Torpedo seeker head having directional detection independent of frequency

Abstract

A torpedo seeker head for providing guidance information in three orthogonal axes is provided according to the invention. The torpedo seeker head includes three directional hydrophones, with each directional hydrophone capable of receiving an acoustic signal and generating a signal output therefrom. The three directional hydrophones are aligned with their response axes oriented substantially orthogonally, with any two directional hydrophones and respective axes defining a plane. An omni-directional hydrophone is also provided which measures a phase of a received acoustic signal. The signal outputs from the any two directional hydrophones, in conjunction with the phase from the omni-directional hydrophone are used to calculate a look angle to a target in a plane defined by the any two hydrophones, with the measurement being substantially independent of frequency. The three directional hydrophones yield look angles in three dimensions. The torpedo seeker head utilizes this information to provide guidance information to the torpedo.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.