Thermally Marked Target Missile System

Previous missile systems for use against tanks and trucks required continuous guidance of the missile to the target or a heat seeking missile which homed in on the heat of the engine of the target vehicle.

It is an object of this invention to provide a missile system which does not require continuous operator guidance of the missile to the target, or continuous laser illumination.

A further object of the invention is to provide a missile system which employs a heat seeking missile which is effective against parked targets.

The single FIGURE of the drawing is an artist's conception illustrating the missile system of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the missile system of the present invention uses a laser 10 for thermally marking a target 12 creating a hot spot on the target. A heat seeking missile 14 launched from a launcher 16 then homes in on the hot spot thus created. The launcher may be located adjacent the laser or remote therefrom as illustrated.

The following table represents five different seekers contemplated for use in heat seeking missiles for the missile system described herein.

The laser power required for use with the several seekers depends further on the legnth of time the laser is turned on, the size of the spot illuminated, the time delay of acquisition and launch of the missile and the range to the target. The following charts show the laser power required for the several variables stated.

The above tables give figures representative of thick steel targets for various ranges up to 3 km and various times of exposure and spot sizes.

The following table gives similar figures for use of the system against relatively thin aluminum targets.

In general it can be seen from the above charts that a medium powered laser 50 kw to 150 kw with an average laser application time of approximately three seconds will create a hot spot suitale for use with most all of the different types of seekers at ranges up to 3 km.