Method and apparatus for efficiently targeting multiple re-entry vehicles with multiple kill vehicles

• US 8,371,201 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Deflumere, Michael E., Venuti, Richard J., Faria, Fernando M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): TILLMAN, JR, REGINALD S
• Application Number:
  US11/579,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20090000465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,735 Days
• Field of Search: 89/11.1
• US Class Current: 89/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/145 using a target illuminator
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/008 Combinations of different guidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2206 using a remote control station
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2233 Multimissile systems
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2253 Passive homing systems, i.e. comprising a receiver and do not requiring an active illumination of the target
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/226 Semi-active homing systems, i.e. comprising a receiver and involving auxiliary illuminating means, e.g. using auxiliary guiding missiles
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2293 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/308 for guiding a plurality of missiles
• 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 12/58 Cluster or cargo ammunition, i.e. projectiles containing one or more submissiles F42B12/32 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for increasing the effectiveness of destroying selected objects in a target cloud by prioritizing the objects detected in a large aperture IR detector aboard a carrier vehicle and sequentially illuminating the detected targets with coded laser radiation, followed by the launching of multiple miniature kill vehicles from the carrier vehicle, with each kill vehicle assigned to a differently-coded object in the target cloud due to the reflection back of the coded returns, thus to permit directing of individual miniature kill vehicles to a specific object in the target cloud prior to a handoff to an IR heat seeker in the miniature kill vehicle, actuated to guide the kill vehicle for a final kill.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the efficiency of destroying selected objects in a target cloud produced by an incoming missile, comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence and location of objects in a target cloud;

illuminating selected objects in the target cloud with coded laser radiation, a selected code being assigned for a selected object;

launching multiple kill vehicles from a carrier vehicle towards the target cloud each along a line-of-sight to a selected object based on returned coded laser radiation, whereby different objects in the cloud can be selectively targeted with at least one dedicated kill vehicle,

detecting when a first kill vehicle is on the way to killing a first selected object by providing the first kill vehicle with retro reflectors for ascertaining the position in space of the first kill vehicle;

retargeting said first kill vehicle to a different selected object by altering its original flight path via a midflight correction to a first selected object to another selected object upon confirmation that another kill vehicle is on the way to killing said first selected object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the launching step includes initially guiding each launched kill vehicle along a ballistic trajectory towards a selected object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the initial guidance is performed using a distributed aperture laser return detector from which angular information is available.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each kill vehicle is provided with an IR seeker, and further including the step of handing off kill vehicle guidance to the IR seeker when the selected object is in range during terminal guidance, whereby fuel expenditure is minimized and expended primarily in terminal guidance.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein confirmation of the selected object is made by comparing the ballistic trajectory angle with the IR seeker angle, the two angles being the same confirming a successful handoff.

6. The method of claim 1, and further including the step of identifying an object as a high-value target and illuminating the high-value target with differently coded laser radiation, and assigning more than one kill vehicle to the high-value target based on differently coded returns such that each kill vehicle assigned to the high-value target responds to a differently coded return therefrom to guide the kill vehicle to the high-value target, thus to effectuate multiple kill vehicle impacts with the high-value target.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the kill vehicles has an IR seeker to which control is handed off during a terminal guidance phase and wherein each of the kill vehicles is guided by the IR seeker towards the high-value target along a different trajectory to avoid kill vehicle collisions.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the kill vehicles assigned to the high-value target are guided along different trajectories to impact the high-value target from different directions.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the kill vehicles nearly simultaneously arrive at the high-value target.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the kill vehicles is provided with a retro-reflector and further including the steps of illuminating a kill vehicle with a coded laser beam detecting retro-reflected coded laser beams from kill vehicles and establishing from the coded returns the identity and precise 3D track position of the kill vehicle in space to enable midcourse corrections for a multiple kill vehicle attack on an object.

11. The method of claim 10, and further including the step of providing targeting commands to a kill vehicle based on its detected 3D track.

12. A method for minimizing fuel payload in a multiple kill vehicle mission in which multiple kill vehicles are launched towards a target cloud, comprising the steps of:

painting selected objects in the target cloud with differently coded laser pulses to identify the selected objects by the laser returns therefrom;

initially guiding the kill vehicles to associated targets using the coded laser returns along a ballistic trajectory in which fuel consumption for midcourse corrections is minimized;

handing off kill vehicle guidance to an IR seeker aboard a kill vehicle when the kill vehicle is within IR seeker range, whereby the fuel expended is expended largely in the terminal guidance phase, thus to minimize kill vehicle fuel payload requirements, and;

retargeting a kill vehicle to a different selected object by altering its original flight path via a midflight correction to a first selected object to another selected object upon confirmation that another kill vehicle is on the way to killing said first selected object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the laser pulses are in the 1-micron band and wherein the IR seekers operate in the 8-10 micron band, whereby initial guidance is made possible at much larger distances to an object in the target cloud as compared with IR seeker detection ranges.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the IR seeker is uncooled and thus of more limited range as compared to a cooled IR seeker, the coded laser pulse tracking being effective at much greater range than that associated with uncooled IR seekers, thus to permit use of uncooled IR seekers.

15. Apparatus for effectuating destruction of objects within a target cloud associated with an incoming missile, comprising:

a carrier vehicle;

a number of kill vehicles aboard said carrier vehicle, each of said kill vehicles including an IR seeker and a distributed aperture laser return detector responsive to pre-selected coded laser returns;

a laser for sweeping said target cloud and for illuminating selected objects in said target cloud with differently coded pulse trains, and;

a targeting module for retargeting a kill vehicle to a different selected object by altering its original flight path via a midflight correction to a first selected object to another selected object upon confirmation that a kill vehicle is on his way to killing said first selected object.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, and further including an IR detector for detecting the position of objects in said target field and for causing said laser to emit a uniquely coded pulse train when said laser is aimed at the position of an object as determined by said wide-field-of-view IR detector.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said laser is aboard said carrier vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of said kill vehicles includes a retro-reflector to permit ascertaining the position in space of the associated kill vehicle by retro-reflections therefrom.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said IR seekers are uncooled.

20. A method for increasing the efficiency of destroying selected objects in a target cloud produced by an incoming missile:

detecting the presence and location of objects in a target cloud;

illuminating selected objects in the target cloud with coded laser radiation, a selected code being assigned for a selected object;

launching multiple kill vehicles from a carrier vehicle towards the target cloud each along a line-of-sight to a selected object based on return coded laser radiation; and

,

each kill vehicle being provided with an IR seeker and further including the steps of handing off kill vehicle guidance to the IR seeker when the selected target is in range during terminal guidance and retargeting a kill vehicle to a different selected object by altering its original flight path via a midflight correction to a first selected object to another selected object upon confirmation that another kill vehicle is on its way to killing said first selected object.

21. A method for increasing the efficiency of destroying selected objects in a target cloud produced by an incoming missile:

detecting the presence and location of objects in a target cloud;

illuminating selected objects in the target cloud with coded laser radiation, a selected code being assigned for a selected object;

launching multiple kill vehicles from a carrier vehicle towards the target cloud each along a line-of-sight to a selected object based on return coded laser radiation;

identifying an object as a high-value target and illuminating the high-value target with differently coded laser radiation and,

retargeting a kill vehicle to a different selected object by altering its original flight path to a first selected object to another selected object via a midflight correction upon confirmation that another kill vehicle is on its way to killing said first selected object.

22. The method of claim 21, and further including the step of assigning more than one kill vehicle to the high-value target based on differently coded returns such that each kill vehicle assigned to the high-value target responds to a differently coded return therefrom to guide the kill vehicle to the high value target, thus to effectuate multiple kill vehicle impacts with the high value target.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein each of the kill vehicles has an IR seeker to which control is handed off during a terminal guidance phase and wherein each of the kill vehicles is guided by the IR seeker towards the high value along a different trajectory to avoid kill vehicle collisions.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the kill vehicles assigned to the high-value target are guided along different trajectories to impact the high-value target from different directions.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the kill vehicles nearly simultaneously arrive at the high-value target.