Missile fire-control system and method
First Claim
1. A method of firing a combat projectile to a selected surface target comprising the steps of aiming and firing, from a launching station, a first pilot projectile into a first preset ballistic flight trajectory providing a steep descent of the pilot projectile to prospectively impact the area of a surface target, transmitting a picture of the surface target area, including the surface target and its position relative to the prospective point of impact of the pilot projectile, to a fire-control station from the pilot projectile during its descent, displaying the transmitted picture of the surface target area, including the surface target and its said position relative to said prospective impact point, at the fire-control station, and aiming a second combat projectile at the launching station into a desired second preset ballistic flight trajectory to hit the surface target in accordance with the flight trajectory of the pilot projectile and the relative position of the surface target to said prospective impact point in the target area picture displayed at the fire-control station, and firing the aimed combat projectile.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surface-to-surface missile fire control system employing a pilot projectile fired into a predetermined indirect ballistic trajectory monitored by a fire-control station to determine its actual trajectory and actual coordinates of impact and wherein the pilot projectile has a camera for transmitting a target area picture to the fire-control station during its relatively steep descent. A pilot projectile laser directs a laser beam onto the target area surface to show the prospective impact point of the pilot projectile in a target area picture displayed at the fire-control station and a geographic position marking selector is manually operated to pick from the target area display and automatically enter into a fire-control computer the relative geographic coordinates of the projectile impact point and a selected target shown in the display, and the fire-control computer automatically calculates the coordinates of each selected target and aims a live projectile to the selected target in accordance with its calculated coordinates and the actual trajectory of the pilot projectile.
51 Citations
25 Claims
- 1. A method of firing a combat projectile to a selected surface target comprising the steps of aiming and firing, from a launching station, a first pilot projectile into a first preset ballistic flight trajectory providing a steep descent of the pilot projectile to prospectively impact the area of a surface target, transmitting a picture of the surface target area, including the surface target and its position relative to the prospective point of impact of the pilot projectile, to a fire-control station from the pilot projectile during its descent, displaying the transmitted picture of the surface target area, including the surface target and its said position relative to said prospective impact point, at the fire-control station, and aiming a second combat projectile at the launching station into a desired second preset ballistic flight trajectory to hit the surface target in accordance with the flight trajectory of the pilot projectile and the relative position of the surface target to said prospective impact point in the target area picture displayed at the fire-control station, and firing the aimed combat projectile.
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10. A projectile fire-control system for aiming and firing pilot and combat projectiles from a surface launching station to a distant surface target area by aiming and firing the projectiles into ballistic trajectories having a steep descent to the surface target area, comprising a fire-control station, a launching station having a plurality of projectile launching systems with respective projectiles adapted to be aimed for firing their projectiles into respective ballistic trajectories, the projectiles including a plurality of combat projectiles and at least one pilot projectile having a camera therein for transmitting a target area picture from the pilot projectile to the fire-control station during its steep descent, the fire-control station having a fire-control computer for aiming each projectile launching system for aiming the respective projectile into a ballistic trajectory to a selected target in the surface target area, means for firing the pilot projectile into a ballistic trajectory to have a steep descent to the surface target area, displaying means for receiving the target area picture transmission from the pilot projectile during its steep descent and displaying the target area picture for visually selecting any target in the target area picture, manually operable means for marking any selected target in the target area picture and feeding the relative position of the selected target in the target area picture into the fire-control computer for aiming therewith a combat projectile launching system accordingly and thereby aim its combat projectile so it can be fired into a ballistic flight trajectory to proximately impact the selected target, the pilot projectile comprising a laser for transmitting a light beam in the direction of flight of the pilot projectile for marking a light spot on the prospective impact area of the pilot projectile for being received in the target area picture transmitted to the fire-control station.
- 11. A projectile fire-control system for aiming and firing pilot and combat projectiles from a surface launching station at a distant surface target area by aiming and firing the projectiles into ballistic trajectories having a steep descent to the surface target area, comprising a fire-control station, a launching station having a plurality of projectile launching systems with respective projectiles adapted to be aimed for firing their projectiles into respective ballistic trajectories, the projectiles including a plurality of combat projectiles and at least one pilot projectile having a camera therein for transmitting a target area picture from the pilot projectile to the fire-control station during its steep descent showing the relative position of any surface target to the prospective point of impact of the pilot projectile the fire-control station having a fire-control computer for aiming each projectile launching system for aiming the respective projectile into a preset ballistic trajectory to a selected target in the surface target area, means for aiming and firing the pilot projectile into a first preset ballistic trajectory to have a steep descent to the surface target area, display means for receiving the target area picture transmission from the pilot projectile during its steep descent and displaying the target area picture for visually selecting any target in the target area picture, manually operable means for marking any selected target in the target area picture and feeding the relative position of the selected target in the target area picture to said prospective impact point of the pilot projectile into the fire-control computer for aiming therewith a combat projectile launching system accordingly and thereby aim its combat projectile so it can be fired into a preset ballistic flight trajectory in accordance with the flight trajectory of the pilot projectile and the said relative position of the selected target in the target area picture to said prospective impact point of the pilot projectile and thereby to aim the combat projectile to proximately impact the selected target.
- 24. A method of firing a combat projectile to a selected surface target comprising the steps of firing, from a launching station, a first pilot projectile into a first ballistic flight trajectory providing a steep descent of the pilot projectile to prospectively impact the area of a surface target, transmitting a picture of the surface target area, including the surface target, to a fire-control station from the pilot projectile during its descent, marking the prospective impact area of the pilot projectile on the surface target area picture transmitted to the fire-control station, displaying the transmitted picture of the surface target area, including the surface target, at the fire-control station, and aiming a second combat projectile at the launching station into a desired second ballistic flight trajectory to hit the surface target in accordance with its relative position in the target area picture displayed at the fire-control station, and firing the aimed combat projectile.
Specification