Method and Apparatus for Covering a Target Area With Ammunition

The invention relates to a method for covering a target area with ammunition using a container filled with a plurality of active units which have an essentially circular cross section and which are dispatched by release means along a controlled path of flight of the container in given quantities on individual paths of flight at at least one given point in time, and in a given direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the container. The invention also relates to an apparatus for implementing the method.

A method of the above-mentioned type is known wherein active bodies equipped with impact detonators are ejected from a container which is fixed to a carrier. Each active body has its own individual path of flight and must directly hit an individual target, specifically an armored target, disposed in the target area to produce the desired effect. In this known method an area covering effect, in the broadest sense, cannot be realized with a single overflight of the carrier. There exists the additional danger, when the active bodies are ejected at low altitude, that an active body may hit its individual target at a very small angle and thus considerably impair the effectiveness of the hollow charge incorporated in the active body.

It is an object of the invention to make available a method of the above-mentioned type in which, in addition to sufficient areal coverage, sufficient effectiveness of each individual active body is assured even when dropped from low altitudes.

The above object is accomplished according to the invention in a method of the type described above including the additional steps of moving the container toward the target at a given height; and releasing the active units from the container such that each of the active units rotates about an axis oriented toward the target area and essentially transverse to the direction of release, and such that the velocity of the container at the moment of release and the rate of release of the respective active units is added vectorially. Advantageously, the inventive teachings defined in the other method claims are directed toward a substantially reduced risk inherent in a respective carrier aircraft on a direct approach to the target area. Further advantages become evident from the teachings defined in the claims directed to the apparatus.

The invention will be explained in greater detail below with the aid of the drawings in which details not significant for the invention have been omitted and which are essentially schematic representations showing three embodiments of a container, different further means and details as well as nine embodiments of active units according to the invention and an overview sketch to clarify the effect of the invention when in use.

FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of a container designed as a gliding missile;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view along the longitudinal axis of a container designed as a cruise missile having a booster charge and with active units shown for clarification;

FIG. 2a is a horizontal sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the arrangement according to the invention for a cruise missile provided with a retro-rocket charge.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line III--III of the container according to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional top view of a further embodiment of the container with active units shown for clarification;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line V--V of the container of FIG. 4 with the active units ejected laterally and in the longitudinal direction;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are detail sectional top views of different receptacles for active units;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of an active unit of the type shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of an active unit of the type shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a sectional perspective view of a container equipped with receptacles designed as tubes having hexagonal cross sections;

FIG. 11 is a sectional top view of a first magazine for active units for accommodation in and ejection from one of the tubes according to FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 show a section XII of FIG. 11 in an enlarged representation;

FIG. 13 illustrates a second magazine showing a third and a fourth embodiment of the active units;

FIG. 14 is a section XIV of FIG. 13 in an enlarged representation;

FIG. 14a shows two juxtaposed receptacles with indicated magazines and active units according to FIG. 13, each equipped with an ejection device;

FIG. 15 is a vertical sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the active units;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view along the line XVI--XVI of the active unit according to FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a vertical sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the active units;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view along the line XVIII of the active unit according to FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of a seventh embodiment of the active units;

FIG. 20 is a side elevational view of an eighth embodiment of the active units;

FIG. 21 is a top view of the active unit according to FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is a side elevational view of a ninth embodiment of the active units in asymmetrical design;

FIG. 23 is a top view of the active unit according to FIG. 22; and

FIG. 24 is an overview sketch to clarify the effect of the invention in use compared to a prior art process sketched in the right-hand half of the figure.

According to FIG. 1, a container is shown in the form of a gliding missile C.1 equipped with wings 24 and a flipper 26. In the region of its nose 12, a search head (not shown) may be disposed. In the region of a cover 20, conventional fastening means (not shown) are provided to unlatch a connection with a carrier aircraft (not shown). Release openings 34 are indicated in both lateral exterior walls, of which only the right wall 18 is visible, the release openings 34 being arranged in superposed rows 33 which extend from the nose region 12 to the tail region 14. In the tail region 14, a booster charge and/or a sustainer may be disposed, both being active in the direction of flight 64.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a container designed as a cruise missile C.2;4 with parts impairing clarity being omitted. In its interior 28, the container has a plurality of receptacles 32, arranged along parallel straight lines 36 for active units W.1, . . . which are indicated in the cross sectional view of a simplified manner. As can be seen particularly well in FIG. 3, the receptacles 32 are arranged above one another in eight decks 30.1-30.8, with the receptacles 32 of immediately adjacent decks 30.1-30.8 crossing over one another. The straight lines 36 form an acute angle 46 with the longitudinal axis 42 of the container C2 and the points 44 of the angles 46 lie ahead of the respective release openings 34 when seen in the direction of flight 64. In the tail region 14, a booster charge 60, indicated only schematically, is associated with the sustainer 58, likewise indicated only schematically. The booster charge 60 is provided to produce a sudden acceleration of the missile to cause the release of the active unit W.1 . . . via the release opening 34. The search heaad 56 indicated in the nose region 12 will be explained later.

The embodiment according to FIG. 2a differs from that according to FIG. 2 by the absence of the booster 60 in the tail region 14 of the missile, by the provision of a retro-rocket charge 60' in the nose section 12, in addition to the search head 56, and by disposing the release openings 34' for the receptacles 32 so that the points 44' of the angles 46 lie behind the respective release opening 34' when seen in the direction of flight 64 of the missile. To discharge the active bodies W.1 . . . , the retro charge 60' is actuated, causing the missile C2 to be braked with great force. The active bodies W.1 . . . want to continue moving in the direction of the arrow 64, but are prevented from doing so by the walls of the receptacles 32 so that they are able to move only in the direction toward outlet opening 34'.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a further embodiment of a missile type container (e.g. a cruise missile) according to the invention. For better clarity, FIG. 4 shows only two receptacles 32 arranged in adjacent decks 30.1, 30.2 and crossing over one another, together with the active units W disposed therein. When looking simultaneously at FIG. 5, it can be seen that, in the bottom region 22 of the container C, there is disposed a longitudinal receptacle 54 with active units W, the receptacle extending essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis 42 of the container. Morever, FIG. 5 shows active units W released from container C. This will be discussed in greater detail below.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a detailed receptacle 32 in which an active unit W.1 is moved in the release direction 52. The active unit W.1 is of the type as shown in FIG. 8 in a side elevational view. In addition to a guide 37 for an active body 72, the receptacle 32 is provided with a toothed rod 48.3 for cooperating with a shaft stub 106 equipped with a ring of teeth 106', the stub 106 being part of a rotor 97 equipped with attached profiled blades V.2 for the active body. The rotor 97 is freely rotatable with respect to the active body 72 about a common axis of rotation 78. During movement in the release direction 52, the rotor 97 rotates clockwise while the active body 72 slides along the guide 37.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a receptacle 32 of a different design and with another type active unit W.2 as shown in FIG. 9. In its outer region, the active unit W.2 is provided with a ring of teeth 104 which mesh in a form-locking manner with a toothed rod 48.1 arranged to its side. The active unit W.2 moves in the release direction 52 by rotating clockwise around its central axis 78 toward a release opening (not shown). FIG. 9 is a side elevational view which clarifies the design of the active unit W.2 according to FIG. 7. In FIG. 6 as well as in FIG. 7, the toothed rods 48.1, 48.3 extend along their respective straight lines 36 which extend in a direction identical to the respective release directions 52.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the lateral exterior wall 18 of a further embodiment of a container C. The receptacles 32 are designed in the form of tubes having hexagonal cross sections and extend to a center partition 40. Advantageously, the tubes are integrated in the supporting cell structure of the container C and assure good torsional rigidity.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a first type magazine M.1 for active units W which are spaced from one another by spacers 120, so as not to interfere with one another during their clockwise rotation. Rotation is generated by the toothed rod 48.3 disposed at the top.

As can be seen in FIG. 12, the spacers 120 are divided along a parting line 122. In the region of the parting line 122, three compression springs 134 are provided to take care that the two halves of the spacers 120 separate when the respective release opening passes through in the direction of arrows 126, 128 and thus do not interfere with the active units W.

FIG. 13 shows three active units W.2, W.3 in one receptacle 32 equipped with a lateral toothed rod 48.1, with the two outer active units W.2 being identical while the center unit (W.3) differs, from them in that it has a different circumferential region 70. For clarification, a region XIV outlined by dash-dot lines in FIG. 13 is shown enlarged in FIG. 14. In their circumferential regions 70, the two outer active units W.2 are equipped with a ring of teeth 104 for meshing with the toothed rod 48.1 as well as with a deeper lying toothed ring 104' between two circumferential slide faces 107 of the center active unit W.3. In this way, when the arrangement is moved in the release direction 52, a different torque 111, 113 results for the active units W.2, W.3.

FIG. 14a shows two receptacles 32 which extend between the two lateral exterior walls 16, 18 of the respective containers C. The arrangement of the active units W.2, W.3 corresponds to that shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, with the magazine M.2 being indicated only.

In the vicinity of an opening 38 in the lateral wall 18, releasing aids are provided in the form of rocket propellant charges 53. In the present case, the form-locking element extending along the line 36 for imparting rotation to the active units is a toothed belt 48.2 whose one end L.1 is fastened in the region of side wall 18. The free end L.2 of the toothed belt 48.2 encloses the circumference 70 of the active unit W.2 disposed farthest to the left in the vicinity of the release opening 34. During movement in the release direction 52, the free end L.2 of the toothed belt 48.2 is initially stretched so that the respective outer active unit W.2 is put into sufficient rotation.

FIGS. 15 and 16 show a fifth embodiment of an active unit W.5. A circularly cylindrical wall 80 encloses a charge 82 which is limited at its underside by a P charge insert 84, so that the actual active body 72 results from the arrangement of the wall 80 and of the insert 84. At least one sensor 86 and the detonator 90 actuated thereby are cast in the customary manner into a circumferential circular ring 85 having an essentially triangular cross section and are connected with the charge 82 in a manner not shown so as to make it effective. One effective axis 83 of the P charge is coextensive with the axis of rotation 78; the effective direction of the sensor (or sensors) 86 essentially coincides with that of the P charge of the active body 70.

FIGS. 17 and 18 show a sixth embodiment of an active unit W.6 equipped with rocket propellant charges 99 arranged oppositely to one another on a diameter 91 of the circumferential circular ring 85 to assure sufficient rotation about the axis of rotation 78 which coincides with the effective axis. For reasons of simplicity the illustration of further detail has been omitted--as is the case in FIGS. 15 and 16. The rocket propellant charges are fired, in a manner not described in detail, only after the respective release opening has been passed.

The active units W.7 according to FIGS. 19, 20 and 21 are provided with circularly curved wings V.1 which are articulated, at the upper side of the active units, to be foldable about a respective center of rotation 92. Prior to release from the missile, these wings V.1 are held together in the interior 28 of the missile by means (not shown) to form a circular ring and, after the release from the missile, the wings, are unfolded by the rotation in the manner illustrated in FIG. 21 of the drawings as a result of their known form-locking connection. While, in the case of the embodiment of FIG. 19, the wings V.1 are articulated directly at the upper side of the active body 72, the active unit W.8 according to FIG. 20 is provided with a disc 94 which is freely rotatable in a known manner with respect to the active body 72 (see FIGS. 7 and 9), and the wings are articulated to the circumference of this disc 94.

FIGS. 22 and 23 show a ninth embodiment of an active body device W.9 in asymmetrical design. A foil V.3 having an essentially rectangular cross section and dimensions transversely to the longitudinal direction which correspond to the diameter 81 of the active body 72, is fastened at the upper side of the active body 70 and tapers from the wall 70 of the active body toward the free end 100 of the foil. For an active unit W.9 of this type, the form-locking elements in the region of the receptacle in the missile are not required; they are arranged essentially above and next to one another in the form of shingles in the respective release tube so that they leave the respective release opening with the free end 100 of foil V.3 in the lead. The initial path of flight is essentially dependent on the ejection force and a magazine (not shown) is moved toward the respective release opening by a releasing aid in the form of a rocket propellant charge. In this embodiment, rotation occurs about an axis outside the axis of rotation 78 of the active body 72 with the advantageous result that the extension (not shown) of the effective axis 83 of the active body 72 describes a cycloid on the target area 130 and thus assures for the active unit W its own effective corridor of given width extending on the path of flight projection of the active unit W.

The left half of FIG. 24 shows in an illustrative but simplified representation the principle of operation of the invention. While each ejected active unit W has its own corresponding, associated action corridor 132, of which only a single one is shown, so that this results in a substantially complete areal coverage of the target area 130, the illustration in the right half of the drawing, which relates to a prior art method, clearly shows the difference in effect.

In those cases where a releasing aid in the form of a rocket propellant charge is not required, the inertial forces are utilized which act, during positive or negative accelaration, on the respective active unit as a result of the respective receptacles being arranged at an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the container, thus assuring the respective releasing process as a result of the motion component oriented outwardly in the direction of the respective line 36.

If the container is used while being fixed to a carrier, the release takes place at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the projectile or at an acute angle toward the rear so that the carrier aircraft is not endangered by its own stray ammunition.

According to a further variation in which the points of the angles are disposed between the lines 36 and the longitudinal axis 42 of the container in front of the respective release opening, the flipper 26 is simultaneously actuated after firing of a booster charge 60 so that the container bulges at its front end and the active bodies leave the release opening as shown under their own gravity with a corresponding rotation.

If the units are inertially released during horizontal flight, essentially the releasing scheme shown in FIG. 5 will result and the provision of the described longitudinal receptacle will then avoid with certainty the creation of a "neutral corridor".

If a search head 56 is integrated in the container, a computer and other known devices can be used to assure that the releasing process takes place either by deck or by tube, resulting advantageously in an ammunition saving way to combat individual targets in a respective target area.