Small smart weapon and weapon system employing the same

• US 7,895,946 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lone Star IP Holdings, LP
• Original Assignee: Lone Star IP Holdings, LP
• Inventors: Tepera, Joseph Edward, Roemerman, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAYES, BRET C
• Application Number:
  US11/706,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20100282893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 102/222, 244/3.1, 244/3.15, 244/3.16, 244/3.17, 244 324- 33, 244/215, 244/218, 359/365, 359/575, 359/742, 114/332
• US Class Current: 102/222
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/64 of fins
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/04 of armour-piercing type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/362 Arrows or darts F42B12/38 takes precedence, having means for implantation, e.g. hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54; arrows or darts in general F42B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/44 of incendiary type F42B12/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 25/00 Fall bombs F42B10/00, F42B12/00 take precedence; for practice or training F42B8/12 ; gliding type bombs F42B15/105
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/005 Combination-type safety mechanisms, i.e. two or more safeties are moved in a predetermined sequence to each other
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/20 wherein a securing-pin or latch is removed to arm the fuze, e.g. removed from the firing-pin F42C9/041 and F42C15/40 take precedence

Abstract

A weapon and weapon system, and methods of manufacturing and operating the same. In one embodiment, the weapon includes a warhead including destructive elements and a guidance section with a target sensor configured to guide the weapon to a target. The target sensor includes a front lens configured to provide a cover to protect the target sensor from an environment and a fast fresnel lens behind the front lens to provide a multi-lens focusing system for the target sensor. In a related embodiment, the weapon includes an aft section including a tail fin having a modifiable control surface area thereby changing an aspect ratio thereof.

Claims

1. A weapon, comprising:

a warhead including destructive elements;

a guidance section with a target sensor configured to guide said weapon to a target, including;

a front lens configured to provide a cover to protect said target sensor from an environment, and

a fast fresnel lens behind said front lens configured to provide a multi-lens focusing system for said target sensor, wherein said fast fresnel lens is formed from multiple substantially concentric circles that include random perturbations; and

a folding lug switch assembly configured to provide a mechanism to attach said weapon to a delivery vehicle, arm said warhead, or enable weapon guidance systems associated with said guidance section.

2. The weapon as recited in claim 1 wherein an optical focusing power of at least said front lens is selected to provide a predetermined focal length of said multi-lens focusing system.

3. The weapon as recited in claim 1 wherein said target sensor includes a filter on a back planar surface of said fast fresnel lens.

4. The weapon as recited in claim 1 further comprising an antenna configured to receive instructions after launching from a delivery vehicle to guide said weapon to said target and receive mission data before launching from said delivery vehicle to guide said weapon to said target.

5. The weapon as recited in claim 1 wherein said warhead includes destructive elements formed by non-explosive materials.

6. The weapon as recited in claim 1 wherein said folding lug switch assembly is configured to fold down into a cavity of said weapon.

7. The weapon as recited in claim 1 further comprising an aft section including flight control elements, tail fins and power elements.

8. The weapon as recited in claim 1 further comprising an aft section including a tail fin having a modifiable control surface area thereby changing an aspect ratio thereof.

9. The weapon as recited in claim 1 further comprising an aft section with a variably shaped tail fin.

10. The weapon as recited in claim 1 wherein said weapon is a Mark-76 derived weapon or a bomb dummy unit (BDU)-33 derived weapon.

11. A method of operating a weapon, comprising:

providing a warhead including destructive elements;

guiding said weapon to a target with a guidance section having a target sensor, including;

a front lens that provides a cover to protect said target sensor from an environment, and

a fast fresnel lens behind said front lens to provide a multi-lens focusing system for said target sensor, wherein said fast fresnel lens is formed from multiple substantially concentric circles that include random perturbations; and

employing a folding lug switch assembly for at least one of the following;

providing a mechanism to attach said weapon to a delivery vehicle,

arming said warhead, and

enabling weapon guidance systems associated with said guidance section.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein an optical focusing power of at least said front lens is selected to provide a predetermined focal length of said multi-lens focusing system.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising receiving mission data via an antenna of said weapon before launching from a delivery vehicle and receiving instructions via said antenna after launching from said delivery vehicle to guide said weapon to said target.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising folding said folding lug switch assembly into a cavity of said weapon.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising guiding said weapon to said target in accordance with a tail fin having a modifiable control surface area thereby changing an aspect ratio thereof.

16. A method of manufacturing a weapon, comprising:

forming a warhead including destructive elements;

forming a target sensor of a guidance section, including;

providing a front lens as a cover to protect said target sensor from an environment, and

locating a fast fresnel lens behind said front lens to provide a multi-lens focusing system for said target sensor, wherein said fast fresnel lens is formed from multiple substantially concentric circles that include random perturbations; and

providing a folding lug switch assembly projecting from a surface of said weapon that provides a mechanism to attach said weapon to a delivery vehicle.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein an optical focusing power of at least said front lens is selected to provide a predetermined focal length of said multi-lens focusing system.

18. The method as recited in claim 16 further comprising providing an antenna about a surface of said weapon configured to receive mission data before launching from a delivery vehicle and receive instructions after launching from said delivery vehicle to guide said weapon to a target.

19. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein said folding lug switch assembly is configured to fold down into a cavity of said weapon.

20. The method as recited in claim 16 further comprising providing an aft section with a tail fin having a modifiable control surface area.

21. A weapon system, comprising:

a delivery vehicle; and

a weapon, including;

a warhead including destructive elements,

a guidance section with a target sensor configured to guide said weapon to a target, including;

a front lens configured to provide a cover to protect said target sensor from an environment, and

a fast fresnel lens behind said front lens configured to cooperate with said front lens to provide a multi-lens focusing system for said target sensor, wherein said fast fresnel lens is formed from multiple substantially concentric circles that include random perturbations;

a folding lug switch assembly employable for at least one of the following;

providing a mechanism to attach said weapon to said delivery vehicle,

arming said warhead, and

enabling weapon guidance systems associated with said guidance section; and

an aft section including flight control elements and tail fins.

22. The weapon system as recited in claim 21 wherein an optical focusing power of at least said front lens is selected to provide a predetermined focal length of said multi-lens focusing system.

23. The weapon system as recited in claim 21 wherein said weapon further includes an antenna configured to receive mission data before launching from said delivery vehicle and receive instructions after launching from said delivery vehicle to guide said weapon to said target.

24. The weapon system as recited in claim 21 wherein said folding lug switch assembly is configured to fold down into a cavity of said weapon.

25. The weapon system as recited in claim 21 wherein said tail fins have a modifiable control surface area thereby changing an aspect ratio thereof.

26. A weapon, comprising:

a warhead including destructive elements;

a folding lug switch assembly configured to provide a mechanism to attach said weapon to a delivery vehicle, arm said warhead, or enable weapon guidance systems associated with a guidance section of said weapon; and

an aft section including a tail fin having a modifiable control surface area thereby changing an aspect ratio thereof.

27. The weapon as recited in claim 26 wherein said tail fin has an extendable surface or a retractable surface to modify said control surface area.

28. The weapon as recited in claim 26 wherein said tail fin has a deformable surface to modify said control surface area.

29. The weapon as recited in claim 26 wherein said tail fin has a deformable surface coupled to a rod, pin and dowel configured to extend or retract said deformable surface within or without said tail fin to modify said control surface area.

30. The weapon as recited in claim 26 wherein said folding lug switch assembly is configured to fold down into a cavity of said weapon.

31. The weapon as recited in claim 26 further comprising an antenna configured to receive instructions after launching from a delivery vehicle to guide said weapon to a target and receive mission data before launching from said delivery vehicle to guide said weapon to said target.

32. The weapon as recited in claim 26 further comprising a guidance section with a target sensor configured to guide said weapon to a target, including:

a front lens configured to provide a cover to protect said target sensor from an environment, and

a fast fresnel lens behind said front lens configured to cooperate with said front lens to provide a multi-lens focusing system for said target sensor.

33. The weapon as recited in claim 26 wherein said warhead includes destructive elements formed by non-explosive materials.

34. The weapon as recited in claim 26 wherein said aft section includes flight control elements and power elements.

35. The weapon as recited in claim 26 wherein said weapon is a Mark-76 derived weapon or a bomb dummy unit (BDU)-33 derived weapon.

36. A method of operating a weapon, comprising:

providing a warhead including destructive elements;

employing a folding lug switch assembly for at least one of the following;

providing a mechanism to attach said weapon to a delivery vehicle,

arming said warhead, and

enabling weapon guidance systems associated with said guidance section; and

modifying a control surface area to change an aspect ratio of a tail fin when guiding said weapon to a target.

37. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein said tail fin has one of the following:

an extendable surface or a retractable surface to modify said control surface area, and

a deformable surface coupled to a rod, pin and dowel configured to extend or retract said deformable surface within or without said tail fin to modify said control surface area.

38. The method as recited in claim 37 further comprising folding said folding lug switch assembly into a cavity of said weapon.

39. The method as recited in claim 36 further comprising guiding said weapon to said target with a guidance section having a target sensor, including:

a front lens that provides a cover to protect said target sensor from an environment, and

a fast fresnel lens behind said front lens that cooperates with said front lens to provide a multi-lens focusing system for said target sensor.

40. The method as recited in claim 36 further comprising receiving mission data via an antenna of said weapon before launching from a delivery vehicle and receiving instructions via said antenna after launching from said delivery vehicle to guide said weapon to said target.

41. A method of manufacturing a weapon, comprising:

providing a warhead including destructive elements;

providing a folding lug switch assembly projecting from a surface of said weapon that provides a mechanism to attach said weapon to a delivery vehicle; and

providing an aft section including a tail fin having a modifiable control surface area thereby changing an aspect ratio thereof.

42. The method as recited in claim 41 wherein said tail fin has one of the following:

an extendable surface or a retractable surface to modify said control surface area, and

a deformable surface coupled to a rod, pin and dowel configured to extend or retract said deformable surface within or without said tail fin to modify said control surface area.

43. The method as recited in claim 41 wherein said folding lug switch assembly is configured to fold down into a cavity of said weapon.

44. The method as recited in claim 41 further comprising providing a guidance section having a target sensor, including:

a front lens that provides a cover to protect said target sensor from an environment, and

a fast fresnel lens behind said front lens that cooperates with said front lens to provide a multi-lens focusing system for said target sensor.

45. The method as recited in claim 41 further comprising providing an antenna about a surface of said weapon configured to receive mission data before launching from a delivery vehicle and receive instructions after launching from said delivery vehicle to guide said weapon to a target.

46. A weapon system, comprising:

a delivery vehicle; and

a weapon, including;

a warhead including destructive elements,

a guidance section configured to guide said weapon to a target;

a folding lug switch assembly employable for at least one of the following;

providing a mechanism to attach said weapon to said delivery vehicle,

arming said warhead, and

enabling weapon guidance systems associated with said guidance section; and

an aft section including a tail fin having a modifiable control surface area thereby changing an aspect ratio thereof.

47. The weapon system as recited in claim 46 wherein said tail fin has one of the following:

an extendable surface or a retractable surface to modify said control surface area, and

a deformable surface coupled to a rod, pin and dowel configured to extend or retract said deformable surface within or without said tail fin to modify said control surface.

48. The weapon system as recited in claim 46 wherein said folding lug switch assembly is configured to fold down into a cavity of said weapon.

49. The weapon system as recited in claim 46 wherein said guidance section has a target sensor, including:

a front lens that provides a cover to protect said target sensor from an environment, and

a fast fresnel lens behind said front lens that cooperates with said front lens to provide a multi-lens focusing system for said target sensor.

50. The weapon system as recited in claim 46 wherein said weapon further includes an antenna configured to receive mission data before launching from said delivery vehicle and receive instructions after launching from said delivery vehicle to guide said weapon to said target.