Bae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.

Sanders Associates Limited

Purdue Research Foundation

Nae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.

Bae Systems Information and Electronic

Paul D Zemany

Matthew F Chrobak

Eldon M Sutphin

Mark A Carlson

John A Maynard

Paul A Zank

Court E Rossman

Egor V Degtiarev

Peter Dusaitis

Brian J Smith

Michael J Choiniere

Dimitrios Peroulis

James L Burrows

James F Fung

Mark D Hickle

Jack Chuang

Eric J Naglich

Mark E Stuenkel

Davis A Lange

Thomas J Johnson

Curtis M Grens

Michael Dimitri Sinanis

Edward C Real

Kirby A Smith

David P Charette

Eugene S Rubin

John A Smith

Souleymane Gnanou

Maxwell L Affleck

Jay W Coffey

Jason R Lane

James M Ortolf

Techniques are provided for guiding a projectile. A methodology implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes generating a roll command based on a roll angle obtained from a steering map that causes a change in range and cross range of the projectile that results in a ground motion closest to a desired ground motion. The method also includes calculating a remaining maximum maneuver distance for the projectile, over a time period extending from the current time of flight to the end of flight. The calculation is based on integration a series of maximum maneuvers, obtained from the steering map, at time intervals within the time period. The method further includes generating a lift command for the projectile based on: distance between the target location and an impact point prediction (IPP) calculated at the current time of flight; an error estimate of the IPP; and the remaining maximum maneuver distance.

Ballistic guidance system

Techniques are provided for off-axis projectile guidance. λ methodology implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes determining a maximum acceleration capability of the projectile based on flight data, control surface positions, and aerodynamic coefficients. The method also includes estimating a range from the projectile to a target. The method further includes calculating a first flight path to provide an offset radar viewing angle to the target that is offset from a longitudinal axis of the projectile and calculating a second flight path to provide for interception of the target by the projectile. The calculations are based on the maximum acceleration capability and the range from the projectile to the target. The method further includes guiding the projectile on the first flight path for an initial period of time and then guiding the projectile on the second flight path until target interception.

Off-axis projectile guidance

A ground imaging system for use on a guided aerobody includes one or more lenses designed to receive EM radiation from a ground level, a filter substrate having a plurality of filters, a sensor array designed to receive the EM radiation from the filter substrate, and a processing device coupled to the sensor array. The filter substrate is located at a focal plane of the one or more lenses such that the filter substrate receives the EM radiation from the one or more lenses. The plurality of filters includes at least polarization filters and multispectral filters. The processing device is designed to analyze multispectral and polarization signatures of the electromagnetic radiation from identified objects at the ground level and determine that one or more of the objects is not a desired target based at least on the hyperspectral and polarization signatures of the one or more objects.

Push broom clutter rejection using a multimodal filter

A guided projectile including a precision guidance munition assembly utilizes at least one maneuver envelope to optimally control movement of at least one canard to steer the guided projectile during flight. The maneuver envelopes optimize movements of the at least one canard that effectuate movement in either the range direction or the cross-range direction, or both. The maneuver envelope enables optimal timing such that maneuvering in one direction does not come at the expense of maneuver authority in the other direction.

System for controlling a projectile with maneuver envelopes

A sensor determines the spin rate or rotation frequency of a munition body of a guided projectile relative to precision guidance munition assembly. The spin rate is used to determine launch velocity of the guided projectile early in flight before GPS is operationally active. The launch velocity is used to determine whether a corrective maneuver is needed to change the range of the guided projectile. Logic can control the canards on the canard assembly in response to the determination that a corrective maneuver is needed.

Early velocity measurement for projectiles by detecting spin

The system and method for chromatic correlation interferometry direction finding (CIDF) used to resolve ambiguities. Ambiguities are overcome by correlating over a range of frequencies. In some cases, multiple (i.e., 2 or more) frequencies or a continuous range of frequencies are used to make a more robust correlation manifold. As the complex response manifold is frequency dependent, using a set of two or more manifolds provides a significant reduction of false peaks.

Chromatic correlation interferometry direction finding

A system and method to aid in guidance, navigation and control of a guided projectile including a precision guidance munition assembly is provided. The system and method obtain raw position data during flight of the guided projectile, the raw position data including a plurality of position data points from the guiding sensor for determining positions of the guided projectile, establish a window including a portion of the plurality of position data points, smooth the portion of the plurality of position data points in the window, and determine a reduced noise position estimate of the guided projectile, based, at least in part, on the smoothed portion of the plurality of position data points in the window. The system and method may determine a velocity estimate of the guided projectile and predict an impact point of the guided projectile relative to a target.

Reduced noise estimator

A system and method for nulling or suppressing interfering signals directed toward moving platforms based, at least in part, on dynamic motion data of the moveable platform is provided. The system may be an interference nulling system carried by a moveable platform and may include an antenna array including two or more antenna elements that generates at least one initial steerable null radiation pattern, dynamic motion data logic that determines dynamic motion data of the moveable platform; and update logic that updates the at least one initial steerable null radiation pattern based, at least in part, on the dynamic motion data. The at least one updated steerable null radiation pattern is directed toward a direction from which interfering signals are being transmitted from an interfering signal source.

System and method for nulling or suppressing interfering signals in dynamic conditions

Method for controlling a projectile with maneuver envelopes

A narrow band antenna is configured to guide a munition toward a target location during a flight of the munition from a launch location toward the target location. The antenna has a first mode of operation operable during a first portion of the flight at a first bandwidth, and a second mode of operation operable during a second portion of the flight at a second bandwidth, the second bandwidth being a harmonic of the first bandwidth, and may be a third harmonic of the first bandwidth. The method includes transmitting a target location information to the munition in the first bandwidth during the first portion of the flight and then transmitting the target location information to the munition in the second bandwidth during the second portion of the flight. The first band may be X-band and the second band may be Ka-band.

Narrow band antenna harmonics for guidance in multiple frequency bands

A method for launching a round from an airborne platform, receiving a plurality of RF signals at the round, determining an amount of time between a first and second received RF signal, where the second signal is a multi-path signal and the first signal is a direct path signal. An altitude of the round is determined based on the delay between the first and second received signal and aligning the round's flight path with an initial velocity vector of the aircraft platform to reduce dispersion. The round can include a plurality of sensors for detecting the RF signals. The second received RF signal may be a multi-path signal having been reflected off of the earth's surface or another object on the earth's surface. The altitude of the round can be determined using the known altitude of the airborne platform, the delay of time between the first and second received signals, and the speed of light.

Utilizing multipath to determine down and reduce dispersion in projectiles

An endfire antenna structure is disclosed that is for use on aerodynamic systems. The antenna structure includes a first layer of patterned metal, a second layer of patterned metal, and a stack of material layers that includes the first layer of patterned metal and the second layer of patterned metal. The first layer of patterned metal includes a plurality of parallel slots etched through the metal. The second layer of patterned metal includes a tapered radio frequency (RF) feedline having a narrow end coupled to an input/output (I/O) antenna connection. The second layer of patterned metal is aligned over the first layer of patterned metal such that the tapered RF feedline has a length that extends across the plurality of parallel slots. The stack of material layers is flexible such that the stack of material layers is configured to wrap at least partially around the fuselage of an aerodynamic system.

Endfire antenna structure on an aerodynamic system

A guided projectile including a precision guidance munition assembly utilizes angular rate sensors to sample a first angular velocity of the precision guidance munition assembly from the first angular rate sensor at a first time, sample a second angular velocity of the precision guidance munition assembly from the second angular rate sensor at the first time, generate a coning command based, at least in part, on the first angular velocity and the second angular velocity, and apply the coning command to the canard assembly. The range may be decreased or increased based on the coning commands.

Ballistic range adjustment using coning commands

A system and method to aid in guidance, navigation and control of a guided projectile including a precision guidance munition assembly. The system and method receive position estimates of the guided projectile from a guiding sensor, determine predicted impact points of the guided projectile relative to a target based on the position estimates, determine miss distances of the guided projectile relative to the target, determine smoothed miss distances based, at least in part, on the determined miss distances, and process updated steering commands to steer the guided projectile based on the smoothed miss distances.

Guidance, navigation and control for ballistic projectiles

A system and method for state estimation in spinning projectiles is provided. The state estimation is based, at least in part, on magnetic sensor data, angular velocity data, and correction terms applied to the magnetic sensor data and the angular velocity data. The system and method for state estimation in spinning projectiles estimates roll angles and roll rates of the spinning projectiles. The roll angle and roll rate estimates allow steering commands to be applied to steer the spinning projectiles in the proper direction.

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Amherst, NH, United States of America

Paul D Zemany