Ordnance – Waging war
Patent
1995-04-17
1996-07-23
Carone, Michael J.
Ordnance
Waging war
102293, 244 324, B64D 104, F42B 1500
Patent
active
055379095
ABSTRACT:
A bomb damage assessment system that is carried by a weapon and released to provide imagery of a bombed area before and after bomb delivery. The system comprises a glider that is releasably secured to the weapon that includes tracking and guidance electronics for programmably controlling the flight thereof. An imaging system is disposed in the front end of the glider and a deployable ballute is disposed at the rear end thereof. A data link is provided for transmitting images to a command center for review. The system provides imagery of a target area before, during and after weapon impact. Television or infrared cameras may be used for day or night missions. As a target area is approached, the glider is released, is decelerated by the ballute, wings are unfolded, and the ballute is released, resulting in an aerodynamic vehicle that flies much slower than the weapon. The imaging system tracks the weapon to impact. The explosion of the weapon produces a hot spot that is tracked by the imaging system. The hot spot is tracked until a preselected depression angle is reached. The glider banks until the hot spot is at a predetermined angle relative to the centerline thereof. This results in a spiral glide path around the hot spot so that the target area is viewed from all aspects. The spiral path also results in a monotonically decreasing range to the hot spot. The glider may employ a GPS receiver, and the target location in GPS coordinates may be entered into the guidance and control system. The glider may be programmed to fly along a specific path or geometric surface in GPS coordinates toward the target. Using a fixed field of view imaging system, a large amount of background is seen from long range and better linear resolution is obtained at short range until the glider descends to the ground. Bomb damage assessment may be performed at the command center within minutes of weapon impact.
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August Henry
French Donald E.
Schneider Arthur J.
Small James G.
Brown Charles D.
Carone Michael J.
Denson-Low Wanda
Hughes Missile System Company
Wesson Theresa M.
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