Guided Missile Laser Beam Interception for Vehicle Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicles, particularly aircraft with low maneuverability, are vulnerable to high-energy laser attacks that can cause significant damage in a short time, and existing protection methods are inadequate in providing timely and effective defense against such threats.

Innovation Solution

A method where a sensor detects the laser radiation and launches a guided missile that flies into the laser beam, using it as a guide to intercept and potentially destroy the laser source, thereby shielding the vehicle from the laser's impact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a guided missile is launched from the vehicle to intercept the laser source, then the protection speed and effectiveness are improved, but the device complexity and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection effectivenessVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guided missile is pre-positioned on the vehicle and can be launched immediately upon detection of laser radiation. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex real-time assembly or deployment mechanisms, achieving rapid response while keeping the system relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guided missile serves as an intermediary object between the vehicle and the laser source. Instead of the vehicle directly countering the laser, the missile is dispatched to intercept the laser source or create a protective shadow, simplifying the overall protection mechanism while maintaining high effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If the guided missile flies into the laser beam to shadow the vehicle, then the protection speed is improved, but the sensor detection difficulty increases due to the intense laser radiation environment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection response timeVSAvoidlaser source detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system continuously monitors for laser radiation before the missile is launched. This preliminary detection and tracking of the laser beam allows the missile to be guided directly to the correct location, reducing response time while maintaining detection accuracy despite the intense radiation environment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs optical sensors and laser detection systems to identify and track the laser source, replacing mechanical search methods. This substitution enables rapid, precise detection of the laser beam's position and characteristics, facilitating quick missile deployment while overcoming the challenges of detecting radiation in high-intensity environments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The guided missile effectively shades the vehicle from the laser beam, reducing the risk of damage and providing a rapid defense mechanism against high-energy laser sources, even when launched from the vehicle itself.

Implementation Method 1

a sensor detects the laser radiation of the laser beam

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotoelectric Effect: Photoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

The guidance or navigation of the guided missile takes place using sensor data that were obtained from scanning the laser beam. A parameter of the laser beam, for example a scattered light intensity, can be used for navigation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight Scattering: Scattering

Implementation Method 3

the guided missile can destroy it mechanically by means of an active part, for example by means of a fragmentation charge directed forward in a cone shape

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExplosion: Explosion

Data Source

PatentEP3118565B1Method for protecting a vehicle against an attack by a laser beam
Publication Date: 2018.09.19 DIEHL DEFENCE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3118565B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3118565B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for protecting a vehicle (2) from an attack by a laser beam (8) emanating from a laser source (10). Effective protection can be achieved if a sensor (16, 42, 44, 46, 48) detects the laser radiation of the laser beam (8), a guided missile (12) flies into the laser beam (8), flies towards the laser source (10) within the laser beam (8), and thereby blocks the vehicle (2) from the laser beam (8).