Buoyant target with laser reflectivity

Abstract

A buoyant target or ship decoy comprises an inflatable structure with a drogue chute attached to the periphery of the bottom of the inflatable structure. The drogue chute is an open flexible structure with a bottom end weighted with ballast to deploy it, and with ports through its side to permit water to flow into and out of it. A laser reflector member is attached to an exterior surface of the inflatable structure. The laser reflector member comprises a body having one or more laser reflective surfaces.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 806,794, filed Mar. 29, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference it its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates generally to a target for gunfire training and, more particularly, to a buoyant, inflatable target with laser reflectivity. The invention is optionally used for “man overboard” training exercises.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Naval battle exercises involve shipborne weapons and floating targets to be hit by gunfire. It is often desired that the targets simulate the size and / or movement of boats and other floating objects. A problem associated with such targets is that they must often be large in size, which makes providing a large number of “hard targets” impractical. To address this, it is common practice to provide buoyant, inflatable and collapsible structures for targets. Such targets can be folded to a relatively small si...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]The target further comprises one or more laser reflector members disposed on one or more exterior surfaces of the inflatable structure, each one of the one or more laser reflector members comprising one or more laser-reflective surface configured to reflect laser light, e.g., infrared laser light.

[0011]In other aspects, a target comprises an inflatable structure formed of a flexible material that allows the inflatable structure to expand from a collapsed state to an inflated state. The target further comprises, in combination, a radar reflector device disposed inside the inflatable structure, the radar reflector device comprising a plurality of 3-surface orthogonal reflectors configured to reflect a radar signal, and one or more laser reflector members disposed on one or more exterior surfaces of the inflatable structure, each one of the one or more laser reflector members comprising one or more laser-reflective surfaces configured to reflect laser light, e.g., infrared laser light.

[0012]In other aspects, a target comprises an inflatable structure configured to expand from a collapsed state to an inflated state when filled with gas. The target further comprises, in combination, a radar reflector device disposed within the inflatable structure, the radar reflector device comprising three mutually orthogonal and intersecting planes, the planes configured to reflect a radar signal, the planes forming a plurality of orthogonal reflectors. And one or more laser reflector members disposed on one or more exterior surface of the inflatable structure, each one of the one or more laser reflector members comprising one or more laser-reflective surface configured to reflect laser light, e.g., infrared laser light.

Problems solved by technology

A problem associated with such targets is that they must often be large in size, which makes providing a large number of “hard targets” impractical.

Buoyant and inflatable targets, however, are susceptible water currents and waves, and more particularly to the wind, also known as set and drift, which cause the targets to move in a manner that does not properly simulate movements of a true battle target.

Many conventional drogue chutes cannot be emptied to permit convenient target recovery.

Proper sea anchors take time and experience to rig and launch, and the anchor line and commercial sea anchors cost money.

Many times a makeshift sea anchor is improperly rigged using a weighted ammunition shell casing or ammunition box full of scrap metal.

These types of sea anchors drop directly below the target balloon and exert too much resistance in heavy seas, resulting in damage to the target balloon before it can serve its intended purpose.

A problem with this approach is that the metal shavings can provide insufficient reflectivity, especially when the shavings settle to the bottom of the target over time.

A problem with this approach is that the metallic material, due to its electrical conductive properties, could present an electrical hazard during deployment and / or retrieval of the target on the deck of a ship.

Other approaches involving metal plates have the disadvantage of puncturing the inflatable target and making the target top heavy or unwieldy during deployment and retrieval of the target.

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