Active protection against beam-riding guided munition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12535301-B2
Application number	US-202218550041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2022
Priority date	Mar 11, 2021
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

The presently disclosed subject matter includes an active protection system and a method, dedicated for detecting, locating, and incapacitating beam-riding missiles and in that way protecting an asset from being targeted by the missile. According to some examples following receipt of a threat-indication, the active protection system estimates a location of a beam used for directing a threat (e.g., ATGM) to the target and launches an aerial platform that flies in the opposite direction along the beam until it meets and incapacitates the incoming threat.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system for intercepting a beam-riding threat, comprising:
a tracking subsystem, a computer processing circuitry and a countermeasure subsystem; the tracking subsystem is configured, following receipt of a threat-indication, to track an incoming threat and provide threat track-data to the computer processing circuitry; the processing circuitry is configured to determine, based on the threat track-data, an estimated location of a guiding beam used for guiding the incoming threat; the system is configured to: generate instructions causing the countermeasure subsystem to launch at least one aerial platform, the aerial platform comprises an onboard sensor sensitive for detecting electromagnetic radiation of the guiding beam; and provide to the aerial platform the estimated location of the guiding beam, to thereby enable the aerial platform to locate the guiding beam and operate the onboard sensor for flying along the guiding beam towards the incoming threat.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the onboard sensor is operatively connected to an onboard processing circuitry, the aerial platform comprising a flight control subsystem;
the onboard processing circuitry is configured to: process images captured by the onboard sensor, and identify in the images a spot created by a beam source of the guiding beam; monitor the location of the spot relative to onboard sensor focal plane array; provide data to the flight control subsystem for causing the flight control subsystem to maneuver the aerial platform such that the spot is maintained within the focal plane array of the onboard sensor and thereby align a flight path of the aerial platform with the direction of the beam.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the aerial platform comprises a countermeasure configured to be activated for incapacitating the threat upon compliance with a countermeasure activation condition; and wherein the countermeasure is operatively connected to a proximity fuse configured to process images captured by the onboard sensor and determine the range and/or closing velocity of the threat based on changes detected in the images.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the aerial platform is configured to enter the beam and fly inside the beam.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the tracking subsystem comprises a radar configured to track the aerial platform and collect platform track-data and a camera configured to track flying objects together with the radar to thereby improve accuracy of the threat and/or aerial platform track-data obtained by the radar.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the camera is configured to capture images at a frame rate that exceeds rate of radar plot measurements to thereby obtain accurate lateral velocity of the tracked object which is orthogonal to radial velocity determined by the radar alone.

7 . The system of claim 1 further comprises or otherwise operatively connected to a launch detection sensor configured to detect a launch event and determine an estimated location of a launch site;
wherein the tracking subsystem is configured, following launch of aerial platform, to continue and track the incoming threat and collect threat track-data; and
the processing circuitry is configured to determine and transmit to the aerial platform, updated location of the launch site, determined based on the threat track-data and estimated location of the launch site provided by the launch detection sensor.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the aerial platform is configured to transmit to the processing circuitry, during flight along the beam, line of sight (LOS) data indicative of one or more lines of sight from the aerial platform to a beam source of the guiding beam; wherein the processing circuitry is configured to estimate location of a firing unit, based on the LOS data.

9 . The system of claim 8 further comprising or otherwise operatively connected to a launch detection sensor configured to detect a threat launch event and determine an estimated location of a launch site, wherein the threat-indication is provided by the launch detection sensor following detection of the threat launch event; wherein the processing circuitry is configured to improve an accuracy of a firing unit localization based on the LOS data received from the aerial platform and the estimated location of the launch site received from the launch detection sensor.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the aerial platform is any one of a missile; unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); and drone.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the aerial platform comprises a countermeasure configured to be activated for incapacitating the threat upon compliance with a countermeasure activation condition.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the countermeasure subsystem is configured to launch at least two aerial platforms the at least two aerial platforms include a leading aerial platform and at least one trailing aerial platform, and wherein, in case the leading aerial platform fails to incapacitate the incoming threat, the at least one trailing platform is directed towards the beam and flies along the guiding beam towards the incoming threat.

13 . The system of claim 12 is configured for assessing successful incapacitation of the incoming threat by the leading aerial platform based on data obtained by the at least one trailing aerial platform.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the onboard sensor is an onboard receiver configured to detect a radio frequency guiding beam and wherein an onboard processing circuitry is configured to:
process signals captured by the onboard receiver and provide data to a flight control subsystem for causing the flight control subsystem to maneuver the aerial platform such that a flight path of the aerial platform is aligned with the direction of the beam.

15 . A method of intercepting a beam riding threat, the method comprising:
following receipt of a threat-indication, tracking an incoming threat and determining threat track-data; determining, based on the threat track-data, an estimated location of a guiding beam used for guiding the threat; launching at least one aerial platform towards the guiding beam, the aerial platform comprising an onboard sensor sensitive for detecting electromagnetic radiation of the guiding beam; and providing to the aerial platform the estimated location of the guiding beam, to thereby enable the aerial platform to locate the guiding beam and fly along the guiding beam towards the incoming threat.

16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising:
capturing images using the onboard sensor;
utilizing an onboard processing circuitry for:
processing the images captured by the onboard sensor, and identifying in the images a spot created by a beam source of the guiding beam;
monitoring a location of the spot relative to a focal plane array of the onboard sensor, and providing data to a flight control subsystem for causing the flight control subsystem to maneuver the aerial platform such that the spot is maintained within the focal plane array of the onboard sensor, thereby aligning a flight path of the aerial platform with the direction of the beam.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the spot is a main spot created by a beam source of the guiding beam, the method further comprising:
processing the images and identifying, in addition to the main spot, secondary spots created by scattering of the guiding beam from a body of the threat; monitoring the location of the secondary spots relative to the main spot; a

Assignees

• Elta Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Rovinsky Jacob
• Tourgeman Yoav

Classifications

• F41G7/2253

  Passive homing systems, i.e. comprising a receiver and do not requiring an active illumination of the target · CPC title

• F41G7/224

  Deceiving or protecting means (jamming or anti-jamming of radio-wave systems in general G01S7/36, G01S7/38; defense installations in general F41H11/02; chaff dispensers F42B12/70) · CPC title

• F41G7/007

  Preparatory measures taken before the launching of the guided missiles · CPC title

• F41H11/02 Primary

  Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile {or anti-torpedo} defence installations or systems (cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; {informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00}) · CPC title

• F41H11/06

  Guntraps {(devices specially adapted for the protection against criminal attack in airplanes B64D45/0015; burglar traps or the like, on safes E05G5/02; identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves, or intruders G08B15/00)} · CPC title