A guidance system for air-to-air missiles

Claim 1

A method for guiding, towards a target (3), a missile (2) launched from an aircraft (1), the missile (2) comprising a self-guidance system including a rotatable sensor (32) capable of rotating with respect to the missile's boresight thereby generating a spatial rotation angle, a steering system (34) responsive to said self-guidance system for re-aligning the missile (2) so that said spatial rotation angle decreases substantially to zero; the method comprising the following steps, executed in a judicious manner: (i) predicting the trajectory (5) of the target (3) on the basis of at least a series of location measurements of the target (3); (ii) estimating a missile's flight path (6), on the basis of at least a series of location determinations of the missile (2) and on said predicted trajectory (5) such that the missile (2) will intercept the target (3) at some future point in time if the missile (2) follows at least a portion of said estimated flight path (6); (iii) generating successively a series of signals each indicative of a desired rotation angle through which the sensor (32) should rotate so as to cause said missile (2) to follow part or all of said flight path (6).

Claim 6

The method according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said step (i) includes: (i).1 performing at least a series of measurements to acquire location data of the target (3); (i).2 predicting the trajectory (5) of said target (3) based on said acquired location data;

Claim 8

The method according to anyone of the preceding Claims, wherein said at least a series of location measurements of the target (3) are acquired by a radar system (48).

Claim 12

The method according to anyone of the preceding Claims, wherein said predicting the trajectory (5) of the target (3) and said estimating at least a portion of the missile's flight path (6) is performed by trajectory analysis means (46) mounted in said aircraft (1), and wherein said location determination of the missile (2) is performed by location determination means mounted in the aircraft (1) based on data representative of the missile's location transmitted from the missile (2) to the aircraft (1), and wherein said signals indicative of a desired rotation angle through which the sensor (32) should rotate are determined in the aircraft (1) and transmitted to the missile (2).

Claim 13

The method according to any of Claims 1 to 11, wherein said predicting the trajectory (5) of the target (3) and said estimating at least a portion of the missile's flight path (6) is performed by trajectory analysis means (46) mounted in said missile (2), and wherein said location determination of the missile (2) is performed by self-location determination means mounted in the missile (2), and wherein said signals indicative of a desired rotation angle through which the sensor (32) should rotate are determined in the missile (2).

Claim 14

The method according to Claims 12 or 13, wherein control is transferred to said self-guidance system and said signals indicative of a desired rotation angle through which the sensor (32) should rotate are compared to the signals indicative of the rotation angle of the sensor (32) as determined by the self-guidance system.

Claim 16

A method for guiding, towards a target (3), a missile (2) launched from an aircraft (1), the missile (2) comprising a self-guidance system including a rotatable sensor (32) capable of rotating with respect to the missile's boresight thereby generating a spatial rotation angle, a steering system (34) responsive to said self-guidance system for re-aligning the missile (2) so that said spatial rotation angle decreases substantially to zero; the method comprising the following steps, executed in a judicious manner: the missile (2) receiving data from Global Positioning System satellites; the missile (2) transmitting to an aircraft, sensor line of sight data and said data received from the Global Positioning System satellites; the aircraft receiving from the missile (2) said sensor line of sight data and Global Positioning System data received by the missile (2) from the Global Positioning System satellites; the aircraft determining location data of the missile (2) from the data received by the missile (2) from the Global Positioning System and transmitted to the aircraft thereby obtaining the present trajectory (5) of the missile (2) from the missile location data at successive times; the aircraft determining self-location data; the aircraft determining the location data of the missile (2) relative to the location of the aircraft; locating and tracking a target (3) by a radar system (48) mounted in the aircraft for deriving the location data of the target (3); the aircraft predicting the trajectory (5) of the target (3) from said target location data; the aircraft deriving, from the missile location data and from the predicted trajectory (5) of the target (3), the trajectory of the missile (2) required to ensure that the missile (2) will intercept the target (3); the aircraft determining, from the derived missile trajectory and the missile location data, sensor line of sight data required for applying to the missile's sensor (32) in order to guide the missile (2) along the determined missile trajectory; the aircraft specifying the sensor's required mode of operation; the aircraft transmitting said determined line of sight data and said specified sensor mode of operation data to the missile (2); and conveying in the missile (2), the determined sensor line of sight data and the specified sensor mode of operation to the missile's sensor rotation control unit (30), whereby the sensor (32) is rotated into the determined line of sight if the specified sensor mode of operation indicates that this is to be done.

Claim 17

A method for guiding, towards a target (3), a missile (2) launched from an aircraft (1), the missile (2) comprising a self-guidance system including a rotatable sensor (32) capable of rotating with respect to the missile's boresight thereby generating a spatial rotation angle, a steering system (34) responsive to said self-guidance system for re-aligning the missile (2) so that said spatial rotation angle decreases substantially to zero; the method comprising the following steps, executed in a judicious manner: location determination means mounted in the aircraft for determining the aircraft's self-location data; the aircraft deriving location data of a target (3) by means of a radar system (48) mounted in the aircraft; the aircraft's operator determining sensor line of sight data and specifying sensor mode of operation data; transmitting said aircraft self-location data, said target location data said determined sensor line of sight data and said specified sensor mode of operation data from the aircraft to the missile (2); the missile (2) receiving from the aircraft said aircraft self-location data, target location data, determined sensor line of sight data and specified sensor mode of operation data transmitted; the missile (2) receiving data from Global Positioning System satellites; the missile (2) determining missile self-location data from the data received from the Global Positioning System; the missile (2) determining its self-location relative to the aircraft's location; the missile (2) predicting the trajectory (5) of the target (3); the missile (2) deriving required self-trajectory to ensure that it will intercept the target (3); the missile (2) determining sensor line of sight data required to guide the missile (2) along the derived missile self-trajectory and specifying the sensor's required mode of operation; conveying in the missile (2) the determined sensor line of sight data and the specified sensor's required mode of operation to the missile's sensor rotation control unit (30); and rotating the sensor (32) into the determined sensor line of sight if the sensor mode of operation indicates that this is to be done.

Claim 18

The method according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said sensor (32) is a passive infrared sensor.

Claim 19

The method according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said sensor (32) is a radar system.

Claim 20

A system for guiding, towards a target (3), a missile (2) launched from an aircraft (1), the missile (2) comprising a self-guidance system including a rotatable sensor (32), a sensor rotation control unit (30) and a steering system (34), comprising: trajectory prediction means for predicting the trajectory (5) of the target (3) on the basis of at least a series of location measurements of the target (3) and for estimating a missile's flight path (6), on the basis of at least a series of location determinations of the missile (2) and on said predicted trajectory (5) such that the missile (2) will intercept the target (3) at some future point in time if the missile (2) follows at least a portion of said estimated flight path (6); line of sight and sensor mode of operation determination means (54) for generating successively a series of signals each indicative of a desired rotation angle through which the sensor (32) should rotate so as to cause said missile (2) to follow part or all of said flight path (6).

Claim 25

The system according to any of Claims 20 to 24, wherein said trajectory analysis means (46), said location determination means and said line of sight and sensor mode of operation determination means (54) are mounted in an aircraft.

Claim 29

A system for guiding, towards a target (3), a missile (2) launched from an aircraft (1), the missile (2) comprising a self-guidance system including a rotatable sensor (32), a sensor rotation control unit (30) and a steering system (34), comprising: a Global Positioning receiver (22) mounted in the missile (2) for receiving data from Global Positioning System satellites; a transmitter (24) mounted in the missile (2) for transmitting to an aircraft, sensor line of sight data and said data received from the Global Positioning System satellites; a receiver (50) mounted in the aircraft for receiving from the missile (2) said sensor line of sight data and Global Positioning System data received by the missile (2) from the Global Positioning System satellites; Global Positioning System location determination means (52) mounted in the aircraft (1) for determining location data of the missile (2) from the data received by the missile (2) from the Global Positioning System and transmitted to the aircraft (1); self-location determination means (42) mounted in the aircraft (1); relative location determination means (44) mounted in the aircraft (1) for determining the location data of the missile (2) relative to the location of the aircraft (1); a radar system (48) for locating and tracking a target (3) and for deriving the location data of the target (3); trajectory analysis means (46) mounted in the aircraft (1) for predicting the trajectory (5) of the target (3) and the trajectory of the missile (2) required to ensure that the missile (2) will intercept the target (3); line of sight and sensor mode of operation determination means (54) mounted in the aircraft (1); a transmitter (58) mounted in the aircraft (1) for transmitting line of sight data and sensor mode of operation data to the missile (2); a receiver (26) mounted in the missile (2) for receiving line of sight data and sensor mode of operation data from the aircraft (1); and an operator line of sight and sensor mode of operation determination unit mounted in the aircraft (1).

Claim 30

A system for guiding, towards a target (3), a missile (2) launched from an aircraft (1), the missile (2) comprising a self-guidance system including a rotatable sensor (32), a sensor rotation control unit (30) and a steering system (34), comprising: a Global Positioning receiver (22) mounted in the missile (2) for receiving data from Global Positioning System satellites; Global Positioning System location determination means (52) mounted in the missile (2) for determining location data of the missile (2) from the data received from the Global Positioning System; self-location determination means (42) mounted in the aircraft (1); relative location determination means (44) mounted in the missile (2) for determining the location data of the missile (2) relative to the location of the aircraft (1); a radar system (48) for locating and tracking a target (3) and for deriving the location data of the target (3); trajectory analysis means (46) mounted in the missile (2) for predicting the trajectory (5) of the target (3) and the self-trajectory of the missile (2) required to ensure that the missile (2) will intercept the target (3); line of sight and sensor mode of operation determination means (54) mounted in the missile (2); a transmitter (58) mounted in the aircraft (1) for transmitting self-location data, target location data and operator specified line of sight and sensor mode of operation data to the missile (2); a receiver (26) mounted in the missile (2) for receiving aircraft self-location date, target location data and operator specified line of sight data and sensor mode of operation data and from the aircraft (1); and an operator line of sight and sensor mode of operation determination unit mounted in the aircraft (1).

Claim 31

The system according to Claims 29 or 30, wherein said radar system (48) is mounted in said aircraft (1) from which the missile (2) was launched.

Claim 32

The system according to Claims 29 or 30, wherein said radar system (48) is mounted in an aircraft (10) other than the aircraft (1) from which the missile (2) was launched.

Claim 34

The system according to Claims 29 or 30, wherein said radar system (48) is a ground radar (8).

Claim 35

The system according to Claims 29 or 30, wherein said sensor (32) is a passive infrared sensor,

Claim 36

The system according to Claims 29 or 30, wherein said sensor (32) is a radar system.

Claim 37

The system according to anyone of Claims 29 to 36, wherein said self-location determination means is a Global Positioning System receiver (22) and Global Positioning System location determination means (52).

Claim 38

The system according to anyone of Claims 29 to 36, wherein said self-location determination means is an inertial reference unit.