Underwater listening system attached to torpedo flight kit

Abstract

The invention relates to an underwater listening system that allows the flight kit of underwater ammunitions released from air platforms to listen to the underwater environment and transmit the acoustic information obtained from the environment to friendly elements that are located nearby via radio frequency signals.

Description

[0001] UNDERWATER LISTENING SYSTEM ATTACHED TO TORPEDO FLIGHT KIT

[0002] Technical Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to an underwater listening system that allows the flight kit of underwater ammunitions released from air platforms to listen to the underwater environment and transmit the acoustic information obtained from the environment to friendly elements that are located nearby via radio frequency signals.

[0004] State of the Art

[0005] In the state of the art, in order to collect underwater intelligence, it is necessary to organise a separate operation for the placement of sonar-enabled buoys and to leave a sonar-enabled buoy with its own flight kit.

[0006] Passive listening to the sound waves emitted by underwater platforms with sonar- enabled buoys or listening to the reflection of the sound wave sent by the buoys is the current practice in the state of the art. These sonar buoys can be dropped from air platforms with a parachute or submerged in water from a surface platform. It has a specific and different structure such as the need for a cable hydrophone, the need for compressed gas for buoyancy, a specifically determined cylindrical box, and ballast weight.

[0007] The invention that is the subject of the application numbered “US1273668A” in the state of the art uses parachute structures that enable torpedoes to land by being dragged from the air platform to the water and separate from the torpedo after landing in the water. It is technically similar to the structure of the invention that is the subject to the present application that provides drifting in the air, but the present invention differs from the state of the art with the sonar and RF equipment integrated into a detachable structure and the operational concept of these two.

[0008] The invention that is the subject of the application numbered “W02020005116A1” in the state of the art comprises the use of sonar and RF communication. However, this technique has a structure that is completely different from the invention that is the subject of the present application with techniques such as the use of at least three buoys, time synchronisation of these buoys, the need for communication with the satellite and the ability to determine its own position. In addition, this technique, unlike the invention that is the subject of the present application, aims to obtain the three- dimensional position of the underwater system after determining its own position.

[0009] The invention that is the subject of the application numbered “US6220168B1” in the state of the art relates to the need for location determination with GPS and RF antenna placed on the wing guidance kit. It also states that it communicates between ammunition using magnetism underwater.

[0010] In the state of the art, in order to collect underwater intelligence, it is necessary to organise a separate operation for the placement of sonar-enabled buoys and to leave a sonar-enabled buoy with its own flight kit. In the invention proposed by the present application, the need for an additional operation and flight kit is eliminated by adding sonar buoy feature to the flight kit of a torpedo that is already released as required by the operation.

[0011] In the state of the art, there is no technique for underwater acoustic listening and sending information to friendly elements via radio frequency in torpedo flight kit or torpedo systems with detachable structures after entering the water.

[0012] By means of the invention in the present application, both the device that will provide sonar listening using the current torpedo firing activity without additional operations will be preserved, an attack activity will be carried out with torpedoes, and while there is more than one torpedo being used without knowing the target destruction status due to the concept, mission performance status information will be obtained from the torpedo that is contacted by sonar listening and radio frequency, and ammunition consumption will be reduced / optimised.

[0013] As a result, due to the negativities described above and the inadequacy of existing solutions on the subject, a new technology is needed in the relevant technical field.

[0014] Brief Description and Aims of the Invention

[0015] The invention relates to an underwater listening system that allows the flight kit of underwater ammunitions released from air platforms to listen to the underwater environment and transmit the acoustic information obtained from the environment to friendly elements that are located nearby via radio frequency signals.

[0016] The most important aim of the invention is to provide an additional function to the existing flight kit of torpedoes launched from air platforms and to provide communication capability with the launched torpedoes.

[0017] Another aim of the invention is to increase the underwater listening accuracy by having a separate acoustic sensor device on the water for each shot made with the acoustic sensor added to the flight kit.

[0018] Another aim of the invention is to increase the accuracy rate since the mission status information of the torpedo can be obtained thanks to the invention in case the launched torpedo fails its mission.

[0019] Another aim of the invention is to optimise the number of ammunition to be used in the operation and to reveal the need for updating for the operation area.

[0020] Description of Drawings

[0021] FIGURE-1 is the drawing showing the schematic view of the shooting apparatus that is the subject of the invention and its contents.

[0022] Reference Numbers

[0023] 1. Landing apparatus

[0024] 2. Acoustic receiver

[0025] 3. Transceiver

[0026] 4. Central processing unit

[0027] 5. Flotation apparatus

[0028] 6. Battery Detailed Description of the Invention

[0029] With the acoustic receiver, battery, radio frequency transceiver and central processing unit to be added to the flight kit already on the torpedoes launched from air platforms, it performs underwater acoustic listening and transmits the information it receives to the shooting platform / command centre via RF. The sonobuoy system in the flight kit passively only performs ambient listening. In the event that the torpedo hits its target, it distinguishes the explosion sound and transmits the information that the operation is successful to the command centre and prevents the consumption of new ammunition. If the torpedo cannot find its target, it manoeuvres with the last piece of energy it holds as a reserve and turns its nose towards the water entry point and sends the current status information of the target if it can detect the target with the acoustic seeker on the torpedo, and if it cannot detect the target, it sends the information of the area section it is searching as an active broadcast. The sonobuoy connected to the flight kit that listens to the active broadcast made by the torpedo converts the acoustic data it receives to radio frequency and transmits it to the command centre. The command centre also selects a new firing sector by taking into account the data it receives from the torpedo and fires the new ammunition in line with this information.

[0030] The underwater listening system attached to the torpedo flight kit is integrated into the flight kit that will allow a torpedo the trajectory of which is determined ballistically to drift in the air and enter the water in the targeted manner.

[0031] The landing apparatus (1 ) that provides drift in the air comprises an acoustic receiver (2) that listens to the torpedo's navigational status and mission effectiveness, a radio frequency transceiver (3) that transmits the intelligence it obtains to friendly surface and air platforms, a central processing unit (4) that will process the acoustic data and convert it into meaningful data as radio frequency, a flotation apparatus (5) that will keep the system afloat and a battery (6) that will provide energy for the electronics in the system.

[0032] The torpedo is released from the air platform. During the release, the locks on the flight kit are released. When the locks are released, the landing apparatus that provides air drift on the flight kit is activated. The torpedo lands in the water following its ballistic trajectory. When the landing occurs, the flight kit is separated from the torpedo. When the flight kit is taken as a reference according to the flotation apparatus (5) section, the section where the acoustic receiver (2) and battery (6) are located is adjusted to be heavier than the total weight of the radio frequency transceiver (3) and the central processing unit (4). In this way, the direction of the acoustic receiver remains underwater.

[0033] When the flight kit enters sea water, the battery is activated, and the invention starts working in the secondary function.

[0034] The acoustic receiver on the flight kit starts listening underwater. It detects the movements of the torpedo and transmits the torpedo movement information to friendly elements via radio frequency. If the torpedo hits its target, it transmits the target hit information to friendly elements.

[0035] If the torpedo cannot find the target as a result of its search or cannot reach the target despite finding it, it turns towards the flight kit with the last part of its energy and actively broadcasts the data it obtains about the target as an acoustic message packet. The flight kit listens to the acoustic message packet of the torpedo and transmits the message packet of the torpedo to friendly elements via radio frequency.

[0036] If the scenarios the torpedo not being able to find the target as a result of its search, the torpedo finding the target but not being able to reach it, or the torpedo hitting its target, cannot be provided, that is, the torpedo goes out of the sonar area and the tracking activity cannot be performed and it cannot perform the stage of giving the target not hit / not found information, the sonar listening switches to the detection mode of the explosion sound underwater and keeps a time-out period for itself by listening to this sound for the maximum operation period and again transmits the target not hit information to friendly elements and informs that the operation needs to be carried out with new ammunition.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Underwater listening system attached to the torpedo flight kit integrated into the flight kit that will allow a torpedo the trajectory of which is determined ballistically to drift through the air and enter the water in a targeted manner, comprising a landing device (1 ) that provides air drift on the flight kit and comprises- at least one acoustic receiver (2) that listens to the navigation status and mission activity of the torpedo, detects the movements of the torpedo and transmits them to the radio frequency transceiver (3),- at least one radio frequency transceiver (3) that transmits the intelligence it obtains to friendly surface and air platforms,- at least one central processing unit (4) that will process the acoustic data and convert it into meaningful data as radio frequency,- a flotation apparatus (5) that will keep the system afloat and- at lease one battery (6) that will provide energy for the electronics in the system.

2. Underwater listening system attached to the torpedo flight kit according to Claim 1 , comprising the landing apparatus (1 ) which, when referenced to the flotation apparatus (5), ensures that the part where the acoustic receiver (2) and the battery (6) is located are positioned in a way that they are heavier than the total weight of the radio frequency transceiver (3) and the central processing unit (4).

3. Underwater listening system attached to the torpedo flight kit according to Claim 1 , comprising the battery (6) that is activated when the flight kit enters sea water.

4. Underwater listening system attached to the torpedo flight kit according to Claim 1 , comprising the acoustic receiver (2) detects that the torpedo has hit its target and transmits the target hit information to friendly elements via the radio frequency transceiver (3).

5. Underwater listening system attached to the torpedo flight kit according to Claim 1 , comprising the acoustic receiver (2) that detects the active broadcasting of the dataobtained by the torpedo regarding the target as an acoustic message packet if the torpedo cannot find the target as a result of its search or cannot reach the target despite finding it.

6. Underwater listening system attached to the torpedo flight kit according to Claim 1 , comprising the acoustic receiver (2) that allows the sonar listening to switch to the detection mode of the underwater explosion sound and to set a time-out period for itself by listening to this sound for the maximum operation period if the torpedo goes out of the sonar area and tracking activity cannot be carried out and cannot perform the stage of giving the target not hit / not found information.

7. Underwater listening system attached to the torpedo flight kit according to Claim 1 or Claim 6, comprising the acoustic receiver (2) that transmits the information that the target has not been hit when the time-out period expires, and informs friendly elements that the operation needs to be carried out with new ammunition.

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