A navigation system includes a monocentric lens and one or more curved image sensor arrays disposed parallel and spaced apart from the lens to capture respective portions, not all, of the field of view of the lens.

A method of targeting, which involves capturing a first video of a scene about a potential targeting coordinate by a first video sensor on a first aircraft; transmitting the first video and associated potential targeting coordinate by the first aircraft; receiving the first video on a first display in communication with a processor, the processor also receiving the potential targeting coordinate; selecting the potential targeting coordinate to be an actual targeting coordinate for a second aircraft in response to viewing the first video on the first display; and guiding a second aircraft toward the actual targeting coordinate; where positive identification of a target corresponding to the actual targeting coordinate is maintained from selection of the actual targeting coordinate.

A closed, self-contained ballistic apogee detection module for use in a projectile, such as a rocket, mortar round, or artillery round, fuses data from multiple built-in sensors, such as an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and a gyroscope, and processes the data using a microprocessor through a custom quaternion extended Kalman filter to provide accurate state and orientation information about the projectile so as to accurately predict apogee. The module outputs a signal indicating apogee detection or prediction which they projectile uses to initiate fuze arming, targeting control, airbody transformation, maneuvering, flow effector deployment or activation, payload exposure or deployment, and/or other mission activity. Because the system and method of the invention does not rely on external environmental data to detect apogee, it need not use a pressure sensor and can be completely sealed in and closed without requiring access to air from outside the projectile for barometric readings.

The subject disclosure relates to a simulation system having an aircraft, a local wireless transceiver, and a simulation computer. The aircraft may include an onboard wireless transceiver and a flight controller operatively coupled with an onboard sensor payload to perceive a physical environment and to generate position and pose data. The simulation computer may be configured to communicate wirelessly with the aircraft via the local wireless transceiver. In operation, the simulation computer may be configured to generate one or more virtual reality sensor inputs and to receive the position and pose data from the aircraft. The simulation computer can be configured to transmit the one or more virtual reality sensor inputs to the flight controller of the aircraft.

The illustrative embodiments provide for a method a training system. The training system includes a physical sensor system connected to a physical vehicle. The physical sensor system is configured to obtain real atmospheric obscuration data of a real atmospheric obscuration. The training system also includes a data processing system comprising a processor and a tangible memory. The data processing system is configured to receive the real atmospheric obscuration data, and determine based on the real atmospheric obscuration data whether a target is visible to the physical vehicle in a simulation training environment generated by the data processing system. The simulation training environment at least including a virtual representation of the physical vehicle and a virtual representation of the real atmospheric obscuration.

A guided projectile including a precision guidance munition assembly utilizes at least one maneuver envelope to optimally control movement of at least one canard to steer the guided projectile during flight. The maneuver envelopes optimize movements of the at least one canard that effectuate movement in either the range direction or the cross-range direction, or both. The maneuver envelope enables optimal timing such that maneuvering in one direction does not come at the expense of maneuver authority in the other direction.

A system and method to aid in guidance, navigation and control of a guided projectile including a precision guidance munition assembly is provided. The system and method obtain raw position data during flight of the guided projectile, the raw position data including a plurality of position data points from the guiding sensor for determining positions of the guided projectile, establish a window including a portion of the plurality of position data points, smooth the portion of the plurality of position data points in the window, and determine a reduced noise position estimate of the guided projectile, based, at least in part, on the smoothed portion of the plurality of position data points in the window. The system and method may determine a velocity estimate of the guided projectile and predict an impact point of the guided projectile relative to a target.

The system and method of directed navigation using an augmented semi-active laser seeker to provide initial altitude measurement and command denotation information for rounds. Using on-board sensors and communications links between members of a swarm, numerous targets can be engaged more quickly and precisely. The LCSAL can act as 3D LIDAR where the LCSAL's spatial resolution and the associated image from the imager can be correlated to the LCSAL pixel by pixel as time of arrival. The rounds trajectory can be refined due to coupling with accurate Target ID to provide optimum command detonation for specific target types.

The system and method of swarm navigation using a follow the forward approach. Using on-board sensors and communications links between members of a swarm, numerous targets can be engaged more quickly and precisely. In some cases, a designator is used to help a forward of the swarm navigate to a target using image-based navigation up until terminal guidance is used. A cascade of messages are projected back to a following round so that, each member of a swarm can determine a best target/round match and provide real-time, up-to-date information regarding targets' locations and each round's location, range to target, target selection, and the like.

Embodiments include active protection systems and methods for an aerial platform. An onboard system includes one or more radar modules, detects aerial vehicles within a threat range of the aerial platform, and determines if any of the plurality of aerial vehicles are an aerial threat. The onboard system also determines an intercept vector to the aerial threat, communicates the intercept vector to an eject vehicle, and causes the eject vehicle to be ejected from the aerial platform to intercept the aerial threat. The eject vehicle includes a rocket motor to accelerate the eject vehicle along an intercept vector, alignment thrusters to rotate a longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle to substantially align with the intercept vector, and divert thrusters to divert the eject vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intercept vector. The eject vehicle activates at least one of the alignment thrusters responsive to the intercept vector.