Trajectory shaping of anti-armor missiles via tri-mode guidance

US4277038A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army · US

Inventors

• Robert E. Yates · Huntsville, US
• John P. Leonard · Huntsville, US
• Robert E. Alongi · Huntsville, US
• Wilfredo V. Albanes · Huntsville, US
• Charles M. Bishop · Birmingham, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 27, 1979
• Grant date: Jul 7, 1981
• Expiry date: Apr 27, 1999

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F41G7/2293
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

In a missile system, a simple way to guide a missile in a predetermined tectory from launch to the impacting with a target for optimum warhead penetration of armor by a guided missile. Initially, the missile is guided in yaw by proportional navigation. Subsequently it is guided in pitch first by a pitch programmer until the missile reaches a predetermined gimbal angle between a line of sight of a seeker of the missile and a centerline of the missile, then in pitch by a pseudo-time-optimal closed loop controller to direct the missile pitch attitude at a predetermined rate toward a target until said missile reaches another predetermined gimbal angle, and finally by proportional navigation in pitch of the missile to the target.