초록 ▼

A towed airborne array system has a balloon that supports appropriate instrumentation packages overhead and is tethered to a towing ship to improve line-of-sight sensing and communication capabilities to up to about 100 nautical miles. These improved capabilities can benefit relatively small surface

A towed airborne array system has a balloon that supports appropriate instrumentation packages overhead and is tethered to a towing ship to improve line-of-sight sensing and communication capabilities to up to about 100 nautical miles. These improved capabilities can benefit relatively small surface combatant ships (CG, DD, FFG) and might provide an alternative location for having countermeasures placed on a warship.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for improving line-of-sight communications and data gathering for a ship comprising:a balloon filled with a lighter than air gas to buoy it to altitudes extending from 5,000 to 15,000 feet in the air; communication equipment and sensor equipment mounted on said balloon to provide communi

1. A system for improving line-of-sight communications and data gathering for a ship comprising:a balloon filled with a lighter than air gas to buoy it to altitudes extending from 5,000 to 15,000 feet in the air; communication equipment and sensor equipment mounted on said balloon to provide communication and data gathering capabilities; a tether line to connect said balloon to said ship, said tether line having strength members, optical data fibers, wire electrical power conductors, and wire electrical data conductors extending from said balloon to said ship, said strength members providing sufficient strength to tow said balloon by said ship while underway, said electrical power conductors coupling electrical power to said communication equipment and said sensor equipment, and said optical data fibers and wire electrical data conductors bi-directionally transmitting optical and electrical control and data signals between said communication equipment and said sensor equipment and appropriate modules on said ship; a first power source mounted on said ship to supply electrical power on said power conductors to said communication equipment and said sensor equipment to provide communication and data gathering capabilities during connection of said tether line between said ship and said balloon; and a second power source mounted on said balloon to supply, electrical power to said communication equipment and said sensor equipment to provide communication and data gathering capabilities during disconnection of said tether line between said ship and said balloon, said second power source being solar cells mounted on said balloon.