Dual-mode roll/nod gimballed seeker for a forming warhead

A warhead and seeker assembly, comprising:

• an airframe having a roll axis and a nod axis perpendicular to the roll axis;
• a forming warhead positioned within the airframe and configured to project a penetrator forward along the roll axis upon detonation;
• a roll gimbal including a ring-shaped roll bearing and a roll motor positioned forward of the forming warhead;
• a dome including a middle section and first and second outer sections that project forward from the ring-shaped motor to rotate around the roll axis, said middle section of the dome having an aft opening that defines a volume for formation of the penetrator upon detonation of the forming warhead;
• a nod assembly including,
• the middle section of the dome;
• a first seeker at a fixed position within the middle section of the dome, said first seeker having a first field of view (FOV) that projects forward through the dome;
• and
• a second seeker at a fixed position within the middle section of the dome, said second seeker having a second FOV that projects forward through the dome such that the first and second FOV overlap within a stand-off range to target;
• a nod gimbal including a nod motor positioned on the nod axis in the first outer section of the dome to rotate the nod assembly about the nod axis;
• wherein at a nominal nod angle said first and second seekers are positioned on opposing sides of a roll/nod plane such that a path along the roll axis is unobstructed;
• wherein rotation of said nod assembly about the nod axis over a nod field-of regard (FOR) causes the first and second seekers to cross the roll axis and obstruct the path along the roll axis;
• and
• a controller configured such that just prior to detonation of the forming warhead the controller commands the nod gimbal to rotate the nod assembly to the nominal nod angle such that the penetrator moves unimpeded along the roll axis and unobstructed path through the dome.

A seeker assembly for use with a forming warhead, comprising:

• a roll gimbal configured to roll around a roll axis;
• a dome positioned on the roll gimbal;
• a nod assembly including,
• a first seeker positioned within the dome, said first seeker having a first field of view (FOV) that projects forward through the dome;
• and
• a second seeker positioned within the dome, said second seeker having a second FOV that projects forward through the dome such that the first and second FOV overlap within a stand-off range to target;
• a nod gimbal configured to rotate the nod assembly about a nod axis perpendicular to the roll axis;
• wherein said first and second seekers are separately offset from the roll axis such that at a nominal nod angle a path along the roll axis is unobstructed;
• wherein rotation of said nod assembly about the nod axis over a nod field-of regard (FOR) causes the first and second seekers to cross the roll axis and obstruct the path along the roll axis;
• and
• said nod gimbal responsive to an electrical signal such that just prior to detonation of the forming warhead the nod gimbal rotates the nod assembly to the nominal nod angle such that the penetrator moves unimpeded along the roll axis and unobstructed path through the dome.