Multifunctional radio frequency directed energy system

• US 7,629,918 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Berg, Russell F., Brown, Kenneth W., Canich, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barker; Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US11/300,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20070139247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 244 54- 61, 244 311- 33, 342/13, 342/67, 342/74, 342/54, 342/90, 342/43, 342/729, 342/61, 342/14
• US Class Current: 342/13
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0043 Directed energy weapons, i.e. devices that direct a beam of high energy content toward a target for incapacitating or destroying the target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0272 Multifunction radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/024 using polarisation effects in waveguides H01P1/165; for aerials H01Q, e.g. H01Q15/22, H01Q15/24, H01Q19/195
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/38 Jamming means, e.g. producing false echoes
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/32 including a particular configuration of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/62 by exposing communication, processing or storing systems to electromagnetic wave radiation, e.g. causing disturbance, disruption or damage of electronic circuits, or causing external injection of faults in the information

Abstract

An RFDE system includes an RFDE transmitter and at least one RFDE antenna. The RFDE transmitter and antenna direct high power electromagnetic energy towards a target sufficient to cause high energy damage or disruption of the target. The RFDE system further includes a targeting system for locating the target. The targeting system includes a radar transmitter and at least one radar antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy to locate the target. The RFDE system also includes an antenna pointing system for aiming the at least one RFDE antenna at the target based on the location of the target as ascertained by the targeting system. Moreover, at least a portion of the radar transmitter or the at least one radar antenna is integrated within at least a portion of the RFDE transmitter or the at least one RFDE antenna.

Claims

1. A multi-functional radio frequency directed energy (RFDE) system, comprising:

an RFDE transmitter and at least one RFDE antenna for directing high power electromagnetic energy towards a target sufficient to cause high energy damage or disruption of the target;

a targeting system for locating the target, the targeting system including a radar transmitter and at least one radar antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy to locate the target; and

an antenna pointing system for aiming the at least one RFDE antenna at the target based on the location of the target as ascertained by the targeting system,

wherein at least a portion of the radar transmitter or the at least one radar antenna is integrated within at least a portion of the RFDE transmitter or the at least one RFDE antenna to provide simultaneous transmission of the high power electromagnetic energy and the electromagnetic energy to locate the target.

2. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radar antenna is embodied at least partially within the at least one RFDE antenna.

3. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 1, wherein the radar transmitter is embodied at least partially within the RFDE transmitter.

4. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 3, wherein the radar transmitter and the RFDE transmitter comprise a common RF power amplifier.

5. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 4, wherein the electromagnetic energy for locating the target is at a first frequency, and the high power electromagnetic energy is at a second frequency different from the first.

6. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radar antenna functions to transmit the electromagnetic energy for locating the target, and the at least one radar antenna is embodied at least partially in the at least one RFDE antenna.

7. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 6, wherein the at least one radar antenna includes a first radar antenna that functions to transmit the electromagnetic energy for locating the target and to transmit the high power electromagnetic energy, and a second radar antenna that functions to receive the electromagnetic energy reflected from the target in order to locate the target.

8. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 7, wherein the first radar antenna comprises a multi-element phased array.

9. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 6, wherein the at least one radar antenna that functions to transmit the electromagnetic energy for locating the target also functions to receive the electromagnetic energy reflected from the target in order to locate the target.

10. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 9, wherein the at least one radar antenna comprises a dual-polarized antenna.

11. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a beam combiner for combining the high power electromagnetic energy with the electromagnetic energy for locating the target in a path between the RFDE transmitter and the RFDE antenna.

12. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured for operation in a mobile vehicle.

13. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 12, wherein the mobile vehicle is a wheeled-vehicle.

14. The multi-functional RFDE system of claim 12, wherein the mobile vehicle is an aircraft.

15. A method of operating a multi-functional radio frequency directed energy (RFDE) system, comprising the steps of:

utilizing an RFDE transmitter and at least one RFDE antenna to direct high power electromagnetic energy towards a target sufficient to cause high energy damage or disruption of the target;

utilizing a targeting system to locate the target, the targeting system including a radar transmitter and at least one radar antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy to locate the target;

aiming the at least one RFDE antenna at the target based on the location of the target as ascertained by the targeting system; and

integrating at least a portion of the radar transmitter or the at least one radar antenna within at least a portion of the RFDE transmitter or the at least one RFDE antenna to provide simultaneous transmission of the high power electromagnetic energy and the electromagnetic energy to locate the target.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one radar antenna is embodied at least partially within the at least one RFDE antenna.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the radar transmitter is embodied at least partially within the RFDE transmitter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the radar transmitter and the RFDE transmitter comprise a common RF power amplifier.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the electromagnetic energy for locating the target is at a first frequency, and the high power electromagnetic energy is at a second frequency different from the first.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one radar antenna functions to transmit the electromagnetic energy for locating the target, and the at least one radar antenna is embodied at least partially in the at least one RFDE antenna.

21. A multi-functional radio frequency directed energy (RFDE) system, comprising:

an RFDE transmitter and at least one RFDE antenna for directing high power electromagnetic energy towards a target sufficient to cause high energy damage or disruption of the target;

a targeting system for locating the target, the targeting system including a radar transmitter and at least one radar antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy to locate the target; and

an antenna pointing system for aiming the at least one RFDE antenna at the target based on the location of the target as ascertained by the targeting system,

wherein at least a portion of the radar transmitter or the at least one radar antenna is integrated within at least a portion of the RFDE transmitter or the at least one RFDE antenna and the high power electromagnetic energy is used as the electromagnetic energy to locate the target.

22. A method of operating a multi-functional radio frequency directed energy (RFDE) system, comprising the steps of:

utilizing an RFDE transmitter and at least one RFDE antenna to direct high power electromagnetic energy towards a target sufficient to cause high energy damage or disruption of the target;

utilizing a targeting system to locate the target, the targeting system including a radar transmitter and at least one radar antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy to locate the target;

aiming the at least one RFDE antenna at the target based on the location of the target as ascertained by the targeting system; and

integrating at least a portion of the radar transmitter or the at least one radar antenna within at least a portion of the RFDE transmitter or the at least one RFDE antenna,

wherein the high power electromagnetic energy is used as the electromagnetic energy to locate the target.