Missile defense system
AssigneeTRW Inc.
InventorsJames E. Eninger, Peter D. Lohn, H. Wilhelm Behrens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A missile defense system generates a change in density in the air path of a missile. The density change is created by a high-pressure water system which can be generated by a water jet or a body of water explosively created from a water surface. When operating against a waterborne missile, the density of the water medium is changed. The change in density creates an effective barrier against an incoming missile.
Claims32
A system for defending a waterborne target against an incoming airborne missile traversing a predetermined path in the air towards the target, the path being at an elevation above the water comprising means for generating a change in density in an airspace in the airborne path of the missile, the airspace being removed from the target and the change in density being sufficient to effectively disable the missile relative to the target, wherein the means for generating a change in the density in the path of the airborne missile includes means to discharge water into the airspace thereby to increase the density in the airspace.
A system for defending a target against an incoming airborne missile traversing a predetermined path in the air towards the target, comprising means for generating a change in density in an airspace in the airborne path of the missile, the airspace being removed from the target and the change in the density being sufficient to effectively disable the missile relative to the target wherein the means for generating the change in density includes a means for detonating an explosive charge thereby to generate an explosion in water and cause a body of water to occupy the airspace.
A system for defending a target in or adjacent to a body of water against an incoming airborne missile traversing a predetermined path in the air towards the target, comprising means for generating a change in the density in an airspace medium in the airborne path of the missile, the airspace being removed from and proximate to the target and the change in the density being sufficient to effectively disable the missile relative to the target including means for generating a high pressure jet of water in the airspace, the high pressure of the water in the airspace increasing the density of the medium at least about ten times the normal density of the medium.
A method of defending a target against an incoming airborne missile traversing a predetermined path in the air towards the target, the path being at an elevation above a surface comprising generating a change in the density in an airspace in the airborne path of the missile, the airspace being removed from and proximate to the target and the change in the density being sufficient to effectively disable the missile relative to the target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.