Decoy target, system and method for protecting an object

Abstract

A decoy target, system, and method for protecting moving objects. The decoy target has at least two corner reflectors which reflect radar radiation, wherein the corner reflectors are arranged in a reflector matrix in a staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth, specified by the at least one connecting element, corresponding to a target to be simulated.

Claims

1. A system comprising: at least two decoy targets, each of the at least two decoy targets having at least two corner reflectors that are arranged in a reflector matrix in a spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth for simulating a target; and a carrier system, the carrier system comprising at least two unmanned aircraft, at least two parachutes or at least two braking devices, wherein the at least two corner reflectors of a first decoy target of the at least two decoy targets being connected to a first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices via at least one first connecting element that extends vertically from a bottom of the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, with a first upper end of the at least one first connecting element being connected to the bottom of the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices and a second lower end of the at least one first connecting element being connected to the reflector matrix of the first decoy target, such that the reflector matrix of the first decoy target hangs below the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices in a floating manner, wherein the at least two corner reflectors of a second decoy target of the at least two decoy targets being connected to a second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices via at least one second connecting element that extends vertically from a bottom of the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, with a first upper end of the at least one second connecting element being connected to the bottom of the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices and a second lower end of the at least one second connecting element being connected to the reflector matrix of the second decoy target, such that the reflector matrix of the second decoy target hangs below the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices in a floating manner, wherein the at least one first connecting element is discrete from the at least one second connecting element, such that the at least two corner reflectors of the first decoy target are connected solely to the first one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, and such that the at least two corner reflectors of the second decoy target are connected solely to the second one of the at least two unmanned aircraft, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices, and wherein the first one and the second one of the at least two unmanned aircrafts, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices are arranged adjacent to one another when airborne and operate independently from one another, such that the reflector matrix of the first decoy target and the reflector matrix of the second decoy target together form a spatial arrangement for simulating the target without any interconnection between the first decoy target and the second decoy target.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth of the reflector matrix of the first decoy target is specified by the at least one first connecting element and the spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth of the reflector matrix of the second decoy target is specified by the at least one second connecting element.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth of the reflector matrix of the first decoy target and the reflector matrix of the second decoy target is constant over a certain period of time or at an end phase of a missile attack.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first connecting element and the at least one second connecting element are designed such that the spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth of the reflector matrix of the first decoy target and the reflector matrix of the second decoy target is constant over a certain period of time or at an end phase of a missile attack.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first connecting element and the at least one second connecting element each comprise at least one network, at least one wire, at least one cord, at least one line, at least one rope and/or at least one hose.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two corner reflectors of each of the first decoy target and the second decoy target are foldable or inflatable corner reflectors.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first decoy target and the second decoy target comprise at least four corner reflectors.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first decoy target and the second decoy target are shootable from a launcher or a launcher system.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first decoy target and the second decoy target are free-falling.

10. A method for protecting moving objects using the system of claim 1, the method comprising: providing the at least two corner reflectors of the first decoy target and the at least two corner reflectors of the second decoy target; and simulating the target by arranging the first one and the second one of the at least two unmanned aircrafts, the at least two parachutes or the at least two braking devices adjacent to one another upon firing, such that the reflector matrix of the first decoy target and the reflector matrix of the second decoy target together form the spatial arrangement.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth of the reflector matrix of the first decoy target and the reflector matrix of the second decoy target is kept constant over a certain period of time or at an end phase of a missile attack.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a decoy target according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2a is a schematic representation of a decoy target according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 2b is a schematic representation of a decoy target according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a decoy target according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

(6) FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a decoy target according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

(7) FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a decoy target according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

(8) FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a decoy target according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

(9) FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a decoy target according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a decoy target 2 according to the invention according to a first embodiment in a deployed state.

(11) The decoy target 2 has at least two corner reflectors 11 which reflect radar radiation. The corner reflectors 11 of the decoy target 2 are arranged in a reflector matrix with a staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth, corresponding to a target to be simulated.

(12) The corner reflectors 11 are foldable or inflatable corner reflectors 11.

(13) According to FIG. 1, the decoy target 2 has a plurality, e.g., twenty corner reflectors 11, which form the reflector matrix 10 and provide a spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth for simulating a target. It is also possible that the decoy target 2 has fewer corner reflectors 11 than shown, in particular sixteen, twenty-four, thirty-two or sixty-four, wherein at least four corner reflectors 11 are used to form a spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth.

(14) However, it is also possible that the decoy target 2 according to the invention provides a reflector matrix 10 in a linear, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth for simulating a target. For this purpose, at least two corner reflectors 11 are necessary.

(15) It is equally possible for the decoy target 2 to include three corner reflectors 11 and for the reflector matrix 10 to provide a planar or level, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth for simulating a target. For this purpose, at least three corner reflectors 11 are formed.

(16) The decoy target 2 according to FIG. 1 is designed to be shootable so that it can be fired, for example, from a launcher or a launcher system.

(17) The decoy target 2 according to FIG. 1 is designed to fall freely.

(18) FIGS. 2a to 7 each show examples of the decoy target 2 according to the invention, in which the decoy target 2 has at least one connecting element 13 by which the corner reflectors 11 are connected to one another to form the reflector matrix 10.

(19) The examples according to FIGS. 2a to 7 are based on FIG. 1 and the differences are additionally explained below.

(20) The decoy targets 2 are part of a system 1 which, in addition to at least one decoy target 2, has at least one carrier system 20, 20, 30, 40. The at least one carrier system 20, 20, 30, 40 is each designed to carry or brake the decoy target 2 in the air, so that the decoy targets 2 according to FIGS. 2a to 7 are airborne decoy targets 2. Carrier system(s) 20, 20, 30, 40 and decoy target 2 together form the system 1 according to the invention.

(21) The at least one connecting element 13 is designed in such a way that the staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth of the individual corner reflectors 11 of the reflector matrix 10 is constant over a certain period of time, in particular the end phase of a missile attack.

(22) According to the embodiments shown, the at least one connecting element 13 has at least one wire, at least one cord, at least one line, at least one rope and/or at least one hose.

(23) The connecting element 13 can, however, also be formed as a network.

(24) FIG. 2a shows a schematic representation of a decoy target 2 according to the invention in the deployed state. According to FIG. 2a, the decoy target 2 has a reflector matrix 10 with a linear, staggered manner in terms of height for simulating a target. According to FIG. 2a, the carrier system is at least an unmanned aerial vehicle 20 and the decoy target 2 is connected to it.

(25) According to FIG. 2a, the majority of corner reflectors 11 are connected to the aircraft 20 in a floating manner via the at least one connecting element 13. According to FIG. 2a, aircraft 20 is a drone with a plurality of propellers.

(26) FIG. 2b shows a decoy target 2 according to the invention in the deployed state, based on FIG. 2a. Departing from FIG. 2a, the decoy target 2 has a spatial, staggered manner in terms of height for simulating a target.

(27) FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a decoy target 2 according to the invention in the deployed state. The decoy target 2 has at least four corner reflectors 11, so that the reflector matrix 10 has a spatial, staggered manner in terms of height, width and/or depth.

(28) Each of the two decoy targets 3 is carried by an aircraft 20, in particular a drone.

(29) FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a decoy target 2 according to the invention in the deployed state. The example according to FIG. 4 is based on the example according to FIG. 2a, with the difference that several aircraft 20, preferably two aircraft 20, in particular two drones 20 jointly carry the decoy target 2.

(30) FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a decoy target 2 according to the invention in the deployed state. The example according to FIG. 5 is based on the example according to FIG. 2a, with the difference that according to FIG. 5, the decoy target 2 is carried by an aircraft 20 in the form of a balloon.

(31) FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a decoy target 2 according to the invention in the deployed state. The embodiment according to FIG. 6 is based on the embodiment according to FIG. 2a, with the difference that according to FIG. 6, instead of an aircraft, a parachute 30 is designed as a carrier system with which the plurality of corner reflectors 11 are connected to the parachute 30 via the at least one connecting element 13 in a suspended manner. The parachute 30 slows down the fall of the system in order to achieve a sufficient dwell time of the decoy target 2 to be able to repel an end-phase guided missile.

(32) FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of a decoy target 2 according to the invention in the deployed state. The example according to FIG. 7 is based on the example according to FIG. 2a, with the difference that according to FIG. 6 a braking device 40 is provided instead of the parachute 30.

(33) The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.