Method and system for extending operational electronic range of a vehicle

• US 8,115,665 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2007
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elbit Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Elbit Systems Limited
• Inventors: Zahavi, Dov
• Primary Examiner(s): SOTOMAYOR, JOHN B
• Application Number:
  US12/438,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20090251354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,661 Days
• Field of Search: 342 13- 15, 342/59
• US Class Current: 342/13
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/00 Defence installations; Defence devices constructional aspects see Section E, e.g. air-raid shelters E04H9/04; protective arrangements for buildings E04B1/92; extinguishing or preventing the spread of fire from, incendiary bombs A62C3/06; dynamic armour F41H5/007; ballistically deployed systems for restraining persons or animals F41H13/0006; electronic countermeasures G01S
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/34 involving multiple cooperating jammers
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/28 with jamming and anti-jamming mechanisms both included in a same device or system, e.g. wherein anti-jamming includes prevention of undesired self-jamming resulting from jamming
• 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 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/825 by jamming

Abstract

A method and system for extending the electronic operational range of a slow vehicle, such as a ship, by using a remotely controlled unmanned faster vehicle, such as an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and by way of example a remotely controlled drone. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for extending the Electronic Warfare (EW) support for a ship.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining information by a maritime vessel comprising the steps of:

causing an unmanned airborne vehicle to orbit in a controlled pattern with respect to said maritime vessel;

establishing a communication link between said maritime vessel and said unmanned airborne vehicle;

receiving electromagnetic transmissions at said unmanned airborne vehicle;

analyzing at said unmanned airborne vehicle the received transmissions for identifying a property of an emitter of said electromagnetic transmissions; and

providing to said maritime vessel via said communication link information pertaining to said received electromagnetic transmissions based on the analysis of said received electromagnetic transmissions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said property of an emitter comprises at least the nature and location of said emitter.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising providing said information to an electronic warfare (EW) suite associated with said maritime vessel.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising invoking a warning based on said analysis.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising launching said unmanned airborne vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising landing said unmanned airborne vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving at said unmanned airborne vehicle commands from a navigation system associated with said maritime vessel.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising using said unmanned airborne vehicle to maintain a peripheral electronic screen around said maritime vessel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing to said maritime vessel information pertaining to said received electromagnetic transmissions comprises retransmitting to said maritime vessel said received electromagnetic transmissions.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising amplifying and modulating said received electromagnetic transmissions to simulate radar echoes prior to retransmitting said received electromagnetic transmissions.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said causing an airborne vehicle to orbit in a controlled pattern with respect to said maritime vessel comprises maintaining a substantially fixed position with respect to said maritime vessel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said causing an airborne vehicle to orbit in a controlled pattern with respect to said maritime vessel comprises circling about said maritime vessel in a circle having substantially fixed radius.

13. An unmanned airborne vehicle comprising:

a receiving module, for receiving electromagnetic transmissions;

a processing module, for analyzing said received electromagnetic transmissions for identifying a property of an emitter of said electromagnetic transmissions; and

a communication module, for establishing a communication link with a maritime vessel and transmitting to said vessel information pertaining to said received electromagnetic transmissions based on the analysis of said received electromagnetic transmissions.

14. The unmanned airborne vehicle of claim 13 further comprising a payload unit adapted to carry operational warfare measures.

15. The unmanned airborne vehicle of claim 14, wherein said operational warfare measures comprises at least one measure selected from the list of measures consisting of:

electronic surveillance measures;

electronic countermeasures; and

radar warning measures.

16. The unmanned airborne vehicle of claim 14, wherein said payload unit comprises a panoramic reception array of antennas with substantially 360 degrees of azimuth coverage.

17. The unmanned airborne vehicle of claim 16, wherein said array of antennas has coverage of ±

30 degrees in elevation.

18. The unmanned airborne vehicle of claim 13, wherein said property of an emitter of said electromagnetic transmission comprises at least the nature and location of said emitter.

19. A system for providing enhanced information to a maritime vessel comprising:

an unmanned airborne vehicle, comprising;

a receiving module, for receiving electromagnetic transmissions at said unmanned airborne vehicle;

a processing module, for analyzing said electromagnetic transmissions for identifying a property of an emitter of said electromagnetic transmissions; and

a communication module, for establishing a communication link with said maritime vessel and transmitting to said vessel information pertaining to said received electromagnetic transmissions based on the analysis of said received electromagnetic transmissions; and

launching and landing modules associated with said maritime vessel for respectively launching and landing said unmanned airborne vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said unmanned airborne vehicle further comprises operational warfare measures comprising at least one measure selected from the list consisting of:

electronic surveillance measures;

electronic countermeasures; and

radar warning measures.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising an electronic warfare (EW) suite associated with said maritime vessel for receiving said information pertaining to said received electromagnetic transmissions.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising a navigation system associated with said maritime vessel for sending commands to said unmanned airborne vehicle.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a second unmanned airborne vehicle, comprising;

a second receiving module, for receiving electromagnetic transmissions at said second unmanned airborne vehicle;

a second processing module, for analyzing said electromagnetic transmissions at the second unmanned airborne vehicle for identifying a property of an emitter of said electromagnetic transmissions; and

a second communication module, for establishing a communication link with said maritime vessel and transmitting to said vessel information pertaining to said received electromagnetic transmissions at said second unmanned airborne vehicle based on the analysis of said received electromagnetic transmissions at said second unmanned airborne vehicle; and

launching and landing modules associated with said maritime vessel for respectively launching and landing said second unmanned airborne vehicle.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein said property of an emitter of said electromagnetic transmission comprises at least the nature and location of said emitter.