Thermally massive radar decoy
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorThomas G. Roberts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A light weight decoy for deceiving radar and forward looking infrared tracking systems. The decoy provides the same radar cross-section as that of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and is thermally massive across the entire black body spectrum. Thermal massiveness is accomplished by measuring the temperature of the decoy outer surface and the temperature of the space surrounding the decoy, obtaining the differential temperature, and radiating heat within the decoy to maintain the surface thereof at a temperature similar to that of an ICBM.
Claims8
A method of providing a thermal decoy that is thermally massive across the entire black body spectrum comprising the steps of:
- placing a decoy housing into an outer space environment,
- sensing the temperature of the outer surface of said housing,
- simultaneously sensing the temperature of the outer space environment adjacent said housing,
- combining the sensed temperatures to provide an output voltage difference signal therefrom for driving a current source,
- driving said current source to provide a current output to a resistance heater for generating heat,
- radiating said heat within said decoy housing, and
- re-radiating said heat from said housing into outer space.
In a missile system wherein an intercontinental ballistic missile and light weight decoy missile are launched into an outer space environment toward a target a method for causing the decoys to appear as thermal decoys providing the same radar cross-section as that of the intercontinental ballistic missile and comprising the steps of:
- launching said missile along a polar orbital path,
- sensing the temperature of the outer surface of said decoy missile as a first temperature,
- simultaneously sensing the temperature of the outer space surrounding the decoy as a second temperature,
- providing first and second variable voltage outputs as a function of said first and second temperatures,
- combining said first and second voltages to provide a difference signal,
- supplying electrical power to a resistance heater within said decoy in response to said difference signal, and radiating heat from said heater to maintain the decoy outer surface at a temperature similar to that of said intercontinental ballistic missile.
Apparatus for providing a light weight decoy missile which simulates an intercontinental ballistic missile when launched into outer space along a polar orbital path, comrising:
- a light weight missile housing, sensing means disposed in the housing for measuring the temperature of the housing and for measuring surrounding exo-atmospheric temperature, processing means coupled to said sensing means for converting said temperature into equivalent voltages and providing a voltage output that is a function of the difference between the temperatures, heat generating means coupled to said processing means output for radiating heat within said decoy to maintain the decoy outer surface at a temperature commensurate with that of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.