US 6,604,064 B1Granted

Moving weapons platform simulation system and training method

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy

InventorsRonald S. Wolff, Edward J. Purvis, Robert T. McCormack, Paul G. Barber

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Abstract

A simulation system for operation of simulated weapons on moving vehicles includes a platform for supporting a trainee and an actuator operable with the platform for providing pitch and roll movement to the platform in conformance with pre-recorded live movements. A demilitarized weapon is operated from the platform with the weapon providing a weapon triggering signal to a system computer. A pulsed laser light source is attached to the barrel of the weapon for emitting a beam and placing an infrared spot onto a video projection screen which displays a recorded scene provided by a video projector. A spot tracker continuously tracks the spot as the trainee aims the weapon toward selected targets within the scene, and provides coordinate location data representative of spot locations on the screen. The computer operates the actuator for controlling the pitch and roll movement of the platform in response to a pre-processed movement profile, and receives signals from the spot tracker for receiving the coordinate location data during weapon movement and firing for providing target strike performance measurements based on the aiming and firing of the weapon. Software used by the computer includes ballistic models for providing an added realism to the weapon selected for the training.

A method for training a gunner operating a weapon from a platform experiencing pitching and rolling movement, the method comprising the steps of:

placing the gunner on a platform, the gunner operating a demilitarized weapon therefrom;
attaching a light source on the weapon for emitting an infrared beam therefrom along a line-of sight of the gunner;
displaying a scene on a fixed screen for viewing by the gunner, wherein said scene is a prerecorded video image of landscape seen from a moving vehicle that simulates the terrain and targets viewed from the motorized military version of said demilitarized weapon;
placing the eye of the gunner at an elevation of a horizon in the scene;
locating a preselected target below the horizon within the scene;
imparting a pitching and rolling movement to the platform in response to a preselected motion profile synchronized with the scene, wherein said motion profile simultaneously was recorded with and corresponds to motion associated with said prerecorded video image;
aiming the weapon at the screen for placing an infrared spot thereon;
continuously tracking the infrared spot on the scene;
triggering the weapon for simulating a projectile emission from the weapon;
identifying a location of the spot for the triggering step;
making a ballistics correction for the simulated projectile, wherein the ballistics correction step comprises the steps of:
determining a range to the target based on an angle of depression from the line-of-sight from the eye of the gunner to the horizon and a known fixed distance between the gunner and screen, and
modifying the spot location identified for the triggering step based on a ballistic model consisting of factors selected from the group including exit velocity,
projectile shape, projectile weight, gravity, aerodynamic retardation, and Coriolis effect;
and
determining a gunner performance based on the spot identifying step and the location of the preselected target.

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Abstract

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