Targeting systems

Abstract

Described herein is a method of controlling the operation of a missile launcher ( 12 ) by predicting the landing position ( 22 ) of a missile ( 16 ) in flight before it lands. The method includes tracking the missile ( 16 ) as it travels along its trajectory ( 18 ) until it reaches its apogee ( 20 ) and calculating the landing position ( 22 ) to provide a feedback correction signal to launcher ( 12 ) for the next missile to be launched. By utilising a feedback correction signal in this way, the time to hitting a target ( 10 ) from the time of engagement is substantially reduced.

1 . A method of controlling the operation of a missile launcher which fires free fall ballistics missiles, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) firing a missile from the missile launcher;    b) tracking the trajectory of the fired missile;    c) calculating a predicted point of impact of the missile after it reaches its trajectory apogee;    d) feeding back the predicted point of impact to the missile launcher before the missile impacts;    e) applying a correction prior to firing a subsequent missile; and    f) repeating steps a) to e) until the missile impacts a chosen target.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step d) comprises feeding back the predicted range of the missile.  
   
   
       3 . A control system for a free fall ballistics missile fired from a missile launcher, the control system including:—
 tracking means for tracking the trajectory of a missile fired from the missile launcher;    calculation means for calculating a predicted point of impact of the missile, the calculation means being operable immediately after the missile reaches its trajectory apogee; and    feedback means for feeding back the predicted point of impact to the missile launcher so that a correction can be applied before the fired missile makes impact prior to the launch of subsequent missile.    
   
   
       4 . A control system according to  claim 3 , wherein the calculation means comprises a processor connected to receive data from the tracking means and to provide data relating to the predicted point of impact in the form of range information.  
   
   
       5 . A control system according to  claim 4 , wherein the processor includes the feedback means.  
   
   
       6 . A control system according to  claim 3 , wherein the tracking means comprises a tracking radar system.  
   
   
       7 . A control system according to  claim 6 , wherein the tracking radar system recognises the missile as it is fired from the missile launcher.  
   
   
       8 - 10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . A control system according to  claim 4 , wherein the tracking means comprises a tracking radar system.  
   
   
       12 . A control system according to  claim 11 , wherein the tracking radar system recognizes the missile as it is fired from the missile launcher.  
   
   
       13 . A control system according to  claim 5 , wherein the tracking means comprises a tracking radar system.  
   
   
       14 . A control system according to  claim 13 , wherein the tracking radar system recognizes the missile as it is fired from the missile launcher.  
   
   
       15 . A targeting system including a control system according to  claim 3 .  
   
   
       16 . A targeting system including a control system according to  claim 7 .  
   
   
       17 . A targeting system including a control system according to  claim 12 .  
   
   
       18 . A targeting system including a control system according to  claim 14.