EP0679861B1 - Firing installation for wire guided ammunition from a mobile launcher - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an installation designed to fire wire-guided ammunition such as a missile, from a mobile launcher such as a ship or an aircraft.

Throughout the text, we mean by the expression "wire-guided munition" any projectile linked to its shooting station by a liaison body filiform used to transmit information allowing remote control of the ammunition from the post shooting.

The filiform connecting member can in particular be made up of several conductors electrical or optical fiber. Because the transmission capacity of optical fiber is very far superior to that of drivers electrical connections over distances of several tens of kilometers can be insured when using an optical fiber, while these connections are limited to approximately 12 km in the case of electrical conductors. The flight time of the ammunition is considerably increased and reached several minutes.

When wire-guided ammunition is placed works from a mobile launcher, it's important for protection of the latter that he is not forced to a stationary or collinear trajectory to the ammunition for the duration of the flight of this last. However, compliance with this imperative is difficult, due to the fragility of the threadlike bond, especially when it is a optical fiber.

Indeed, as it progresses in air or water, the ammunition wire-guided unrolls the thread-like link member of a coil associated with this ammunition, so that the unwound part is immobile from the middle ambient. The other end of the link filiform being integral with the launcher, any movement of the latter after the departure of the ammunition mechanical stress on the already unwound part of the filiform connecting member. Mechanical resistance of this body therefore demarcates the evolutions notably mobile launcher.

To overcome this difficulty, it is known to equip the mobile launcher with a second coil connected to the coil of the ammunition and which takes place behind the mobile launcher as it goes clean movement. This feature allows make the trajectories of the two mobiles independent constituted by the ammunition and by the launcher.

This solution is illustrated in particular by EP-A-0 337 254 on which the preamble of claim 1 is based, in which the launcher mobile supports a coil whose axis is oriented substantially vertically. Specifically, the coil mounted on the mobile launcher is carried by a ball joint type which reduces the angle between the axis of unwinding of the organ of threadlike connection and axis of the coil. However, this angle can never be canceled when the launcher moves in a horizontal plane. It therefore constitutes a limitation to the maximum unwinding speed permissible and therefore at the speed of moving the mobile launcher.

In addition, in the shooting installation described in document EP-A-0 337 254, part of the organ of filiform connection circulates outside the tube of launch, since the coil carried by the launcher is located outside of this tube. This part no protected from the filiform connecting member therefore risks to be damaged, either during the installation of ammunition on the launcher, either during the flight preceding the shoot. The same is true for the coil carried by the launcher, which is constantly in the open air and is at risk to be damaged especially during the phases of take-off and landing of the launcher, during which material projections can occur produce.

The use of a coil linked to the launcher mobile is also illustrated in the document EP-A-0 443 623. In this document, the coil linked to the mobile launcher is either attached directly to the latter so that its axis is oriented vertically, either mounted on the launcher via a gimbal type joint. In the first case, the angle formed between the axis of unwinding of the organ of filiform connection and the axis of the coil limits the maximum permissible unwinding speed. The second configuration is incompatible with shooting a ammunition from a launch tube since the loop which forms between the ammunition and the coil linked to the launcher would then pass through the launch tube. In indeed, any significant change in focus of the launch tube resulting from displacement of the launcher mobile would exert significant mechanical stress on the filiform connecting member already unrolled since ammunition.

On the other hand, in this document EP-A-0 443 623, as in the previous document, it between the two coils there is a portion of unprotected filiform bond, which may be damaged when placing ammunition on the launcher or during the flight preceding the firing.

The subject of the invention is precisely a wire-fired munition firing installation, from a launch tube on board a mobile launcher, do not not having the disadvantages of the installations existing and in particular allowing the mobile launcher to follow any trajectory after firing the ammunition with a higher speed than in the existing facilities and without any part of the filiform connecting member is exposed and risks to be damaged at any time.

According to the invention, this result is obtained through an ammunition firing facility guided by a mobile launcher, comprising a tube launch ammunition normally housed in the launch tube, and a threadlike connecting member able to unwind from a first reel linked to the ammunition and a second coil linked to the tube launch, characterized by the fact that the launch has a front door, normally closed, the second coil being normally mounted in the launch tube, between the ammunition and the front door, through a means of tilting this second coil outside the launch tube, able to be activated before firing the ammunition.

Thanks to this arrangement, the connecting member threadlike that connects the ammunition to the launch tube is completely placed inside the latter before firing. In addition, the housing of the linked coil to the mobile launcher at the front of the ammunition and the tilting of this coil outside the tube launch just before firing allow practically cancel the angle formed between the axis of unwinding and axis of the reel when the launcher makes a U-turn and moves away from the ammunition after firing.

In one embodiment preferential of the invention, the second coil is fixed on an internal face of the front door, the means of tilting being interposed between the latter and the launch tube.

Preferably, a buffer length of the filiform connecting member, located between parts of this organ normally wound on the first and the second coil, is normally associated with the second coil. In addition, means for ejecting this buffer length, capable of being actuated after a actuation of the tilting means and before putting ammunition fire, are mounted in the second coil. This feature initiates the unwinding of the coil linked to the launcher, whereas this the latter has not yet completed his turn, without the filiform connecting member is not subjected to mechanical constraints too severe.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the second coil comprises a core in which the buffer length of the organ is housed of filiform connection and the ejection means.

So that the part of the cable between the coil linked to ammunition and coil linked to launcher remains substantially stationary, the buffer length of the filiform connecting member advantageously supports means for increasing the drag coefficient.

Furthermore, in order to protect the section of the filiform connecting member which runs in the launch tube between first and second coils before firing, this section is reinforced by protective sheathing.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tilting means controls a about 270 ° pivoting of the second coil between a normal position, internal to the launch tube, in which the axis of the second coil is substantially orthogonal to the axis of the launch tube, and a firing position, external to the tube launch, in which the axis of the second coil is substantially parallel to the axis of the tube launch.

Preferably, the second coil has then a cover, advantageously covered with a fairing, surrounding the part of the connecting member filiform normally wound on the second coil. This cover has a circular outlet opening from the filiform connecting member, centered on the axis of the second coil and oriented upwards respectively or backwards depending on whether the second coil occupies its normal position or its firing position.

On its outer surface, the launch then advantageously includes means of locking the second coil in its position Firing.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tilting means comprises at minus a tilt control system and a articulation hinge of the second coil on the launch tube.

Depending on the case, the hinge may include, either a single pivot axis orthogonal to the axis of the launch tube, i.e. two pivot axes parallel, orthogonal to the axis of the launch tube. In the latter case, at least one piece of link able to pivot relative to the launching tube around a first of the pivot axes and by how the second coil can rotate around the second of the pivot axes.

The launch tube further includes a rear door, normally closed, as well as means opening of this door, capable of being actuated during the firing of the ammunition.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective illustrant le tir d'une munition filoguidée à partir d'un hélicoptère équipé d'une installation de tir conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe longitudinale partielle d'une installation de tir conforme à l'invention, représentée en traits pleins à l'état de repos et en traits mixtes dans l'état qu'elle occupe juste avant la mise à feu de la munition ;
• les figures 3A à 3C sont des vues en coupe longitudinale partielle comparables à la figure 2, représentant plus schématiquement l'installation de tir de la figure 2, à différents stades juste avant la mise à feu de la munition ; et
• les figures 4A à 4C sont des vues à plus grande échelle représentant une variante de réalisation de la charnière par laquelle la porte avant est articulée sur le tube de lancement, à différents stades de l'ouverture de cette porte.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the firing of a wire-guided munition from a helicopter equipped with a firing installation in accordance with the invention;
• Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a firing installation according to the invention, shown in solid lines in the rest state and in broken lines in the state it occupies just before firing ammunition;
• FIGS. 3A to 3C are views in partial longitudinal section comparable to FIG. 2, showing more schematically the firing installation of FIG. 2, at different stages just before the firing of the ammunition; and
• FIGS. 4A to 4C are views on a larger scale showing an alternative embodiment of the hinge by which the front door is articulated on the launching tube, at different stages of the opening of this door.

In FIG. 1, the reference 10 designates a helicopter on which several are on board firing installations 12 in accordance with the invention. Each of these shooting installations includes a tube of launch 14 (Fig. 2), a guided missile 16 and a fiber optic 18 permanently connecting missile 16 to launch tube 14. More specifically, Figure 1 depicts helicopter 10 making a U-turn after the firing of one of the missiles 16.

As already stated, the invention does not not only applies in case the mobile launcher consists of a helicopter 10, but concerns also the case where this launcher is constituted by an aircraft of a different nature, a surface ship or submarine, or even a land vehicle. Likewise, missile 16 can be replaced by any ammunition wire-guided adapted to the launcher concerned. Finally, the fiber optics can be replaced by any other threadlike connection such as a set of conductors electric.

As the figure illustrates more precisely 2, when missile 16 is stored inside the launch tube 14, a section 18a of the fiber optics 18, corresponding for example to at least the half of its total length, is wound on a first coil 20 housed in the rear part of the missile 16. This arrangement is classic and will not therefore not described in more detail.

A second section 18b of the optical fiber 18 comes out of missile 16 at the back of it and runs inside the launch tube 14, along missile 16, to connect the first section 18a mounted in the missile to a second coil 22 placed in the launch tube 14, in front of missile 16. More precisely, the second coil 22 is fixed on the inner face of a front door 24 of the launch tube 14, which normally closes the front end of this tube. The second coil 22 is thus interposed between missile 16 and front door 24, inside of the launch tube 14, when the firing installation 12 occupies its normal storage position.

The section 18b of the optical fiber, which connects coils 20 and 22, is reinforced by cladding of protection which allows it to resist attacks produced by the missile propellant 16, during ejecting the latter from the launch tube 14.

The second coil 22 includes a core 26, generally cylindrical or frustoconical in shape, eventually ended with flared ends. In the normal storage position illustrated in the figure 2, the axis of this core 26 is oriented substantially vertically, its lower end being connected to the front door 24 by a support 27.

In its part turned upwards when the coil 22 occupies its storage position, the core 26 forms a housing, open upwards, in which a buffer length 18c of the optical fiber is stored 18, for example in the form of a winding. The part of the core 26 adjacent to the buffer length 18c of optical fiber is used to house ejection means 28 which function, as we will see later, to expel the buffer length 18c from optical fiber outside the housing formed in the core 26, just before firing missile 16. These means ejection 28 can be constituted either by a spring mechanism, either by a pneumatic system or pyrotechnic.

It should be noted that the buffer length 18c optical fiber supports means (not shown) to artificially increase the coefficient of aerodynamic drag of this part of the fiber when it is outside the tube of launch 14.

The buffer length 18c of the optical fiber connects the section 18b of this fiber to a section 18d of optical fiber, wound together in several layers on the core 26 of the coil 22. The length of the section 18d wound on the coil 22 is generally less than or at most equal to the length of the section 18a wound on the reel 20. In known manner, a suitable adhesive ensures unrolling progressive and regular fiber optic from coils 20 and 22.

The end of the optical fiber 18 coming out coil 22 opposite the buffer length 18b is connected by a fiber section 18th to a connector optic 30 mounted on the launch tube 14 so as to allow the connection of optical fiber with a control system (not shown) installed on the helicopter 10.

In an alternative embodiment, the end of the optical fiber leaving the coil 22 enters a case (not shown) allowing transform in one direction the light signal into a signal electrical and in reverse the electrical signal in light signal. The 18th fiber optic segment is then replaced by an electrical conductor and the optical connector 30 is itself replaced by a electrical connector.

The second coil 22 further includes a cover 32, which surrounds the optical fiber wound on the core 26. This cover 32 is arranged coaxially to the core 26 and its inside diameter is slightly higher the diameter of the outermost fiber layer wound on the core 26, so as to leave a space allowing the fiber to unwind easily, account due to the bloating phenomenon that occurs during of this unfolding.

The cover 32 extends beyond the end of the core 26 facing upwards in the normal storage position of the coil 22 and its diameter then decreases to present a circular opening 32a, centered on the axis of the core 26 and by which the fiber leaves the reel 22. The diameter of this opening 32a is for example close the outside diameter of the core 26.

Outside its part adjacent to the door rear 24, the cover 32 is covered with a fairing 34 which extends below the support 27, in the normal storage position of the reel 22 illustrated in solid lines in Figure 2.

To allow the missile to fire 16, the front door 24 and the coil 22 fixed on this door are linked to the launch tube 14 by tilting means allowing this set of come and stand outside the launch tube, in a firing position that fully clears the front end of the launch tube. This position of firing is illustrated in dashed lines on the Figure 2 and in solid lines in Figure 3C.

These tilting means include a hinge 36, through which the front door 24 is articulated on the front end of the launch tube 14, and a tilt control system 38, which normally locks the front door 24 on the tube launch 14.

In the embodiment illustrated on Figure 2, the tilt control system 38 may in particular be constituted by a gas generator pyrotechnic mounted in the top of the launch tube 14, at the front of the latter. This system 38 ensures normally keeping the front door 24 in its closed position and propels door 24 forward, around the hinge 36, when actuated.

In the embodiment illustrated on FIG. 2, the hinge 36 has a single axis 40, substantially horizontal, located at the bottom and in front of the launch tube 14. More precisely, the axis 40 is orthogonal to the axis of the launch tube and slightly offset forward and outward relative to this launch tube, so as to allow a 270 ° pivoting of the assembly formed by the door front 24 and reel 22, clockwise of a watch considering figure 2. This pivoting ends when the outer face of the front door 24 abuts against the underside of the tube launch 14. The axis of the coil 22 is then substantially parallel to the axis of the launch tube 14 and the circular opening 32a through which the fiber optic 18 comes out of the cover 32 is oriented towards the back.

This final position of the whole formed by the front door 24 and the coil 22, called position of firing, authorizes the exit of missile 16 outside the launch tube 14 after ignition. In his lower part, the launch tube 14 bears on its outer surface of the locking means 42 which cooperate with the front door 24 when it has tilted 270 °. The locking means 42 thus immobilize the second coil 22 in its firing position. the locking means 42 can consist of a blocking system any mechanical.

In the normal storage position of the firing installation 12, the launching tube 14 also has a rear door 44 which closes the rear end of this tube. Means of opening 46 mounted inside the launch tube 14 cooperate with the rear door 44 to maintain it normally closed and order the opening when firing the missile 16. These opening means 46 can be any means, for example pyrotechnic, electrical, etc.

When the firing installation 12 occupies its normal storage position illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 2, the front end of the installation does not has no protuberance likely to prohibit stacking or increasing the master-couple.

In addition, the installation forms a set which can be integrated on the launcher without other intervention than that required by fixing and installation connection.

Furthermore, because the entire length of the optical fiber is housed in the launch tube, handling operations are facilitated and the missile is protected against attack by all kinds (mechanical, fluids or atmospheric agents such as hail, sand, etc.) encountered during handling and carrying phases on the launcher mobile. Similarly, the fiber link optic between the launcher and the missile is protected from assaults in the same way as the missile itself. Of more, this configuration makes any mechanism useless fiber blocking to prevent unwinding spontaneous of one or the other of the coils under the effect of the aerodynamic drive generated by the moving the launcher.

Furthermore, when the missile was fired location, the fiber output axes from the two coils are oriented towards the rear of the mobiles that constitute missile 16 and helicopter 10, which allows high travel speeds for each of them.

The implementation of the shooting facility illustrated in FIG. 2 will now be described in referring successively to FIGS. 3A to 3C.

When a firing order is given, the tilt control system 38, the means ejection 28, the opening means 46 and the missile 16 thrusters are activated sequentially, with time intervals predetermined, as follows.

First, the system 38 of tilt control is activated, which effect of propelling the front door 24 forwards, around its pivot axis 40, as illustrated in Figure 3A.

As shown in Figure 3B, during the pivoting of the front door 24, the ejection means 28, internal to the core 26 of the coil 22, are activated and the fiber optic buffer length 18c is ejected downward, so as to gradually form a loop, loosening in the air. The length of this loop (fig. 3C) is determined so as to initiate the unwinding of the secondary coil 22 under the effect of the aerodynamic traction exerted on the fiber by the helicopter movement 10.

When the 270 ° swivel of the assembly formed by the front door 24 and the coil 22 is finished, this set is locked in the position of fired by the locking means 42. The opening 32a of the cover 32 through which the fiber optic, is then oriented towards the rear by compared to the helicopter, which allows the helicopter to move away at high speed after the launch of the missile.

As soon as the coil 22 has reached its position firing, the opening means 46 are actuated (Figure 3C) so as to release the rear door 44 and missile 16 is fired. From then on, the helicopter can start a U-turn and move away missile speed, since the fiber exit axis unwinding from the reel 22 is oriented towards the rear compared to helicopter 10.

In FIGS. 4A to 4C, there is illustrated a alternative embodiment of the hinge 36. In this variant, the hinge has two horizontal and parallel axes 40a and 40b, oriented in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the tube launch 14. These axes 40a and 40b are linked launch tube 14 and door respectively rear 24. The hinge further comprises one or more several connecting pieces constituted by levers 48, substantially C-shaped, the ends of which are articulated on axes 40a and 40b. All formed by the axes 40a and 40b and by the levers 48 is normally housed inside the launch tube 14, in the storage position of the firing installation (Figure 4A).

When the control system tilting ensuring the pivoting of the front door 24 around the hinge 36 is actuated, the assembly formed by the lever (s) 48 and the front door 24 first rotates around axis 40a in the direction clockwise as illustrated in the figure 4B.

When the levers 48 come to a stop against the front end of the launch tube 14, the front door 24 in turn pivots about the axis 40b, clockwise, like illustrated in Figure 4C. At the end of this pivoting, it there has been a 270 ° rotation of the formed assembly through the front door 24 and the coil 22, in the direction of clockwise considering Figures 4A to 4C. The coil 22 then occupies the same positioning position as in the embodiment described previously.

In the variant which comes to be described, the tilting means may include an electric actuator or a spring mechanism, to control the rotation of the front door 24 and levers 48 around the axis 40a, as well as torsion bars to then ensure the rotation of the front door 24 about the axis 40b.

It should be noted that the coil 22 can be directly supported by the launch tube 14, at instead of being fixed on the inside of the front door 24. Releasing the front door and tilting to the outside of the coil then intervene sequentially.

Claims (14)

1. Installation (12) for firing a munition that is wire-guided from a mobile launcher, comprising a launch tube (14) which can be mounted on the launcher (10), a munition (16) normally housed in the launch tube, and a wire-like connecting member (18) which can be paid out from a first reel (20) connected to the munition and from a second reel (22) connected to the launch tube, characterized in that the launch tube (14) comprises a front flap (24) which is normally closed, the second reel (22) normally being mounted in the launch tube (14) between the munition (16) and the front flap (24) via a means (36, 38) of pivoting this second reel to outside the launch tube, which means can be actuated prior to the firing of the munition.
2. Installation according to Claim 1, characterized in that the second reel (22) is fixed to an internal face of the front flap (24), the means (36, 38) of pivoting being inserted between this flap and the launch tube (14).
3. Installation according to either one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that a buffer length (18c) of the wire-like connecting member, which length lies between parts of this member which are normally wound onto the first (20) and the second (22) reels, is normally associated with the second reel, means (28) of ejecting this buffer length, which means can be actuated after the means (36, 38) of pivoting have been actuated and before the munition (16) is fired, being mounted in the second reel (22).
4. Installation according to Claim 3, characterized in that the second reel (22) comprises a core (26) in which the said buffer length (18c) and the ejection means (28) are housed.
5. Installation according to either one of Claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the said buffer length (18c) of the wire-like connecting member supports means of increasing the drag coefficient.
6. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a portion (18b) of the wire-like connecting member which is normally routed through the launch tube (14) between the first (20) and second (22) reels, is reinforced with a protective sheath.
7. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (36, 38) of pivoting causes a pivoting of the second reel (22) through about 270° between a normal position, inside the launch tube (14), in which position the axis of the second reel is approximately at right angles to the axis of the launch tube, and a firing position, outside the launch tube (14), in which position the axis of the second reel is approximately parallel to the axis of the launch tube.
8. Installation according to Claim 7, characterized in that the second reel has a cap (32) surrounding that part of the wire-like connecting member which is normally wound onto the second reel, this cap having a circular outlet opening (32a) for the wire-like connecting member, this opening being centred on the axis of the second reel and facing respectively upwards and backwards when the second reel occupies its normal position and its firing position.
9. Installation according to Claim 8, characterized in that the cap (32) is covered by a fairing (34).
10. Installation according to any one of Claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the launch tube (14) bears means (42) of locking the second reel (22) in its firing position.
11. Installation according to any one of Claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the means of pivoting comprises at least one system (38) for bringing about the pivoting and a hinge (36) for articulating the second reel (22) to the launch tube (14).
12. Installation according to Claim 11, characterized in that the hinge (36) has just one axis of pivoting (40) at right angles to the axis of the launch tube (14).
13. Installation according to Claim 11, characterized in that the hinge (36) has two parallel axes of pivoting (40a, 40b) which are at right angles to the axis of the launch tube (14), and at least one connecting piece (48) capable of pivoting with respect to the launch tube about a first one of the axes of pivoting, and with respect to which the second reel can pivot about the second of the axes of pivoting.
14. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the launch tube (14) has a rear flap (44), which is normally closed, as well as means (46) of opening this flap, which means can be actuated when the munition is fired.

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