Rocket exhaust defense system and method

• US 7,387,060 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Sanford, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone; Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin P
• Application Number:
  US11/134,595
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 89/11.1, 89/11, 89/360.2, 89/360.8, 89/361.7
• US Class Current: 89/1.11
• 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: F41H 13/00 Means of attack or defence not otherwise provided for details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/007 Reactive armour; Dynamic armour
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 9/04 Gas-blowing apparatus, e.g. for tear gas F41H9/10 takes precedence

Abstract

A projectile defense system uses a rocket exhaust generator to generate a rocket exhaust after an approaching projectile is detected/sensed. The rocket exhaust generator directs the rocket exhaust therefrom in a region that intercepts the trajectory of the approaching projectile.

Claims

1. A projectile defense system, comprising:

a sensing system for detecting an approaching projectile and its trajectory; and

a rocket exhaust generator coupled to said sensing system for generating a rocket exhaust after said sensing system detects the approaching projectile, wherein said rocket exhaust generator is a land-based rocket exhaust generator that generates said exhaust while maintaining said land base, which includes an exhaust nozzle coupled to a rocket motor, where the exhaust nozzle directs said rocket exhaust, which includes at least gas, therefrom in a region that intercepts the trajectory of the approaching projectile.

2. The projectile defense system according to claim 1, wherein said sensing system comprises at least one proximity sensor.

3. The projectile defense system according to claim 1, wherein said rocket exhaust is a gas.

4. The projectile defense system according to claim 1, wherein said rocket exhaust is a mixture of a gas and material particles.

5. The projectile defense system according to claim 4, wherein said material particles comprise tungsten.

6. The projectile defense system according to claim 4, wherein said material particles are of a diameter in a predetermined range of about 1 micron-about 500 microns.

7. The projectile defense system according to claim 1, wherein said rocket motor burns a propellant to generate said rocket exhaust for expulsion through said exhaust nozzle.

8. The projectile defense system according to claim 7, further comprising material particles mixed in said propellant, said material particles having a melting temperature that is greater than a burn temperature of said propellant.

9. The projectile defense system according to claim 1, wherein said sensing system detects said approaching projectile in a defined detection region.

10. The projectile defense system according to claim 1, wherein said sensing system comprises at least one of an ultra wideband proximity sensor and a laser-based proximity sensor.

11. The projectile defense system according to claim 1, wherein said sensing system comprises a processing unit configured to communicate between said sensing system and said rocket exhaust generator.

12. A projectile defense system, comprising:

a proximity sensor for detecting when an approaching projectile could strike a target to be protected and for generating a signal indicative thereof;

a rocket motor comprising an inner portion and a propellant located in said inner portion, said rocket motor is coupled to said proximity sensor for initiating the burning of said propellant in response to said signal wherein gas is generated;

and an exhaust nozzle coupled to said rocket motor, which are part of a land-based rocket exhaust generator, for exhausting at least said gas therefrom in a region between the approaching projectile and the target to be protected;

wherein said rocket exhaust generator operates while maintaining said land based location.

13. The projectile defense system according to claim 12, wherein said proximity sensor comprises at least one ultra wideband proximity sensor.

14. The projectile defense system according to claim 12, further comprising material particles mixed in said propellant, said material particles having a melting temperature that is greater than a burn temperature of said propellant,

wherein said exhaust nozzle exhausts said gas with said material particles mixed therein.

15. The projectile defense system according to claim 12, further comprising material particles mixed in said propellant, said material particles comprise tungsten.

16. The projectile defense system according to claim 15, wherein said material particles are of a diameter in a predetermined range of about 1 micron-about 500 microns.

17. The projectile defense system according to claim 12, wherein said proximity sensor, said rocket motor and said exhaust nozzle comprise a modular unit.

18. The projectile defense system according to claim 17, wherein said

modular unit is adapted to be coupled to the target to be protected.

19. The projectile defense system according to claim 12, wherein said proximity sensor is operationally sensitive in a defined field-of-view.

20. The projectile defense system according to claim 12, further comprising a manual control coupled to said rocket motor for accepting a manual input that initiates the burning of said propellant.

21. The projectile defense system according to claim 12, her comprising a processing unit configured to communicate between said proximity sensor and said rocket motor.

22. A method for defending a land based location against an approaching projectile, comprising:

detecting an approaching projectile and its trajectory by a sensing system; and

generating a rocket exhaust by a rocket exhaust generator being coupled to the sensing system where the rocket exhaust generator includes a rocket motor coupled to an exhaust nozzle, which directs at least the rocket exhaust into a region that intercepts the trajectory of the approaching projectile wherein said rocket exhaust generator operates while maintaining said land-based location.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising burning a propellant to produce a gas that forms said rocket exhaust.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising mixing material particles with said propellant prior to said step of burning, said material particles having a melting temperature that is greater that a burn temperature of said propellant,

wherein said rocket exhaust comprises said gas with said material particles mixed therein.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising mixing material particles with said propellant prior to said step of burning,

wherein said material particles comprise tungsten.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein said detecting and said

directing are carried out at a target to be protected.