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US 6,231,002 B1Granted
System and method for defending a vehicle
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsRichard A. Hibma, Richard W. Hilscher, Kitae Yim, Edward C. Park
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for defending a vehicle against an approaching threat, is disclosed. A threat approaching the vehicle is identified. A rigid body is then deployed from the vehicle. Means associated with the body are provided for allowing controlled, guided propulsion of the body to position a reference axis of the body to a desired orientation relative to the threat and to translate the body substantially perpendicular to the reference axis, so as to eliminate the threat.
Claims29
A system for defending a vehicle traveling at a substantial velocity, comprising:
- (a) means for identifying a threat approaching said vehicle;
- (b) means for deploying a rigid body from said vehicle, said means for deploying the body being separate from said rigid body, said means for deploying providing a force sufficient to provide separation from said vehicle but being insufficient to generate an intercept trajectory, primarily;
- and
- (c) means associated with said body for providing controlled, guided propulsion of said body to position a reference axis of said body to a desired angular orientation relative to the threat and to translate said body substantially perpendicular to said reference axis so as to eliminate said threat, the intercept velocity of said rigid body being primarily provided by aerodynamic drag acting on said rigid body upon deployment from said vehicle.
1 more element
A method of defending a vehicle traveling at a substantial velocity, comprising the steps of:
- (a) identifying a threat approaching said vehicle;
- (b) controllably deploying a body from said vehicle, the deployment being provided by deployment means being separate from said body, said body having an outer surface thereon with a substantially circular cross section about at least one reference axis thereon,
- a plurality of spaced divert thruster means associated with said body, said thruster means for translating said body relative to said threat upon deployment from said vehicle,
- a plurality of spaced attitude control thruster means associated with said body for providing roll, pitch and yaw to orient said reference axis to a desired orientation relative to said threat, and
- a guidance system associated with said reference axis for communicating electronic signals to said attitude control thruster means and divert thruster means;
- and
- (c) controlling the position of said body relative to the threat by utilization of said divert thruster means, attitude control thruster means and said guidance system, thereby eliminating said threat, the intercept velocity of said rigid body being primarily provided by aerodynamic drag acting on said rigid body upon deployment from said vehicle.
4 more elements
A system for defending an atmospheric vehicle traveling at a substantial velocity, comprising:
- (a) means for identifying a threat approaching said vehicle;
- (b) means for deploying a rigid, spherical body from said vehicle, said means for deploying the body being separate from said rigid body, said means for deploying providing a force sufficient to provide separation from said vehicle but being insufficient to generate an intercept trajectory;
- and
- (c) means, associated with said body, for providing controlled, guided propulsion thereof to position a reference axis of said body to a desired angular orientation relative to the threat and to translate said body substantially perpendicular to said reference axis so as to eliminate said threat, the intercept velocity of said rigid body being primarily provided by aerodynamic drag acting on said rigid body upon deployment from said vehicle.
1 more element
A system for defending a vehicle traveling at a substantial velocity, comprising:
- (a) means for identifying a threat approaching said vehicle;
- (b) means for controllably deploying a body from said vehicle, the deployment being provided by deployment means being separate from said body, said body having an outer surface thereon with a substantially circular cross section about at least one reference axis thereon,
- a plurality of spaced divert thruster means associated with said body, said thruster means for translating said body relative to said threat upon deployment from said vehicle,
- a plurality of spaced attitude control thruster means associated with said body for providing roll, pitch and yaw to orient said reference axis to a desired orientation relative to said threat, and
- a guidance system associated with said reference axis for communicating electronic signals to said attitude control thruster means and divert thruster means;
- and
- (c) means for controlling the position of said body relative to the threat by utilization of said divert thruster means, attitude control thruster means and said guidance system, thereby eliminating said threat, the intercept velocity of said rigid body being primarily provided by aerodynamic drag acting on said rigid body upon deployment from said vehicle.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.