Missile guidance seeker and seeker missile countermeasures system testing appartatus with co-location and independent motion of target sources

• US 5,592,850 A
• Filed: 06/27/1994
• Issued: 01/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Air Force (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Rowan, Herman K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMROZOWICZ, PAUL DOUGLAS
• Application Number:
  US08/266,413
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 73/167, 73/865.6, 73/865.9, 73/866.4, 250/203.1, 250/504 R, 250/505.1, 250/492.1
• US Class Current: 73/167
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/004 for infrared seekers
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 21/00 Checking fuzes; Testing fuzes

Abstract

A test system for evaluating the performance of a seeking missile'"'"'s guidance system under realistic but laboratory-controlled conditions wherein the guidance system is segregated from an actual missile but used to control a multiple degrees of freedom seeker capturing apparatus. The multiple degrees of freedom seeker capturing apparatus is allowed to respond to the seeker'"'"'s commands in simultaneous of the actual missile'"'"'s responses to such commands. The test system also provides for the introduction of countermeasures information to the seeker'"'"'s input field. The test systems may be embodied with the addition of movable elements, e.g., infrared sources to a five-axis flight table apparatus and may employ computer control of the test conditions and results evaluation. Use of the disclosed system to test improved countermeasures devices against known seeker capabilities is also contemplated.

Claims

1. Missile heat seeker and heat seeking missile countermeasures testing apparatus comprising the combination of:

a hot target image simulating source of radiant energy movably disposed within the viewing field of a test missile guidance system;

a hot countermeasures image simulating source of radiant energy disposed in movable image relationship with said hot target image simulating source of radiant energy and within the viewing field of said test missile guidance system;

first externally controllable image determining means connected with said hot target image simulating source of radiant energy for positioning, moving, and additionally controlling the hot target image in response to a first testing algorithm;

second externally controllable image determining means connected with said hot countermeasures image simulating source of radiant energy for positioning, moving, and additionally controlling the hot countermeasures image in response to a second testing algorithm;

responsive means connected with said test missile guidance system for physically positioning and moving said test missile guidance system relative to said hot target image and said hot countermeasures image in response to signals from said test missile guidance system generated in response to said hot target image and said hot countermeasures image; and

means for evaluating the response of said test missile guidance system to changes in input data provided to either of said first and second testing algorithms.

2. The test apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said responsive means includes a physical receptacle capable of receiving said test missile guidance system;

said physical receptacle and said test missile guidance system are disposed adjacent a center of all axis point in a five axis flight table apparatus;

said physical receptacle and said test missile guidance system are positionally and orientationally controlled about said center of all axis point by physical connections with missile roll, pitch, and yaw maneuver representing first, second, and third axis control elements of said five axis flight table apparatus;

said hot target image simulating source of radiant energy is positionally controlled with respect to said physical receptacle and said test missile guidance system by physical connection with fourth and fifth axis control elements of said five axis flight table apparatus;

said hot countermeasures image simulating source of radiant energy is positionally controlled with respect to said physical receptacle and said missile guidance system by physical connection with said fourth and fifth axis control elements of said five axis flight table apparatus and by additional countermeasures image control signals;

said apparatus further includes optical beam splitting means for combining said hot target image and said hot countermeasures image.

3. The test apparatus of claim 2 wherein;

said first externally controllable image character determining means includes target data signal conducting means communicating signals representing said first testing algorithm to said fourth and fifth axis control elements of said five axis flight table apparatus for determining target image position and movement input data to said missile guidance systems;

said second externally controllable image character determining means includes countermeasures data signal conducting means communicating signals representing said second testing algorithm to mechanical control means for determining countermeasures image position and movement input data to said missile guidance system; and

said testing apparatus further includes missile guidance system output conducting means communicating output signals generated by said missile guidance system to an input signal port of said first, second and third axis control elements of said five axis flight table apparatus for moving and orienting said missile guidance system in response to said first and second testing algorithm input data in simulation of missile flight movements.

4. The testing apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first and second externally controllable image character determining means each also include infrared signal attenuator means and infrared signal size controlling aperture means for additionally determining the character of said hot target and said hot countermeasures images.

5. The testing apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first and second testing algorithms in combination include means for simulating heated aircraft apparatus and means for simulating an emergence and separation from said heated aircraft apparatus of an incendiary flare countermeasures image.

6. The testing apparatus of claim 1 herein said hot countermeasures image simulating source of radiant energy includes first and second incendiary flare image simulating apparatus.

7. The testing apparatus in claim 1 wherein said hot target image simulating source of radiant energy and said hot countermeasures image simulating source of radiant energy each include collimated sources of infrared energy of a real optical image generating capability.