Methods and apparatus for intercepting a projectile
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsJames M. Cook, Robert S. Brinkerhoff, Michael J. Mahnken
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for firing a projectile in response to a threat according to various aspects of the present invention operate in conjunction with a computer coupled to a launch system for the projectile. The computer may be configured to select the projectile from multiple available projectiles and calculate a fire control solution according to a characteristic of the selected projectile. Calculating the fire control solution may comprise deriving the fire control solution from a look-up table according to a predicted intercept point. The computer may initiate a launch of the selected projectile and provide the fire control solution to the selected projectile.
Claims22
A computer-implementable method for firing a projectile in response to a threat, comprising:
- selecting the projectile from multiple available projectiles;
- calculating an initial fire control solution according to a characteristic of the selected projectile;
- calculating a final fire control solution according to a characteristic of the selected projectile, wherein calculating the final fire control solution comprises deriving the final fire control solution from a look-up table according to a predicted intercept point, wherein the look-up table comprises predetermined countermeasure fire control solutions for multiple engagement scenarios, and wherein the final fire control solution is an updating of the initial fire control solution;
- receiving a launch signal to initiate a launch of the projectile;
- launching the selected projectile;
- before the launching initiates, providing the initial fire control solution to the selected projectile;
- after the launching initiates, providing the final fire control solution to the selected projectile;
- and
- guiding the selected projectile according to the final fire control solution,
- wherein the providing includes providing the fire final fire control solution via a projectile interface link that couples the selected projectile to a computer in which the calculating occurs, and
- wherein the projectile interface link is a physical interface that releases after launch.
A system for firing a projectile in response to a threat, comprising a computer configured to:
- select the projectile from multiple available projectiles;
- calculate an initial fire control solution according to a characteristic of the selected projectile;
- calculate a final fire control solution according to a characteristic of the selected projectile, wherein calculating the final fire control solution comprises deriving the final fire control solution from a look-up table according to a predicted intercept point, wherein the look-up table comprises predetermined countermeasure fire control solutions for multiple engagement scenarios, and wherein the final fire control solution is an updating of the initial fire control solution;
- initiate a launch of the selected projectile, wherein the initiating includes sending a launch signal;
- before initiating the launch, provide the initial fire control solution to the selected projectile;
- and
- after initiating the launch, provide the final fire control solution to the selected projectile,
- wherein the computer is further configured to provide the final fire control solution to the selected projectile over a physical interface with the projectile that releases after the launching.
A method for firing a projectile in response to a threat, comprising:
- selecting the projectile from multiple available projectiles;
- calculating an initial fire control solution according to a characteristic of the selected projectile;
- calculating a final fire control solution according to a characteristic of the selected projectile, wherein the final fire control solution is an updating of the initial fire control solution;
- receiving a launch signal to initiate a launch of the projectile:
- initiating the launch of the selected projectile from a launcher;
- before the launching initiates, providing the initial fire control solution to the selected projectile;
- after the launching initiates, providing the final fire control solution to the selected projectile;
- and
- guiding the selected projectile according to the final fire control solution,
- wherein the providing occurs over a physical interface that releases after the launching.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.