Projectile and Weapon System

This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to German Patent Application No. 20 2024 101 680.7, which was filed in Germany on Apr. 8, 2024, and which is herein incorporated by reference.

The invention relates to a projectile for firing from a barrel weapon. Furthermore, the invention relates to a weapon system with such a projectile and a barrel weapon corresponding to the projectile for firing the projectile.

Projectiles for firing using a barrel weapon are known from the prior art, e.g. tank, artillery or mortar projectiles. The corresponding barrel weapons with these projectiles with which the relevant projectiles can be fired are also known from the prior art. By firing a projectile using the appropriate barrel weapon, a target object can be attacked or shot at by direct fire (tank cannon) or indirect fire (artillery, mortar).

Furthermore, loitering munition is known from the prior art. A loitering munition is a type of guided missile with built-in munitions (warhead) that is launched at a certain distance (approx. 10 km to 200 km) from a target area (launch point), flies to the target area and can wait in the target area (dwell time) until a target object is detected. After detection of the target object, the loitering munition can attack the target object by flying into the target object. There are various types of such loitering munitions available on the market, for example the Switchblade model.

Loitering munition can be launched from land (e.g. from a land vehicle), from sea (e.g. from a ship) or from the air (e.g. from an aircraft or helicopter), it being possible for single or multi-canisters to be used (comparatively smaller to medium-sized loitering munitions). Single or multi-canisters or single or multi-canister launchers are ammunition containers in military use that can be used, among other things, to launch loitering munition.

Comparatively large loitering munitions can be launched using a rail. Depending on the design and size, the loitering munition can have an electric motor with a battery or an internal combustion engine with a fuel tank as the power source. The capacity of the energy storage device (battery or fuel tank) is crucial for the range of the loitering munition.

The disadvantage of loitering munition is that it has to fly to the target area under its own power, which costs time on the one hand and energy on the other. This limits the dwell time (loitering) of loitering munitions in the target area.

In the context of the present application, “loitering” may mean the waiting or dwelling of the loitering munition in the target area, while the loitering munition explores the target area and searches for target objects. If a militarily significant target object is found, the loitering munition may be used to engage the target object.

It is therefore an object to achieve high flexibility and rapid operational readiness of loitering munition.

In an example, the projectile can be configured and/or intended to be fired from a barrel weapon (barrel weapon projectile). The projectile can have a projectile casing with a first casing section and a second casing section which are separated from one another by a separation point or adjoin one another at a separation point. An ejection charge, a programmable time fuse and loitering munition are arranged in the projectile casing, i.e. the interior of the projectile casing.

Additional casing sections may be present in addition to the first and second casing sections.

The projectile casing may be formed from the first casing section and the second casing section (final construction—no further casing sections). The projectile casing can be constructed in one piece (regardless of the number of casing sections). A multi-piece design (two or more casing sections) is also conceivable.

The proposed projectile makes it possible to deliver loitering munition to or into the target area using a barrel weapon. The loitering munition can therefore reach the target area much faster. Since the loitering munition does not have to travel the distance from the launch point to the target area under its own power, an energy storage device with a lower capacity can be used (space-saving design of the loitering munition) or, with an energy storage device with the same capacity, the dwell time in the target area can be increased (higher chance of detecting a militarily significant target object). In addition, this ammunition can increase the range of a barrel weapon since the range of the projectile and the range of the loitering munition are added together. The projectile therefore serves as a carrier projectile for the loitering munition.

The ejection charge can be configured and/or intended to eject the loitering munition from the projectile or from the interior of the projectile casing. The ejection charge can be, for example, a pyrotechnic charge that may contain black powder or consist of black powder. The time fuse is configured in such a way that it can be programmed using a fire control computer of the barrel weapon. The time fuse can be configured and/or intended to initiate the ejection charge. The components of the projectile that enable the loitering munition to be ejected form an ejection mechanism.

The loitering munition can be configured to detect, track and engage a target object. The target object is usually engaged by the loitering munition hitting the target object.

The loitering munition can have an effector, e.g. an explosive charge, as the payload. The effector can be configured in such a manner that it detonates when approaching the target object or when hitting the target object. For this purpose, the payload or effector can have a mechanical impact fuse, a piezo impact fuse, a time fuse or a proximity fuse.

The loitering munition may have a main body and airfoils (wings) that can be folded out relative to the main body.

The loitering munition can be designed with a drive and thus have a drive, for example, an electric motor or an internal combustion engine, and an energy storage device corresponding to the drive, in particular a battery (electric motor) or a fuel tank (internal combustion engine). The drive usually drives one or more propellers. One or more impellers or one or more turbines can also be used to drive the loitering munition.

The loitering munition can also be designed without a drive or unpowered. Unpowered loitering munition can glide into the target (utilizing potential energy).

The loitering munition may further comprise on-board electronics for controlling the functional components of the loitering munition and/or for communicating with a base station (operating and data link terminal). In addition, the on-board electronics can have sensors for target setting. The sensors for target setting may include a daylight camera, a thermal imaging camera and/or sensors for detecting target markers deployed in the target area.

Expediently, the second casing section can be attached to the first casing section via a screw connection. This allows a structurally simple and stable coupling of the casing sections to each other. Specifically, an external thread can be formed on the outer periphery of one of the casing sections, for example the second casing section, and a corresponding internal thread can be formed on the inner periphery of the other casing section, for example the first casing section. Within the scope of a specific embodiment, the casing sections can be designed as casing parts and each have a sectionally cylindrical shape.

Advantageously, the loitering munition can be arranged in the projectile casing in a rotationally fixed manner relative to the projectile casing. In other words, the loitering munition can be coupled to the projectile casing in a rotationally fixed manner. This reduces the risk of damage to the loitering munition by the projectile casing. In addition, this rotationally fixed coupling reduces the influence of loitering munition on the flight characteristics of the projectile.

The loitering munition can be mounted in the projectile casing so that it can rotate relative to the projectile casing (loitering munition is not rotationally fixed, i.e. is arranged rotatably in the projectile casing). This allows the loads acting on the loitering munition to be reduced, in particular during the (external) ballistic flight phase of the (carrier) projectile. This contributes to the reliable use of the projectile in loitering munition. In concrete terms, one or more bearing points can be arranged between the projectile casing and the loitering munition, which are designed in such a way that the rotation or spin of the (carrier) projectile is only passed on to the loitering munition in small proportions. These bearing points can, for example, each be designed as plain bearings. Such a design is in particular advantageous for spin-stabilized or “spinning” projectiles, the above-mentioned bearing points at least largely “de-spinning” the loitering munition relative to the projectile casing.

The projectile can be designed as a spin-stabilized projectile. The loitering munition can be arranged in a full-caliber projectile, which contributes to a favorable ratio of caliber diameter to the available space in the projectile casing for the loitering munition. The direction of rotation of the threads of the screw connection of the first casing section and the second casing section can be opposite to the direction of spin (e.g. design as a left-hand thread in the case of a right-hand spin of the projectile).

The loitering munition can have a fold-out brake wing, by means of which the spin can be reduced (“de-spinning”) after the loitering munition has been ejected from the projectile casing (spin-stabilized projectile). The brake wing can be a wing separate from the wings of the loitering munition or a wing that forms a (possibly later) wing of the loitering munition.

The spin-stabilized projectile serves to be fired by indirect fire or is fired by indirect fire, e.g. from an artillery cannon. The projectile can be designed as artillery ammunition with a separate propellant charge, e.g. in 155 mm (millimeter) caliber. The firing is carried out by means of an artillery cannon with a rifled barrel (gun barrel with fields and grooves on the inner periphery).

The projectile can be designed as a wing-stabilized projectile. Thus, the loitering munition can be arranged in a projectile which flies without spinning movement due to the wing stabilization. This simplifies the design of loitering munition, for example because a brake wing for “de-spinning” is no longer required.

The wing-stabilized projectile can be designed as, for example, a sub-caliber tank ammunition with integrated propellant charge, for example in 120 mm or 130 mm caliber. This projectile serves to be fired by direct fire or is fired by direct fire from a tank cannon (especially a smoothbore cannon).

The wing-stabilized projectile can also be designed as mortar ammunition, for example in 60 mm or 120 mm caliber. This projectile serves to be fired by indirect fire or is fired by indirect fire using a mortar (smoothbore).

The ejection charge can be matched to the projectile casing in such a way that, by detonation of the ejection charge (as a result of initiation by means of the time fuse), the second casing section can be separated or is separated from the first casing section, in particular at the separation point. This makes it easier to eject the loitering munition from the projectile casing since the casing sections are deliberately separated from each other. The casing sections from each other can be separated at the screw connection (separation point). A predetermined breaking point can be formed on one or both threads of the screw connection, at which a separation occurs.

Specifically, the first casing section can be designed as the projectile front part (front part in the firing direction), and the second casing section can be designed as the projectile rear part or projectile base (rear part in the firing direction).

The object mentioned at the outset is also achieved by a weapon system.

The weapon system comprises a projectile with one or more of the aspects described above and a barrel weapon corresponding to the projectile for firing the projectile.

As regards the advantages that can be achieved thereby, reference is made to the statements in this regard relating to the projectile.

As explained above, the projectile can be designed as artillery ammunition. The barrel weapon is then correspondingly designed as an artillery cannon (rifled gun barrel), by means of which the projectile can be fired by indirect fire. The projectile is spin-stabilized.

As also explained above, the projectile can alternatively be designed as anti-tank ammunition. The barrel weapon is then correspondingly designed as a tank cannon (especially a smoothbore cannon), by means of which the projectile can be fired by direct fire. The projectile is wing-stabilized.

The projectile can also be designed as mortar ammunition. The barrel weapon is then correspondingly designed as a mortar (smoothbore), by means of which the projectile can be fired by indirect fire. The projectile is wing-stabilized.

The weapon system may comprise a base station (operating and data link terminal) for operating the loitering munition and for data transmission between the base station and the loitering munition. This allows control of and communication with the loitering munition.

The measures described in connection with the projectile and/or explained below can serve for further embodiments of the weapon system.

The object mentioned at the outset is furthermore achieved by a weapon system that is configured to carry out a method for delivering loitering munition to a target area by means of a barrel weapon, comprising the following steps: firing a projectile, in the projectile casing of which the loitering munition is arranged, by means of the barrel weapon; (external ballistic) flight of the projectile towards the target area; ejection of the loitering munition from the projectile casing; unfolding of the wings of the loitering munition and/or activation of on-board electronics of the loitering munition; and independent flight phase of the loitering munition to the target area and/or in the target area.

As regards the advantages that can be achieved thereby, reference is made to the statements in this regard relating to the projectile.

The measures described in connection with the projectile and/or explained below can serve for further examples of the weapon system.

The object mentioned at the outset is furthermore achieved by a weapon system that is configured to carry out a method for delivering loitering munition to a target area by means of a barrel weapon, comprising the following steps: firing a projectile, in the projectile casing of which the loitering munition is arranged, by means of a barrel weapon; (external ballistic) flight of the projectile towards the target area; detonation of an ejection charge of the projectile (as a result of initiation by means of a time fuse of the projectile), the projectile casing being separated into a first casing section and a second casing section, and the loitering munition being ejected (from the projectile casing or the interior of the projectile casing); after ejection of the loitering munition, the spin of the loitering munition being reduced (in particular with a corresponding device such as a brake wing); unfolding of the wings of the loitering munition and/or activation of the on-board electronics of the loitering munition; after activation of the on-board electronics, communication (comprising image data and/or control commands) with a base station and/or with advanced observers taking place; transition to an independent flight phase of the loitering munition; independent flight phase of the loitering munition, the loitering munition covering a remaining flight distance to the target area and/or carrying out (guided or (partially) automated) surveillance and observation of the target area; and the loitering munition initiating engagement of a target object after identification of a target object in the target area.

As regards the advantages that can be achieved thereby, reference is made to the statements in this regard relating to the projectile.

The measures described in connection with the projectile and/or explained below can serve for further embodiments of the weapon system.

The above-mentioned object can also be achieved by a method for delivering loitering munition to a target area with the features described below.

The method for delivering loitering munition to a target area using a barrel weapon comprises the following steps: firing of a projectile, in the projectile casing of which the loitering munition is arranged, by means of the barrel weapon; (external ballistic) flight of the projectile towards the target area; ejection of the loitering munition from the projectile casing; unfolding of wings of the loitering munition and/or activation of on-board electronics of the loitering munition; and independent flight phase of the loitering munition towards the target area and/or in the target area.

As regards the advantages that can be achieved thereby, reference is made to the statements in this regard relating to the projectile.

The ejection of the loitering munition can be carried out by detonation of an ejection charge of the projectile (as a result of initiation by means of a programmable time fuse of the projectile), the projectile casing being separated into a first casing section, in particular a first casing part, and a second casing section, in particular a second casing part. This allows the loitering munition to be ejected in a targeted manner according to the programming of the time fuse. The time fuse can be programmed shortly before or during the firing of the projectile using the barrel weapon.

Advantageously, if the projectile is designed as a spin-stabilized projectile, the spin of the loitering munition can be reduced after the loitering munition has been ejected from the projectile casing, in particular with a corresponding device such as a brake wing. This reduces the spin of the loitering munition and allows the loitering munition to enter an independent flight phase.