the launch line, points to the current target position 112b. It will be appreciated that the lead precedes (clockwise) the instantaneous optical aiming line of the aimer 104 and antenna.

Assuming that the aircraft has constant velocity, constant velocity, and constant velocity around the four mounts, the above-described arrangement of the antenna 106, the optical axis 104a, and the gun 100 remain the same. The platform, ie, the mount 102, is rotated at a constant speed.

In the more general trajectory, the lead angle is determined by the interaction of the fore controller 105 and the computer 68 and constantly changes to track the actual aircraft trajectory.

The special method by which the computer 68 determines the lead angle [lambda] is well known to those skilled in the art and is actually used in a first-degree type system such as the M68 naval fire system.

In short, the computer 68 receives as input the output of a rate sensor that signals the instantaneous rotational speed of the mount, and is also a target range obtained by the radar receiver 110 according to methods well known in the art. Is accepted as input at the input terminal 69.

The computer has its own software that responds to the input to determine the lead angle λ ø.

For example, the lead angular programming 30 is an iterative loop comprising a target flight model 32 and a projectile ballistic model 26 for determining the flight time T _OF to the intersection of the target-projectile. It can have

After launch, iterative calculations are performed until the location of the projectile flying in space at time T _OF coincides with the position of the aircraft in the desired precision at the range indicated by the radar.

The above-mentioned device places the weapon on one coordinate (azimuth).

Similarly, a similar circuit is used to fix the altitude of the gun.

However, the conventional deployment of FIG. 1 is not satisfactory for today's high speed enemy aircraft.

For example, in the case of a fast moving target, it is difficult to fix the optical axis 104a toward the target when first encountering the controller target. This is because the catcher must first operate the controller 105 to rapidly rotate the mount 102 to catch the target along the sight of the sight. The rotation of the mount 102 is signaled to the computer 68 by a sensor 27 which will interpret it as an angular fly by the speed of the aircraft.

Therefore, the computer 68 calculates a lead angle that rapidly changes the line of the aiming axis 104a in the counterclockwise direction in the case of the mirror (FIG. 2) that determines the aiming line through the servo 24. .

The overall effect of this rotation makes it difficult for the catcher to hold the aircraft on the crosshairs, which is necessary before the correct launch, and to rotate the mount at the necessary angular velocity so as not to miss the aircraft.

Therefore, conventional systems have had difficulty in hitting the weapon system when encountering fast-moving targets.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic fire controller system.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fire controller system that captures and tracks a target in a relatively short time and shoots the target for a relatively long time when the target is flying within the weapon's range.

The above and other objects and features of the present invention can be seen in the description of a central processing unit, an optical target sight having a tracking radar aiming side and an automatic fire control system using a controlled weapon. .

Gunner actuated controllers operate in a first feed back loop to keep the target's representative optical axis and associated tracker antenna aligned with the target's current position.

To control the rotation rate of the four mounts, the computer device generates a lead angle signal that works with the sight's optical line of sight deflecting servo loop.

According to various aspects of the present invention, several signals are selectively interposed between the output of the gunner controller and the optical line of sight shifling actuator of the aimer to control the direction of the optical axis and the radar antenna. Intervene.

This signal indicates future future target rate projections from the computer and lady (and optical) mismatch signals represented by the radar receiver.

Assuming the system's precision is high enough, the overall effect of this signal allows the system to automatically track a captured target once, and if any inaccuracies occur that cause the target to deviate from the catcher's optical center, the catcher will This can be corrected.

According to FIG. 3, an automatic gun control system consistent with the principles of the present invention can be seen. This arrangement is used in an automatic targeting device such as FIG. 2 with field tracking radars 106, 108, 110, optical sight 104 and firing weapon 100 to destroy the aircraft 112.

The arrangement in FIG. 3 is a actuator servo device 24 for changing the optical line 104a of the optical collimator 104 (by rotating the mirror), a fixed reference frame (e.g., A four-mount servomotor 22 for adjusting the relative position of the movable cloth case relative to the shaft of the ship and an antenna servo 25 for adjusting the antenna position are used.

Since the other coordinates for setting the weapon position (angular angle [ø]) use similar devices and circuits, the following description focuses on one positional coordinate (azimuth angle [θ]).

For example, the four-mount servo motor 22 adjusts the position of the four mount 102 to the left, right, clockwise, and counterclockwise directions, while a similar servomotor is used to raise and lower the barrel regardless of the azimuth position.

In FIG. 3, the hardware included in the layout is indicated by a solid line and the conceptually important part of the system is indicated by a dotted line.

For example, FIG. 3 shows a summing node 10 which calculates the angular difference between the target and the case, that is, the error. In fact, such a difference or error can be detected by the catcher with the naked eye even without an electronic device that emits an electrical signal to indicate this.

The special structure and function of the arrangement of FIG.

First, the moment the observer observes the enemy aircraft 112, the gunner operates the controller 105 in a direction that allows the aircraft to enter the center of the aimer, i.e., the crosshair, looking along the optical axis 104a of the optical sight 104. .

The electrical output of the controller 105 passes through the summing nodes 52, 53, and 57 to be described later, and the output of the summing nose 57 operates the servo motor 24 in advance.

By this process, the servomotor 24 changes the optical axis 104a for correct positioning (ie, aiming) (ie, rotates the deflection mirror).

As shown in FIG. 3, the position output of the servomotor 24 (which determines the optical axis 104a) is adjusted by a feedback loop requiring the intervention of the catcher.

That is, the output of the summing norm 10 (mechanical azimuth position of the target relative to the case) is equal to the output of the norwood 10 (optical axis position required for 10 to obtain a spatial relationship between the four-mount and the target). The difference in the output (position of the actual shaft) of the mirror servo motor 24 is supplied to the second algebraic summing norm 12 having the output.

Any difference between the two inputs to the Summing Norm 10 is visually observed by the catcher who observes a target that is not centered on the crosshairs so that the servomotor is operated in such a way as to eliminate the difference. The controller 105 is driven.

The device 55 is used to signal the summation knot 57 with the output state (speed of rotation) for the four mounts (servomotor 22, mirror servomotor 24 and the movement of the platform).

The device 55 includes a simple inertial mirror rate gyro, and the output of the gyro is applied to the summing norm 57 in the opposite direction to the output of the summing norm 53. The purpose of the rate gyro 55 can be understood from the steady state analysis of the aircraft target flying in a circle around the posi- tion.

In this steady state, the optical axis 104a looks at the target and rotates at some constant angular velocity. Similarly, the four-mount servo 22 is fixed to the position of the target of the future and rotates at the same rotational speed with an appropriate lead angle according to the target shooting distance and speed.

In the assumed case, the optical collimator itself is fixed against rotation with the case, so in this steady state no further rotation of the mirror servo motor is necessary.

The gyro 55 is used to remove the signal supplied to the nod 57 from the target rate predicting output 70 of the computer 68 by the nod 53, otherwise the mirror is Will rotate. Similarly, it can be seen from the steady state analysis that the required rotational speed θ of the mount 102 is transmitted to the servomotor 22 via the computer 68 (with the lead angle signal).

Of course the self-tracking radar antenna 106 should be in line with the azimuth angle when the θ direction is considered with the optical axis 104a so that the aircraft target is aimed at the radar search beam.

For this purpose, the antenna positioning servomotor 25 is simply connected to and constrained to the position output of the mirror servomotor 24.

For the purpose of the following description, the antenna servomotor 25 has an additional selectable altitude signal for operation in a low elevation mode.

Computer 68 performs several system functions.

In particular, the computer 68 uses the aforementioned target flightprojectile ballistics model software routines 72 and 67 to determine the proper shooting angle 114.

The computer 68 derives the target speeds θ and ø from the target flight estimation routine 72. As shown in Fig. 3, the velocity output θ (during azimuth processing) is transmitted to the summing norm 53, while the lead angle λ ø and θ signals enter the summing junction 62.

A special data processing procedure for performing the computer 68 functions mentioned above is described in FIG.

The bearing rate input (ø) from the output of the summing norm 53 is converted into a numerical format by an analog-to-digital converter 130 and the computer 68 is converted into a numerical input. Enter

When azimuth velocity input is used, it must be integrated to obtain θ. The azimuth angle [theta] enters the polar programming to rectangular coordinate transformation 132 together with the elevation angle ø and the target distance R from the radar receiver 110.

The software 132 converts the polar azimuth angle [theta], elevation angle [theta], and target distance R into X, Y and Z values of the rectangular coordinates.

Equations for transforming the polar coordinates from the polar coordinates, which form an algorithm of the coding 131, are well known to those skilled in the art.

For smoothing and predicting data, and also to find the velocity vectors X, Y, and Z in Cartesian coordinates (by measuring the coordinate change over a known time increment), the kalman filter 71 Used.

The target coordinate velocity component of the target calculated in the data processing 71 is converted into the polar coordinate component in the converter 134 (applying the well-known relation once again) which converts the coordinate coordinate to the polar coordinate, and θ and ø are calculated.

The velocity at this time is supplied to the azimuth velocity output by the computer 68 and passes through to the second input of the summing norm 53 (see FIG. 3).

The output of the kalman filter 71 is flighted for an iterative calculation process to obtain an output signal that identifies the appropriate lead angle (λø) 114 and the lead angle change rate (λø) between the gun and line of sight orientation. modeling 72, projectile ballistic model software 67, and quadrature-polar coordinate intermediate transducer 135, which lead angles are coupled in the summing norm 139 together with the target azimuth velocity.

The output of the summing norm 139 is then fed to the input of the summing norm 62 (see FIG. 3).

Again, each piece of software described in FIG. 4 is well known to those skilled in the art, and further description thereof will be omitted.

Referring again to the arrangement of FIG. 3, the radar receiver 110 can be seen to transmit an error signal as an input to the summing node 52, indicating that the target center is deviated with respect to the radar antenna direction. Thus, for example, the composite radar device 106, 108, 110 may include a self-tracking radar system that examines the signal coming back from the radar at a location symmetrically separated from the central antenna side. If the antenna is properly aimed at the aircraft, the amplitude of the received signal is practically the same. If the amplitudes of the two reflected signals are different, this indicates that the antenna and the target are not aligned, and a signal is generated to indicate the direction and the amount of imbalance.

This signal is again fed to the input of the summing nose 52.

With the foregoing device description in mind, the operation of the fire control system of FIG. 3 is briefly summarized. By the method described above, if the output of the radar receiver processor 110 and the computer target rate projection signal supplied to the summing network 53 are ignored for a while, The gunner looking at the target simply drives the controller 105 such that the aimer and the optical line 104a are directed at the current target position via the servo actuator 24, as described previously. When the servomotor 24 adjusts the aimer optical line 104a, the locating output of the servomotor 24 together with the lead angle and speed output supplied by the computer 68 to the summing Nor 62. The mount 102 serves as an input of the mobile robot motor 22.

Therefore, the range information supplied by the radar and the azimuth change information obtained by the gunner when the gunner operates the controller 105 to align the aimer's line of sight 104a with the target are estimated by the lead angle to determine the position of the gunmount relative to the line of sight. Do it.

If you continue to disregard the functions of the Summing Points 52 and 53 for a while, the device will continue to perform the functions described above, and the gunner will use the necessary control of the servomotor 24 to adjust the current aircraft position to the line of sight. It simply uses the controller 105.

This operation automatically rotates the gun to the appropriate lead angle to position it.

As an actual aid to the catcher, the computer output 70 provides the servomotor 24 with an estimate of the azimuth change rate of the target via the summing norm 53 and the summing norm 57.

Assuming that the computer estimates are accurate and that the system is aligned correctly under normal conditions, the gyro 55 outputs the signal that the formount is rotating at the speed required to maintain the required lead angle. The computer's speed estimate can be correct.

Without any participation of the controller 105 (or catcher), the line of sight 104a remains at the target 112a entering the crosshairs of the sights 104.

Therefore, assuming such accurate system operation, the artillery 100 will be able to automatically hit the target without a driver.

If a slight inaccurate tracking has occurred, the catcher will signal through the controller 105 to easily observe the target's motor orientation and speed through the crosshairs and bring the target to the proper aiming position.

In the above functional form, the catcher only needs to correct the smaller, slower changing error than if the target had to be aimed at the crosshair alone.

Therefore, the accuracy and efficiency of automatic fire control is improved.

Similarly, when the target moves out of sight at the position facing the antenna 106, it provides a hand signal to properly move the servomotor 24 when the target is positioned with the radar, thereby summing the noise from the radar receiver-processor 110. Input to 52 will support the catcher.

The antenna servo motor 25 causes the antenna 106 to be aligned with the optical line 104a of the collimator, so that any deviation from the center of the antenna emits a departure signal that has reached the optical collimator 104. Therefore, the Summing Nos. 52 and 53 automatically position the mirror servo 24 (as well as the four mounts through the computer 68 and the server motor 22). This greatly reduces the number of targets and also enables automatic saturation without touching the target once captured.

If the catcher's trouble after capture, it is a minor modification to adjust the antenna's position and the sight's optical line out of alignment or the lack of airspeed estimation.

The foregoing description and the apparatus of FIG. 3 say that one of the two necessary axes was discussed primarily with respect to the other saturation control. In particular, the azimuth angle, that is, the saturation control coordinates in the θ direction, were discussed.

As discussed, a similar structure applies for altitude, i. For example, a servo that can operate in the vertical direction deflects the optical line of the aimer by moving the deflection mirror in the vertical direction, and another comparable servomotor of the servomotor 22 is declared. Another servomotor that is used to raise and lower the doppler and comparable to the servomotor 25 may be used to raise and lower the antenna direction.

In the latter case, it may sometimes be undesirable to lower the antenna altitude below some minimum height.

For example, when used in air defense devices of a ship, it is inappropriate to lower the radar antenna below the position where the reflection of the water surface hinders the detection and tracking of the target when the enemy aircraft is flying low.

For this purpose, the composite device of FIG. 3 includes a vertical antenna gyro 74 which emits a vertical angular (or altitude) signal of the eye to the computer via a terminal 75. have.

If the vertical elevation angle is equal to the minimum required direction, the computer switches the antenna control to the “low elevation mode” and delivers the minimum elevation angle to the vertical antenna servo motor corresponding to the motor 25. .

When taken in low angle form (as signaled by computer 68 at output node 80), the correction circuit (66) eliminates the mismatch on the ø-axis between the radar antenna axis and the aiming optical line (angle). ) Is activated.

The circuit 66 has a switch controlled by the central computing unit (CP U) 68 to disconnect the elements 110 and 52 under low-angle operation, which signals from the output node 80. have.

Therefore, the automatic saturation control device of FIG. 3 can easily catch a target, pursue and fire the target, thereby minimizing the supervision of the driver (catcher), thereby simplifying the catcher's mission and improving the efficiency of the weapon system. Can be.

The aforementioned device is merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that there may be numerous improvements and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

For example, the above mentioned rate servo inputs are appropriate positional inputs of the sensor, and thus are known position inputs that are well known to those skilled in the art, with corresponding response characteristics. Can be replaced.

For example, the position is used rather than the rate gyro 55, so that the output of the gyro 55 can be treated as a position input of the mirror bot 24 with the signal emitted by the controller 105.

The third degree arrangement also generally provides for a structure that automatically overcomes the rocking of the platform supporting the gun 100, the aimer 104 and the antenna 106, i.e., the pitching and rolling of the vessel. It may include.

This can be achieved by additionally installing a serial summing norm (i.e. using one know for multiple summation) and supplying a platform rate (or position) signal as input.

Claims (1)

Automatic for controlling the firing trajectory of the weapon having an optical line connection device for the aiming axis and an optical aiming device having an optical axis determining device and a device connected to and responding to the output of the device for notifying the weapon position status for controlling the optical axis adjusting device. Fire control system.

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