US 9,541,350 B1 · Coordinating waves of long-range strike weapons (LRSWs) to attack a target set by passing observational sensor data from lead LRSWs to follower LRSWs

Abstract

Multiple LRSWs are launched to place at least one follower LRSW in a trailing position to at least one lead LRSW in a lead wave. Knowledge of the target space and particularly the primary target gained by the lead LRSWs is transmitted to the follower LRSWs (either directly or via another communication platform such as a satellite or UAV) and incorporated by the follower LRSWs to inform target selection. The follower LRSWs in the following wave trail the lead LRSWs in the lead wave with sufficient spacing in time and distance to inform target selection and with range remaining to maneuver to the selected target. This knowledge may be transmitted back to another follower LRSW (together with any data acquired the initial follower LRSW) and so forth in a “string” of LRSWs to inform target selection and maneuver the LRSWs to the primary target or an alternate target.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of coordinating Long-Range Strike Weapons (LRSWs) to attack one or more targets, comprising:

launching a lead LRSW to attack a primary target in a lead target set;
launching a follower LRSW in a trailing relationship to the lead LRSW;
from the lead LRSW, collecting and processing observational sensor data of a target scene to attack either the primary target or an alternate target from the first target set and transmitting the observational sensor data and processed mission data via a communication link;
from the follower LRSW, receiving and processing the observational sensor data and processed mission data from the lead LRSW via a communications link to inform selection of a target from a follower target set including the primary target and at least one alternate target;
and
timing the launch of the follower LRSW such that the follower LRSW receives and processes the observational sensor data to inform selection of the target with range remaining to attack either the primary target or the at least one alternate target.

3 more elements

A method of coordinating Long-Range Strike Weapons (LRSWs) to attack one or more targets, comprising:

launching a first wave of multiple N lead LRSWs to attack one or more primary targets in a lead target set;
launching a second wave of multiple M follower LRSW in a trailing relationship to the first wave where M<=N;
from each of the lead LRSWs in the first wave, collecting and processing observational sensor data of a target scene to attack either one of the one or more primary targets or an alternate target from the lead target set and transmitting the observational sensor data and processed mission data via a communication link;
from each of the follower LRSWs, receiving and processing the observational sensor data and processed mission data from at least one of the lead LRSWs in the first wave via a communications link to inform selection of a target from a follower target set including at least one of the one or more primary targets and at least one alternate target;
and
timing the launch of the second wave of follower LRSWs such that the follower LRSWs receives and processes the observational sensor data to inform selection of the target with range remaining to attack either the at least one primary target or the at least one alternate target in the follower target set.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Coordinating waves of long-range strike weapons (LRSWs) to attack a target set by passing observational sensor data from lead LRSWs to follower LRSWs

Life of this patent

Coordinating waves of long-range strike weapons (LRSWs) to attack a target set by passing observational sensor data from lead LRSWs to follower LRSWs

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20