SPECIFICATION OF THE INVENTION

1. Title of the Invention

Method for Real Time Training of Air-to-Ground weapon aiming with on-board Weapon Aiming Computer and Weapon Control Systems of combat aircraft

2. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to air-to-ground weapon aiming and weapon control systems of a bomber aircraft. The invention is part of the mission system of a combat aircraft and relates to real time training of weapon aiming and delivery from airborne combat aircraft.

3. Prior art and Draw backs of prior art

The Air-to-Ground weapon aiming systems of a combat aircraft facilitates pilot to select, energize and accurately release ballistic weapons at the target, with aid of weapon aiming symbols on HUD. An on-board computer computes the solution for accurate weapon release, using position and velocity of the aircraft and the weapon physical characteristics and provides cue on Head-Up Display. An on-board Weapon Control System (WCS) enables selection and release of weapon. The training of pilots for preparation, selections and accurately release of weapon, from the aircraft was not possible without releasing the actual weapon.

The training of Air-to-Ground weapon aiming is done in simulators on ground without actual Weapon Control System (WCS) and actual interface to weapons. On the other hand ground based simulator provides only limited capability for training the air-to-ground weapon aiming, as it does not provide real time scenarios.

4. Aim of the Invention

The main objective of the invention is to provide a system for real time training of Air-to-Ground weapon aiming and delivery from bomber aircraft, without releasing actual weapons.
The further objective of the invention is to enable the selections on Weapon Control System and range sensor selection for Air-to-ground weapon delivery, as well as to provide real time weapon aiming symbols on Head up display (HUD), even when the actual weapons are not available in the pylons or prohibiting the release when the actual weapons are available.

5. Summary of the present invention

The present invention is a method to facilitate training of Air-to-Ground weapon selection and aiming from a combat aircraft during flight without releasing actual weapon. The present method of training of Air-to-Ground of weapon aiming is using on-board Weapon Control System, Weapon Aiming Computer, controls on Hand on Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) and Up Front Control Panel (UFCP) of the aircraft. The Weapon Control System provides interface to weapon stations of the aircraft for selection of weapon and receiving status and configuration of the on-board weapons. The Up Front Control Panel is used to activate and de-activate the present training functionality and to enter of weapon configuration. The switches on the HOTAS are used for selection of air-to-ground weapon release mode and selection of ranging sensor for weapon aiming computations. The Weapon Aiming Computer receives aircraft navigation data and the range to the selected target for the weapon release from on-board sensors. It computes release solution for weapon aiming based on received navigation data, range to target, selected weapon characteristics and selected weapon aiming mode and generates cues for weapon aiming in form of symbols on aircraft displays. The method enables release trigger from HOTAS but inhibit release of the actual weapon.

6. Brief Description of Drawing

FIGURE. 1 is a block diagram of the on-board system for training Air-to-Ground weapon aiming from combat aircraft.

7. Description of the invention

In the present invention, a system is developed for real time weapon selection, aiming and delivery from combat aircraft, without releasing actual weapon. The present invention includes a Weapon Control System (WCS) for selection of weapon for delivery, a weapon aiming computer for computation of real time solution for accurate weapon release and a set of ranging sensors for obtaining range to ground target. The present invention uses selections from Hand-On Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) and Up Front Control Panel (UFCP) of the aircraft and provides weapon aiming symbols on Head-Up and Head Down displays of the aircraft to aid pilot in weapon aiming. The present invention enables pilot to activate and de-activate the present training functionality for on-board weapon aiming, through UFCP of the aircraft.

The Up Front Control Panel (UFCP) is interfaced with Weapon Aiming Computer and provides user interface to activate/de-activate the present training functionality and to enter weapon configuration data to the Weapon Aiming Computer. HOTAS provides switches for selection of different Air-to-Ground weapon delivery mode (methods) and selection of ranging sensor to be used for determination of the range to target.

The Weapon Control System (WCS) consists of Weapon Control Panel (WCP) and Armament Main Unit (AMU). The WCP is interfaced with actual weapon circuits and includes Bomb-On-Station (BOS) lamp and switches for selection of weapon station (pylon). BOS lamps indicate activation status of each weapon station. The WCP also includes ARM (armament) switches to enable or disable weapon delivery procedure. The AMU interfaced with weapon stations of the aircraft and provides weapon configuration information of the aircraft through 10 lines to Weapon Aiming Computer.

The Weapon Aiming Computer performs validation of weapon configuration, computation of solution for selected weapon delivery mode and generation of weapon aiming symbols for display on HUD. It validates weapon configuration entered on UFCP with information received from AMU. The present invention provides a unique feature of validating weapon configuration entered in UFCP according to pre-defined configuration validation procedure, even when WCS is switched off and configuration information is not available from AMU.
The Weapon Aiming Computer composed of four major modules, Range Sensor module, Navigation Module, Weapon Module and Display Generation module. The Range sensor module select the range sensor for weapon aiming in accordance with the pilot's selection through HOTAS and computes range to the selected target based on input from the selected ranging sensor.

The Navigation module receives navigation information from different navigation sensors of the aircraft and determines position and velocity information in aircraft axis.

The Weapon Module determines weapon aiming mode based on HOTAS selection. It also receives weapon selections from WCS and determines condition for weapon release. The Weapon Aiming Computer computes the weapon trajectory (time of flight, horizontal, across and vertical range of the impact point, impact angle and impact velocity, etc) based on range to target, aircraft's navigation data and selected weapon characteristics. The module determines solution based on the computed parameters for performing accurate weapon release.

The Display Generation module generates weapon aiming symbols based on computed weapon aiming solution, in the form of cues of impact point or release point for performing weapon release. The module drives the Head-Up Display for displaying weapon aiming symbol to aid pilot in weapon release. The Display Generation module also generates and displays the symbol 'TRAIN' on HUD, all the time the present training functionality is activated, to indicate that the training functionality is active. Head Up and Head Down displays of the aircraft are used to display weapon aiming symbols to cue pilot for accurate weapon aiming.

The present invention enables pilot to trigger the release of the weapon through switch on the HOTAS, but the Weapon Aiming Computer does not generate the release pulse signal to weapon for actual release of weapon. The Weapon Aiming Computer, however, terminates the weapon aiming procedure as if the actual weapon is released.

CLAIMS

We claim

1. A method for Real Time Training of Air-to-Ground weapon aiming with on-board Weapon Aiming Computer and Weapon Control System of a combat aircraft. The method is characterized by actual on-board weapon selection procedure through Weapon Control System, computation of weapon aiming solution in Weapon Aiming Computer and prohibition of actual release of weapon on release trigger.

2. The method of claiml, where in the Weapon Control System (105) consist of Weapon Control Panel (WCP) and Armament Main Unit (AMU) and provides interface to actual weapon on the aircraft, weapon configuration information of the aircraft through AMU, selection of weapons station for delivery, switches for arming weapons and indication of weapon status on WCP.

3. The method of claiml, where in the Weapon Aiming Computer performs validation of weapon configuration, validation of conditions for weapon release, computation of solution for accurate weapon release and generation of cues in form of weapon aiming symbols on displays of the aircraft.

4. The method of claiml, where in actual weapon release is inhibited on release trigger from the Hand on Throttle and Stick of the aircraft.

5. The method of claiml enables activation and de-activation of the present weapon aiming training functionality through Up Front Control Panel of the aircraft.