Salvo Weapon Deconfliction via Scene Correlation and SAL Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Guided airborne weapons fired in a salvo against multiple targets often experience targeting conflicts and ambiguity due to overlapping uncertainty volumes, leading to potential misses as multiple missiles select the same target, and existing solutions either sacrifice the benefits of a salvo or are not cost-effective.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a target package with individual cues for multiple targets, where each weapon performs scene correlation with its assigned target, using a single SAL designation to verify and augment tracking, reducing ambiguity by correlating multiple targets and ensuring each missile commits to its assigned target.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple missiles are fired in a salvo against multiple targets, then the productivity of target prosecution is improved, but targeting conflicts and ambiguity arise due to overlapping uncertainty volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the target acquisition process by assigning specific targets to specific missiles within the salvo. Each missile is given a designated target from the plurality of targets, creating distinct responsibility zones. This segmentation prevents multiple missiles from competing for the same target, thereby resolving targeting conflicts while maintaining the productivity benefits of salvo firing.
2Device complexity
If a single laser designator is used for all missiles, then the device complexity is reduced, but the benefits of salvo firing are sacrificed due to sequential firing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling each missile to independently identify and track its assigned target using onboard imaging sensors and scene correlation algorithms. The missiles autonomously correlate their cued track files with imaged targets without requiring external laser designation, allowing simultaneous salvo firing while maintaining target acquisition accuracy through self-directed target recognition.
3Reliability
If each target is illuminated with a different laser code, then targeting ambiguity is resolved, but the ease of operation and cost-effectiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by creating and distributing cued track files that contain target information (position, velocity, uncertainty) to each missile before launch. These digital target representations serve as copies of the actual targets, allowing missiles to perform scene correlation and identify targets based on matching features in the imaged scene against the pre-loaded track files, eliminating the need for complex laser code management.
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
This approach enhances the robustness of target acquisition and tracking, reducing targeting ambiguity and conflicts among missiles, allowing for effective prosecution of multiple targets in a salvo while maintaining the benefits of surprise and minimizing exposure.
Implementation Method 1
The laser pulses are coded and must match the code keyed into the missile prior to launch. The missile seeker tracks the laser information all the way to impact
Implementation Method 2
The seeker may include an imaging sensor such as a passive electro-optical (EO) sensor (e.g. an infrared (IR) sensor) or an active radio frequency (RF) or millimeter wave (MMW) sensor
Implementation Method 3
an active radio frequency (RF) or millimeter wave (MMW) sensor
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 1c
AI summary
Guided airborne weapons fired in a salvo against multiple targets are deconflicted by performing a scene correlation of multiple cued targets to target-like objects (TLOs) to track a target package. Target cues for a common designated target and a common SAL code may be provided to each weapon. Each weapon processes a SAL return to verify the common SAL code and augment its scene correlation by fixing the TLO track file of the common designated target to the cued track file. At terminal, each weapon commits to a particular target by referencing its assigned target to the tracked target package. Correlation to multiple targets in the target package reduces targeting ambiguity. Furthermore, a single SAL designation can improve the tracking of all the weapons to their respective targets.