Methods and apparatuses for aerial interception of aerial threats

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9551552-B2
Application number	US-201313839637-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 2, 2012
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments include active protection systems and methods for an aerial platform. An onboard system includes radar modules, detects aerial vehicles within a threat range of the aerial platform, and determines if any of the aerial vehicles are an aerial threat. The onboard system also determines an intercept vector to the aerial threat, communicates the intercept vector to an eject vehicle, and causes the eject vehicle to be ejected from the aerial platform to intercept the aerial threat. The eject vehicle includes alignment thrusters to rotate a longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle to substantially align with the intercept vector, a rocket motor to accelerate the eject vehicle along an intercept vector, divert thrusters to divert the eject vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intercept vector, and attitude control thrusters to make adjustments to the attitude of the eject vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An eject vehicle for disposition in and ejection from a dispenser, the eject vehicle comprising:
a plurality of pitch thrusters configured to perform a pitch maneuver to generate a perpendicular force on the eject vehicle relative to a longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle after ejection of the eject vehicle to rotate and substantially align the eject vehicle with an intercept vector pointed toward an interception point for an identified aerial threat;
a rocket motor configured to perform a thrust maneuver to accelerate the eject vehicle along the longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle;
one or more divert thrusters configured to perform a divert maneuver on the eject vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intercept vector; and
two orthogonal linearly polarized receive antennas, outputs thereof being adaptively combined to match incoming polarization of received signals to substantially eliminate polarization mismatch loss induced by body rotation of the eject vehicle.

2. The eject vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more divert thrusters are further configured to compensate for an expected high pressure region forward of the divert thrusters and an expected low pressure region aft of the divert thrusters.

3. The eject vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of attitude control thrusters positioned forward or aft of the eject vehicle center of gravity and configured to make adjustments to an attitude of the eject vehicle when activated.

4. The eject vehicle of claim 3 , further comprising an electronics module configured for performing an attitude control algorithm to use a determination of an angle of attack of the eject vehicle to determine an appropriate time to fire an attitude control thruster of the plurality of attitude control thrusters to adjust the attitude of the eject vehicle to a desired orientation.

5. The eject vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an inertial management unit configured to determine at least one of acceleration, velocity, and position information in at least an angular coordinate of the eject vehicle responsive to one or more sensors selected from the group consisting of accelerometers, gyros, and magnetometers.

6. The eject vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising an electronics module for performing a Joint Adaptive Polarization and Roll Angle Estimator (JAPRAE) configured to determine a roll estimation by synthesizing information from the two orthogonal linearly polarized receive antennas and information from the inertial management unit.

7. The eject vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the JAPRAE is configured to determine the roll estimation using an extended Kalman filter.

8. The eject vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising an electronics module for performing a Joint Adaptive Polarization and Roll Angle Estimator (JAPRAE) configured to adaptively combine the signals from the two orthogonal linearly polarized receive antennas to match the polarization of the incident signal.

9. The eject vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
an impulse cartridge configured to fire responsive to a command from an aerial platform bearing the eject vehicle; and
an ejection piston configured to propel the eject vehicle away from the aerial platform responsive to the firing of the impulse cartridge.

10. The eject vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a warhead configured to detonate when the eject vehicle is away from the dispenser and within a predetermined range of the identified aerial threat.

11. A method of intercepting an aerial threat, comprising:
ejecting an eject vehicle from a dispenser;
performing a pitch maneuver with a plurality of pitch thrusters of the eject vehicle to align the eject vehicle along an intercept vector pointed substantially toward a projected intercept point with an identified aerial threat;
performing a thrust maneuver with a rocket motor of the eject vehicle to accelerate the eject vehicle;
performing a divert maneuver with one or more divert thrusters of the eject vehicle to divert the eject vehicle from the intercept vector one or more times after commencement of accelerating the eject vehicle to adjust a course of the eject vehicle to align the eject vehicle along an updated intercept vector; and
processing received signals from two orthogonal linearly polarized receive antennas to match incoming polarization of the received signals to substantially eliminate polarization mismatch loss induced by body rotation of the eject vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising compensating for an expected high pressure region forward of the divert thrusters and an expected low pressure region aft of the divert thrusters when diverting the eject vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising making adjustments to an attitude of the eject vehicle with a plurality of attitude control thrusters positioned near a front or rear of the eject vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising performing an attitude control algorithm using a determination of a roll estimation of the eject vehicle to determine an appropriate time to fire an attitude control thruster of the plurality of attitude control thrusters to adjust the attitude of the eject vehicle to a desired orientation.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining at least one of acceleration, velocity, and position information in at least an angular coordinate of the eject vehicle with an inertial management unit.

16. A method of intercepting an aerial threat, comprising:
ejecting an eject vehicle from a dispenser;
performing a pitch maneuver with a plurality of pitch thrusters of the eject vehicle to align the eject vehicle along an intercept vector pointed substantially toward a projected intercept point with an identified aerial threat;
performing a thrust maneuver with a rocket motor of the eject vehicle to accelerate the eject vehicle;
performing a divert maneuver with one or more divert thrusters of the eject vehicle to divert the eject vehicle from the intercept vector one or more times after commencement of accelerating the eject vehicle to adjust a course of the eject vehicle to align the eject vehicle along an updated intercept vector;
determining at least one of acceleration, velocity, and position information in at least an angular coordinate of the eject vehicle with an inertial management unit; and
performing a Joint Adaptive Polarization and Roll Angle Estimator (JAPRAE) to determine a roll estimation by synthesizing information from two orthogonal linearly polarized receive antennas and information from the inertial management unit.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein performing the JAPRAE further comprises determining the roll estimation with an extended Kalman filter.

18. An active protection system for an aerial platform, comprising:
an onboard system on an aerial platform comprising one or more sensor modules, the onboard system configured to:
detect a plurality of aerial vehicles within a threat range of the aerial platform;
determine if any of the plurality of aerial vehicles is an aerial threat;
determine an intercept vector to the aerial threat, the intercept vector pointed toward a projected interception point of an identified aerial threat;
communicate with at least one eject vehicle responsive to determining the intercept vector; and

the at least one eject vehicle configured to be ejected from the aerial platform, the at least one eject vehicle comprising:
a plurality of pitch thrusters configured to adjust a pitch of

Assignees

• Orbital Atk Inc

Inventors

• Kolanek James
• Baseghi Behshad
• Sharpin David
• Visco Anthony
• Shieh Falin

Classifications

• F41G7/303

  Sighting or tracking devices especially provided for simultaneous observation of the target and of the missile · CPC title

• F42B10/66

  Steering by varying intensity or direction of thrust (thrust vector control of rocket engine plants F02K9/80 {; guiding or controlling apparatus using jets adapted for cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/26}) · CPC title

• F42B15/105

  Air torpedoes, e.g. projectiles with or without propulsion, provided with supporting air foil surfaces · 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

• F42B15/01

  Arrangements thereon for guidance or control ({steering arrangements F42B10/60}; aircraft flight control B64C; guidance systems other than those installed aboard F41G7/00, F41G9/00; locating by use of radio or other waves G01S; flight control in general G05D1/00; computer aspects G06]) · CPC title