Ship self-defense missile weapon system

• US 6,610,971 B1
• Filed: 05/07/2002
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of The Navy Chief of Naval Research
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Crabtree, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US10/139,545
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 244/3--, 89/18-1, 89/11.1, 89/15.1
• US Class Current: 244/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/68 for multibarrel guns or multibarrel rocket launchers or multicanistersF41A19/65 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/24 using a movable magazine or clip as feeding element
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 9/64 for unbelted ammunition
• CPC Class Codes: F41F 3/04 for rockets
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/04 for dispersing fire from a battery ; for controlling spread of shots; for coordinating fire from spaced weapons
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/007 Preparatory measures taken before the launching of the guided missiles
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2233 Multimissile systems

Abstract

The present invention provides a ship self-defense missile (SSDM) weapon system for launching a plurality of light weight missiles from an existing vertical tube launch infrastructure. The system for vertically launching missiles from a ship comprises a plurality of tiers having a top tier and a bottom tier in which tier supports a plurality of missiles. The tiers are set into a launch canister having an interior wall to form a vertical stack in the launch canister. A launch means is used for selectively launching at least one of the plurality of missiles from the top tier. A means for ejecting ejects the top tier is depleted of missiles. A vertical movement means raises and lowers the tiers within the launch tube and the vertical movement means raises next tier in the vertical stack into a position to launch. Preferably, the vertical movement means is a jack screw threaded though each tier in the vertical stack and the means for ejecting involves screwing a depleted tier off the jack screw and initiating explosives at the base of the depleted tier to allow the next tier access to a ready to fire position.

Claims

1. A system for vertically launching missiles from a ship, comprising:

a plurality of tiers having a top tier and a bottom tier, wherein each of said plurality of tiers supports a plurality of missiles;

a launch canister having an interior wall, wherein said plurality of tiers form a vertical stack in said launch canister;

launch means for selectively launching at least one of said plurality of missiles from said top tier;

means for ejecting said top tier, wherein said top tier is ejected after each missile of said plurality of missiles contained within said top tier is launched;

vertical movement means for raising and lowering said plurality of tiers within said launch tube, wherein said vertical movement means raises a next tier of said vertical stack into a position to launch at least one of said plurality of missiles contained within said next tier after said top tier is ejected.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each missile of said plurality of missiles comprises:

a guidance system having an aerocontrol section, wherein each missile of said plurality of missiles has a flight path and an attitude and wherein said aerocontrol section manipulates the flight path of said missile to a target;

a thrust divert section, wherein said thrust divert section manipulates the attitude of said missile during vertical ascent;

a computer hardware package, wherein said computer hardware package adjusts said aero-control section in relation to measured values once the target is tracked, adjusts said thrust divert section to an attack attitude during the vertical ascent, and adjusts aero-control surfaces to change the trajectory of said missile based on command guidance link updates;

a strap-down uncooled infrared acquisition and tracking sensor electrically connected to the computer hardware package, wherein said sensor provides a measured value to the computer hardware package;

a contact actuated ordinance section; and

,

a solid-propellant rocket motor of sufficient power to project said missile at a speed and over a distance to enable said guidance system;

a command guidance link, wherein said command guidance link receives mid course guidance updates from a fire control system to direct said missile to an acquisiton basket.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said missile comprises a length less than about 24 inches.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the missile comprises a weight of from about 8 pounds to 10 pounds.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said sensor comprises an uncooled infrared imaging electro-optical component.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said aerocontrol section comprises from about 2 canards to about 4 canards.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said aerocontrol section comprises from about 3 canards to about 4 canards.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein said aerocontrol section has a tail section.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of tiers comprises 10 tiers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality missiles comprises 49 missiles.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the electro-optical component has an optics section having infrared compatible optics.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said vertical movement means comprises:

a jack screw having threads threaded through each of said plurality of tiers, wherein said jack screw rotates to raise and lower said vertical stack;

an elevator motor, wherein said elevator motor supplies power to rotate said jack screw; and

at least one tubular guide on the interior wall of said launch canister, wherein each of said plurality of tiers rides each of said at least one tubular guide.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said vertical movement means further comprises at least one set of bearings between said at least one tubular guide and each of plurality of tiers, wherein said at least one set of bearings reduces friction between said at least on tubular guide and each of plurality of tiers.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for ejecting said top tier comprises a set of explosive charges on each of said plurality of tiers, wherein said vertical movement means dislodges said top tier and said set of explosive charges detonate to eject said top tier away from said launch canister.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vertical launch infrastructure in said ship, wherein said launch canister is adapted to launch each of said plurality of missiles from said vertical launch infrastructure.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said each of said plurality of tiers comprises a rectangular shape having four corners and wherein each of said four corners rides a tubular guide.

17. A method of vertically storing a plurality of missiles and deploying each of said plurality of missiles to a target comprising the steps of:

setting a plurality of tiers having a top tier in a launch canister to form a vertical stack, wherein each of said plurality of tiers supports a portion of said plurality of missiles;

elevating said vertical stack until the top tier is in a fire position;

sending initialization data from a fire control system to a first missile in said top tier;

vertically ascending said first missile to a desired height;

flying out said first missile to an acquisition basket as directed by a command guidance link;

altering a flight path of said first missile as required to get to the acquisition basket;

acquiring the target; and

altering the flight path of said first missile to guide to the target based on an uncooled infrared detector and tracking algorithms.