Airborne Weapon Line-of-Sight Control Through Aircraft Attitude
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing weapon systems on aircraft struggle to achieve complete 4π steradian coverage due to aircraft components obscuring the line-of-sight, making them ineffective against incoming threats, and gimballed apertures are impractical in terms of cost, weight, and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A control system that alters the aircraft's configuration to maintain a clear line-of-sight to targets by overriding existing commands and adjusting the aircraft's attitude or shape to avoid obscuration, combined with directed-energy weapons using gimballed apertures to enhance coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If gimballed apertures are used to increase coverage, then the coverage area is improved, but the cost, weight, and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the aircraft itself movable rather than making the weapon system movable. The control system dynamically adjusts the aircraft's configuration (attitude, position, or shape) to maintain clear line-of-sight to targets, replacing the need for complex gimballed apertures with simpler aircraft maneuvering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical gimbal system with a control system that manipulates the aircraft's configuration. Instead of mechanically rotating the weapon aperture, the system uses flight control to reposition the aircraft, substituting a complex mechanical system with a more manageable flight control system.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple gimballed apertures are deployed to achieve full 4π steradian coverage, then the coverage is improved, but the weight and cost become impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The solution uses dynamic aircraft configuration changes to achieve coverage that would otherwise require multiple heavy gimballed apertures. By making the aircraft itself the movable element, the system achieves full steradian coverage without the weight penalty of multiple weapon apertures and their gimbal mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the aircraft configuration is altered to maintain line-of-sight, then the weapon effectiveness is improved, but the aircraft's original mission or flight path may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors the line-of-sight conditions and provides feedback to determine when configuration alterations are needed. This feedback loop ensures that aircraft maneuvers are only made when necessary to maintain weapon effectiveness, minimizing disruption to the original flight path and mission.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system determines in advance when a line-of-sight obstruction is likely to occur and triggers the configuration alteration before the obstruction actually blocks the weapon's view. This preliminary action ensures continuous weapon effectiveness while allowing for smooth, planned aircraft maneuvers rather than reactive corrections.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle (2) comprising a weapon (6) system comprising: a control system (4) configured to, in response to a determination that a line-of-sight (12) from the weapon system to a target (10) of the weapon system is currently, or going to be obscured, trigger an alteration of a configuration of the vehicle by triggering an alteration of an attitude of the vehicle such that the line-of-sight to the target is not obscured; wherein the vehicle is an air platform. Thus, the weapon system can ensure a line-of-sight of the target, allowing it to be successfully engaged.