Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Rolf Krumes

Dennis C Richman

Carl L Bose

Eden Y Mei

Daniel C Lorti

Bradley D Ostman

Gilberto Di Benedetto

An aircraft docking system is installed at a point of convenience within the dock in full view of the approaching aircraft and in view of the pilot, and has a display which is readily seen by the pilot through the cockpit windshield as the aircraft proceeds along a taxiway and during a turning of the aircraft from the taxiway into the dock. Operation of the docking system is based on the use of feature extraction templates of three-dimensional images of candidate aircraft for the dock. An image of the approaching aircraft is obtained by use of ranging circuitry of an optical laser radar. By comparing the image with the rotated and scaled model, the image can be interpreted to show the present location and orientation of the approaching aircraft. As the image is updated by the radar, the aircraft travel path, as represented by successive locations and orientations of the aircraft, is determined and is compared with the required travel path for the specific aircraft. Deviations between the two travel paths are noted and result in the generation of corrective display signals, in the manner of arrows by way of example, which are presented to the pilot.

Aircraft docking system

A system for sensing objects in the flight path of an aircraft and alerting the pilot to their presence includes a laser radar subsystem for emitting a beam of laser energy, receiving returns from objects, and processing the returns to produce range data related to the range of the objects from the aircraft. A scanning subsystem scans the beam and produces directional information related to the instantaneous direction of the beam relative to the aircraft. Processor circuitry controls operation, processes the range data and directional information with instrumentation data from the avionics system, produces video information related to the range, direction, and type of the objects, and interfaces the video information to the video display system. The processor circuitry may be programmed to (1) overlay video information on existing aircraft video display system, (2) provide acoustical warnings on an aircraft intercom, (3) analyze returns by subdividing the field of regard into a series of analysis windows, performing a statistical analysis of the returns related to each of the analysis windows, and identifying returns that fall into a common range interval, (4) transforming coordinates of objects measured relative to the aircraft to a horizon-stabilized, north-oriented coordinate system which is independent of the attitude of the aircraft, (5) inserting the coordinates of identified objects into a data base so that the coordinates may be used for constructing a video display at a later time and updating the data base to correct for movements of the aircraft, and (6) constructing a window-of-safety display of objects currently within the field of regard by adjusting the displayed position of the objects to compensate for avoidance maneuvers the pilot may execute.

Obstacle avoidance system for helicopters and other aircraft

A settable warhead burst range selector permits the user of a weapon to rdly change a chambered flechette ejecting projectile from a muzzle-burst mode to an extended-range mode. A slide containing a pyrotechnic delay is held in a neutral, muzzle burst mode, by a slide positioning locking plate. The pyrotechnic slide has flash ports along its length which are designed to cause flechette expulsion in either the muzzle-burst or the extended-range mode. The range mode is selected by twisting a knurled sleeve into a specific camming position. The sleeve is connected to a striker pin which projects into the weapon chamber area. The striker pin is capable of striking and dimpling the round in the chamber. A dimpled round will cause the slide positioning locking plate to detent the pyrotechnic slide so that the round will be in its extendedrange mode. An undimpled round will permit the pyrotechnic slide to move so that the round is in its muzzle-burst mode.

Settable warhead burst range selector

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Anaheim, CA, United States of America

Rolf Krumes