WO1996008688A1

WO1996008688A1 - System and method for hitting a target in a cluster

Info

Publication number: WO1996008688A1
Application number: PCT/US1995/012591
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rami Fabian
Original assignee: State Of Israel - Ministry Of Defence Rafael - Armament Development Authority; Friedman, Mark, M.
Priority date: 1994-09-13
Filing date: 1995-09-06
Publication date: 1996-03-21
Also published as: IL110960A0; AU3945795A

Abstract

A system and method for hitting a target in a cluster of targets (14). The method includes acquiring intelligence relating to the location of the cluster of targets (14) and transmitting the intelligence. The method then involves launching a bomb or missile (10), the bomb or missile (10) including a navigational system for providing information regarding the position of the bomb or missile (10) during a first portion of the flight of the bomb or missile (10) and a mechanism for controlling the trajectory of the bomb or missile (10) based on the information regarding the position of the bomb or missile (10) and the intelligence relating to the location of the cluster of targets (14) during the first portion of the flight of the bomb or missile (10). The bomb or missile (10) further includes a mechanism for selecting a sector or a target within the cluster of targets (14) during a subsequent portion of the flight and a mechanism for controlling the trajectory of the bomb or missile (10) during the subsequent portion of the flight of the bomb or missile (10).

Description

APPLICATION FOR PATENT

Title: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HITTING A TARGET IN

A CLUSTER

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to systems and methods for targeting

one or more member of a cluster of targets.

In combat operations it is often necessary to target and destroy one

or more members of a cluster of ground targets located deep behind enemy

lines. For example, it may be desired to destroy an artillery or missile

battery made up of a number of artillery pieces or missile launchers and

one or more support vehicles, or a column of tanks which may either be

camped and thus stationary or moving along an axis.

Various methods are available for effectively handling such targets.

Perhaps the most effective method known heretofore is using combat

aircraft which overfly the targets, identify and locate the target and then

launch one or more of a variety of bombs and missiles (hereinafter

generally referred to in the description and claims collectively and

singularly as "bombs") to destroy the targets.

A disadvantage of such techniques is that it requires a manned

attacking aircraft to fly deep into enemy territory with possible adverse

implications for the survivability of the aircraft and crew. An alternative solution is the use of ground-to-ground or air-to-

ground missiles. The missiles have accuracies which are at least as good

as those attained by projectiles launched from manned aircraft and have the

advantage of not incurring undue risk to attacking personnel. The

disadvantage of such missiles is their very high cost, which makes them

practical only for extremely sensitive or valuable targets.

There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly

advantageous to have, a relatively inexpensive system for accurately hitting

one or more target in a cluster of targets, which does not require the

placement of personnel in the vicinity of the targets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a system and

method for hitting a target in a cluster of targets, the system comprising:

(a) means for acquiring intelligence relating to the location of the cluster

of targets; (b) means for transmitting the intelligence relating to the

location of the cluster; (c) a bomb including: (i) a navigational system for

providing information regarding the position of the bomb during a first

portion of the flight of the bomb; (ii) means for controlling the trajectory

of the bomb based on the information regarding the position of said bomb

and the intelligence relating to the location of the cluster of targets during

the first portion of the flight of the bomb; (iii) means for selecting a sector or a target within the cluster of targets; (iv) a homing head for homing in

on the sector or the target among the cluster of targets during a subsequent

portion of the flight of the bomb; and (v) means for controlling the

trajectory of the bomb during the subsequent portion of the flight of the

bomb.

The present invention successfully addresses the shortcomings of the

presently known configurations by providing an inexpensive and effective

system and method for delivering a bomb to one item of a cluster of

targets.

The present invention discloses a novel system and method which

allows one or more bombs to be released at a safe distance from a cluster

of targets. The bomb guides itself to the vicinity of the cluster using

navigational information. Once in the vicinity of the cluster, a homing

head homes in on a specific target from among the cluster of targets and

guides the bomb to its target.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with

reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the sole Figure

schematically illustrates the operation of a system and method according

to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is of a system and method for hitting one or

more targets in a cluster of targets. The principles and operation of a

system and method according to the present invention may be better

understood with reference to the drawing and the accompanying

description.

Referring now to the drawings, the sole Figure shows a typical

launch of a number of bombs 10 (four are shown in the Figure) from an

aircraft 12 (shown in two positions along its flight).

Bomb 10 may be of various suitable type. Typically, bomb 10

includes an explosive warhead and a homing head, which may include any

suitable transmitter/receiver units, preferably one which operates using

microwave radiation, giving bomb 10 all-weather capabilities.

Bomb 10 also includes various aerodynamics members, such as

wings or tail, at least some of which are adjustable so as to effect trajectory

corrections. In addition, bomb 10 includes a navigational system, which

may include a Global Position System (GPS) receiver for receiving GPS

information from a GPS satellite, or an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)

or an Inertial Navigation System (INS) or combination, and the like.

Bomb 10 further includes suitable means for calculating the

trajectory and for correcting the trajectory through appropriate adjustments of wings or tail 18. Bomb 10 may be a gliding bomb so it is launched

from an aircraft at a desired height and glides to its target exclusively

under the influence of gravity or it may include an engine.

A schematic depiction of a basic embodiment of a system and

method according to the present invention is presented in the Figure. Here,

bomb 10, or preferably a number of bombs 10, are launched from an attack

aircraft 12. The launch of bomb or bombs 10 takes place after intelligence

is obtained on the location of a cluster of targets 14. The intelligence can

be acquired through any suitable means, including but not limited to, a

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mounted on attack aircraft 12 or on any

other convenient aircraft, from satellite or spy plane photographs, and the

like.

In the basic embodiment, information regarding the location of the

detected cluster of targets 14 and relative locations within the cluster is

transmitted to bomb 10 prior to its launch from attack aircraft 12. Thus,

prior to launch, bomb 10 is fed the location of the cluster of targets.

Following launch, bomb 10 continually receives or generates

navigational information, as through its GPS receiver, IMU or INS as to

its own location. Bomb 10 uses the navigational information and the

stored information relating to cluster of target 14, and suitable pattern

recognition means to calculate and effect trajectory corrections designed to

bring itself as close as possible to the target cluster. Navigational system information continues to be received or

generated throughout the first portion of the flight of bomb 10 which

typically extends from launch until bomb 10 is approximately from about

7 to about 2 km ground distance from cluster of targets 14. At the end of

the first portion of the flight, the bomb homing head acquires the target

cluster and further trajectory corrections are based on homing head.

Further to instructions from aircraft 12 or another source prior to the

launch of bombs 10 or further to instructions transmitted to bomb 10

subsequent to its launch, homing head of a specific bomb 10 selects a

sector or a specific target within cluster of targets 14.

Thus, when several bombs 10 are launched at approximately the

same time, which is typically the case, cluster of targets 14 detected by the

homing head is divided into a number of sectors or a number of individual

targets so that each bomb 10 is aimed at a different sector or a different

specific target, thereby avoiding the possibility of two bombs 10 being

directed to the same specific target.

In some applications, particularly when targets 14 are moving, it

may be advantageous to update the location of the target cluster during the

flight of bomb 10. When the cluster of targets is moving, by the time

bomb 10 reaches the vicinity of the targets, which for a typical launch from

20,000-40,000 ft could take five to ten minutes, the cluster is found at a location which is significantly different from its location at the moment of

launch.

The updating of bomb 10 is effected through the equipping of bomb

10 with a suitable electromagnetic receiver, preferably a UHF receiver,

which receives signals sent by attack aircraft 30 or by a suitable alternative

source.

It is estimated that in this version of a system according to the

present invention, the first portion of the free flight of bomb 10 which is

guided with the help of an appropriate navigational system can take place

until bomb 10 is approximately 2000 to 7000 meters ground distance from

the target cluster.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited

number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations,

modifications and other applications of the invention may be made.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A system for hitting a target in a cluster of targets,

comprising:

(a) means for acquiring intelligence relating to the location of the

cluster of targets;

(b) means for transmitting said intelligence relating to the

location of the cluster;

(c) a bomb including:

(i) a navigational system for providing information

regarding the position of said bomb during a first

portion of the flight of said bomb;

(ii) means for controlling the trajectory of said bomb

based on said information regarding the position of

said bomb and said intelligence relating to the location

of the cluster of targets during said first portion of the

flight of said bomb;

(iii) means for selecting a sector or a target within the

cluster of targets;

(iv) a homing head for homing in on a said sector or said

target among the cluster of targets during a subsequent

portion of the flight of said bomb; and (v) means for controlling the trajectory of said bomb

during said subsequent portion of the flight of said

bomb.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for acquiring

intelligence relating to the location of the cluster of targets includes GPS.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for acquiring

intelligence relating to the location of the cluster of targets includes IMU.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for acquiring

intelligence relating to the location of the cluster of targets includes INS.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for controlling

the trajectory of said bomb based on said information regarding the

position of said bomb and said intelligence relating to the location of the

cluster of targets during said first portion of the flight of said bomb

includes means for performing pattern recognition.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein said homing head includes

means for performing pattern recognition.

7. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said bomb is a gliding bomb

and said bomb is launched from an aircraft.

8. A system as in claim 1, wherein said bomb is a powered

bomb and said bomb is launched from an aircraft.

9. A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for acquiring

intelligence includes an SAR.

10. A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for acquiring

intelligence includes an intelligence satellite.

11. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said bomb is a gliding bomb

and said bomb is launched from an aircraft and further wherein said means

for acquiring intelligence includes an SAR mounted on said aircraft.

12. A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for transmitting

said location of the cluster is effective prior to the launch of said bomb.

13. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said means for transmitting

said location of the cluster is effected after the launch of said bomb.

14. A system as in claim 13, wherein said bomb further includes

an electromagnetic receiver for receiving said location of the cluster.

15. A system as in claim 13, wherein said electromagnetic

receiver is a UHF receiver.

16. A system as in claim 6, wherein said first portion of the flight

of said bomb extends from launch until said bomb is from about 7 to about

2 km from the cluster of targets.

17. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said homing head includes

a microwave transmitter and receiver.

18. A method hitting a target in a cluster of targets, comprising

the steps of:

(a) acquiring intelligence relating to the location of the cluster of

targets;

(b) transmitting said intelligence relating to the location of the

cluster of targets;

(c) launching a bomb, said bomb including: (i) a navigational system for providing information

regarding the position of said bomb during a first

portion of the flight of said bomb;

(ii) means for controlling the trajectory of said bomb

based on said information regarding the position of

said bomb and said intelligence relating to the location

of the cluster of targets during said first portion of the

flight of said bomb;

(iii) means for selecting a sector or a target within the

cluster of targets;

(iv) a homing head for homing in on a said sector or said

target among the cluster of targets during a subsequent

portion of the flight of said bomb; and

(v) means for controlling the trajectory of said bomb

during said subsequent portion of the flight of said

bomb.