Method for performing exo-atmospheric missile's interception trial
AssigneeIsrael Aerospace Industries Ltd.
InventorsJacob Rovinsky, Yoav Tourgeman
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Abstract
An inflatable dummy target fittable into a carrier missile capable of being released from the carrier missile during exo-atmospheric flight; upon release, the dummy target or portion thereof is capable of being inflated and manifest characteristics that resemble GTG missile characteristics, wherein the GTG missile characteristics include IR signature, RF signature and GTG missile.
Claims31
A method of facilitating exo-atmospheric Ground-to-Ground (GTG) missile's interception trial, comprising:
- (a) launching a carrier missile accommodating at least one inflatable dummy target having a flexible external skin and an internal rigid structure for simulating a warhead, said carrier missile being configured to release each said at least one inflatable dummy target therefrom;
- wherein each said dummy target or portion thereof is configured to be inflated and has characteristics that resemble a GTG missile characteristics;
- and wherein each said dummy target is configured to re-route its flight trajectory during its release from the carrier missile for at least (i) facilitating sensing of data during an interception process, by said carrier missile, during the END GAME, (ii) assuring that the carrier missile is substantially out of the field of view of an interceptor during the END-GAME, or iii) assuring that the carrier missile is substantially in the field of view of the interceptor during the END-GAME at a pre-defined location relative to each said dummy target;
- (b) launching an interceptor for exo-atmospheric interception of each said dummy target;
- and
- (c) receiving communication of data sensed during the interception process.
A method of simplifying exo-atmospheric Ground-to-Ground (GTG) missile's interception trial, comprising:
- (a) providing at least one inflatable dummy target that is manufacturable in a considerably simpler manufacturing process than a GTG missile, said at least one inflatable dummy target being capable of manifesting characteristics that resemble characteristics of the GTG missile, and having a flexible external skin and an internal rigid structure for simulating a warhead, and wherein use of said at least one inflatable dummy target prevents near and far safety problems;
- (b) providing a common carrier missile capable of accommodating said at least one dummy target, irrespective of the characteristics thereof;
- whereby said common carrier missile is capable of being launched and being configured to release each said at least one inflatable dummy target at selected exo-atmospheric locations, for testing the ability of an interceptor missile to intercept each said dummy target at exo-atmospheric interception point, thereby testing the interceptor's operational feasibility to destroy the GTG missile.
A method of generating dummy target characteristics that resemble Ground-to-Ground (GTG) missile characteristics, comprising launching a carrier missile accommodating at least one inflatable dummy target having a flexible external skin and an internal rigid structure for simulating a warhead, said carrier being configured to release each said inflatable dummy target;
- each said dummy target or portion thereof being configured to be inflated upon its release from the carrier and configured to manifest characteristics that resemble GTG missile characteristics, including at least an IR signature that resemble a GTG missile IR signature, an RF signature that resembles a GTG missile RF signature, a geometry that resembles a GTG missile geometry and an internal rigid structure that resembles an internal warhead.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.