COIL UNIT FOR A STEERING FLAG BODY

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a coil unit for a guided missile launched underwater from a launch tube of a launch platform, comprising a missile coil to remain in the guided missile and a data conductor wound onto the missile coil and connected to the launch platform for data purposes.

[0002] To defend submarines against aerial attacks by rotary-wing aircraft, guided missiles are known. These launch from a submarine's torpedo tube, travel through the water to the surface, and then glide over the surface to target the air target. Since the threat situation above the water surface is difficult to accurately track from the submarine, the air target can often only be targeted after the guided missile has surfaced from the water. A target transfer from the submarine to the guided missile before launch is not possible.

[0003] In order to reliably carry out target selection and target acquisition above water, it is useful for an operator to be able to identify and select possible air targets using the guided missile's seeker and then hand the selected air target over to the guided missile. However, this is only possible after launch and after the guided missile has surfaced from the water, so a data connection between the guided missile and the launch platform is necessary. Data cables are known for this purpose. These are wound on a spool of the guided missile and unwind during flight, allowing the guided missile to lay the data cable underwater and in the air, via which it remains connected to the launch platform during flight. Such a guided missile for underwater travel and surface flight with a spool with a data cable is known from EP2887005A1.Such an arrangement is also known from DE 10 2004 024858 A1, which, however, in addition to the coil of the guided missile, has a platform coil wound with the data cable to remain on the launch platform after the launch of the guided missile.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to increase the reliability of the data conductor from the missile coil.

[0005] This object is achieved by a coil unit according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 13.

[0006] The housing defined in these claims ensures that the two coils are kept dry when the launch tube is flooded while the guided missile is flooded with water.

[0007] The invention is based on the idea that the data cable is subjected to significant stress when the guided missile is fired from the launch tube. The data cable is pulled along by the launch platform through the water until the missile reaches the air target. With a platform reel that remains on the launch platform and releases the data cable, the data cable can also be laid in the water from the launch platform, thus preventing the data cable from dragging and protecting it.

[0008] Before a guided missile can launch from a torpedo tube, the tube must be flooded. Since the data cable runs from the interior of the missile to the exterior, seawater will enter the coil compartment at launch. At greater depths, if the coil compartment is sealed, seawater would impact the coil compartment with force during launch and potentially damage the cable. It is therefore advisable to keep the coil compartment open to the outside so that if the torpedo compartment floods, seawater can also penetrate the coil compartment and create pressure equalization.

[0009] In military exercises, a submarine torpedo tube is flooded for training purposes, even without the missile actually being launched. The same thing happens if a defense against air targets is aborted after the torpedo tube has been flooded. The torpedo tube is then pressurized with compressed air and cleared of seawater. If necessary, the missile is removed from the torpedo tube for later use. The wetting of the missile coil that occurs during this process can lead to corrosion or deposits. In the worst case, repeated flooding can even lead to fouling, for example, initial barnacles. All of this can endanger a cable pull at high speed in a later deployment. Adverse deposits can include dried-on dirt or even initial barnacle formation on the coil or in the coil compartment.This disadvantage can be counteracted by keeping the missile coil dry even when the launch tube is flooded. However, this is difficult with a platform coil, as the data cable from the missile's missile coil to the platform coil typically runs through the seawater in the flooded launch tube.

[0010] To solve this problem, the invention proposes integrating the platform coil into the coil unit. The platform coil can be part of the guided missile and integrated into it, rather than, as is usual, part of the launch platform. Both coils are combined in the coil unit, which in turn can be part of the guided missile, for example, forming a tail section of the guided missile. The housing keeps the coils dry even if the launch platform's firing tube is flooded. This allows the guided missile to be reused even after an exercise or after an attack is aborted, without the risk of a coil becoming contaminated and thus jeopardizing subsequent cable withdrawal.

[0011] The housing is expediently divided into at least two parts: a missile part that remains attached to the guided missile and a platform part that remains attached to the launch platform. Upon launch of the guided missile, the missile part with the missile coil can be separated from the platform part and carried along with the guided missile, while the platform part with the platform coil remains attached to the platform. The platform coil routes the data cable according to the movement of the platform, and the missile coil according to the movement of the missile, thus avoiding any dragging of the data cable.

[0012] The coil unit carries both coils and has the housing. The housing of the coil unit advantageously forms part of the outer skin of the guided missile, for example the rearmost part of the outer skin. The data conductor is expediently an optical fiber with external insulation. The data conductor can be wound continuously around both coils and connected to a data interface of the coil unit. Via this data interface, for example a connector on the housing of the coil unit, the data conductor can be connected for data purposes to a command center on the launch platform, from which an operator can control the guided missile after it has been launched. The missile coil is expediently an outer coil, i.e. with a radially outward vent. The platform coil, on the other hand, can be an inner coil with a radially inward vent. The missile coil should be prepared for an air vent, in particular for an air vent at several hundred m / s.The guided missile can be a sea-to-air missile and preferably has a rocket engine, particularly a solid-fuel engine. Furthermore, a seeker head for mapping the environment for an operator is useful, as is, in particular, an active element for engaging a target.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the housing has a missile part and a platform part. Both parts can be separated from one another, for example during missile launch. It is advantageous if both parts engage with one another and are sealed against one another, for example with a sealing unit. A suitable sealing unit can be an elastic O-ring. The sealing unit should be mounted on or in at least one of the two housing parts in such a way that when the housing parts are pulled apart, it is mounted securely against falling out, expediently in the platform part of the housing, and does not fall onto the data conductor. Both housing parts can be blocked against separation from one another with a securing means. The securing means can engage in a groove in each housing part and can be, for example, a locking pin.Separating the two housing parts is only possible when the securing device is released, for example by removing the locking pin.

[0014] Good aerodynamic properties of the guided missile can be maintained if the platform portion of the housing radially overlaps the missile portion, allowing it to be axially pushed onto or pulled off the missile portion. The missile portion of the housing can form a contact surface on its inner wall, against which the data conductor rests during air unwinding, so that it is guided outward through the contact surface. The inner wall of the housing can also have a rear taper, so that the data conductor must move radially inward during withdrawal before leaving the missile portion of the housing. This can improve withdrawal.

[0015] It is also advantageous if the sealing unit rests on an outer cone of the missile body portion in such a way that pulling the missile body portion away from the platform portion compresses the sealing unit. This increases the force required to separate the two housing parts, maintaining a certain degree of security against accidental separation even when the safety unit is released. This is useful if the guided missile is inserted into the firing tube with the safety unit released, which could expose the housing to frictional forces against the firing tube wall.

[0016] The missile coil can be a unit with multiple windings or coils. For example, the missile coil contains a launch coil and a march coil. While the launch coil serves for withdrawal during underwater travel, the march coil can be designed for high-speed air withdrawal. Both coils can be external coils. Geometrically, it is sensible for the platform part of the housing containing the platform coil to wrap around the missile part of the housing containing the missile coil. This can ensure a largely friction-free withdrawal of the launch coil without increasing the diameter of the platform part of the housing.

[0017] It has been shown that, particularly for reliable cable withdrawal from the missile coil, it is better if the coil is wetted, as this facilitates cable withdrawal. This is particularly advantageous during overwater flight, as the cable stress is enormous at unwinding speeds of up to 300 m / s. Therefore, coils should be wetted before the guided missile is launched from the launch tube. However, this should not be done without the coil actually being fired, in order to protect the coils from barnacle formation or dried-on contamination during further use. To achieve this, it is proposed that the coil unit contain a flooding valve to flood the interior of the housing. Before an actual launch, the interior can be flooded and the coils can be prepared for launch. In addition, pressure-induced seawater impaction into the coil chamber during launch can be avoided.

[0018] The flooding valve can have a sealing position and a flooding position for flooding the two coils with water surrounding the guided missile, so that the valve can be actively adjusted or the flooding can be initiated at a selectable time after flooding of the launch tube and before launch of the guided missile. The housing interior can therefore be flooded with water surrounding the guided missile when the launch tube is flooded using the flooding valve. The flooding valve is expediently arranged in a front region of the missile coil, for example in an axial position within the front third of the missile coil. However, the flooding valve does not have to be directly adjacent to a coil and can also be located in a housing section in front of the missile coil, in particular up to half an axial coil length in front of the front end of the missile coil. The coil unit then extends as far as the flooding valve.In order to achieve uniform flooding of the coil chamber, it is advisable to have several flooding valves, which are distributed in particular tangentially along the circumference of the housing, for example two or four flooding valves.

[0019] The flooding valve can be opened shortly before takeoff. A quick opening is advantageous in this case. For this purpose, the flooding valve can be a pyrotechnic valve. Furthermore, its simplicity and reliability speak in favor of a pyrotechnic valve. However, an electromechanical or electromagnetic valve is also possible.

[0020] During missile flight, it is beneficial to ensure the reliable unwinding of the data cable from the missile coil if air flows through the coil chamber, preferably in the unwinding direction, i.e., from front to rear, since the data cable is discharged to the rear. For this purpose, an air vent in the front area of ​​the coil chamber is useful, connecting the coil chamber to the missile's surroundings. If a flooding valve is present, it is advantageous if the flooding valve, when open, is designed as an air purge opening to flush the missile coil with outside air from outside the missile during overwater flight.

[0021] The speed of the guided missile both underwater and above water influences the inflow behavior of water or air through the flooding valve into the coil space around the coil winding. To achieve the most uniform inflow possible, the flooding valve and its geometry should be designed in such a way that the fluid - water or air - flows easily into the flooding valve even at low speeds. However, at high speeds it may then flow too quickly into the coil space and undesirably affect the unwinding. To keep the flow as uniform and moderate as possible, it is advantageous if the flooding valve has a labyrinth to slow down the inflowing fluid, especially water.A labyrinth can be considered a fluid flow that is deflected at least twice in the tangential direction by at least 45°. For example, from the axial direction—regardless of any radial component—at least 45° in the tangential direction and back again. A distribution of one opening of the flooding valve into at least two openings in the coil chamber can also be considered a labyrinth.

[0022] In order to allow sufficient fluid to flow through the coil chamber even at low travel or flight speeds, it is advantageous if the coil unit has a guide vane and a flooding valve in front of the guide vane, which are arranged in such a way that the guide vane promotes the inflow of fluid through the flooding valve. The forward direction is to be seen in relation to the guided missile or its direction of flight. One possibility is for the geometry of the guide vane to increase the fluid pressure, i.e. that of the water or air, in the area of ​​the flooding valve compared to a situation without the guide vane. One way to achieve the higher pressure is for the guide vane to have a deflection means that directs the fluid into the flooding valve. For example, the guide vane can be concave towards the front.However, the deflection means can also be present without the guide vane, so that when the guided missile moves through a fluid, the deflection means directs part of the fluid into the flooding valve, thus promoting the inflow of fluid through the flooding valve.

[0023] The invention is also directed to a guided missile with a coil unit as described above. This coil unit expediently forms a tail section of the guided missile. Using a data interface for connection to the launch platform, for example, when the guided missile is inserted into a launch tube of the launch platform, the data cable can be easily connected to a command post in the launch platform for data transmission. The data interface can be a connector that, when the guided missile is arranged in the launch tube, is plugged into a counterpart of the connector in the launch tube. The interface is expediently arranged in or on the platform section of the housing.If the guided missile moves forward in the launch tube during launch, the platform part is pulled backwards from the missile part of the housing from the missile's perspective and remains in the tube, so that the data connection between the launch platform and, for example, the seeker of the guided missile is maintained via the interface and the data cable connected to it.

[0024] The guided missile is expediently equipped with an engine that may have a central gas guide tube or at least a lateral exhaust nozzle. If a lateral exhaust nozzle is present, it is advantageous if a flooding valve located behind the exhaust nozzle is positioned tangentially offset from the exhaust nozzle to purge the missile coil with outside air during overwater flight. This ensures that the inflow of purge air into the coil chamber is not, or only slightly, influenced by the engine's exhaust jet, and the hot exhaust jet from the engine does not, or only slightly, flow into the coil chamber, thus preventing the data cable from heating up.

[0025] Furthermore, the invention is directed to a method for preparing an underwater launch of a guided missile from a launch tube of a launch platform, wherein the guided missile has a coil unit with a missile coil to remain in the guided missile and a data conductor wound on the missile coil, in which the launch tube is flooded with water and the guided missile is flushed with water.

[0026] To increase the reliability of the data conductor from the missile coil, it is proposed that the coil unit also include a platform coil to remain on the launch platform, and that both coils be sealed against water by a housing of the coil unit and remain dry. The launch tube can be flooded without the coils getting wet, thus protecting them from deposits.

[0027] To protect against the sudden ingress of seawater into the casing, it is advantageous if, after the firing tube has been flooded and before the guided missile is launched in the firing tube and independently of the flooding of the firing tube, the coil unit is flooded by opening a flooding valve on the coil unit. Water in the firing tube flows into the coil unit in a controlled manner and ensures pressure equalization between the outside space around the casing and the interior of the casing. By moving the flooding valve from a sealing position to a flooding position, the interior of the casing can be flooded with water flowing around the guided missile. Since the flooding valve can be adjusted to its flooding position independently of time, or in other words after the firing tube has been flooded with water, the interior of the casing can be flooded in a controlled manner.

[0028] During launch, the guided missile is expediently ejected from the launch tube without the engine starting. Then the engine ignites, and the guided missile begins its self-propelled underwater flight. After surfacing, the surface flight begins. During all these phases, a data link is maintained between the launch platform and the guided missile, e.g., its seeker, and a command post for manual control of the guided missile, e.g., through manual target acquisition and target transfer.

[0029] During an overwater flight of the guided missile, the missile coil can be flushed with ambient air flowing in through the flooding valve, thus facilitating unwinding of the data cable from the missile coil, in particular from a forward coil of the missile coil.

[0030] The description of advantageous embodiments of the invention given so far contains numerous features, some of which are summarized in several dependent claims. However, the features can also be expediently considered individually and combined into useful further combinations, particularly in the case of claims that refer back to one another, so that an individual feature of a dependent claim can be combined with an individual, several, or all features of another dependent claim. Furthermore, these features can each be combined individually and in any suitable combination both with the method according to the invention and with the device according to the invention according to the independent claims. Thus, method features can also be viewed as objectively formulated properties of the corresponding device unit, and functional device features can also be viewed as corresponding method features.

[0031] The above-described properties, features, and advantages of this invention, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more readily understood in conjunction with the following description of the embodiments, which are explained in more detail in conjunction with the drawings. The embodiments serve to illustrate the invention and do not limit the invention to the combination of features specified therein, including with regard to functional features. Furthermore, suitable features of each embodiment can also be explicitly considered in isolation, removed from one embodiment, incorporated into another embodiment to supplement it, and / or combined with any of the claims.

[0032] They show: FIG 1a guided missile for engaging an air target and for firing underwater, FIG 2a tail section of the guided missile with a coil unit with several data cable coils and FIG 3a possible design of the tail section from FIG 2 .

[0033] FIG 1 shows a guided missile 2 with a seeker head 4, an active part 6 for explosive combat of an air target, an engine 8 with at least one lateral exhaust nozzle 10, which in FIG 1 is only indicated schematically, a control section 12 with guide vanes 14, gliding vanes 16 and a tail section in the form of a coil unit 18 with a front missile section 20 and a rear platform section 22. The missile section 20 carries two guide vanes 24, of which FIG 1 only one is visible, and is provided with an inlet opening 26 of a flooding valve.

[0034] FIG 2 shows the tail section of the guided missile 2 in more detail. For firing from a launch platform 28, the guided missile 2 is inserted into a launch tube 30 of the launch platform 28, for example, a torpedo tube if the launch platform 28 is a submarine. For this purpose, the gliding wings 16 can be folded backwards, as shown in FIG 1 shown in dashed lines, and attached to the fuselage of the guided missile 2. The guide vanes 14 can also be attached so that the geometry of the guided missile 2 is adapted to the launch tube 30.

[0035] The platform section 22 of the coil unit 18 carries a platform coil 32 containing a wound package 34 of a data conductor 36, which is designed as an optical fiber with a sheath for external insulation. This continues in the missile section 20 in a wound package 38 of a missile coil 40 and is connected for data purposes to a control unit 42 in the control section 12. On the platform side, the data conductor 36 is connected to a command station 46 of the launch platform 28 via a data interface 44. The platform coil 32 is an inner coil for an inner output of the data conductor 36, and the missile coil 40 is an outer coil for an outer output of the data conductor 36. A housing 48, which is divided into the missile section 20 and the platform section 22, is located around both coils 32, 40. The missile part 20 carries the missile coil 40 and the platform part 22 carries the platform coil 32.

[0036] Between the coils 32, 40 lies the coil chamber 50, which is the part of the housing interior filled with air.

[0037] In the front area of ​​the coil unit 18, the housing 48 is provided with the inlet openings 26 of the flooding valves 52. The flooding valves 52 are pyrotechnic valves that are controlled by the control unit 42 and open by means of an explosion, i.e., are moved from a sealed position to a flooding position. This opens the inlet opening 26 of the housing 48, and water or air can penetrate from outside the guided missile 2 into the coil chamber 50. The coil unit 18 is equipped with two flooding valves 52. For clarity, FIG 2 A third flooding valve 52 is shown in the center because the flooding valves 52 are each equipped with a labyrinth 54, which is difficult to depict in a side view. The labyrinth 54 divides a fluid flow, i.e. a water flow or air flow, flowing in from the radial outside through the inlet opening 26 into two flows and deflects each of them tangentially laterally by approximately 60°, with a second deflection again by 60° in the axial direction so that the fluid can flow through the coil chamber 50. This firstly slows down the fluid flow and secondly distributes it in the coil chamber 50. To improve the introduction of the fluid into the inlet openings 26, a deflection means 56 is placed behind each inlet opening 26, which is part of a guide vane 24 and has a concave shape.The concave shape is created by the deflection means 56 in conjunction with the housing 48, so that the deflection means 56 presses the fluid into the inlet opening 26, as shown by the outer arrows at the lateral inlet openings 26.

[0038] In preparation for launch of the guided missile 2, it is inserted into the launch tube 30. The tail section of the guided missile 2 is guided to the rear end of the launch tube 30 so that the interface 44 of the coil unit 18 couples to an interface of the launch tube 30 and the data connection between the control unit 42 and the command post 46 is established via the data conductor 26 via the two coils 32, 40. If an imminent launch of the guided missile 2 is planned, the launch tube 30 is flooded with seawater and opened to the front so that the guided missile 2 can exit the launch tube 30 to the front. The guided missile 2 is now surrounded by seawater in the launch tube 30. However, the housing 48 seals the two coils 32, 40 against water, ensuring that they remain dry.For this purpose, a sealing unit 58, in particular a circumferential one, is arranged between the two housing parts 20, 22, which seals the two housing parts 20, 22 against each other, so that the housing 48 forms a watertight unit. The sealing unit 58 can be an O-ring in a groove. If a launch of the guided missile 2 is aborted, the firing tube 30 can be ventilated, and the two coils 32, 40 remain dry despite flooding of the firing tube 30.

[0039] However, if the guided missile 2 is to be launched, the housing interior is flooded shortly before launch. For this purpose, the control unit 42 activates the pyrotechnic propellants of the flooding valves 52; these ignite and open their inlet opening 26, so that seawater located in the flooded launch tube 30 now also floods the coil chamber 50 and thus wets the two coils 32, 40. This equalizes the pressure between the coil chamber 50 and the water surrounding the launch platform 28, so that when the guided missile 2 is launched, no further water shoots into the coil chamber 50 from behind due to pressure. The flooding of the coil unit 18 is independent of the flooding of the launch tube 30, since both flooding processes are triggered by an independent command. The command to flood the launch tube 30 is given when the guided missile 2 is to be launched later, even if it is not certain whether it will actually be launched.The coil unit 18 is only flooded when the guided missile 2 is actually launched, for example with or in connection with the launch signal for the guided missile 2.

[0040] The guided missile 2 is launched upon command from the launch platform 28. For this purpose, the guided missile 2 is ejected from the launch tube 30, for example, by mechanical claws that forcefully push the guided missile 2 out of the launch tube 30. During this underwater launch of the guided missile 2 from the launch tube 30, the missile part 20 of the coil unit 18 separates from the platform part 22 of the coil unit 18. While the missile part 20 is carried on the guided missile 2, the platform part 22 remains in the launch tube 30 and thus on the launch platform 28. For this purpose, the two housing parts 20, 22 are arranged and shaped in such a way that the missile part 20 can be pulled forward from the platform part 22. The sealing unit 58 slides along the missile part 20 and remains on the platform part 22.By removing the missile part 20 from the platform part 22, the data conductor unwinds from one or both coils 32, 40, so that the data connection between the command post 46 and the control unit 42 remains intact.

[0041] A few meters before the launch tube 30, the engine 8 of the guided missile 2 ignites, accelerating it underwater for an underwater flight. After reaching the water surface, the engine 8 further accelerates the guided missile 2, causing it to fly in the air toward its aerial target. For this purpose, a visual connection to the command post 46 in the launch platform 28 is established via the seeker head 4 and data link 36, so that the view of the seeker head 4 is projected onto a screen in the command post 46 for an operator. The operator identifies the aerial target, transfers it to the seeker head 4, and the guided missile 2 independently steers toward the aerial target. The visual or data connection between the seeker head 4 and the command post 46 is maintained, allowing the operator to manually control the flight, change it to another target, or abort it.

[0042] During flight, the data conductor 36 unwinds from the missile coil 40 at the flight speed of the guided missile 2 and is thus laid in the air. When the launch platform 28 moves during this flight, the data conductor 36 unwinds from the platform coil 32 and is laid in the water, so that it is not dragged behind by the launch platform 28. Immediately after surfacing, the seawater flows out of the coil chamber 50. This draws air through the open inlet openings 26, which now serve as air purge openings of the coil unit 18. The deflection means 56 also forces air into the inlet openings 26, so that the coil chamber 50 is flushed with outside air, which facilitates the unwinding of the data cable 36. To prevent hot exhaust gases from entering the coil chamber 50 through the inlet openings 26, the inlet openings 26 are arranged tangentially offset to the exhaust nozzle(s) 10, as shown in FIG 1 is shown, so that the hot exhaust jet blows past the inlet openings 26.

[0043] FIG 3 shows a possible design of the rear part of the coil unit 18 from FIG 2 The missile coil 40 is divided into a launch coil 60 and a forward coil 62, both of which are external coils. The launch coil 60 is used for underwater processing, i.e., for processing during underwater travel of the guided missile 2 and during surface flight until the water has drained out of the coil compartment 50. The forward coil 62 is used for processing when the coil compartment 50 is essentially free of water during surface flight of the guided missile 2. The data cable 36 runs from the data interface 44 through the platform coil, from there - as shown in FIG 3 visible - to the starting coil 60 and through a groove (not shown) to the marching coil 62 and from there to the control unit 42. Due to the high withdrawal speed from the marching coil 62, the data cable 36 is pressed by the centrifugal force from the inside against the inner wall of the missile part 20 of the housing 48 and lies against it. In the design as in FIG 3 a central discharge of the engine exhaust gases in a central gas guide pipe 64 is possible.

[0044] The platform part 22 of the housing 48 encompasses - as in FIG 2- the missile part 20 of the housing 48, wherein both parts 20, 22 are sealed against each other by means of a sealing unit 58, which is designed as a circumferential O-ring. The sealing unit 58 is held captively in a groove 66 in the platform part 22 of the housing 48, so that if the two parts 20, 22 are separated, it does not rest on the data cable 36. If the two parts 20, 22 are separated, the missile part 20 is pulled out of the platform part 22, so that the rear housing wall of the missile part 20 slides along the sealing unit 58. By designing this housing wall as a cone 68, the sealing unit 58 is squeezed together, which requires a certain amount of force. This force provides additional security against the missile part 20 accidentally slipping off the platform part 22.Before the guided missile 2 is inserted into the firing tube 30, the missile part 20 and the platform part 22 are connected to each other by a locking device 70, which engages in a non-circumferential groove 72 in each of the two housing parts 20, 22, thereby blocking axial displacement of the two parts 20, 22 relative to each other. The locking device 70 is a locking pin that can be manually pulled out of the two grooves 72, thus releasing the locking mechanism and preventing separation only by the sealing unit 58 on the cone 68. List of reference symbols

[0045] 2 Guided missile 4 Seeker 6 Active section 8 Engine 10 Exhaust nozzle 12 Control section 14 Guide vane 16 Gliding vane 18 Coil unit 20 Missile section 22 Platform section 24 Guide vane 26 Inlet opening 28 Launch platform 30 Launch tube 32 Platform coil 34 Coil package 36 Data conductor 38 Coil package 40 Missile coil 42 Control unit 44 Data interface 46 Command post 48 Housing 50 Coil compartment 52 Flooding valve 54 Labyrinth 56 Deflection device 58 Sealing unit 60 Launch coil 62 March coil 64 Gas guide tube 66 Groove 68 Cone 70 Securing device 72 Groove

Claims

1. Coil unit (18) for a guided missile (2) taking off under water from a launching tube of a launch platform (28), having a missile coil (40) to remain in the guided missile (2), a data conductor (36) wound on the missile coil (40) and data-technically connected to the launch platform (28) and a platform coil (32) wound on the data conductor (36) for remaining on the launch platform (28) after the launch of the guided missile (2), characterized by a housing (48) which keeps the two coils (32, 40) dry when the guided missile (2) is flooded with water.

2. Coil unit (18) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the housing (48) has a missile part (20) and a platform part (22) which engage in one another and are sealed in relation to one another by a sealing unit (58).

3. Coil unit (18) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the sealing unit (58) rests on an outer cone (68) of the missile part (20) in such a way that an extraction of the missile part (20) from the platform part (22) compresses the sealing unit (58).

4. Coil unit (18) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the missile coil (40) contains a starting coil (60) and a cruise coil (62), which are both outer coils, and the platform coil (32) is an inner coil, and a platform part (22) of the housing (48) containing the platform coil (32) engages about a missile part (20) of the housing (48) that contains the missile coil (40).

5. Coil unit (18) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a flooding valve (52) having a sealing position and a flooding position for flooding the two coils (32, 40) with water flushing the guided missile (2).

6. Coil unit (18) according to Claim 5, characterized in that the flooding valve (52) is a pyrotechnic valve.

7. Coil unit (18) according to Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the flooding valve (52) in the opened state is embodied as an air purging opening for flushing the missile coil (40) with ambient air during a flight over water.

8. Coil unit (18) according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the flooding valve (52) has a labyrinth (54) for decelerating an inflowing fluid.

9. Coil unit (18) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a guide blade (24) and a flooding valve (52) ahead of the guide blade (24), which are mutually disposed in such a way that the guide blade (24) facilitates the inflow of fluid by way of the flooding valve (52).

10. Coil unit (18) according to one of Claims 5 to 9, characterized by a deflection means (56) which, when the guided missile (2) moves through a fluid, directs part of the fluid into the flooding valve (52).

11. Guided missile (2) having a coil unit (18) according to one of the preceding claims, which forms the rear part of the former and has a data interface (44) for connecting to the launch platform (28) when inserting the guided missile (2) into a launching tube (30) of the launch platform (28).

12. Guided missile (2) according to Claim 11, characterized by an engine (8) having at least one side outlet nozzle (10) and a flooding valve (52), for purging the missile coil (40) with ambient air during a flight over water, which is disposed behind the outlet nozzle (10) so as to be tangentially offset from the outlet nozzle (10).

13. Method for preparing an underwater launch of a guided missile (2) from a launching tube (30) of a launch platform (28), wherein the guided missile (2) has a coil unit (18) having a missile coil (40) for remaining in the guided missile (2) and a data conductor (36) wound on the missile coil (40), in which method the launching tube (30) is flooded with water and the guided missile (2) is flushed with water, wherein the coil unit (18) also contains a platform coil (32) for remaining on the launch platform (28), characterized in that both coils (32, 40) are sealed in relation to the water by a housing (48) of the coil unit (18) and remain dry.

14. Method according to Claim 13, characterized in that upon flooding of the launching tube (30) and prior to the launching of the guided missile (2) in the launching tube (30), the coil unit (18) is flooded, independently of the flooding of the launching tube (30), by opening a flooding valve (52) of the coil unit (18).

15. Method according to Claim 14, characterized in that the missile coil (40) is flushed with ambient air flowing in through the flooding valve (52) during a flight of the guided missile (2) over water.