Radar tracking system
AssigneeMbda UK Limited
InventorPeter James MacBean
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An angle tracking radar system particularly for a missile with a steerable antenna and gyros strapped down to the missile body—a ‘partially strapdown’ system. The body rate signals, body acceleration signals where provided, and target position signals are converted into an electronic reference frame which is controlled to align with the target sightline, the above body and target signals being employed to produce estimates of target direction, sightline rate and sightline acceleration for use in controlling the missile.
Claims7
An angle tracking radar system for a target-seeking missile having a body and a steerable beam antenna, the system comprising:
- (a) a receiver responsive to target signals received by said antenna to provide receiver output signals indicative of target direction;
- (b) processing means including a recursive estimator;
- (c) an inertial reference unit fixed relative to the body of the missile, and operative for producing body rate signals;
- (d) said processing means being responsive to said receiver output signals and to said body rate signals produced by said inertial reference unit for providing
- (i) an estimate of target sightline direction and angular velocity and
- (ii) an estimate of target acceleration for guiding the missile and steering the antenna beam onto the target;
- (e) said processing means converting said body rate signals and said receiver output signals into signals in an electronic frame, said electronic frame having orthogonal coordinates which are controlled in dependence upon said body rate signals and said sightline angular velocity estimate to produce alignment of one of said coordinates and said estimated sightline;
- and
- (f) all of said estimates of sightline and angular velocity being derived in said electronic frame coordinates for missile guidance control.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.