US 4,901,946 AGranted

System for carrier guidance by laser beam and pyrotechnic thrusters

AssigneeThomson-Brandt Armements

InventorsPhilippe Arnaud, Marc Bernard

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Abstract

A system is provided for guidance, by laser beam and pyrotechnic thrusters, of one or a number of carriers such as missiles which are intended to intercept maneuvering targets such as aircraft, helicopters or tanks. Guidance of the carrier is performed partly from the ground by means of a laser beam (beam-rider guidance) which tracks the target and partly by means of pyrotechnic thrusters placed on board the carrier. At each instant, the carrier thus "knows" its position with respect to the ideal flight path provided by the laser beam. The carrier corrects its flight path by triggering a pyrotechnic thruster when its distance with respect to the ideal flight path is greater than a predefined threshold value and when its radial velocity to the ideal path is lower than a predefined threshold.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A system for guidance of a carrier for hitting a target, comprising a firing station provided with means for launching said carrier and means for tracking said target and guiding said carrier by means of a beam of radiant energy which provides said carrier with an indication of its ideal flight path, said carrier comprising:

pyrotechnic thrusters, each of said thrusters being capable of producing a thrust for modifying the flight path of said carrier;
means for detection of said beam;
means utilizing said detection for determining the position of the carrier with respect to said ideal flight path and the carrier radial velocity of approach to said ideal path;
means for producing ignition of one of said thrusters when the distance from said carrier to said ideal flight path is greater than a predefined distance threshold and said radial velocity is below a predefined velocity threshold value.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.