Smart counter asymmetric threat micromunition with autonomous target selection and homing

• US 7,631,833 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Heil, Rodney E., Gray, Keith P., Aberer, Philip T., Bobinchak, James, Ghaleb, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory; Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US11/833,811
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 244 31- 33, 244/4.R, 244/13, 244/14, 244/16, 244/75.1, 244/76.R, 244/175, 244/189, 244/190, 89/11.1, 89/15.1, 102382-397, 34235701-35717, 701/1, 701/3, 701/200, 701/207, 701213-216
• US Class Current: 244/3.15
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2233 Multimissile systems
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 9/002 for guiding a craft to a correct firing position for bombing control F41G9/02
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/105 Air torpedoes, e.g. projectiles with or without propulsion, provided with supporting air foil surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 30/006 Mounting of sensors, antennas or target trackers on projectiles

Abstract

The present invention provides an unpowered low-cost “smart” micromunition unit for a weapon system for defense against an asymmetric attack upon ships and sea or land based facilities. A plurality of air dropped micromunition units are each capable of detecting and tracking a plurality of maneuvering targets and of establishing a fast acting local area wireless communication network among themselves to create a distributed database stored in each deployed micromunition unit for sharing target and micromunition unit data. Each micromunition unit autonomously applies stored algorithms to data from the distributed database to select a single target for intercept and to follow an intercept trajectory to the selected target. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A counter asymmetric threat micromunition comprising:

a stabilized airframe adapted to be deployed from a deployment platform at an altitude above a target;

the stabilized airframe having at least one attitude control device effective after deployment of the airframe to maneuver the deployed airframe to a selected attitude;

a computer processing unit (CPU) operably coupled with a wireless communications transceiver, global positioning system (GPS) receiver, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a range finder, a flight controller, an electronic safe-arm-fuze device, and with a signal processing circuit operably coupled to a sensor having a field of view adapted to detect a plurality of targets within its field of view;

a source of electrical power operably coupled with said sensor, said signal processing circuit, said CPU, said wireless communications transceiver, said GPS receiver, said IMU, said range finder, said flight controller operably coupled with said at least one attitude control device, and with said safe-arm-fuze device operably coupled with an explosive warhead;

said CPU operable via said wireless communications transceiver to establish a fast wireless communications network between, and to exchange selected data with, each other deployed like micromunition to form a redundant distributed database;

said CPU operable to assign a target to be intercepted, to calculate an intercept trajectory to the assigned target, to command said flight controller to operate said at least one attitude control device to guide the micromunition along said intercept trajectory, and to command said safe-arm-fuze device to arm and, upon intercept of the assigned target, to detonate said warhead.

4. The counter asymmetric threat micromunition of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said at least one attitude control device is a movable surface disposed to extend into a slipstream passing around a deployed said micromunition.

5. The counter asymmetric threat micromunition of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said at least one attitude control device is a reaction control thruster.

6. The counter asymmetric threat micromunition of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said sensor is an electro-optical/infrared imaging sensor.

7. The counter asymmetric threat micromunition of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said range finding device is a laser range finder sensor.

8. The counter asymmetric threat micromunition of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said inertial measurement unit includes interferometric fiber optic gyroscopes.

9. The counter asymmetric threat micromunition of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said warhead contains an enhanced blast explosive charge.

10. The counter asymmetric threat micromunition of claim 1 or claim 2 further including a range finding device operably coupled with said CPU and with said source of electrical power.

2. A counter asymmetric threat micromunition comprising:

a stabilized airframe having a length, a diameter, a roll axis extending longitudinally along said length, a yaw axis, a pitch axis, and each said axis is orthogonal to each other said axis;

said airframe adapted to be deployed from a deployment platform and to glide to a target;

at least one attitude control device effective to rotate the airframe independently about each said axis to a selected orientation with respect to a selected frame of reference;

a sensor operable to detect one or more targets operably coupled to a signal processing circuit;

a computer processing unit (CPU) operably coupled with said signal processing circuit;

a transceiver antenna operably coupled with a wireless communications transceiver operably coupled with said CPU;

a global positioning system (GPS) antenna operably coupled with a GPS receiver operably coupled with said CPU;

an inertial measurement unit (IMU) operably coupled with said CPU;

a range finder operably coupled with said CPU;

a flight controller operably coupled with said CPU;

an explosive warhead operably coupled with an electronic safe-arm-fuze device operably coupled with said CPU;

said flight controller operably coupled with said at least one attitude control device;

a source of electrical power operably coupled with said sensor, said signal processing circuit, said CPU, said wireless communications transceiver, said GPS receiver, said IMU unit, said range finder, said flight controller, and said safe-arm-fuze device;

said CPU operable to run routines and algorithms for wireless communication, information measurement, information collection, information storage, information processing, guidance, position determination, target detection, target tracking, target assignment, target intercept, and warhead fuzing;

said CPU operable to run routines and algorithms to establish via said wireless communications transceiver a fast wireless communications network between other deployed like micromunitions;

said CPU operable to exchange with each other deployed like micromunition via said fast wireless communications network data for airframe address, position, velocity, acceleration, altitude, time-to-go until impact, imaging sensor data, target position data, GPS data, and IMU data to form a redundant database distributed among each deployed like micromunition;

said CPU operable to run routines and algorithms to establish, store, and update said distributed database formed among deployed like micromunitions;

said CPU operable to run routines and algorithms to assign a target to be intercepted, to calculate a trajectory to be followed to intercept a maneuvering assigned target, and to command said flight controller to operate said at least one attitude control device to guide the micromunition along said trajectory;

said CPU operable to run routines and algorithms to instruct said safe-arm-fuze device to arm and, upon intercept of the assigned target, to detonate said warhead.

3. The counter asymmetric threat micromunition of claim 2 wherein said length is about 18 inches and said diameter is about 3 inches.