Weapon aiming system

A weapon unit comprising:

• a scene sensor mounted to a support and providing a scene signal representing a field of view of the scene sensor;
• a gun barrel mounted to the support and pivotal, by an operator, in elevation relative to both the support and a line of sight of the scene sensor;
• the gun barrel having a bore axis;
• position sensing means for detecting angular movement of the gun barrel in elevation relative to the support and providing a position signal representing angular displacement of the gun barrel relative to the support;
• graphics artifact generation means for providing an artifact signal representing a cursor;
• display means responsive to the scene signal and the artifact signal for displaying an image of the field of view and the cursor combined:
• and
• signal processing means responsive initially to the position signal and to the artifact signal to control the display means to display the cursor at a position in the displayed scene corresponding to an aim point of the gun barrel;
• the weapon unit further comprising means for providing a range signal representing range to a designated target;
• and
• input means operable by the operator to provide a target designation signal;
• the signal processing means being further responsive to the target designation signal, the range signal and stored ballistics data to compute a required degree of superelevation for the gun barrel and apply a corresponding offset to the position signal, thereby offsetting the cursor downwards relative to its position in the displayed field of view at the instant that the target designation signal occurred, such that restoration of the cursor to said position requires angular displacement of the gun barrel relative to the scene sensor line of sight by an amount corresponding to the required superelevation.