Camouflage and decoy munitions for protecting objects against guided missiles   

The invention relates to a camouflage and decoy munitions for protecting objects against guided missiles, which munitions contain active substances which form smoke and/or spoof targets and produce decoy effects which influence the capability of the guided missiles to locate themselves.

A camouflage and decoy munitions which forms artificial smoke or spoof targets, and which deflect the approaching missile by virtue of producing signals at similar targets is used in a known manner for protecting objects against guided missiles.

For example, DE 100 65 816 A discloses a munition for producing smoke, which contain both a smoke active compound and an IR active compound. EP 0 512 202 discloses a method for protecting objects which emit IR radiation against missiles, in which the missile is located from the object to be protected and projectiles are then fired which produce jamming radiation clouds. The jamming radiation cloud first of all briefly transmits powerful IR radiation, which jams the lock-on and tracking electronic in the seeker head of the missile. A plurality of large-area and homogeneous pyrotechnic infrared spoof target clouds are then produced, which are somewhat similar to the IR signature of the object.

When guided missiles are located when approaching a target by measuring hotspots at the tail of the rocket and are guided to the target as a function of the respective position, then it is known for the control system of the rockets to be decoyed by producing hotspots which act in the same waveband. The measurement of a false hotspot creates a false control signal, and the rocket is deflected.

So-called jammers are used in order to produce deflection effects such as these. Jammers are lamps which are fitted to the target and transmit homogeneous or pulsed light signals in the desired spectral band. It is likewise known for deflection effects such as these to be produced by pyrotechnic flares which are burnt adjacent to the vehicle to be protected, or are fired from them.

Electronic jammers and pyrotechnic flares have the disadvantage that they represent only one deflection point. In addition, these fixed-position jammers and pyrotechnic flares can be segregated and used as a particular target signature. This measure therefore offers no protection even when the missiles are approaching at great height.

Flares that have been fired have the disadvantage that they must be fired as an additional munitions together with other defensive measures, thus considerably increasing the complexity. Furthermore, they have the disadvantage that they form a single long-lasting hotspot, which can be identified and suppressed by modern rocket location systems.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a camouflage and decoy munitions for protecting objects against guided missiles, which offers protection that is as comprehensive as possible.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the munitions additionally contain pyrotechnic flares which produce a multiplicity of hotspots distributed in three dimensions.

According to the invention, the deflection effect caused by hotspots is therefore integrated in a camouflage and decoy munitions. The camouflage and decoy munitions according to the invention offer comprehensive protection in that it not only camouflages the threatened target but also produces the desired decoy signals. For this purpose, a large number of hotspots are produced at the same time as decoy signals. In this case, the decoy signals can be produced immediately on firing of the munitions and/or on its trajectory and/or when the munitions breaks up. The deflecting flare can therefore act at different locations and at different times in order to decoy different missiles with different approach paths (low-level approach, high-level approach, etc.). Flares can therefore be produced directly adjacent to the target object, for example a vehicle, or can be fired from the target object into the air, or else at a distance from the target object in the air, in particular from the break-up point to the ground. This makes it possible to ensure that the deflecting effect is achieved independently of the flight principle on the line of sight (LOS) of the missile location.

In one particular embodiment, the burning process is controlled such that pulsating radiation is emitted instead of continuous radiation. This is also effective against modern location equipment, which can detect and separate out continuous signals.

The hotspot former can be integrated in the camouflage and decoy munitions in various ways, which can also be combined with one another:

1.

By adding a hotspot granulate to the ejection charge for the munitions, acting in the desired waveband:

The granulate which is added to the ejection charge can in this case be added based on red phosphorus or based on flare charges and/or IR flare charges, in order to achieve optimum effect in the desired waveband.

Example for flares based on red phosphorus:

60-80% red phosphorous 30-10% nitrates of the first and second groups in the periodic table  5-10% lightweight metals such as magnesium and/or aluminum Approx. 5% binding agent such as aqueous dispersion adhesive

Example for flares based on an IR flow charge:

50-70% potassium nitrate 20-10% hexamethylenetetramine  5-10% diazidicarbonamide  1-5% metal powder such as silicon and/or boron  1-5% binding agent such as accroid rubber, polyvinylbutyrate

2.

Fitting of pellet to produce tracer in the form of hotspots on the cartridge to be fired.

Example of the composition of pellets:

50-70% potassium nitrate 20-10% hexamethylenetetramine  5-10% diazidicarbonamide  2-5% metal powder such as silicon and/or boron  1-5% binding agent such as accroid rubber, polyvinylbutyrate

3.

Addition of granulates or pellets to the break-up charge, which produce hotspots in the desired wavelength band:

Example of the composition of granulates or pellets:

50-80% barium nitrate 20-50% magnesium  0-10% binding agent

4.

Incorporation, of flares or pellets which produce hotspots in the active substances which form smoke or spoof targets.

Example of the composition of flares or pellets:

60-80%  red phosphorous 5-20% nitrates from the first and second groups of the periodic table 0-10% lightweight metals such as magnesium and/or aluminum 5-20% binding agent such as aqueous dispersion adhesive