GB2249162A - A mine - Google Patents

Description

22491,52 1 A MINE The invention relates to a mine, such as a land mine

comprising an attack body which is propellable from a launching mechanism by a power plant, and which has a warhead and a target detection mechanism both of which are inclined relative to a central axis of the at-lack body.

A mine is known from DE 39 36 065 Al which is designed in such a way that detection of a target is possible only during the ascent phase of the attack body. This means that this mine is more particularly suitable for combatting land vehicles. When detecting a target, the target detection mechanism associated with the warhead describes on the ground a spirally widening target detection track. In order to launch the attack body from the launching mechanism or respectively from the ground, but also to set it into a rotation about its central longitudinal axis, in this known mine the exhaust nozzles of a rocket power plant are arranged not only obliquely angled in the radial direction but, moreover, also obliquely inclined in the tangential direction. The rotation of the attack body during the ascent phase is there thus brought about by the rocket power plant itself, so that the speed of rotation is directly and immediately dependent upon the speed of climb of the attack body.

DE 35 15 497 C2 discloses an anti-tank mine with 2 which target detection is effected during the descent phase of the attack body. For this purpose, the attack body of this known mine is designed with a rotational parachute, by which the attack body in the descent phase is set into rotation about a central longitudinal axis. The target detection mechanism consequently describes in the case of this mine a spirally narrowing detection track, the speed of rotation of the attack body being dependent upon the design of the rotational parachute.

The problem underlying the invention is to provide a mine, in particular a land mine, of the type mentioned at the beginning hereof, in the case of which the rotation of the attack body is independent of its rate of climb or descent so that target detection is improved.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a mine comprising an attack body which is propellable from a launching mechanism by a power plant, and which has a 20 warhead and a target detection mechanism both of which are inclined relative to the central axis of the attack body characterised in that the launching mechanism has a drive mechanism which is arranged to rotate the attack body about its central axis.

As a result of the design of the launching mechanism with a drive mechanism for the rotary drive of the attack body, the advantage arises that the rotation of the attack body is independent of its rate of climb or descent which means that the attack body already prior to its launching, or respectively without launching, is suitable f or the target detection. A further advantage is seen in the fact that in the mine of the invention a target detection is possible not only during a movement phase, but both during the ascent phase and during the descent phase following launching. This enables target combatting to be considerably improved.

The invention further provides a mine comprising an attack body which is propellable from a launching mechanism by a power plant, and which has a warhead and a target detection mechanism both of which are inclined relative to a central axis of the attack body; characterised in that the warhead of the attack body has two warhead inserts which are at opposite ends of the warhead and in that the target detection mechanism is sensitive in two target detection directions oriented to the effective directions of the two warhead inserts.

Further details, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description relating to examples, shown diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, of mines, in particular land mines, in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 1 shows a first embodiment of mine in a 4 diagrammatic side view, and FIGURE 2 shows a second embodiment of mine in diagrammatic side view.

FIGURE 1 shows a mine 10 with an attack body 12 and a launching mechanism 14, on which the attack body 12 is provided in the waiting condition of the mine 10. The attack body 12 has a warhead 16 and a target detection mechanism 18 which are inclined towards the central longitudinal axis 20 of the attack body 12 or respectively of the mine 10. The body.12 is provided with a rocket power plant which has exhaust nozzles 20 by means of which the body 12 is launched from the launching mechanism 14. The launching mechanism 14 is provided with a drive mechanism 22, with the aid of which the body 12 is displaceable to rotate about the central longitudinal axis 21. The drive mechanism 22 has electric motors 24 with drive members 26, which in the waiting position of the mine 10 are suitably mechanically connected to the body 12. An energy supply arrangement 28 provided on the launching mechanism 14 serves for the energy supply of the electric motors 24. The energy supply arrangment 28 is electrically connected to the electric motors 24, as indicated by the two arrows 30.

The launching mechanism 14 has, for example, a sensor 32 which responds to seismic signals: of course it is also possible for the mine 10 to be equipped with at least one sensor responding to acoustic signals, with a short-wave sensor or other form of detector.

target or target approach The body 12 of the mine 10 has a rotational parachute 34,which in the waiting position of the mine 10 is arranged folded-together in a reception chamber of the body 12.

If, for example, a target that is to be combatted is detected by means of the sensor 32, then first of all the drive mechanism 22 is activated electrically and the body 12 is set into a rotation about the central longitudinal axis 21. Subsequently thereto the rocket power plant having the exhaust nozzles 20 is ignited, so that the rotating body 12 is launched from the launching mechanism 14. During the ascent phase of the body 12, the target detection mechanism 18 describes a widening spiral path on the receding ground. If, in this respect, on the ground a target that is to be combatted is detected, then a detonation of thc warhead 16 is effected. If, however, during the ascent phase of the body 12 no target that is to be combatted is detected, then the body 12 is raised as far as to its power-plant-dictated maximum ascent height, at which height the rotational parachute 34 is released from the body 12. The body 12 then hangs from the rotational parachute 34 and is set by it into a rotation about the central longitudinal axis 21. The target detection mechanism 18 thus describes also during 6 the descent phase of the body 12 a spiral target detection track on the ground, in which respect, however, the target detection track becomes radially continuously narrower. During this descent phase it is consequently possible, as in the ascent phase, to detect a target that is to be combatted which is located on the ground and to combat it.

FIGURE 2 illustrates diagrammatically a second 10 embodiment of the mine 10, which differs from the mine 10 shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 1 more particularly in that the warhead 16 provided in the body 12 has two inserts 36 and 38 which are axially remote from one another along the axis of the warhead, in which respect 15 the obliquely upwardly directed insert 36 is intended to produce a splinter cone and the obliquely downwardly directed insert 38 is a projectile-forming insert. The insert 36 is more particularly intended for combatting aircraft such as helicopters, whilst the insert 38 is 20 intended for combatting land vehicles such as tanks. The warhead 16 is combined with a target detection mechanism 18, which in accordance with the double-ended design of the warhead 16 is sensitive in two target detection directions which are oriented to the effective directions of the two warhead inserts 36 and 38 at opposite ends of the warhead. The effective direction of the insert 36 is indicated by the arrow 40 and the effective direction of the insert 38 is indicated by the arrow 42 opposed to the 7 arrow 40. Accordingly the target detection direction, parallel to the effective direction of the inset 36, is indicated by the arrow 44 and the target detection direction, parallel to the effective direction 42 of the 5 insert 38, of the target detection mechanism 18 is Indicated by the arrow 46.

The body 12 has a rocket power plant with exhaust nozzles 20, with which the body 12 is launchable from the launching mechanism 14.

Each of the two warhead inserts 36 and 38 is provided with an associated detonating mechanism 48 or 50 respectively. The two detonating mechanisms 48 and 50 are connected electrically with a signal processing mechanism 52, which is indicated by the arrows 54. The signal processing mechanism 52 is connected to the target detection mechanism 18, which is illustrated by the arrow 56. An energy supply arrangement 58 on the body 12 serves for supplying the target detection mechanism 18 and the signal processing mechanism 52 with electrical energy. This is indicated diagrammatically by the arrows 60.

The launching mechanism 14 is also in the case of this embodiment, indicated in FIGURE 2, of the mine 10 provided with a drive mechanism 22 which has electric motors 24 with drive members 26. An energy supply 8 arrangement 28 of the launching mechanism 14 serves f or supplying the electric motors 24 with electrical energy. This is indicated by the arrows 30.

The launching mechanism 14 is provided with sensor 32, which reacts sensitively to seismic signals.

Moreover, a sensor 62 is provided which is, for example, sensitive to acoustic signals of a target that is to be combatted such as the track beat of an armoured vehicle or the rotor-blade beat of an enemy helicopter th at is to be combatted.

After the establishment of the presence of a target that is to be combatted, the drive mechanism 22 is 15 activated, in order to set the body 12 (with respect to the launching mechanism 14) into a rotation about the central longitudinal axis 21 of the mine 10 or respectively of the body 12. If an enemy helicopter is to be combatted with the mine 10, then the rocket power 20 plant is not ignited, i. e. the body 12 remains on the launching mechanism 14 and carries out a rotation about the central longitudinal axis 21. In this respect, the target detection mechanism 18 describes a conical path, and is activated in the helicopter mode, i. e. in the 25 effective direction of the arrow 44. If a helicopter that is to be combatted is detected with the target detection mechanism 18, then by way of the signal processing mechanism 52 the associated detonating 9 mechanism 48 is detonated. In this respect, a splinter cone for combatting the detected helicopter is produced by the warhead insert 36.

If, with the aid of the sensor system of the mine 10, a land vehicle that is to be combatted, in particular a tank that is to be combatted, is detected, then, after an activation of the drive mechanism 22 for the rotary drive of the effective body 12 about the central longitudinal axis 21, the rocket power plant is ignited, so that the body 12 is launched from the launching mechanism 14. The target detection mechanism 18 then finds itself in the so-called tank mode, i.e. the target detection mechanism 18 is sensitive in the direction of the arrow 46. If, with the aid of the target detection mechanism 18, during the flight of the effective body 12 a ground target is then detected, then by means of the signal processing mechanism 52 the detonating mechanism 50 associated with the projectile-forming insert 38 is detonated and the detected ground target is combatted with the projectile- forming insert 38.

If the body 12 shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 2 is, like the body indicated in FIGURE 1, designed with a rotational parachute, then it would also be possible in the case of the body 12 indicated in FIGURE 2 to combat an enemy target not only in the ascent phase but also in the descent phase.

Claims (10)

1. A mine, such as a land mine, comprising an attack body which is propellable from a launching mechanism by a power plant, and which has a warhead and a target detection mechanism both of which are inclined relative to a central axis of the attack body, characterised in that the launching mechanism has a drive mechanism which is arranged to rotate the attack body about its central 10 axis.

2. A mine as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the drive mechanism has at least one electric motor.

3. A mine as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that the at least one electric motor is suppliable with electrical energy by means of an energy supply arrangement provided in the launching mechanism.

4. A mine as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the attack body is connected to a rotational parachute which is released when the maximum ascent height of the attack body is reached.

5. A mine, such as a mine as claimed in Claim 1,2,3 or 4, characterised in that the warhead of the attack body has two warhead inserts which are at opposite ends of the warhead and in that the target detection mechanism is 11 sensitive in two target detection directions oriented to the effective directions of the two warhead inserts.

6. A mine as claimed in Claim 5, characterised in that the two warhead inserts are designed differently from one another for combatting different targets.

7. A mine as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the one warhead insert is oriented obliquely upwards and is constructed to produce a splinter cone and the second insert is oriented obliquely downwards and is a projectile-forming insert.

8. A mine as claimed in Claim 5,6 or 7, characterised in that the target detection mechanism, which is provided on the attack body and associated with the warhead, can be switched between two different target detecting modes.

9. A mine as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 8, characterised in that each of the two warhead inserts is provided with an associated detonating mechanism, which two detonating mechanisms are connected with a signal processing mechanism which is connected to the target detection mechanism.

10. A mine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIGURE 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.