Showing papers on "Missile published in 1984"

Ballistic Missile Defense

Abstract: Defense against nuclear attack so natural and seemingly so compelling a goal has provoked debate for at least twenty years. Ballistic missle defense systems, formerly called antiballistic missile systems, offer the prospect of remedying both superpowers' alarming vulnerability to nuclear weapons by technological rather than political means. But whether ballistic missile defenses can be made to work and whether it is wise to build them remain controversial. The U.S.-Soviet Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972 restricts testing and deployment of ballistic missile defenses but has not prohibited more than a decade of research and development on both sides. As exotic new proposals are put forward for space-based directed-energy systems, questions about the effectiveness and wisdom of missile defense have again become central to the national debate on defense policy.This study, jointly sponsored by the Brookings Institution and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, examines the strategic, technological, and political issues raised by ballistic missile defense. Eight contributors take an analytical approach to their areas of expertise, which include the relationship of missile defense to nuclear strategy, the nature and potential applications of current and future technologies, the views on missile defense in the Soviet Union and among the smaller nuclear powers, the meaning of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty for today's technology, and the present role and historical legacy of ballistic missile defense in the context of East-West relations. The volume editors give a comprehensive introduction to this wide range of subjects and an assessment of future prospects. In the final chapter, nine knowledgeable observers offer their varied personal views on the ballistic missile defense question.

How Autopilot Requirements Constrain the Aerodynamic Design of Homing Missiles

Abstract: When an aerodynamically controlled missile is used in a homing application, the transfer function of the vehicle becomes part of an overall homing and attitude control feedback loop. Therefore, the missile must be designed so that its aerodynamics meet the constraints required to accomplish homing successfully. For radar homing, these constraints are stringent enough to require an autopilot that controls the aerodynamic transfer function using body instruments and internal feedback loops. Even with an autopilot, there are limits on the aerodynamic moment parameters such as M ? and M ? that must be considered at the very beginning of the missile system design. This paper explores the nature and sources of these limits and presents numerical examples to illustrate what kinds of numbers are required.

Missile Envy: The Arms Race and Nuclear War

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The development of radar homing missiles

Abstract: Introduction S World War II, guided missiles have played an increasingly important role in warfare. Earlier papers in this series' reviewed the development of the inertial guidance systems that made possible the accurate delivery of long-range ballistic (and other) missiles for which the target is a known set of Earth coordinates. These systems are not suitable for guidance of missiles against unpredictable targets such as maneuvering aircraft, which requires an ability to sense the target location in real time and respond to rapid changes. To accomplish this, modern air defense missiles use homing guidance, in which an on-board sensor provides the target data on which the guidance is based. Because of the continually improving quality of target information as the missile closes in, homing guidance provides an accuracy that is unmatched by any other form qf missile guidance. This paper is not a comprehensive history of its subject. Rather, it is a summary of the author's first-hand experience, covering the development of continuous wave (CW) radar homing guided missiles, which were pioneered at Raytheon Company. They form an impressive subset of all homing missiles, .with nearly 100,000 airand surface-launched versions produced to date and deployed in some two dozen countries worldwide. Derivatives of these designs form the backbone of the U.S. Navy's ship-based defenses and similar designs are extensively used by the Soviet Union. In reviewing the history, technical descriptions of problems encountered and solutions developed will be given for the three key areas of sensor, navigation, and flight control.

Double swing wing self-erecting missile wing structure

Abstract: A self-erecting wing structure for increased missile performance and maneuverability without significant sacrifice of payload space includes a wing pivotally attached to an air frame in a retracted position in which the wing is both rotated about its spanwise axis relative to an erected position and pivoted forward alongside the air frame. Rotational components enable passing air to swing the wing to the erected position when it is released from the retracted position during flight. A secondary wing surface is included that automatically deploys to increase wing area.

Turbine Missile Perforation of Reinforced Concrete

Abstract: Improved empirical methods for the prediction of perforation of reinforced concrete barriers by missiles produced by turbine fracture are developed. Data from recent turbine missile tests and existing empirical methods of perforation damage analysis were collected and compared. Selected formulas were chosen for improvement. For each, modifications are proposed which result in a more accurate prediction of the occurrence of perforation of reinforced concrete barriers by missiles typical of those that might be found at nuclear power generating facilities. Also, a method is given to allow perforation analysis of reinforced concrete barriers with a thin steel plate affixed to the back face.

Target acceleration modeling for tactical missile guidance

Abstract: For future short-range air-to-air missile concepts, it has been demonstrated that linear optimal guidance laws provide significant performance improvements over proportional navigation guidance laws. This paper addresses the critical problem of estimating the missile-to-target position, velocity, and acceleration (required by the linear optimal guidance law) when only passive (angle only) seeker information is available onboard a highly maneuverable bank-to-turn missile concept. More specifically, the problem is how to model the target acceleration to achieve improved missile performance. Four target acceleration models coupled with an extended Kalman filter are presented and evaluated on a six-degree-of-freedom missile simulation to determine their estimation effectiveness and their influence on missile guidance.

Variable-geometry inlet

Abstract: A two-dimensional inlet for a high speed ram jet missile includes in combination an educated slot and a single ramp for varying the geometry of the inlet.

Missile appendage deployment mechanism

Abstract: A missile appendage deployment mechanism for receipt on the side of a missile or projectile and in a stowed position. The mechanism including a wing or fin which is designed, when deployed, to rotate upwardly from the stowed position into a feathered vertical position into the airstream of the missile. The wing moves upwardly from the horizontal stowed position into the vertical feathered position in a continuous smooth motion.

On-board flight control drag actuator system

Abstract: A missile on-board flight pitch, yaw and roll control drag actuator system. The system having a plurality of control panels operated by an actuator drive. The actuator drive accurately positioning the panels in a desired position in the airstream of the missile for controlling the flight, orientation and speed of the aircraft.

Airborne missile launcher of modular construction

Abstract: An airborne missile launcher is provided which is of modular construction to carry a variety of different missiles. A main body section has top attachment points, whereby it is carried by an aircraft, and sub-rail hangers at its underside to receive alternative missile-carrying sub-rails each of which sub-rails has one or more longitudinal tracks for carrying one or more types of missile. The sub-rail may be mounted in telescopically sliding relationship with the main body section. To complete the launcher body, forward and aft body sections are attached to the main body section, each of the forward and aft body sections being selected from a number of different such sections to suit different types of missile. For certain missile types, the forward and aft sections may be simply a plastics fairing; for certain other missile types, the forward and aft section may house a missile umbilical retraction mechanism and other operative means.

Wind tunnel correlation study of aerodynamic modeling for F/A-18 wing-store tip-missile flutter

Abstract: Wind tunnel testing of the F/A 18 wing with underwing stores and tip missile discovered several cases of flutter for which acceptable correlation was not obtained by adjustment of stiffness and mass Studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of aeodynamic modeling on three of the uncorrelated cases using the doublet lattice theory Results are presented showing the effect of individual system components on flutter Acceptable correlation is shown for total models of the wing rack store missile configuration, although models with air acting on the missile but not on the underwing store are also satisfactory

On-board flight control panel system

Abstract: A missile on-board pitch, yaw and roll flight control panel system, the system having a plurality of control panels operated by an actuator drive. The edge of the control panels slanted so when the panels are in an open position, clockwise and counter clockwise roll of the missile can be controlled.

Seeker head for a target seeking missile

Abstract: In a seeker head for a target seeking missile, which comprises a seeker 28 adapted to be directed to a target, two distance sensors 32 and 34 in the form of laser transceiver units are adapted to be directed to the target together with the seeker 28. The arrangement of the distance sensors 32 and 34 on opposite sides of the pitch axis 26 ensures that, with large squint angles, at most one of the distance sensors 32 and 34 is covered.

Adaptive noise estimation for homing missiles

Abstract: The presence of a microprocessor makes it possible to utilize a digital filter to process the measurement data and obtain a state estimate to be used in a digital guidance system for tactical homing missiles. Of particular interest is the case of the short-range, air-to-air missile against a highly maneuverable target when angle-only measurements are available. A standard filter for processing the measurements is the extended Kalman filter, the performance of which depends on the value selected for the measurement covariance. It is shown that the performance of this filter can be improved by estimating the,measurement covariance. Two methods for doing so are investigated: the limited-memory and the weighted limited-memory.

Process for real-time terrain reconnaissance by means of a sensor and device for carrying out the process

Abstract: A process for real-time terrain reconnaissance by means of a sensor (14) and a device for carrying out the process, the sensor (14) being incorporated in a projectile fireable over the reconnaissance terrain and transmitting its sensor reception signals (27) to a ground station (12) by way of a radio-transmission path (20), are to be designed to make it possible, at a low handling outlay, to cover in a controlled manner an extended strip (13) of reconnaissance terrain in the boundary region of the range of modern artillery weapons. For this, the sensor (14) is incorporated in a reconnaissance daughter projectile (15) which is guideable in the final phase of its flight and which is conveyed by means of a carrier missile (17), which is preferably a light artillery rocket, in front of the starting point (z3) of the reconnaissance strip (13) and is ejected there. The carrier missile (17) is braked to a steep fall path, in order, during its service life, to serve behind and above the reconnaissance daughter projectile (15) as a radio-relay station between the latter and the ground station (12). The ejected daughter projectile (15) is controlled into a stable trajectory approximately parallel to the ground (22) of the terrain strip (13) to be reconnoitred and maintained in it for the reconnaissance flight, until it becomes unstable as a result of a loss of speed and crashes. Preferably, a plurality of reconnaissance daughter projectiles (15) are ... simultaneously from a single carrier and relay missile (17) ... Original abstract incomplete.

Evaluation of missile aerodynamic characteristics using rapid prediction techniques

Abstract: A general overview of missile aerodynamic predictive methodology is made. Nine state-of-the-art rapid prediction codes are surveyed, and the NSWC Aeroprediction and NEAR Missile II codes are selected for detailed evaluation. The abilities and weaknesses of the codes to predict six-component aerodynamics of a diverse range of missile configurations (Sparrow III, Army Generalized, Maverick, and WASP) are examined. In general, both codes compared favorably in predicting longitudinal aerodynamics for angles of attack less than 10-15 deg. Both codes possess state-of-the-art and compatible methodology bases. Recommendations are given for an improved aerodynamic prediction code for future missiles.

Countdown to space war

Abstract: Only two years after Sputnik, weapons were created for attacking spacecraft. These were based on land. But now there is talk of weapons in space-instant-kill beams like lasers. President Reagan has offered a vision of new inventions that could stop nuclear missile attacks. But will they work? Can lasers make nuclear weapons obsolete? Or would they merely be used to wage Stars Wars? Originally published in 1984, this is mainly the story of the military use of space. It shows how the new technology could trigger nuclear world war. And it looks for a way out...

Improved missile launcher

Abstract: An airborne missile launcher is provided which is of modular construction to carry a variety of different missiles. A main body section has top attachment points, whereby it is carried by an aircraft, and sub-rail hangers at its underside to receive alternative missile-carrying sub-rails each of which sub-rails has one or more longitudinal tracks for carrying one or more types of missile. The sub-rail may be mounted in telescopically sliding relationship with the main body section. To complete the launcher body, forward and aft body sections are attached to the main body section, each of the forward and aft body sections being selected from a number of different such sections to suit different types of missile. For certain missile types, the forward and aft sections may be simply a plastics fairing; for certain other missile types, the forward and aft section may house a missile umbilical retraction mechanism and other operative means.

Optimal Controller for Homing Missile

Abstract: The optimal control theory is applied to the homing missile lateral autopilot design. The approach is to adapt the autopilot gains to the environment model reference and to vary as functions of time-to-go to minimize the performance index. The path constraint is applied throughout the whole terminal homing period and infinite penalty is imposed at intercept. A single-plane, linear autopilot design and implementation consideration are addressed for skid-to-turn (STT) case. Application to bank-to-turn (BTT) control is also discussed.

Directional control of rockets using elastic deformation of structural members

Abstract: A missile is disclosed which utilizes elastic deformation of structural members in order to control missile flight. The elastic deformation may be in the mounting of the rocket nozzle, the provision of deformable control surfaces, or provision of deformable sections of rocket body, all of which are controlled by independent actuating means.

Infrared test device for missile homing heads

Abstract: The invention relates to a test device for testing the operating capacity of missiles with infrared homing heads, in which, to achieve highly accurate, realistic and reproducible test results, a holding table movable in the three axes is assigned a projection unit for infrared films and the control of the test device is carried out by the infrared homing head itself with the aid of the film signals by means of a computer.

Thrust vectoring apparatus for maneuvering missile in flight

Abstract: Thrust vectoring apparatus for a missile for imparting bank and pitch to missile for maneuvering it in flight. The missile is provided with a generally rectangular jet exhaust opening in which is pivotally mounted a pair of two-dimensional plugs which define a plug nozzle for the opening. The plugs, disposed on opposite sides of a vertical longitudinal plane of the missile, are adapted to be selectively and independently pivoted in response to a control mechanism acting in response to guidance command signals for banking and pitching the missile for maneuvering it in flight.

A sighting system for a guided missile

Abstract: In a sighting system a sighting mechanism 1 is provided for alignment with a target, for tracking the target and for directing a target- tracking search head 3a of a guided missile 2 in which both the correlation of the search head 3a with the heat image and the locking of the search head 3a onto the line of sight is carried out more simply and more accurately than hitherto To achieve this, identical target- seeking instruments 8a, 8b are incorporated in the search heads 3a, 3b of the missile 2 and the sighting mechanism 1, and a correlator 7 is interpolated in electrical leads 9, 10, 11 between the search heads 3a, 3b

Analysis of Surface Pressure Distributions on Two Elliptic Missile Bodies

Abstract: The state-of-the-art methods for predicting missile aerodynamic characteristics do not accurately predict the loads on missile configurations with bodies of elliptic cross section. An investigation of this problem found significant nonlinear flow disturbance on the windward surface of a 3:1 elliptic body at Mach 2.50 in addition to the nonlinear vortical flows which develop on the leeside. A nonlinear full-potential flow method (NCOREL) was found to provide extremely accurate pressure estimates for attached-flow conditions and the vortex prediction method contained in a state-of-the-art method (NOSEVTX) was shown to calculate body vortices and leeside pressures.

Optical Kalman filtering for missile guidance.

Abstract: Optical systolic array processors constitute a powerful and general-purpose set of optical architectures with high computational rates. In this paper, Kalman filtering, a novel application for these architectures, is investigated. All required operations are detailed; their realization by optical and special-purpose analog electronics are specified; and the processing time of the system is quantified. The specific Kalman filter application chosen is for an air-to-air missile guidance controller. The architecture realized in this paper meets the design goal of a fully adaptive Kalman filter which processes a measurement every 1 msec. The vital issue of flow and pipelining of data and operations in a systolic array processor is addressed. The approach is sufficiently general and can be realized on an optical or digital systolic array processor.