MISSILE TRAINING SYSTEM

• US 20100270418A1
• Filed: 02/19/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MBDA UK Ltd. (MBDA SAS)
• Original Assignee: MBDA UK Ltd. (MBDA SAS)
• Inventors: Gazard, Philip Neil
• Granted Patent: US 8,274,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/3.100
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/34 based on predetermined target position data
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/01 Arrangements thereon for guidance or control steering arrangements F42B10/60; aircraft flight control B64C; guidance systems other than those installed aboard F41G7/00, F41G9/00; locating by use of radio or other waves G01S; flight control in general G05D1/00; computer aspects G06]

Abstract

The present invention is directed to missile training systems, especially to those relating to the provision of a mechanism that allows missiles and similar devices to be fired at a target in a realistic, but safe, manner. The use of live fire exercises, in which army or other armed forces personnel use fully functioning weapons systems is well established. Live fire exercises can be used to provide realistic training scenarios, but also present obvious dangers. Live fire exercises present opportunities for checking that weapons systems function correctly and allow users, such as soldiers, to practice using real weapons in situations that are more realistic than firing ranges. It is known to use live missiles and torpedoes in naval training exercises and trials. For example, missiles can be fired at a ship to check the effectiveness of mechanisms for tracking and destroying such missiles. Clearly, there are substantial safety and costs issues to address before such a live firing regime is likely to be approved. A first approach for firing live missiles at a ship involves the use of a dummy ship, but crucially requires no personnel to be on board, thereby eliminating the risk to human life. This approach has clear disadvantages. A second approach involves firing a missile or other projectile at a target, such as a ship, so that the missile or projectile passes over the ship and lands on the other side. This approach enables personnel to be on board the ship and enables the on-board systems to be used in a realistic manner to attempt to destroy the incoming missile. However, there is a lack of realism. A third approach is to direct a missile towards a ship but to program its route so that it moves away from the ship immediately prior to any impact. This system also lacks realism. Other approaches exist. The present invention provides a module for attachment to an object (such as a missile), the object being adapted to be directed towards a target (such as a ship), the module comprising a control system providing an output signal indicative of whether or not said object is to be destroyed.

Claims

1. A generic module for external attachment to a variety of objects, the object being adapted to be directed towards at a target, the module comprising a control system providing an output signal indicative of whether or not said object is to be destroyed.

2. A module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control system is adapted to set said output signal to indicate that said object is to be destroyed if one of a number of conditions is not met.

3. A module as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of said conditions is whether said object is positioned within an allowed zone, the zone being defined according to the anticipated path of the object.

4. A module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a position detector for providing position data to said control system.

5. A module as claimed in claim 4, wherein said position detector comprises two or more independent position detector systems.

6. A module as claimed in claim 5, further comprising means for providing a single position signal in response to data from the said two or more independent position detector systems.

7. A module as claimed in claim 6, wherein said control system is adapted to set said output signal is set to indicate that said object is to be destroyed if one of a number of conditions is not met, one of said conditions is whether said object is positioned within an allowed zone, the zone being defined according to the anticipated path of the object, wherein said output signal is set to indicate that said object is to be destroyed if an output signal of said position detector systems indicates that the object is outside the allowed zone.

8. A module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a mechanism for destroying said object.

9. A module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting data to a central server.

10. A module as claimed in claim 9, wherein said data includes position data.

11. A module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for mechanically attaching the module to said object.

12. A module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object is a missile.

13. A system comprising a module as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising the said object in which the connection between the module and the object is solely mechanical.

14. A method comprising the steps of

directing an object towards a target, the object having a module attached thereto as in claim 13;

determining the position of the module using a position detector comprising two or more position sensors; and

using the module to destroy the object if one of a number of conditions is not met.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the steps of defining allowed and disallowed zones for said object, wherein the step of destroying the object is activated if the object is within a disallowed zone.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of the determining the position of the module includes the step of using two or more independent position detector systems.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of the determining the position of the module includes the step of using two or more independent position detector systems, wherein the step of using said module to destroy the object is carried out if any of said position detector systems indicate that the object is in a disallowed zone.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of the determining the position of the module comprises outputting a single position signal in response to data from the said two or more independent position detector systems.

19. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of transmitting data to a central server.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said data includes position data.

21. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of mechanically attaching the module to said missile.

22. A method comprising the steps of:

directing an object at a target;

determining the position of the object using a position detector; and

transmitting data concerning the position of the module to a remote server.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising the step of attaching a module to the missile.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the step of using said module to obtain the said position of the module.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising the step of destroying the object if one of a number of conditions is not met.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the step of defining allowed and disallowed zones for said object, wherein the step of destroying the object is activated if the object is within a disallowed zone.

27. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the step of the determining the position of the module includes the step of using two or more independent position detector systems.