Rapid deployment countermeasure system and method

• US 6,279,449 B1
• Filed: 11/08/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
• Inventors: Ladika, Michael D., Dearnaley, Geoffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US09/435,556
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 89/361.7, 89/360.2, 280/735, 280/736, 109/49.5
• US Class Current: 89/36.17
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/007 Reactive armour; Dynamic armour

Abstract

A rapid deployment countermeasure system comprises a base attached to a plurality of tubes which are in fluid communication with at least one deployment module. A guidance bar is attached to the top ends of the tubes, and a guidance shroud is proximate to the outer surfaces of the tubes. The system includes one or more anti-ballistic blankets fixedly attached to the guidance bar, and is erected to form an anti-ballistic barrier upon activation of the deployment modules. A method to reactively protect personnel from the approach of a ballistic projectile by deployment of a countermeasure system prior to arrival of the projectile at the location of the personnel comprises the steps of detecting the approach of the ballistic projectile, discriminating the presence of the ballistic projectile with respect to other moving objects or electronic noise, and activating the countermeasure system in response to discriminating the presence of the ballistic projectile so as to interpose an anti-ballistic barrier between the personnel and the projectile.

Claims

1. A rapid deployment countermeasure system comprising:

a base;

a plurality of tubes, each one of the said plurality of tubes having a bottom end, a top end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, each one of the bottom ends of the plurality of tubes being fixedly attached to the base;

at least one deployment module in fluid communication with each one of the inner surfaces of the plurality of tubes;

a guidance bar attached to each one of the top ends of the plurality of tubes;

a guidance shroud proximate to each one of the outer surfaces of the plurality of tubes; and

a first blanket fixedly attached to the guidance bar.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first blanket is constructed from antiballistic polyethylene material.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first blanket is constructed from aramid fabric.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first blanket is constructed from poly fabric.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first blanket is constructed from ballistic nylon.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one deployment module includes a gas-generating system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first blanket is fixedly attached to the base.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tubes comprises rubber-coated fabric.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tubes comprises silicone-coated nylon fabric.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tubes comprises a gas bladder tube located within a reinforcing tube.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tubes comprises a telescoping assembly.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the standing time of the plurality of tubes is controlled by a venting means in fluid communication with the inner surfaces of the plurality of tubes.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the guidance shroud further comprises a plurality of guidance cells.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first blanket comprises a plurality of fabric layers.

15. The system of claim 1, comprising a second blanket fixedly attached to the guidance bar and maintained in a spaced apart relationship from the first blanket.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first blanket comprises a first plurality of layers, the second blanket comprises a second plurality of layers, and the number of the second plurality of layers is greater than the number of the first plurality of layers.

17. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of deployment modules, wherein each one of the plurality of tubes is in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of deployment modules.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the deployment module comprises a launch mass.

19. A method to reactively protect personnel from the approach of a ballistic projectile by deployment of a countermeasure system prior to the arrival of the projectile at the location of said personnel, comprising the steps of:

detecting the approach of said ballistic projectile in proximity to said personnel;

discriminating the presence of said ballistic projectile with respect to the presence of electronic noise; and

activating a countermeasure system in response to discriminating the presence of the ballistic projectile, the countermeasure system comprising a base, a plurality of tubes fixedly attached to the base, a deployment module in fluid communication with the plurality of tubes, a guidance bar attached to the plurality of tubes, a guidance shroud proximate to the plurality of tubes, and a first blanket fixedly attached to the guidance bar.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said detecting step is accomplished using a radar-based projectile detection system.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the countermeasure system comprises a second blanket fixedly attached to the guidance bar and maintained in a spaced apart relationship with the first blanket.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first blanket comprises a first plurality of layers, the second blanket comprises a second plurality of layers, and the number of the second plurality is greater than the number of the first plurality.