Missile having a pivotal warhead

#This invention relates to a missile which carries in its interior a warhead that is pivotally supported by means of a ball joint. The pivotal motion of the warhead is effected by an aiming device controlled by an electronic control system.

#Missiles which attack a target in the course of their flight over or past the target without the need of proceeding directly thereagainst are known and are described, for example, in German Patent No. 3,605,579. The missile has an internal warhead which, in flight, may be pivoted in a direction towards the target by virtue of its ball joint support. After target detection, for example, by onboard sensors, the warhead is oriented into the optimal direction and fired by means of an aiming device and an electronic control system. As a result of this process, one or more payload units are ejected or accelerated in the direction of the target. The above-noted patent, however, does not describe an appropriate aiming device which may effect a pivotal motion of the warhead.

#It is an object of the invention to provide an improved missile of the above-outlined type which has an aiming device of simple construction which may rapidly and accurately pivot the warhead into the desired orientation towards the target.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic axial sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing a front part of a missile body including a warhead in a normal position.

#FIG. 2 is a detail of FIG. 1 showing the warhead pivoted towards a target.

#FIG. 3 is a sectional top plan view of a compartmentalized container accommodating components according to the invention.

#FIG. 1 shows a missile 1 which in an inner space 2 of its front portion accommodates a warhead 3, an aiming device 4 and an electronic control device 5.

#The warhead 3 is pivotally supported on a ball joint 6 whose ball 7 is mounted on a carrier 9 which is aligned with the missile axis 8 and which may telescope parallel thereto. The warhead 3 has a disk-shaped bottom member (bottom plate) 10 which supports a charge 11 covered by an arcuate fragmentation plate 12. The charge 11 may be ignited by an annular ignition charge 13.

#Also referring to FIG. 3, the aiming device 4 is formed of eight folded, inflatable sheet metal vessels 14 which are positioned in a circular array around the longitudinal axis 8 of the missile 1. At their end remote from the warhead 3 the inflatable vessels 14 are counter supported on a disk 15 positioned in the inner space 2 of the missile 1.