Missile seekers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9696117-B2
Application number	US-201414898173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2014
Priority date	Jun 14, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A sensor for a missile seeker includes a primary, concave, reflector that is reflective to RF waves and to another kind of waves, but that includes a transmissive region, through which RF waves can pass. A secondary, convex, reflector is reflective to RF waves but transmissive, and not reflective, to the other kind of waves, and is arranged facing the primary reflector to further reflect RF waves reflected by the primary reflector through the transmissive region of the primary reflector. An RF detector is arranged on the opposite side of the primary reflector from the secondary reflector and arranged to detect the RF waves reflected by the secondary reflector through the transmissive region of the primary reflector. A second detector, for detecting the other kind of waves, is arranged on the opposite side of the secondary reflector from the primary reflector and is arranged to detect the other kind of waves after they are reflected by the primary reflector and transmitted through the secondary reflector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor for a missile seeker, the sensor comprising:
a primary, concave, reflector that is reflective to RF waves and to another kind of waves, but that includes a transmissive region, through which RF waves can pass;
a secondary, convex, reflector that is reflective to RF waves but transmissive to the other kind of waves, and is arranged facing the primary reflector to further reflect RF waves reflected by the primary reflector through the transmissive region of the primary reflector;
an RF detector for detecting RF waves, arranged on the opposite side of the primary reflector from the secondary reflector and arranged to detect the RF waves reflected by the secondary reflector through the transmissive region of the primary reflector; and
a second detector, for detecting the other kind of waves, the second detector being arranged on the opposite side of the secondary reflector from the primary reflector and being arranged to detect the other kind of waves after they are reflected by the primary reflector and transmitted through the secondary reflector.

2. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the other kind of waves is an electromagnetic (EM) wave.

3. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the other kind of waves is an acoustic wave.

4. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the secondary reflector is on the front surface of a convex solid supporting structure.

5. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the second detector is a quadrant detector, an imager or an intensity detector.

6. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the sensor includes LADAR apparatus, and the second detector is a detector of the LADAR apparatus.

7. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the concave primary detector focuses the other kind of waves on the second detector.

8. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the other kind of waves is out of focus at the second detector.

9. A sensor as claimed in claim 8 , in which the sensor includes an imager and the imager includes or is connected to an image processor and the second detector is configured to provide an out-of-focus image of the other kind of waves to the imager, the image processor being configured to sharpen in software the out-of-focus image.

10. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the other kind of waves comprises two or more wavelengths.

11. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the RF waves comprise two or more carrier wavelengths.

12. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the primary reflector is reflective of, the secondary reflector is transmissive of, and the second detector is arranged to detect, at least one further other kind of wave.

13. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which a third detector for detecting yet another kind of waves is provided behind the primary reflector.

14. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the primary reflector is configured to be steerable when it is mounted inside a missile and the secondary reflector is configured to move with the primary reflector as the primary reflector is steered.

15. A sensor as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a low-light camera or thermal imager.

16. A sensor as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the thermal imager operates in the mid-IR or the long IR.

Assignees

• Mbda Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Miller Lee Douglas

Classifications

• F41G7/2286

  using radio waves · CPC title

• H01Q19/191

  wherein the primary active element uses one or more deflecting surfaces, e.g. beam waveguide feeds · CPC title

• F41G7/228

  using acoustic waves, e.g. for torpedoes · CPC title

• F41G7/008 Primary

  Combinations of different guidance systems · CPC title

• F41G7/2253

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