DE102023000398A1 - Method for operating a guided missile on a launch platform - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a missile (2) on a launch platform (6).
In order for the missile (2) to reliably execute the required movement after launch, it is proposed that the missile (2) determines its orientation relative to the launch platform (6) using its seeker head (4) based on a direction sensor (16a - 16f) of the launch platform (6).

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a missile on a launch platform.

Before a missile is launched from a launch platform, the missile's attitude information is initialized. This initial information contains the orientation of the launch platform in or on which the missile is stored and - if different - the orientation of the missile in or on the launch platform. The missile's initial attitude must be known so that the missile can follow a given trajectory as precisely as possible.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method with which the missile attitude can be reliably detected.

This object is achieved by a method of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the missile, according to the invention, uses its seeker head to determine its orientation relative to the launch platform using a direction indicator on the launch platform that is recognizable to the seeker head.

The invention is based on the idea that the information on the orientation of the launch platform is not sufficient to reliably know the orientation of the missile. Even knowing the nominal orientation of the missile relative to its launch platform is not sufficient to know its precise position. In order to ensure that a missile is ready for use from a moving launch platform in the long term, the missile should be mounted in a way that protects it well against shocks and vibrations and yet ensures that it can be easily released during launch. Both of these factors speak in favor of a rather loose mechanical connection of the missile to the launch platform. This means that the nominal position and the actual position of the missile can differ considerably. The position information initialized with nominal data may be too imprecise to always ensure that the missile functions correctly.

Consider a missile with a seeker head whose task is to provide highly accurate measurements of the line of sight to a target. This capability can be used to measure the missile's orientation relative to the launch platform very precisely before or during launch. This data can be used for attitude initialization. A heading error can be avoided and the target can be approached reliably.

The missile can be mounted on or in the launch platform, whereby no distinction is made between on and in below. The orientation of the missile in the launch platform can be described as its position in the launch platform. A distinction can be made between orientation and position, whereby the orientation can be defined using three independent axes of rotation and the position using three independent directions of translation.

The missile can have a rocket engine and means for directional control, such as steering wings, transverse thrust nozzles, steering nozzles or the like. In this respect, it can be a guided missile or a guided missile, i.e. a missile with the ability to actively steer itself during flight, e.g. to align itself with a target. It can contain an active body to attack a target. The seeker head contains an optics and a detector that are transparent or sensitive to incoming radiation, whereby the radiation can cover the wavelength range from radar radiation to infrared radiation to the visible wavelength range or a part thereof. In addition, signal processing is available to determine the direction of incoming radiation from the data from the detector.

The direction indicator can be any element that is recognizable for the seeker head. Recognizability exists when the direction indicator can be recognized as such by the seeker head or its signal processing, for example as a feature in an image provided by the seeker head detector. Recognizability exists in particular when the direction of the direction indicator can be determined by the seeker head, for example in relation to a previously known direction of the seeker head, such as the missile axis, or for example preferably relative to the alignment of the missile. The direction indicator can be an optical element, whereby the terms optics and direction indicator are not restricted in their function to the visible wavelength range. The optics are, for example, infrared optics or radar optics, so that radiation emitted by the direction indicator or optical element can also be outside the visible wavelength range. The direction indicator can actively or passively emit radiation in a wavelength range in which the seeker head is sensitive. The beam width and beam direction of the direction sensor are expediently selected so that the radiation is visible to the seeker head over all expected uncertainties of the missile orientation and preferably also over all expected uncertainties of the missile position relative to the launch platform.

Unlike the missile, the direction sensor is conveniently rigid and, in particular, has a low alignment tolerance at the launch platform. The nominal and actual orientation of the direction sensor therefore match well. The nominal orientation of the direction sensor is known to the missile. The orientation of the direction sensor can be determined by the direction of a beam that the direction sensor emits. Since the beam propagates in a straight line, the signal from the direction sensor reaches the seeker head without directional error and can be measured there with high precision. The resulting information about the orientation of the missile relative to the launch platform has a much smaller error than the nominal values of the inaccurate mechanical connection.

The seeker head of the missile can determine an orientation of the direction sensor relative to a known direction of the missile, such as its longitudinal axis or a reference direction of the seeker head. For example, the seeker head can measure radiation incident from the direction sensor and use this to precisely determine the position of the missile on the launch device. For this purpose, it is useful if the optics of the seeker head sharply image the radiation emanating from the direction sensor or optical element on its detector. If the orientation of the direction sensor is in a known dependency on an orientation of the launch platform, the orientation of the missile relative to the launch platform can be determined from the orientation of the direction sensor to the orientation of the launch platform and the orientation of the direction sensor relative to the reference direction of the missile. The loose and therefore inaccurate mechanical coupling of the missile to the launch platform can thus be replaced by an accurate electromagnetic coupling, so that the orientation of the missile can be determined precisely.

Depending on the type of seeker head, its field of view may be limited, so that the field of view must first be roughly aligned with the direction indicator. This rough direction can either already be stored in the missile software or transmitted from the launch platform to the missile. A search process can also swivel the optics of the seeker head until the beam of the direction indicator is in the field of view. The beam of the direction indicator can be referred to as the reference beam. The radiation of the direction indicator is advantageously selected so that it is different from background radiation and other sources of interference. This can be achieved by sufficiently high radiation power, but also by an imaged pattern and/or a clearly recognizable change in intensity over time, for example in the form of amplitude modulation.

The method can be seen as part of a method for transferring a flight path, a sequence of waypoints or a target from a launch platform to a missile arranged on it and having a seeker head. Since it is useful to know the orientation of the missile on the launch platform immediately before launch, the method can also be seen as a method for launching a missile with a seeker head from a launch platform.

The invention is also directed to a launch system comprising a missile with a seeker head and a launch platform for launching the missile.

In order to obtain a launch system with which the missile reliably carries out the required movements after launch, it is proposed that the launch platform contains a direction sensor according to the invention and that the missile is designed to determine its own orientation, in particular relative to the launch platform, with its seeker head using the direction sensor. The direction sensor can radiate actively or passively, i.e. radiate itself or, for example, reflect or transmit radiation from another source, with the beam direction being expediently set relative to a reference direction of the launch platform.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below, which can be combined with both the method according to the invention and the starting system according to the invention according to the independent claims. Thus, method features are also to be viewed as properties of the corresponding device unit and functional device features are also to be viewed as corresponding method features.

The optics of the missile's seeker head are generally set up for infinite focusing. A sharp image of an object on the seeker head's detector is achieved when the radiation emanating from the object falls parallel into the optics. Since the direction of the direction indicator can be determined most accurately by the seeker head when its signal is sharply imaged onto the detector, an advantageous embodiment of the invention proposes that the seeker be a parallel radiator, i.e. an element that emits electromagnetic radiation with a parallel beam path. The seeker head can determine the angle of incidence of its radiation and from this its orientation relative to the launch platform. The beam cross-section of the parallel radiator can be large or small. For example, the seeker contains a laser, in particular an infrared laser, so that the beam cross-section is laser-like small. It is also possible for the seeker to be an output aligning element that aligns the rays of an approximately point-shaped light source in parallel or expands a bundle of already parallel rays in its cross-section. The aligning element can be a parabolic mirror that deflects and parallelizes the radiation of a central radiator so that its beam cross-section is larger than the radiating element of the central radiator. Several aligning elements, such as parabolic mirrors or coupling elements made of a glass fiber, are also possible for an actively radiating element. In general, any parallel radiating element is possible.

The direction finder can contain an active or a passive radiator. If the direction finder is passive, it can absorb radiation and transmit it to the seeker head, for example as a mirror or as a tube through which the radiation is sufficiently parallelized due to the length of the tube. For this, the ratio of length to inner diameter should be more than 1000.

The flight path, waypoints or target data can be given to the missile depending on a reference position of the launch platform. This can refer to a reference point or a reference unit of the launch platform, e.g. a reference navigation unit. In order to keep mechanical tolerances as low as possible, it is advantageous if the direction sensor is arranged as close to the reference point as possible. It is particularly advantageous if the direction sensor is arranged directly on the reference unit, in particular directly on a reference navigation unit of the launch platform.

It is also useful if the direction indicator is aligned in a defined manner to a reference navigation unit of the launch platform. As before, this can also be understood to mean that the reference beam, in particular the parallel beam, emanating from the direction indicator is aligned in a defined manner to the reference navigation unit. After measurement by the seeker head, this direction can be taken into account when initializing the missile's attitude information.

When initialising the position of the missile, correctly recording the alignment of the missile is more important than correctly recording the position of the missile on the launch platform. The three directional dimensions of the alignment or, in other words, the three rotational dimensions in which the missile, e.g. its longitudinal axis, is aligned are therefore important. It should also be noted that when determining the direction of the reference radiator, only tilts of the missile around spatial axes that do not run parallel to the reference beam are noticeable. In order to use the method as effectively as possible, it is advantageous if the reference beam is chosen so that tilts can be recorded in the two directions in which the alignment tolerances are most significant for initialising the position. This will usually be the direction of roll and lateral tilt on a launch rail on which the missile can be held, or e.g. B. a lateral tilt relative to a wall of a canister in which the missile can be held, or a tilt of such a canister and thus of the missile relative to the launch platform. The reference beam is particularly advantageous if it runs transversely, particularly preferably perpendicularly, to the direction of the greatest alignment tolerance. In many cases this is the missile's longitudinal axis, particularly when the missile is suspended on one side from a launch rail. In order to detect an alignment tolerance in the rolling direction, it is advantageous if a beam direction of the direction sensor is aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction of the missile. Transverse can include a deviation of up to 30° from the vertical, in particular a maximum of 10°.

There are three directions in a launch rail, each of which is perpendicular to one another: the longitudinal direction of the launch rail and the missile, the lateral direction and the distance direction in the direction of the distance between the launch rail and the missile. A lateral alignment tolerance of the missile on the launch rail can be detected particularly precisely if a beam direction of the direction sensor is aligned in the lateral direction of a launch rail on the launch platform for the missile. Here, too, a tolerance of up to 30°, in particular a maximum of 10°, can be included.

Particularly in the case of ground-based missile launches, i.e. in the case of a ground-based launch platform, the launch platform usually carries several missiles, for example in a canister, or it carries several canisters, each with a missile. In this case, it is sensible to carry out the position initialization for several, in particular for all, missiles present. To do this, it is necessary that each missile to be initialized has a view of a direction indicator. It is not absolutely necessary for each of the seeker heads to see the reference beam before the first missile is launched. It is sufficient if each missile sees the reference beam before its own launch, for example if another missile has been launched that obscures the view of the reference beam. In this way, several missiles can use the same direction indicator at different times by arranging their seeker heads in a line that runs along the reference beam. The launch must then be carried out in such a sequence that each the missile that is the closest to the direction sensor is launched next. Position or direction initialization is therefore possible when the concealing or shadowing missile has been fired and the seeker's view of the beam has been cleared. It is therefore advantageous if several missiles launch from the launch platform and the launch of one of the missiles clears the view of a seeker of another missile to the direction sensor, and the seeker determines its orientation using the direction sensor before its own launch.

The need for a firing sequence - as described above - can be avoided if several missiles move through the reference beam during launch and locate it. This is possible if the missiles are arranged in a plane in which their longitudinal axes also lie. Instead of running at the level of the stationary seeker heads, the reference beam can run a little offset from the seeker heads in the launch direction. For example, the beam runs 10 cm above several seeker heads of several missiles. Before launch, the beam is not visible to any or not all of the seeker heads. However, during launch, the seeker head moves through the reference beam, which is visible for a short period of time to the seeker head just flying through the beam and its direction can be determined. In this variant of the invention, several missiles are arranged on the launch platform and a beam direction of the direction sensor can run in the launch direction in front of their seeker heads. This variant has the advantage that the firing sequence of several missiles arranged one behind the other can be freely selected. In this case, the reference beam is only visible for a relatively short period of time to determine the orientation. This method can also be used when the missiles are launched from individual, sealed canisters.

If several missiles are arranged on the launch platform, it can be useful for all of these missiles to be initialized in their position before the first missile is launched. This is because exhaust gases from launching missiles can obscure the view of a seeker head on a direction sensor or impair the detectability of a reference beam, thus making initialization difficult or, in the worst case, impossible. In order to achieve position initialization for several missiles, it is advantageous if each missile has its own direction sensor. Before launch, each of the missiles or the associated seeker head can see its direction sensor or element and determine its direction. Alternatively, a plurality of direction sensors are available for a larger number of missiles. In this case, at least one of the direction sensors is assigned to several missiles. Another possibility for position initialization is that a beam from the direction sensor is split by a beam splitter, e.g. by mirrors and/or several glass fibers, into several reference beams to several seeker heads.

The provision of several direction sensors has the further advantage that a missile can use its seeker head to determine its orientation relative to the launch platform in three dimensions around all three spatial axes using several direction sensors. For this purpose, at least two direction sensors are arranged in different directions to the missile or its seeker head and can be localized by the seeker head. The beam directions are expediently linearly independent of one another. It is possible for several missiles to be assigned to one or each of them to be assigned to one direction sensor, so that the number of direction sensors can be kept low.

For example, there are several direction indicators, each of which has several seeker heads in its beam direction. In this configuration, one seeker head can obscure another, but the rear seeker head can be released into view by closing the front one.

The properties, features and advantages of this invention described above, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more clearly understandable in connection with the following description of the embodiments, which are explained in more detail in connection with the drawings. The embodiments serve to explain the invention and do not limit the invention to the combination of features specified therein, including with regard to functional features. In addition, suitable features of each embodiment can also be explicitly considered in isolation, removed from one embodiment, incorporated into another embodiment to supplement it and/or combined with any of the claims.

• 1 einen Suchkopf eines Flugkörpers, der von einem Richtungsgeber angeleuchtet wird,
• 2 vier Flugkörper in einer Startplattform, deren Suchköpfe im Strahl eines Richtungsgebers liegen,
• 3 vier Flugkörper, deren Suchköpfe unterhalb eines Strahls eines Richtungsgebers liegen,
• 4 einen Richtungsgeber, der Strahlparallelität mit einem Parabolspiegel erzeugt,
• 5 die Beleuchtung eines Suchkopfs durch einen passiven Richtungsgeber,
• 6 vier Flugkörper an Startschienen und einen Richtungsgeber von oben gesehen,
• 7 einen Suchkopf, der von zwei Richtungsgebern aus zwei Richtungen angestrahlt wird,
• 8 vier Suchköpfe von Flugkörpern, die von jeweils einem eigenen Richtungsgeber beleuchtet werden,
• 9 vier Suchköpfe, die von mehreren Richtungsgebern abschattungsfrei angestrahlt werden, und
• 10 vier Suchköpfe, die jeweils von mehreren Richtungsgebern angestrahlt werden.

They show:

• 1 a seeker head of a missile illuminated by a direction finder,
• 2 four missiles in a launch platform, whose seeker heads are in the beam of a direction finder,
• 3 four missiles whose seeker heads are located below a beam of a direction finder,
• 4 a director that creates beam parallelism with a parabolic mirror,
• 5 the illumination of a seeker head by a passive direction indicator,
• 6 four missiles on launch rails and a direction indicator seen from above,
• 7 a seeker head illuminated by two direction indicators from two directions,
• 8 four missile seeker heads, each illuminated by its own direction indicator,
• 9 four seeker heads, which are illuminated by several direction indicators without shadowing, and
• 10 four search heads, each illuminated by several direction sensors.

1 shows a missile 2, of which, for the sake of clarity, only its tip with a seeker head 4 is shown. The missile 2 is held on a launch platform 6, which is only indicated schematically, in which the missile 2 is attached to a 1 not shown launch rail. The launch platform 6 can have a canister on a vehicle, for example a ship or a land vehicle, in which the missile 2 was transported. The launch platform 6 comprises a reference unit 8, which can be a reference navigation unit that contains a programmable computing unit 10 that receives and/or determines target data and passes it on to a programmable control unit 12 of the missile 2. This data includes a flight direction in which the missile 2 should fly after a launch or firing from the launch platform 6. The control unit 12 controls the flight of the missile 2 by means of a navigation solution that is based on an initial position of the missile 2 in space, which must therefore be known relative to a reference position. The reference position can be the position of the reference unit 8 of the launch platform 6 and thus also the orientation of the launch platform 6 itself, the position of which is known by corresponding sensors 14.

Even if the position of the reference unit 8 or the launch platform 6 is known and the missile 2 is suspended in the launch platform 6, the alignment tolerances of the missile 2 in the launch platform 6 can be so large that the current position of the missile 2 deviates significantly from the initial position assigned to it by the computing unit 10. This initial position error can have a significant positioning error during the flight of the missile 2, so that the actual flight of the missile 2 deviates significantly from its target flight. In the worst case, the missile 2 does not reach its mission target.

In order to eliminate or at least reduce the error of the initial position, the launch platform 6 is equipped with a direction indicator 16a. In the 1 to 10 various direction indicators 16a - 16f are shown, which are identified with the same reference number and different reference letters. When describing properties that are common to all direction indicators 16a - 16f, the reference letter is omitted below. The direction indicator 16 has a reference direction that can be formed by a reference beam 18. The reference beam 18 is an electromagnetic beam, for example in the infrared or visible wavelength range. The reference beam 18 has a reference direction and is formed from parallel beams that are directed in this reference direction.

The reference direction can be fixed relative to the launch platform 6 and is known in particular to the computing unit 10 and/or the control unit 12 and can also be recognized by the seeker head 4. Since the seeker head 4 is able to recognize the reference direction with high precision, the missile 2 knows its own orientation in the launch platform 6 implicitly or explicitly. It can take this into account when processing the movement specifications and thus fly correctly in the manner assigned to it. Or the current orientation of the missile 2 is communicated to the computing unit 10, which adapts its movement specifications to this orientation and passes it on to the missile 2 in an adapted form. To determine the current orientation of the missile 2 relative to the launch platform 6, the direction data of the reference beam 18, i.e. the direction in which the seeker head 4 recognizes the reference beam 18, is sufficient. The direction can contain one or more angles of incidence of its radiation into the seeker head 4. The reference beam 18 can be electromagnetic radiation emitted by the direction sensor 16. The direction sensor 16 can generate this actively, e.g. by means of a laser, or pass it on passively, e.g. by means of a mirror or a radiation channel.

The direction indicator 16 can be an active or passive radiator. In order to be visible to the search head 4 in a sharp image of the reference beam 18, the reference beam 18 should be a parallel beam of electromagnetic radiation, to whose wavelength the search head 4 is sensitive. For example, the direction indicator 16a is a parallel radiator that emits its reference beam 18 in exclusively parallel radiation, as shown in 1 is indicated by the parallel arrows. The reference beam 18 of the direction sensor 16 falls into the seeker head 4 and is projected onto its detector in a sharp point, from whose position on the detector the reference direction can be determined.

The direction indicator 16 is aligned in a defined manner with respect to the reference unit 8 of the launch platform 6, whereby this can be achieved by knowing the reference direction, e.g. relative to the launch platform 6. A loose mechanical connection 20 of the missile 2 to the launch platform 6 is converted into an electromagnetic connection with a low tolerance by means of a fixed mechanical connection 22 with a low tolerance and the electromagnetic bridge to the seeker head 4, with which the current orientation of the missile 2 in the launch platform 6 can be recognized and taken into account. For this purpose, it is expedient if the direction indicator 16 is rigidly connected to the reference unit 8, in particular if it is attached directly to the reference unit 8.

Before or during the launch of the missile 2, the seeker head 4 can determine the reference direction and from this its own orientation in the launch platform 6 - i.e. relative to the launch platform 6. To do this, it aligns its optics 24 so that the reference beam 18 falls into the optics 24 and can be processed to determine the direction. The alignment can be carried out in advance, for example by the control unit 12 knowing - e.g. through data transmitted in advance to the control unit 12 - from which direction the reference beam 18 is to be expected, or by the reference beam 18 being searched for by pivoting the optics 24. The launch platform 6 expediently informs the missile 2 when the reference beam 18 or the direction indicator 16 is visible, so that the direction determination can be triggered in this way without the direction indicator 16 always having to be visible. In order to avoid confusion or interference, the reference beam 18 or the visibility of the direction indicator 16 can be provided with a code, for example with a radiation code of the reference beam 18, such as a fixed flashing frequency.

2 shows several missiles 2 in the launch platform 6, which is also only indicated schematically here, which contains the reference unit 8 and a direction indicator 16b, which can be designed like the direction indicator 16a or in a different design. The following description is essentially limited to the differences from the embodiment from 1 , to which reference is made with regard to features and functions that remain the same. In order to avoid having to repeat what has already been described, all features of a previous embodiment are generally adopted in the following embodiment without being described again, unless features are described as differences from the previous embodiment.

The direction indicator 16b is aligned so that its reference beam 18 would pass through all seeker heads 4 of the missiles 2 if it were not shadowed by another seeker head 4. In 2 it can be seen how the individual missiles 2 are not aligned exactly parallel to one another, but are attached to the launch platform 6 with a relatively large alignment tolerance, i.e. their alignment differs from one another. This alignment tolerance refers to all three directional dimensions, or in other words to all three rotation dimensions. It can also refer to the three translation dimensions, which are less important, however, so they will not be discussed further below.

The seeker heads 4 are all in the line of the reference beam 18. If there is a shadow, the reference beam 18 would initially only be visible to the seeker head 4 closest to the direction indicator 16b, so that the latter can initialize its alignment. Only after this missile 2 has been launched can the then closest seeker head 4 see the direction indicator 16b and thus initialize the direction of the reference beam 18 and its alignment. With this arrangement, the order in which the missiles 2 are launched from the launch platform 6 is therefore fixed so that each seeker head 4 has a clear view of the direction indicator 16b before launch. First, the missile 2 closest to the direction indicator 16b launches, then the next missile 2, and so on, up to the missile 2 furthest away from the direction indicator 16b.

This disadvantage of a fixed starting order or firing order as described in the context of the embodiment is eliminated by the embodiment of 3 bypassed. Here, the reference beam 18 is located in the launch direction or longitudinal direction in front of the seeker heads 4 of the missiles 2 in the launch platform 6, namely in the extension of the longitudinal direction of the missiles 2. Before launch, the direction indicator 16b is therefore not visible to any of the seeker heads. During launch, however, the missiles 2 fly through the reference beam 18 with their seeker heads 4, so that this is visible to each of the seeker heads 4 for the time they fly through. The order of the launches is irrelevant here, as long as two missiles 2 do not launch so close together in time that one shadows the other as it passes through the reference beam 18. Due to the exhaust jet emitted by a missile 2 when it launches, it is also sensible to allow some time to elapse between the launches of missiles 2 so that the reference beam 18 can penetrate the exhaust gas of a missile 2 that has already been launched. However, this also applies equally to the embodiment from 2 .

4 shows a direction indicator 16c with a radiation source 26 and a parabolic mirror 28, which is illuminated by the radiation source 26. The radiation source 26 can be a central radiator, which therefore emits its rays from a center in a spherical or partially spherical manner, for example an incandescent radiator. The rays of the essentially point-shaped radiation source 26, which is located in the focus of the parabolic mirror 28, are aligned parallel by the parabolic mirror 28 and directed as an expanded reference beam 18 to several search heads 4 of the launch platform 6, so that this - although parallel - falls into several search heads 4 at the same time, the direction of incidence being identical for all search heads 4. Due to the parallel nature of the rays, they are imaged as points on the detector of the respective search head 4 and thus indicate the reference direction of the reference beam 18. This design has the advantage that the reference beam 18 is widened so much that it falls simultaneously into each of the seeker heads 4, so that the seeker heads 4 can all determine the reference direction independently of one another and before starting. In addition, a parallel emitting light source can be dispensed with, since the radiation from this parallel emitter is parallel-directed by the parabolic mirror 28.

In the example shown in 5 a passive director 16d is used. Only parallel rays can pass through a straight beam guide 29, for example in the form of a tube, with a matte inner surface, so that the reference beam 18 is parallel. The beam guide 29 can be directed at its other end towards any radiation visible to the seeker head 4, such as ambient radiation or a warm surface of the launch platform 6, as long as the beam intensity is sufficient to be detected by the seeker head 4. To facilitate detection, the cross-sectional shape of the reference beam 18 can be predetermined and shaped in a characteristic way, for example as a cross, so that this pattern can be easily distinguished from ambient radiation. The patterning due to the cross-sectional enlargement means that the strict parallelism of the reference beam 18 is dispensed with, which results in an enlargement of the image of the reference beam 18 on the detector. Only by pattern recognition combined with a predetermined and easily recognizable reference point of the pattern, e.g. the intersection point of two perpendicular lines, can the reference direction be determined. This principle can be applied to any direction indicator 16. With regard to a passive direction indicator 16d, the surroundings of the reference beam 18 should be darkened so that the reference beam 18 is sufficiently clearly visible against the dark background. Alternatively or additionally, a radiation source 26 can be placed on the beam guide 29 in order to increase the radiation intensity. This radiation source 26 does not have to be a component of the direction indicator 16d. And its optionality is in 5 marked by their dotted representation.

6 shows the configuration of the example from 2 from above, i.e. opposite to the launch direction of the missiles 2. The missiles 2 are each attached to their launch rail 30, whereby considerable variations in the roll alignment and also tilting of the missiles 2 are visible. The fields of view of the seeker heads 4 are all aligned with the direction indicator 16b in order to be able to recognize the reference beam 18 immediately after release through the shadowing. The reference beam 18 runs - apart from the shadowing - through all seeker heads 4. Also shown are the distance direction 32, which is aligned in the direction of the distance of a missile 2 to its launch rail 30, and the lateral direction 34, which is aligned perpendicular to the distance direction 32 and to the longitudinal direction of the missile 2. There are large alignment tolerances around all three rotation axes. In 2 Large alignment tolerances can be seen in the lateral direction 34, the perspective representation of which in 6 was omitted for the sake of clarity. The alignment tolerances in one direction, e.g. the lateral direction 34, are not position tolerances, but rotation tolerances, i.e. alignment tolerances around an axis, in the lateral direction 34 around a transverse axis. The reference beam 18 in the lateral direction 34 can be used to identify the alignment or alignment tolerance of the missile 2 in the rolling direction and in the lateral direction 34. The rotation axes with respect to which alignment tolerances can be determined are shown in the corresponding representation in 6 shown. The comparatively small alignment tolerance, or in other words misalignment or deviation from nominal alignment to real alignment, in the distance direction 32 cannot be detected with this beam alignment, since it does not cause a change in the position of the focal point of the reference beam 18 on the detector, but rather a rotation of the focal point.

This disadvantage can be overcome with the embodiment from 7 be bypassed. Here, the search head 4 is illuminated by several direction indicators 16, whereby their design can be designed in any form from one of the embodiments. Based on several reference directions of the several reference beams 18, the alignment tolerance in the distance direction 32 can also be detected, i.e. around a rotation axis which is in 7 runs from left to right in the paper plane (see corresponding representation of the Rota tion axis in 7 ). In general, the alignment tolerances can be detected in all three spatial directions if the alignment of the two reference directions to each other or to the launch platform 6 or another direction is known. The larger the sine of the angle between the two reference beams 18, the more precisely the alignment detection of the missile 2 is possible.

In the example shown in 8 For each seeker head 4 or missile 2 there is a separate direction indicator 16 which only illuminates the seeker head 4 assigned to it with parallel beams. In terms of its principle, this configuration is similar to that of 4 , whereby the parabolic mirror 28 can be dispensed with and instead several direction indicators 16 are used, expediently in the form of parallel radiators. The alignment of the reference beams 18 can be parallel to each other, as in 8 is shown, although this is not absolutely necessary as long as the reference directions are all known. In general, a reference beam 18 can also illuminate several seeker heads 4 as long as the beams of the reference beam 18 are parallel.

9 shows an example of implementation based on the principle of 7 , but with several missiles 2, so that for each seeker head 4 the multiple irradiation as in 7 This allows the three-dimensional determination of the orientation of each of the seeker heads 4 before launch. In addition, there are no shadows, so that the launch sequence of the missiles 2 is arbitrary. The constellation of 9 requires only two direction indicators 16e. These are each equipped with a beam splitter that splits the essentially parallel radiation into several directions. It is important that the beams of a direction indicator 16e only hit a seeker head 4 in one direction, so that the beam splitting shades the other seeker heads 4. In addition, all reference directions of all reference beams 18 must be known, as well as the assignment of the individual reference directions to the seeker heads 4. This design is easier to calibrate than in the embodiments from 4 and 8 , since only the small beam splitters have to be aligned precisely. The optics 24 of the search heads 4 are aligned so that the reference beams 18 fall in from both reference directions. If the field of view is too small for this, the optics 24 have to be turned towards the two reference beams 18 one after the other in order to record their directions one after the other.

In the arrangement of 10 are the principles of 6 and 7 combined. Multiple search heads 4 - in 10 only 2 at a time, but there can be more - are arranged in a reference beam 18, combined with the associated shadowing. In addition, the seeker heads 4 are all illuminated from two directions - except for the shadows - so that a determination of the three-dimensional orientation is possible. The launch of a missile 2 arranged further forward in the reference beams 18 enables two seeker heads located behind it to view the reference beams 18.

The arrangement can be implemented with several active direction sensors 16, so that each reference beam 18 is generated by a direction sensor 16. In the embodiment of 10 However, a single actively radiating element 36 is sufficient, which supplies the direction sensors 16f with radiation via two optical conductors 38, for example glass fibers, by connecting them to the actively radiating element 36. The direction sensors 16f can be output elements which output a portion of the radiation falling through their optical conductor 38 and emit it as their reference beam 18.

List of reference symbols

2

Missiles

4

Search head

6

Launch platform

8

Reference unit

10

Computing unit

12

Control unit

14

Sensors

16a-f

Direction indicator

18

Reference beam

20

Connection

22

Connection

24

optics

26

Radiation source

28

Parabolic mirror

29

Beam guidance

30

Start rail

32

Distance direction

34

Page direction

36

element

38

optical conductor

Claims (15)

Method for operating a missile (2) on a launch platform (6), characterized net that the missile (2) determines its orientation relative to the launch platform (6) with the aid of its seeker head (4) using a direction indicator (16a - 16f) of the launch platform (6) that is recognizable to the seeker head (4). Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the direction sensor (16a - 16f) is a parallel radiator and the seeker head (4) determines the angle of incidence of its radiation and from this its orientation relative to the launch platform (6). Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the direction sensor (16d) is a passive radiator and the seeker head (4) determines its direction relative to the seeker head (4) and from this its orientation relative to the launch platform (6). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the direction sensor (16a - 16f) is aligned in a defined manner with respect to a reference navigation unit of the launch platform (6) and the seeker head (4) processes this alignment when determining the orientation of the missile (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that several missiles (2) start from the launch platform (6) and by a launch of one of the missiles (2) the view of a seeker head (4) of another missile (2) to the direction sensor (16b, 16f) is released and the latter determines its orientation using the direction sensor (16b, 16f) before its own launch. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seeker head (4) is moved by a beam of the direction sensor (16b) during the launch process of the missile (2) from the launch platform (6). Method for operating a missile on a launch platform, characterized in that the missile (2) uses its seeker head (4) to determine its orientation relative to the launch platform (6) in three dimensions using a plurality of direction sensors (16, 16e) of the launch platform (6). Launch system comprising a missile (2) with a seeker head (4) and a launch platform (6) for launching the missile (2), characterized in that the launch platform (6) contains a direction sensor (16a - 16f) and the missile (2) is designed to determine its own orientation relative to the launch platform (6) with its seeker head (4) using the direction sensor (16a - 16f). Starting system after Claim 8 , characterized in that the direction sensor (16a - 16f) is arranged directly on a reference navigation unit of the launch platform (6). Starting system after Claim 8 or 9 , characterized in that a beam direction of the direction sensor (16b, 16d, 16f) is aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction of the missile (2). Starting system according to one of the Claims 8 until 10 , characterized in that a beam direction of the direction sensor (16b, 16d, 16f) is aligned in the lateral direction (34) of a launch rail (30) for the missile (2). Starting system according to one of the Claims 8 until 11 , characterized in that several missiles (2) are arranged on the launch platform (6) and a beam direction of the direction sensor (16b, 16f) is aligned with all seeker heads (4) of the missiles (2). Starting system according to one of the Claims 8 until 12 , characterized in that several missiles (2) are arranged on the launch platform (6) and a beam direction of the direction sensor (16b) runs in the launch direction in front of their seeker heads (4). Starting system according to one of the Claims 8 until 13 , characterized in that several missiles (2) are arranged on the launch platform (6) and each missile (2) has its own direction sensor (16). Starting system according to one of the Claims 8 until 14 , characterized in that several missiles (2) are arranged on the launch platform (6) and several direction sensors (16b, 16f) are present, in the beam direction of which several seeker heads (4) are each located.

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