Terminal guidance method and a guided missile operating according to this method
AssigneeThomson-Brandt
InventorPierre Metz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A guidance method is provided for the terminal portion of the trajectory of a guided missile having a sensor and comprising two sections coupled together by a central shaft and free to rotate with respect to one another about the longitudinal axis of the missile; one section comprises a drive means for controlling the roll attitude of this section and a gas generator which feeds a nozzle for providing a transverse throat force and the other section has a stabilizing tail unit formed by a set of fins able to be opened out.
Claims16
A method for guiding a missile during a terminal portion of the missile's trajectory, said missile having a sensor with a beam said sensor being sensitive to energy radiated by a potential target comprising the following steps for seeking the target:
- (a) immobilizing the beam of the sensor along the longitudinal axis of the missile;
- (b) imparting to the missile:
- a rotation about the longitudinal axis of the missile at a given angular roll speed, and
- a spiral line movement in order that the beam of the sensor describes a surface of revolution by creating a transverse thrust force normal to the direction of the speed of movement of the missile;
- (c) detecting an image of a possible target picked up by the beam of the sensor;
- and comprising the following steps for piloting the missile:
- (d) freeing the beam of the sensor and maintaining the axis of this beam pointed at the image of the detected target to measure the rotation of the missile-target line of sight;
- (e) elaborating a piloting order proportional to the measured magnitude of the rotation of the line of sight;
- and
- (f) applying this piloting order to modify the roll attitude of the missile.
A guided missile having a sensor which is sensitive to energy radiated by a potential target and comprising first and second main sections mutually coupled together and rotating with respect to each other about the longitudinal axis of the body of the missile;
- the first section containing an electro-optical sensor and comprising a drive means having a first member integral with the structure of the first section, a second member physically coupled to the second main section, and a control input connected through an amplifier to a generator of piloting orders so as to vary the roll attitude of the body of the missile, and a gas generator which feeds a lateral nozzle so as to provide a transverse thrust force;
- the second main section comprising at its base a stabilizing tail unit formed of fins able to be folded out, said sensor of the first section having locking device means for immobilizing a sensor beam along the longitudinal axis of the missile during a step of seeking a target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.