Title of Invention

AN OUT DOOR SIMULATOR FOR TRAINING IN MISSILE LAUNCHING AND GUIDANCE

Abstract

An Outdoor Simulator is conceived, designed and developed for training a Pilot in Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) such as Milan in launching and guidance. The system consists of a Launcher with Optical Device, Telescope with Charge Coupled Device (CCD) Camera, Guidance Electronic Unit (GEU) Box, Dummy Missile, Trigger Mechanism, Ramp Adapter, Missile Trace Flare (MTF), Headphone Set, Computer Unit having a specially developed software package, Auxiliary Display Unit (ADU), Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) and a Printer (the last two items are optional). The targets can be of real life size moving targets such as Jeep, Tank or Truck with a marked cloth on target board attached to it. Pilot can survey the area through the Optical Device to identify the target, aim at it, cocks the Trigger, press it to fire the Missile and track it thereafter till the end of the flight time, which depends on the Target Range set. At the same time, the pilot can see through Optical Device, a simulated MTF (equivalent to a flare emitted from the rear side of the actual missile), Launcher Dip and Smoke obscuration effects, while the missile is in flight. Pilot can also hear simulated battlefield, Missile launch and Warhead explosion sounds in the Headphone Set. The Telescope with CCD camera, mounted on the Optical Device, can capture and transfer the acquired images as analog video signal output to the Computer for processing storing. Once the drill is completed, the Instructor takes the help of the Computer for analysis on the stored data, evaluation of the pilot's performance and delivering the results instantly in the form of graphs and tables - either on the Computer Monitor or through printouts from a Printer attached to the Computer System.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a Simulator for Outdoor training for launching and guiding Anti Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) such as Milan Missile. This equipment is capable of simulating a battlefield scenario where a trainee pilot requires to manually tracking the target, which may be moving in the terrain, then fire the missile and continuing tracking the target throughout the Missile flight. The Simulator equipment according to the invention is suitable for imparting training to the Pilot in firing a Missile more particularly Thrust Vector Controlled Polar Command Milan Missile, hereinafter referred to as Missile, by means of a target-tracking equipment specially designed for the purpose. At present the pilots / gunners are trained in large Firing Ranges in firing the ATGMs by utilizing the Launcher equipment where they fire a Missile and guide it so as to hit the moving or stationary Target. This involves elaborate arrangements requiring a number of personnel in addition to expending costly Missile for each firing practice. Even then it may not be possible to scientifically evaluate the overall performance of a trainee pilot and declare the fitness for Missile firing and grade him. To obviate the above difficulties, we (Bharat Dynamics Limited, Kanchanbagh, Hyderabad) have come up with a state of the art training equipment, which is cost-effective, easy to install and operate, simulating actual battlefield conditions with true audiovisual effects in firing a Missile and tracking a Target. The equipment can withstand shock, vibration caused during normal transportation and handling. In this connection, reference is made to our co-pending application No 1127/M/94. The configuration and the brief description of the system under invention hereinafter referred to as SIMULATOR is given below: Here the target is a real life target such as a Jeep, Tank or Truck with a marked Cloth on Target Board attached to it. The Firing Ranges are normal battlefield terrain, while the Launcher can be kept anywhere on the ground or on a raised platform. The Computer Unit and Auxiliary Display Unit (ADU) should be kept on a table in a sheltered environment. The distance between the Launcher and the Computer Unit can be up to 20 m. Instructor lays out the entire Simulator, assembles all its parts and adjusts the Missile Trace Flare projection unit correctly and hands it over to a trainee pilot. The instructor would sit near the Computer Unit and makes contact with the Pilot and the Target Driver over VHF set. On instruction from the Instructor, Pilot searches for a target, identifies it, aims at it, cocks the Trigger, presses it to initialize the missile firing simulation and tracks it thereafter till the end of the flight time marked by the disappearance of simulated Missile glow in the Optical Device - depending on the Target Range set. There would be a simulated MTF projected in to the eyepiece of the Optical Device when Missile is in flight. The Pilot can hear simulated battlefield, Missile launch and Warhead explosion sounds through a Headphone set. The Telescope with CCD camera mounted on the Optical Device of the Launcher captures the images of the Target in the Analogue Video Format and sends it to the Computer for processing, storing and analysis. Instructor carries out the analysis with the stored data in the Computer, evaluates and provides the results with the help of software in the form of graphs and tables on the Computer Monitor or through a Printer attached to the Computer about the pilot's / gunner's performance. Accordingly, the present invention consists of An Outdoor Simulator for training in Missile launching and guidance comprising a Launcher having an Optical Device, Telescope with Charge Coupled Device (CCD) Camera, Trigger Mechanism-means for initiating simulated missile firing, Guidance Electronics Unit (GEU), Dummy Missile, Ramp Adapter, a Means for projecting Missile Trace Flare (MTF), a Headphone Set, Computer Unit with software package and Auxiliary Display Unit (ADU). Now, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, bringing out a number of embodiments of the arrangement according to the invention: The Outdoor Simulator consists of following functional elements: 1. Simulator Launcher - Telescope with CCD Camera - Ramp Adapter - Dummy missile - MTF unit with mounting mechanism 2. Computer Unit 3. Auxiliary Display Unit (ADU) 4. Headphone Set 5. VHF Set (2 nos.) 6. Spare Batteries (2 nos.) 7. VHF Battery Charger 8. Single Phase AC generator 9. Voltage Stabilizer 10. Power Extension Box (1 no.) The details of the simulator launcher are shown in Fig. 1; where in 1- Telescope with CCD Camera, 2- Ramp Adapter, 3- Dummy missile, and 4- MTF unit with mounting mechanism Simulator Launcher is comprised of Optical Device, Trigger Mechanism, means for initiating simulated Missile firing, Guidance Electronic Unit (GEU) along with a Tripod, Gearbox, Hand wheel and the Missile mount. The legs of the Tripod can be folded for packing into a Container. Similarly, provision exists for folding down Optical Device for packing purpose. Optical Device has an objective lens of focal length 280 mm, which converges the incoming image from the Target on to a Graticule, and an eyepiece magnifies the image ten (10) times. An illuminated Cross Line also is projected into the eyepiece through a mirror in the Optical Channel of the Optical Device. A Telescope with CCD Camera is mounted on Optical Device, harmonized with respect to the line of sight of Optical Device. Analog Video Signal Output of the Telescope with CCD Camera is sent to a Frame Grabber Card resident inside the Computer and also to ADU for direct display purpose. The field of view of the Telescope with CCD Camera is 0.8° x 0.6° ± 20%. A micro-switch incorporated inside the Trigger Mechanism initiate the firing of a simulated Missile. A lever on the side of the Trigger Mechanism is capable of locking the cocking and firing action. There is a provision for connecting the micro switch to the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) of the GEU. GEU contains power supplies for the Telescope with CCD Camera, MTF unit and the illuminated Graticule of the Optical Device. Necessary electronic control circuits for giving signals for the operation of MTF. Audio circuits and Trigger operation are provided. Provision for communication between the GEU and the Computer also exists. The Pilot through a Headphone Set hears battlefield, Missile firing, cruises and blast sounds that are generated by the said Audio Circuits. Ramp Adapter is used as mechanical interface between the Missile and the Launcher. Bottom side is connected to the Launcher rails and the top portion receives the Dummy Missile. Ramp Adapter is made up of an aluminum tubular structure and contains Missile guides, Blast Shield and a Dummy Battery Box. Provisions are there in the said Dummy Battery Box for Mode Selector Switch, a Jack for connecting the Headphones and a knob for adjustment of Audio volume. The said Mode Selector Switch can be made to function in Safe mode, Battery Check mode or Armed mode with necessary lamps. Initially, the Instructor aligns the MTF with Optical Device. MTF projection unit consists of an X-Y mechanism using stepper motors with LED mounted on the said mechanism, a prism plate to deflect the beam. A collimating lens, a beam mixer, a translucent glass and a wedge glass. The collimated LED spot moves in front of the Optical Device simulating a Missile in flight. The beam mixer combines the target image with that of the Missile beacon. When the Simulator is in operation, the Missile beacon appears in the eyepiece of the operator along with the moving target. The spot appears as soon as the trigger is pressed and moves like a Missile - in one of the twenty randomly selected Missile trajectories just 0.3 s after pressing the Trigger. A Launcher Dip is optically simulated by means of the said wedge glass. Simultaneously, the translucent glass positioned in the line of sight will simulate the presence of smoke emitted by the Missile for a period of 1.0 s or 1.5 s, whichever is selected by the Instructor. The flare size and brightness decrease continuously with flight time and towards the end the MTF brightens up momentarily - indicating a warhead explosion and blast simulation. The Dummy Missile incorporated in the equipment is an exact replica of the actual Missile and even of the same weight. Computer Unit contains a Single P II Processor Board, a Frame Grabber Card, Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS), Hard Disk, RAM and a Floppy Disk Drive. Hard Disk has a capacity of 20 GB memory; RAM is of 64 MB, Intel Pentium II Processor, 300 MHz Clock, DOS Operating System and a Floppy Disk Drive that can handle 314 " size floppies of 1.44 MB memory. IDE controller, all on a single PCB with passive backplane support for connection of add-on boards. It has a 15 " high bright sunlight readable Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a 101 key membrane keyboard. The keyboard housing can be folded upward for closing on to the LCD Monitor face. The Auxiliary Display Unit (ADU) consists of: - 14" high-resolution Colour CCTV Monitor - Cross-Line Generator with Video Amplifier. CCTV Monitor accepts standard NTSC / PAL Colour input signals. The video amplifier takes the output of the Telescope with CCD Camera and amplifies the signal. Then one output goes to a Cross Line Generator to display the image overlaid with a Cross-Line on the CCTV for viewing live training practice. The second output with a Cross-Line goes for recording on a VCR, if required and an output without a Cross-Line is also sent to the Computer. The software packages for the Simulator reside in the Hard Disk of the Computer Unit. There is a digital communication link available between the ECU located in GEU and Computer. Computer and ECU work in master slave configuration. Control signals are sent from the Computer to various sub-assemblies of the Simulator like MTF, Trigger etc., and gets status signals from them. On running the Software package, the main menu is displayed with various options available to the Instructor like Video Storage, Error Analysis and Results Comparison etc. Analog Video signal from the Telescope with CCD Camera is sent to the Computer. This Analog Video Data is digitized in the Computer by means of a Frame Grabber Card. The Frame Grabber Card used here is an 8-bit Computer compatible, which converts 1 Vp.p analogue video signals from the Telescope with CCD Camera to digital form. The digitized video data is stored in the Computer Hard Disk. Before the digitization process is initiated, the Computer interacts with the ECU and gives out instruction for the operation of the MTF, illuminated Graticule, Audio System etc., in the Launcher and once the video data is stored in the Hard Disk, it can be retrieved any time for carrying out Error Analysis. Error Analysis is done by computing the displacement of the Target on a Frame-to-Frame basis. For this, image processing techniques like Pattern Recognition and Auto Correlation are used wherein the Software is developed to search the pattern of the Target in every image frame sequentially till the end of the flight time. The Aiming Error (Fig. 2) made by a pilot is computed in the x and y axis with respect to time on Frame-to-Frame basis from the starting of the flight time to the end. This computed data is used for the graphical representation of the Error Plots and also for finding out the Error percentage. Grades are awarded to the pilot using this percentage. Target used here is Jeep / Tank / Truck with a marked cloth attached to a board. The marked cloth is a black and white checkered pattern. The vehicle will be moving in front of the Launcher at a range from 200 to 2000 m at a speed upto 30 Kmph (at a distance more than 1km). Target can move on plain or undulating terrain, can halt at any place and can move left to right or vice versa as well as in the approaching and receding directions. However, the vehicle is not allowed to take a turn during tracking while training on this Simulator. Two VHF sets are included in the Simulator set up, one each for an Instructor and the Target Vehicle Driver. This instructor gives directions to the Vehicle Driver regarding vehicle movement, vehicle stoppage, direction of movement and distance at which it should be located. The instructor carries out analysis on the Computer and comes up with the results of the firing viz: Hit / miss information Gunner Proficiency Index (GPI) % Gunner Grading (1-IV) Aiming Error Plots (Fig. 2) in elevation and in azimuth in meters with respect to time. The target area is divided into various accuracy zones as shown in: Fig. 3 Aiming accuracy zones (for target movement left to right and right to left) Fig. 4 Aiming accuracy zones (for target movement head on and head off). The flight time is divided into three zones viz, Launch phase, Cruise phase and Terminal phases. The weightage and number of frames with respect to aiming The Pilots / Gunners are given grades from I to IV depending upon the consistency in maintaining accuracy as per the norms given below: GPI.% Grade 100-91 I 91-81 II 80-71 III It will be appreciated that the arrangement according to the invention with minor alteration in the system can be used for imparting training in Aerodynamic Controlled Cartesian Command Guided Missiles, instead of Thrust Vector Controlled Polar Command Missiles. In another yet embodiment of the same invention, the target tracking range also can be increased from 2 km up to 4 km by suitable alteration within the system aspects and ambit of our invention. Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein above and as defined in the appendix claims. We claim: 1. An Outdoor Simulator for training in Missile launching and guidance comprising a Launcher having an Optical Device, Telescope with Charge Coupled Device (CCD) Camera, Trigger Mechanism-means for initiating simulated missile firing, Guidance Electronics Unit (GEU), Dummy Missile, Ramp Adapter, a Means for projecting Missile Trace Flare (MTF), a Headphone Set, Computer Unit with software package and Auxiliary Display Unit (ADU). 2. The simulator as claimed in claim-1 wherein the said Telescope with CCD Camera is having provision to give analog video signal to the Computer and Auxiliary Display Unit (ADU). 3. The simulator as claimed in claim-1 wherein the said means for initiating simulated missile firing through a micro-switch circuit is incorporated inside the Trigger Mechanism. 4. The Simulator as claimed in claim-1 wherein the said Guidance Electronics Unit is provided with power supplies and Electronic Control Unit (ECU). 5. The Simulator as claimed in claim-1 wherein the said Ramp Adapter is a mechanical interface between the Dummy Missile and the Launcher. 6. The Simulator as claimed in claim-1 wherein the said Ramp Adapter is a tubular structure with Launch Rails, Missile Guides, Blast Shield and a Dummy Battery Box. 7. The Simulator as claimed in claim-6 wherein the said Dummy Battery Box is provided with a Mode Selector switch, a Jack for connecting the Headphone Set and a Knob for adjustment of the Audio Volume. 8. The Simulator as claimed in claim-7 wherein the said Mode Selector switch is having a provision to select one of the modes viz Armed, Safe, and Battery check. 9. The simulator as claimed in claim-1 wherein the said Missile Trace Flare (MTF) unit is having a provision for automatic selection at random from a plurality of missile trajectories. 10. The Simulator as claimed in claim-9 wherein the said Missile Trace Flare unit is having a provision for simulating Dip of the Launcher, and the Smoke generated by the Missile. 11. The Simulator as claimed in claim-1 wherein the said Computer consisting of a Frame Grabber Card, high bright colour Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), is capable of image acquisition, processing, storage, analysis and output of results. 12. The simulator as claimed in claim-1 wherein the said software is adapted to give out instruction to control MTF, illuminated Graticule and audio system through Electronic Control Unit (ECU). 13. The simulator as claimed in claim-1 wherein the said software is provided with means for carrying out error analysis on the aiming error of the pilot from the video data stored in the hard disk through image processing. 14. The simulator as claimed in claim-1 wherein the said software is provided with means for computing grade and Gunner Proficiency Index (GPI), taking into consideration of the performance of the pilot. 15. The simulator as claimed in claim-1 where in the said ADU is a adapted to display the image in real time with cross-line overlaid on the said image while tracking the target. 16. The simulator as claimed in claim-1 is adapted the moving target up to a speed of 30 Kmph at a distance from 200 to 2000 m. 17. The simulator according to any one of the claims 1 to 16 substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Fig 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawing.

Documents:

3013-mas-1997-abstract.pdf

3013-mas-1997-claims.pdf

3013-mas-1997-correspondence others.pdf

3013-mas-1997-correspondence po.pdf

3013-mas-1997-description complete.pdf

3013-mas-1997-drawings.pdf

3013-mas-1997-form 1.pdf

3013-mas-1997-form 19.pdf