General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Inc.

Other

Primex Technologies, Inc.

Tibor G Horwath

A guidance seeker system for a projectile includes a plurality of photoconductive sensing elements symmetrically disposed about a central axis of the projectile. When a target is illuminated with a light source, a lens transmits light reflected from the target to one or more of the photoconductive sensing elements. Dependent on which photoconductive sensing element is irradiated, a variance between the line of flight of the projectile and the target is determined. A voltage impulse resulting from irradiation of the photoconductive sensing element triggers actuation of a course corrector, such as a diverter, to nudge the line of flight of the projectile to increase the likelihood of the projectile reaching the desired target. This guidance seeking system is particularly effective when the target is designated with a pulsed laser.

Guidance seeker system with optically triggered diverter elements

A reticle for a guidance seeker for spinning projectiles comprises a substrate; a pattern of a plurality of alternating light modulating structures, such as opaque and light transmitting, or light absorbing and light reflecting areas on the substrate such that an image of a target moving on the substrate will generate a plurality of pulses corresponding to the number of lines crossed by the image, the number of pulses increasing as the image moves outwardly from the center of the reticle; and a distinguishable, unambiguous, and singly periodic feature of the pattern, which is readily detectable every time the target image moves circumferentially, completing a full circle around the center of the reticle.

Reticle for use in a guidance seeker for a spinning projectile

A guidance seeker for a spinning projectile defined by its angular momentum vector, comprises a lens system or a millimeter-wave antenna for receiving radiation derived from a target and forming an image of the target. The lens system has a reticle having a pattern of concentric circles nutating about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the target image as the image moves across the concentric circles. The millimeter-wave antenna generates concentric lobes nutating about the projectile angular momentum vector such that the received radiation is modulated by the target image as the image moves across the concentric lobes. A detector is coupled to the lens system or the antenna for receiving the modulated radiation. The detector is adapted to generate an output in response to the received modulated radiation. A circuit is provided to process the output from the detector to determine the deviation of the target image from the axis of the concentric circles or lobes.

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Falmouth, VA, United States of America

Tibor G Horwath