Guided munition systems for detecting off-axis targets

A method for navigating a missile to a target after the missile has been launched from a launch platform traveling along a pre-programmed route within an area, the method comprising:

• navigating the missile along a first flight path within the area;
• in response to determining the target is off-axis relative to the first flight path, navigating the missile along a second flight path different from the first flight path, the second flight path to position a fixed sensor onboard the missile to view off-axis locations, relative to the first flight path;
• receiving a signal via the fixed sensor while traveling along the second flight path, the signal identifying presence of the target;
• and
• adjusting the second flight path to direct the missile to the target within the area based on the received signal;
• wherein navigating the missile along the second flight path commences after a separation criteria is achieved, to allow the launch platform to leave the area prior to commencement of the second flight path.

A computer program product comprising one or more non-transitory machine readable mediums encoding a plurality of instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause a process to be carried out for navigating a missile to a target within an area, the process comprising:

• causing navigation of the missile through a first flight path within the area;
• in response to determining the target is off-axis relative to the first flight path, causing navigation of the missile along a second flight path different from the first flight path, the second flight path to position a fixed sensor onboard the missile to view off-axis locations relative to the first flight path;
• receiving a signal via the fixed sensor while traveling along the second flight path, the signal identifying presence of the target;
• and
• causing adjustment the second flight path to direct the missile to the target within the area based on the received signal;
• wherein causing navigation of the missile through the second flight path occurs after separation criteria is achieved, to enable the launch platform to leave the area.