Mobile ballistic missile detection and defense system

• US 20040021033A1
• Filed: 02/26/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Richard Theodore Redano
• Inventors: Redano, Richard T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,739,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/30 Command link guidance systems homing F41G7/2206
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/02 Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/66 Radar-tracking systems; Analogous systems

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards a ballistic missile detection and defense system. The system of the present invention comprises a ship based interceptor or antiballistic missile, a missile launch detection system, a missile tracking system, and a ship based signal processing system capable of receiving said tracking signal calculating an intercept trajectory for an antiballistic missile to intercept a ballistic missile, and further capable of outputting an intercept trajectory program to an antiballistic missile.

Claims

1. A mobile ballistic missile detection and defense system, comprising:

a. a nonland based missile launch detection system configured to detect a missile launch and output a launch signal indicative of a detected missile launch;

b. a nonland based missile tracking system configured to receive a launch signal from said launch detection system, track a missile in flight, and output a tracking signal indicative of the trajectory of a missile in flight;

c. a ship;

d. a signal processing system configured to receive said tracking signal, calculate a nonaligned intercept trajectory for an antiballistic missile to intercept a missile having a trajectory as described by said tracking signal, and further output a nonaligned intercept trajectory program to an antiballistic missile; and

e. an antiballistic missile located on said ship, said antiballistic missile comprising a guidance system configured to receive the nonaligned intercept trajectory program from said signal processing system and guide the antiballistic missile along the nonaligned intercept trajectory.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

a. said launch detection system is a means for detecting a missile launch and outputting a launch signal indicative of a detected missile launch;

b. said missile tracking system is a means for receiving a launch signal from said launch detection system, tracking a missile in flight, and outputting a tracking signal indicative of the trajectory of a missile in flight; and

c. said signal processing system is a means for receiving said tracking signal, calculating a nonaligned intercept trajectory for an antiballistic missile to intercept a missile having a trajectory as described by said tracking signal, and further outputting a nonaligned intercept trajectory program to said antiballistic missile.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said guidance system is an active system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said missile launch detection system is located on a satellite.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said missile launch detection system comprises a high resolution imaging system.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said missile launch detection system comprises an infrared detection system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said missile launch detection system comprises a radar tracking system.

8. A mobile ballistic missile detection and defense system, comprising:

a. a nonland based missile launch detection and tracking system configured to detect the location of a missile launch, track a detected missile in flight, and output a tracking signal indicative of the trajectory of a launched missile in flight;

b. a ship;

c. a signal processing system configured to receive said tracking signal, calculate a nonaligned intercept trajectory for an antiballistic missile to intercept a missile having a trajectory as described by said tracking signal, and further output the nonaligned intercept trajectory program to an antiballistic missile; and

d. an antiballistic missile located on said ship, said antiballistic missile comprising a guidance system configured to receive the nonaligned intercept trajectory program from said signal processing system and guide the antiballistic missile along the nonaligned intercept trajectory.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said missile launch detection and tracking system is located on a satellite.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said missile launch detection and tracking system comprises a high resolution imaging system.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said missile launch detection and tracking system comprises an infrared detection system.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said missile launch detection and tracking system comprises a radar tracking system.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said guidance system is an active system.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein:

a. said missile launch detection and tracking system is a means for detecting the location of a missile launch, tracking a detected missile in flight, and outputting a tracking signal indicative of the trajectory of a launched missile in flight; and

b. said signal processing system is a means for receiving said tracking signal, calculating a nonaligned intercept trajectory for an antiballistic missile to intercept a missile having a trajectory as described by said tracking signal, and further outputting a nonaligned intercept trajectory program to said antiballistic missile.

15. A mobile ballistic missile detection and defense system, comprising:

a. a nonland based missile launch detection and tracking system configured to detect the location of a missile launch, tracking a detected missile in flight, and output a tracking signal indicative of the trajectory of a launched missile in flight;

b. a ship;

c. a signal processing system located on said ship configured to receive said tracking signal, calculate a nonaligned intercept trajectory for an antiballistic missile to intercept a missile having a trajectory as described by said tracking signal, and further output the nonaligned intercept trajectory program to an antiballistic missile; and

d. an antiballistic missile located on said ship, said antiballistic missile comprising a guidance system configured to receive the nonaligned intercept trajectory program from said signal processing system and guide the antiballistic missile along the nonaligned intercept trajectory.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said missile launch detection and tracking system is located on said ship.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said missile launch detection and tracking system comprises a radar tracking system.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein:

a. said missile launch detection and tracking system is a means for detecting the location of a missile launch, tracking a detected missile in flight, and outputting a tracking signal indicative of the trajectory of a launched missile in flight; and

b. said signal processing system is a means for receiving said tracking signal, calculating a nonaligned intercept trajectory for an antiballistic missile to intercept a missile having a trajectory as described by said tracking signal, and further outputting a nonaligned intercept trajectory program to said antiballistic missile.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein said ship is an Aegis class cruiser.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein said missile launch detection and tracking system is located on a satellite.