Inflatable Dummy Target for Exo-Atmospheric Interception Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The development of anti-missile technologies faces challenges in efficiently retrofitting and testing kill vehicles against new ground-to-ground missile threats due to the high cost and time required to create dummy threats that accurately simulate real threats' flight characteristics, leading to potential damage exposure before adequate adaptation.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable dummy target is designed to be released from a carrier missile during exo-atmospheric flight, inflating to resemble the IR signature, RF signature, and geometry of ground-to-ground missiles, allowing for simplified and cost-effective simulation of real threats for interception trials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dummy threat is developed to simulate real GTG missile flight characteristics, then the kill vehicle can be properly tested against new threats, but the development process is costly and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an inflatable dummy target that replicates the essential flight characteristics, IR signature, and geometry of real GTG missiles. This copying approach allows the kill vehicle to be tested against a realistic simulation without requiring actual enemy missiles or years of complex dummy development, thereby maintaining testing accuracy while dramatically reducing development time
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable dummy target allows for rapid modification of physical parameters such as size, shape, and thermal characteristics by adjusting the inflation state and material properties. This enables the dummy target to be quickly adapted to simulate different types of GTG missiles (e.g., Shihab 3, Scud D) without requiring complete redesign, thus reducing both development time and cost while maintaining reliable testing
2Reliability
If a dummy threat is developed to simulate real GTG missile flight characteristics, then the kill vehicle can be properly tested against new threats, but the development cost is significantly high
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable dummy target creates a cost-effective copy of the real GTG missile by using simple inflatable structures rather than complex solid missile replicas. This approach maintains the essential flight characteristics and thermal signature needed for reliable kill vehicle testing while dramatically reducing manufacturing costs compared to traditional dummy missile development
Solution Approach 2:
The use of inflatable structures made from flexible materials allows the dummy target to be manufactured at low cost while still achieving the required geometric and thermal characteristics. The thin-film inflatable structure can be quickly produced and modified, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining sufficient fidelity for reliable testing of the kill vehicle
3Adaptability or versatility
If the kill vehicle is upgraded to handle new threats, then it can counter emerging missile types, but the turnkey date is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable dummy target enables preliminary testing of the upgraded kill vehicle against simulated new threats before actual deployment. By providing an immediate, low-cost testing platform that replicates the flight characteristics of emerging threats like Shihab 3 or Scud D, the system allows the kill vehicle to be validated and refined in advance, reducing the overall turnkey date while maintaining adaptability to new threat types
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable dummy target provides a dynamic testing platform that can be rapidly reconfigured to simulate different threat characteristics. This dynamic adaptability allows the kill vehicle to be tested against multiple emerging threat types sequentially, accelerating the upgrade process and reducing the time required to achieve comprehensive threat coverage compared to static, purpose-built dummy missiles
Data Source
AI summary
An inflatable dummy target fittable into a carrier missile capable of being released from the carrier missile during exo-atmospheric flight; upon release, the dummy target or portion thereof is capable of being inflated and manifest characteristics that resemble GTG missile characteristics, wherein the GTG missile characteristics include IR signature, RF signature and GTG missile.