Interception system that employs miniature kill vehicles

Abstract

There is provided an interception system that employs miniature kill vehicles. According to certain embodiments of the invention, a small kill-vehicle (KV) accommodated within an interceptor missile together with additional at least one KV, each KV is equipped with an image acquisition sensor operable in the visible or near IR range, and adapted to be launched from the interceptor missile during exo-atmospheric flight and utilizing said sensor for tracking and homing at least one Re-entry Vehicle (RV) of a Ballistic Missile (BM).

1 . A small kill-vehicle (KV) accommodated within an interceptor missile together with additional at least one KV, each KV is equipped with an image acquisition sensor operable in the visible or near IR range, and adapted to be launched from the interceptor missile during exo-atmospheric flight and utilizing said sensor for tracking and homing at least one Re-entry Vehicle (RV) of a Ballistic Missile (BM). 
     
     
         2 . The KV of  claim 1 , wherein said tracking is performed in an autonomous manner. 
     
     
         3 . The KV according to  claim 1  further equipped with a gyro system to perform the tracking and homing. 
     
     
         4 . The KV according to  claim 1  further being equipped with accelerometers to calculate its self position. 
     
     
         5 . An interceptor missile for exo-atmospheric interception of at least one Re-entry Vehicle (RV) of a Ballistic missile (BM), comprising: a plurality of small kill-vehicle (KVs) accommodated within the interceptor missile, each KV being equipped with a built-in image acquisition sensor operable in the visible or near IR range, the interceptor missile includes
 sensor operable in the infra-red range;   illuminator operating in the visible or near IR range,   control coupled to said image acquisition means and illuminator;   said sensor is capable of sensing the RV and in response said control is configured to command said illuminator to illuminate the RV;   said control is further configured to comply with a mission plan and issue a command for launching at least one of said KVs that is configured to track and home the RV utilizing its built in sensor operating in the visible or near IR range.   
     
     
         6 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 5 , wherein the interceptor sensor is operable in the wavelength range of 3-5 microns. 
     
     
         7 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 5 , wherein the interceptor sensor is operable in the wavelength range of 8-12 microns. 
     
     
         8 . The interceptor according to  claim 5 , wherein said illuminator being a laser designator. 
     
     
         9 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 5 , wherein said sensor is configured to sense at least two RVs of a Ballistic missile (BM), and in response said control is configured to command said illuminator to illuminate the RV;
 said control is further configured to trigger a command for launching at least two of said KVs, such that each launched KV is configured to track and home the RV utilizing its built in sensor operating in the visible or near IR range.   
     
     
         10 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 9 , wherein said control is configured to command said illuminator to switch illumination between at least two RVs that were separated from said BM. 
     
     
         11 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 5 , wherein said illuminator includes fast illumination beam direction system for fast switching of illuminations between RVs that were separated from said BM. 
     
     
         12 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 5  wherein said illumination is modulated allowing said control to calculate range to the RV. 
     
     
         13 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 5 , wherein said illumination is unmodulated. 
     
     
         14 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 5 , further comprising communication means for receiving initial location of each RV in a cluster of RVs. 
     
     
         15 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 14 , wherein said control is further configured to divert the interceptor towards the center of the cluster. 
     
     
         16 . The interceptor according to  claim 5 , wherein the control is configured to trigger a command for launching an KV with or without an initial velocity towards a designated RV. 
     
     
         17 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 9 , wherein at least two KVs are launched towards the same RV with a time delay between planned interceptions to increase the kill probability. 
     
     
         18 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 9 , wherein at least two KVs are released towards different RVs which were separated from the same BM or from different BMs in a salvo, according to the divert capability of the KVs and the warheads dispersion. 
     
     
         19 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 9 , wherein at least additional KV is launched towards the same RVs in response to detecting a miss, provided the time budget and required divert of the KV allow an additional try. 
     
     
         20 . The interceptor missile according to  claim 5  is capable of performing kill assessment by the sensor. 
     
     
         21 . The interceptor according to  claim 5 , wherein said mission plan is communicated to the interceptor from a ground station. 
     
     
         22 . A method for exo-atmospheric interception of Re-entry Vehicles (RVs) of a Ballistic Missile (BM), comprising:
 a) providing a plurality of small kill-vehicle (KVs) accommodated within an interceptor missile, each KV being equipped with a built-in image acquisition sensor operable in the visible or near IR range;   b) sensing an RV of a Ballistic missile (BM) and in response illuminating the RV with a beam in the visible or near IR range;   c) obtaining a mission plan and issuing a command for launching at least one of said KVs that is configured to track and home the RV utilizing its built in sensor operating in the visible or near IR range.