Multiple kill vehicle (MKV) interceptor and method for intercepting exo and endo-atmospheric targets
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F41G-007/00
F42B-015/01
F42B-015/00
F42B-015/10
출원번호
US-0286760
(2005-11-23)
등록번호
US-7494089
(2009-02-24)
발명자
/ 주소
Williams,Darin S
Pflibsen,Kent P.
Crawford,Thomas M.
출원인 / 주소
Raytheon Company
대리인 / 주소
The Noblitt Group, PLLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
14인용 특허 :
11
초록▼
By sharing tasks between the CV and the KVs, the MKV interceptor provides a cost-effective missile defense system capable of intercepting and killing multiple targets. The placement of the acquisition and discrimination sensor and control sensor on the CV to provide target acquisition and discrimina
By sharing tasks between the CV and the KVs, the MKV interceptor provides a cost-effective missile defense system capable of intercepting and killing multiple targets. The placement of the acquisition and discrimination sensor and control sensor on the CV to provide target acquisition and discrimination and mid-course guidance for all the KVs avoids the weight and complexity issues associated with trying to "miniaturize" unitary interceptors. The placement of a short-band imaging sensor on each KV overcomes the latency, resolution and bandwidth problems associated with command guidance systems and allows each KV to precisely select a desirable aimpoint and maintain track on that aimpoint to impact.
대표청구항▼
We claim: 1. A multiple kill vehicle (MKV) interceptor for launch on a multi-stage rocket booster to intercept targets, comprising: A carrier vehicle (CV); and A plurality of kill vehicles (KVs) initially stored on said carrier vehicle for release to intercept the targets; Said CV including a first
We claim: 1. A multiple kill vehicle (MKV) interceptor for launch on a multi-stage rocket booster to intercept targets, comprising: A carrier vehicle (CV); and A plurality of kill vehicles (KVs) initially stored on said carrier vehicle for release to intercept the targets; Said CV including a first sensor subsystem for detecting a first signature off of the targets, a CV processor for processing the first signature to track said targets and issue guidance commands, and an external commlink for transmitting the respective guidance commands to the released KVs pre-handover; and Each said KV including a second sensor subsystem for detecting a second signature from its target, a divert and attitude control system (DACS), and a KV processor for processing the second signature to update the target track and select a desirable aimpoint on the target post-handover and controlling the DACS to maneuver the KV to impact the target at the aimpoint relying on the kinetic energy of the KV to destroy the target. 2. The MKV interceptor of claim 1, wherein said CV's first sensor subsystem includes a passive acquisition and discrimination sensor subsystem for detecting a third signature, said processor processing the third signature to discriminate candidate targets from a target cloud and designate one of the candidate targets for each said KV. 3. The MKV interceptor of claim 2, wherein the CV's passive acquisition and discrimination sensor subsystem includes a LWIR sensor, the KVs' second sensor subsystem includes an imaging sensor having a detection band in the visible or near visible bands that at a certain range-to-target post-handover provides independent pixels on target in the second signature for the KV processor to select the aimpoint. 4. The MKV interceptor of claim 3, wherein the visible or near visible wavelength band of the imaging sensor is too short for passive acquisition of the designated target at handover. 5. The MKV interceptor of claim 3, wherein the KV processor processes the independent pixels on target to use shape and orientation of the target to select the aimpoint. 6. The MKV interceptor of claim 3, further comprising a man made airborne source of external illumination for illuminating the targets, each said KV's imaging sensor detecting the second signature returned from its illuminated target. 7. The MKV interceptor of claim 6, wherein the source of external illumination is mounted on the CV. 8. The MKV interceptor of claim 6, wherein the man made source pulses the external illumination and the KVs' second sensor subsystem gates the imaging sensor to detect the externally illuminated targets. 9. The MKV interceptor of claim 1, wherein the CV includes a mechanism for releasing the KVs, each KV's processor controlling the DACS to initiate a spin that continuously sweeps a narrow field-of-view (FOV) visible sensor through a star field area longer that the FOV width and using the imaged star field to determine initial orientation. 10. The MKV interceptor of claim 9, wherein the mechanism releases the KVs so that the KVs lack sufficient knowledge of their orientation to safely divert away from the CV and other KVs or to divert to acquire track to the target. 11. The MKV interceptor of claim 9, wherein the star field area is at least 1 deg by 20 deg. 12. The MKV interceptor of claim 1, wherein the CV's first sensor subsystem includes a control sensor subsystem having a beam pointing system that controls a laser to actively illuminate the targets and a receiver to detect the first signature. 13. The MKV interceptor of claim 12, wherein the processor controls the DACS to divert the KVs to move out ahead of the CV upon release to maintain CV control sensor coverage to illuminate and track the KVs up to at least a desired handover range. 14. The MKV interceptor of claim 13, wherein the KV processors control the respective DACS to the KVs into waves with temporally displaced intercept times. 15. The MKV interceptor of claim 13, wherein the KVs include a reflector to reflect the laser illumination to augment CV tracking of the KV. 16. The MKV interceptor of claim 1, wherein KV health is indicated when the KV diverts as commanded. 17. The MKV interceptor of claim 1, wherein the CV processor and external commlink hand over the target designation and initial track to each said KV by uplinking data to each KV directing the KV when and where to look for a return signature, said CV first sensor subsystem including a beam pointing system for controlling a laser to illuminate each target in a time sequence, each said KV processor controlling its DACS to orient the second sensor subsystem to look for its target in the designated direction at the designated time. 18. The MKV interceptor of claim 17, wherein the CV's beam pointing system controls the laser to illuminate the targets in an order whereby any target within the angle uncertainty of the KV's second sensor subsystem's FOV is not within the timing uncertainty of the designation. 19. The MKV interceptor of claim 17, wherein the CV first sensor subsystem includes a receiver that receives the first signature from the targets to provide the initial track. 20. The MKV interceptor of claim 1, wherein the CV first sensor subsystem includes a control sensor subsystem with a beam pointing system for controlling a laser to illuminate the targets post-handover to facilitate semi-active tracking by the KVs' second sensor subsystems of their designated target. 21. A multiple kill vehicle (MKV) interceptor for launch on a multi-stage rocket booster to intercept targets, comprising: A carrier vehicle (CV); and A plurality of kill vehicles (KVs) initially stored on said carrier vehicle for release to intercept the targets, Said CV including an acquisition and discrimination sensor subsystem for passively detecting a first signature in a first band, a control sensor subsystem for actively detecting a second return signature in a second band, and a CV processor for processing the first signature to discriminate candidate targets from a target cloud and designate one of the candidate targets for each said KV and processing the second return signature to track the designated targets and issue guidance commands, and an external commlink for transmitting the respective guidance commands to the released KVs pre-handover; and Each said KV including an imaging sensor subsystem for detecting a third signature in a third band, a divert and attitude control system (DACS) and a KV processor for processing the third signature to track its target post-handover and control the DACS to maneuver the KV to intercept relying on the kinetic energy of the KV to destroy the target. 22. The MKV interceptor of claim 21, wherein the acquisition and discrimination sensor subsystem includes a passive LWIR sensor. 23. The MKV interceptor of claim 21, wherein the control sensor subsystem includes a beam pointing system that controls a laser to actively illuminate the targets and an angle-angle-range receiver that detects the second return signature. 24. The MKV interceptor of claim 21, wherein the KV processor controls the DACS to divert the KVs to move out ahead of the CV upon release to maintain CV control sensor coverage to illuminate and track the KVs up to at least a desired handover range. 25. The MKV interceptor of claim 21, wherein the CV processor and external commlink hand over the target designation and track to each said KV by uplinking data to each KV directing the KV when and where to look for a return signature and the control sensor subsystem includes a beam pointing system for controlling a laser to illuminate each target in a time sequence, each said KV processor controlling its DACS to orient the imaging sensor subsystem to look for its target in the designated direction at the designated time. 26. The MKV interceptor of claim 25, wherein the CV's beam pointing system controls the laser to illuminate the targets in an order whereby any target within the angle uncertainty of the KV's imaging sensor subsystem's FOV is not within the timing uncertainty of the designation. 27. The MKV interceptor of claim 21, wherein each KV's imaging sensor subsystem includes a sensor in the visible or near visible band that resolves the third signatures returned from externally illuminated targets to select a desirable aimpoint on the target and maintain track on the aimpoint to terminal intercept. 28. The MKV interceptor of claim 27, wherein the sensor provides independent pixels on target, said KV processor processing the independent pixels to use the shape and orientation of the target to select the aimpoint. 29. A multiple kill vehicle (MKV) interceptor for launch on a multi-stage rocket booster to intercept targets, comprising: A carrier vehicle (CV); and A plurality of kill vehicles (KVs) initially stored on said carrier vehicle and then released to intercept the targets, Each said KV including an imaging sensor subsystem for detecting a signature, a processor and a divert and attitude control system (DACS); Said CV including a mechanism for releasing the KVs, each KV processor controlling the DACS to initiate a spin that continuously sweeps a narrow field-of-view (FOV) visible sensor through a star field area the FOV width and use the imaged star field to determine initial orientation, said processor controlling the DACS to divert the KV to acquire a target track whereby the processor processes the detected signature of the target and guides the KV to intercept relying on the kinetic energy of the KV to destroy the target. 30. The MKV interceptor of claim 29, wherein the mechanism releases the KVs so that the KVs lack sufficient knowledge of their orientation to safely divert away from the CV and other KVs or to divert to acquire track to the targets. 31. The MKV interceptor of claim 29, wherein the star field area is at least 1 deg by 20 deg. 32. The MKV interceptor of claim 29, wherein the KV processor matches the imaged star field against a pre-stored star map to determine initial orientation. 33. A multiple kill vehicle (MKV) interceptor for launch on a multi-stage rocket booster to intercept targets, comprising: A carrier vehicle (CV); A plurality of kill vehicles (KVs) initially stored on said carrier vehicle for release to intercept the targets; and A man made airborne source of external illumination for illuminating the targets; Said CV including a first sensor subsystem for detecting a first signature off of the targets, a CV processor for processing the first signature to track said targets and issue guidance commands, and an external commlink to transmitting the respective guidance commands to the released KVs pre-handover; and Each said KV including a short-band imaging sensor for detecting a return signature from a target illuminated by said source post-handover, a divert and attitude control system (DACS), a KV processor for processing the second signature to select a desirable aimpoint on the target and controlling the DACS to maneuver the KV to impact the track on the aimpoint relying on the kinetic energy of the KV to destroy the target. 34. The MKV interceptor of claim 33, wherein the source of external illumination is mounted on the CV. 35. The MKV interceptor of claim 33, wherein the man made source pulses the external illumination and the KVs' short-band imaging sensor gates the return signature to detect the externally illuminated targets. 36. The MKV interceptor of claim 33, wherein the imaging sensor detects in the visible or near visible bands. 37. A kinetic energy kill vehicle (KV) for use with an MKV interceptor launched on a multi-stage rocket booster to intercept targets, comprising: A divert and attitude control system (DACS) for controlling the heading of the kill vehicle; A short-band imaging sensor subsystem for detecting a return signal in the visible or near visible bands from a target illuminated by an external source; A processor that processes the return signal to select a desirable aimpoint on the target and controls the DACS to maintain track on the aimpoint to terminal intercept relying on the kinetic energy of the KV to destroy the target. 38. The KV of claim 37, wherein the short-band imaging sensor subsystem provides independent pixels on target for the processor to use the shape and orientation of the target to select the aimpoint. 39. The KV of claim 37, further comprising a telemetry modulated retro-reflector. 40. A method of intercepting targets, comprising: Using a multi-stage rocket booster to launch a multiple kill vehicle (MKV) interceptor on a path to intercept a target cloud, said interceptor including a plurality of KVs stored on a control vehicle (CV); Releasing the KVs from the CV and diverting them toward the targets; Passively detecting signatures on the CV of the incoming targets to acquire the targets and refine the track of the KV towards the candidate targets; Handing over target designation and tracking responsibility from the CV to the multiple deployed KVs; Using a man-made airborne source to illuminate the targets; Sensing the return signatures off of the illuminated targets at the respective KVs; and At each KV, computing an aimpoint on the designated target from the return signature and refining the track on the aimpoint to target intercept relying on the kinetic energy of the KV to destroy the target. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein upon release each KV initiates a spin that continuously sweeps a narrow field-of-view (FOV) visible sensor through a star field area of at least 1 degrees by 20 degrees and uses the imaged star field to determine initial orientation. 42. The method of claim 40, further comprising prior to handover, actively tracking the acquired targets from the CV and transmitting guidance commands to the respective KVs to direct them toward the candidate targets. 43. The method of claim 40, wherein the CV hands over the target designation and track to each said KV by uplinking data to each KV directing the KV when and where to look for a return signature and by illuminating each target in a time sequence, each said KV looking for its target in the designated direction at the designated time. 44. The method of claim 40, wherein post-handover the CV illuminates the targets and the KVs detect the return signatures and track their respective targets. 45. The method of claim 40, wherein the KVs detects independent pixels on target to use the shape and orientation of the target to select the aimpoint.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (11)
Smith David P. ; Lin Jane M., Countermeasure apparatus for deploying interceptor elements from a spin stabilized rocket.
Wright, Richard J.; Sierchio, James G.; Calkins, Jr., Myron E.; Pflibsen, Kent P.; Frahm, Perry H.; Owens, William R.; Crawford, Thomas M., Long range KV-to-KV communications to inform target selection of follower KVS.
Colvin, Randy D.; Wuerl, Adam M.; Mak, Michael S., System and method for dispensing of multiple kill vehicles using an integrated multiple kill vehicle payload.
Tomich, John L.; Casey, William M.; Johnston, Colin M.; Samaniego, Raymond; Fluckiger, David; McLean, Terry, Systems and methods for acquiring and launching and guiding missiles to multiple targets.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.