Method of intercepting incoming projectile

• US 8,173,946 B1
• Filed: 08/26/2008
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Patterson, William N., Dupont, James H., Loehr, Richard D., Kim, Henri Y., Hall, Garrett L., Cook, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US12/198,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20120091253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 244 31- 33, 89/11.1, 102/473, 102/491, 102/494, 102/496, 102/497, 367/118, 367/127, 342 13- 20, 342 61- 67, 342/118, 342/146, 342/147, 342/175, 342/195
• US Class Current: 244/3.15
• CPC Class Codes: F41F 3/073 Silos for rockets, e.g. mounting or sealing rockets therein F41F3/077 takes precedence
• 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: F42B 10/661 using several transversally acting rocket motors, each motor containing an individual propellant charge, e.g. solid charge
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/01 Arrangements thereon for guidance or control steering arrangements F42B10/60; aircraft flight control B64C; guidance systems other than those installed aboard F41G7/00, F41G9/00; locating by use of radio or other waves G01S; flight control in general G05D1/00; computer aspects G06]
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/10 Missiles having a trajectory only in the air

Abstract

A method of defeating an incoming missile, such as a rocket propelled grenade, includes soft launching an interceptor missile, and then using pitch over motors of the interceptor missile to alter course of the missile to a desired interception direction. By launching at a relatively slow speed, such as a speed less than or equal to 40 m/sec (130 ft/sec), the interceptor missile may reach the desired interception direction within 250 milliseconds of launch. The interceptor missile may be able to cover substantially all interception directions over a hemisphere or greater extent around a launch location. For example, the interceptor missile may be launched vertically from a ground vehicle, and be capable of altering course to any above-ground trajectory within 250 milliseconds.

Claims

1. A method of intercepting a projectile, the method comprising:

determining an interception direction for an interceptor missile;

launching the missile in a given direction at a nonzero speed less than or equal to 40 m/sec; and

altering course of the missile, accomplished within 250 milliseconds of launch, to the interception direction for intercepting the projectile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining includes determining the interception direction from a range of possible interception directions that includes substantially all directions emanating from a launch location from which the missile is launched.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the launching includes launching the missiles at a speed less than or equal to 30 m/sec.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the launching includes launching the missiles at a speed greater than or equal to 18 m/sec.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the launching includes launching the missiles at a speed from 21 to 27 m/sec.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the altering includes selectively firing pitch over motors of the missile.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pitch over motors provide thrust in a direction perpendicular to a missile axis of the missile.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the missile pitch over motors includes at least four motors.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least four motors include two pairs of motors, wherein for each of the pairs the motors are diametrically opposed to one another.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the launching the missile includes launching the missile from a ground vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the launching includes launching the missile in a substantially vertical upward direction.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the launching the missile includes launching the missile from an air vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the launching includes launching the missile in a substantially vertical downward direction.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the launching includes non-explosively soft launching the missile.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising, after the soft launching, firing a booster motor of the missile to accelerate the missile.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the firing the booster motor occurs after the altering course of the missile.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising detonating a warhead of the missile, wherein the detonating occurs after the firing of the booster motor.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the launching includes launching the missile with an umbilical attaching the missile to the launcher.

19. A method of intercepting a projectile, the method comprising:

launching a missile in a given direction at a nonzero speed less than or equal to 40 m/sec; and

altering course of the missile, accomplished within 250 milliseconds of launch, to an interception direction for intercepting the projectile.