Method and system for countering an incoming threat

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a threat incoming to a vehicle, the vehicle having a plurality of countermeasures including a primary armament and an active protection system; communicating the detected threat to a controller;

activating, with the controller, a first sensor in response to the detecting, the first sensor tracking the incoming threat and generating tracking data;

routing, with the controller, the tracking data to a plurality of fire control processors, each of the plurality of fire control processors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of countermeasures and being configured to compute respective firing solutions using the tracking data; and

determining, with the controller, a preferred countermeasure out of the plurality of countermeasures with which to counter the incoming threat.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of countermeasures includes a secondary armament.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primary armament is a turret-based armament configured to fire explosive rounds containing shrapnel.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the preferred countermeasure is based at least in part on the tracking data.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

authorizing firing of the preferred countermeasure using the firing solution associated with the preferred countermeasure.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active protection system includes an interceptor launcher configured to launch explosive interceptors.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: activating a second sensor in response to the detecting, the second sensor tracking the incoming threat and generating further tracking data; wherein the routing the tracking data includes routing the further tracking data.

8. A threat countering system, the system comprising:

a first sensor configured to detect an incoming threat and generate tracking data associated with the incoming threat;

a plurality of countermeasures including a primary armament and an active protection system;

a plurality of fire control processors, each of the plurality of fire control processors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of countermeasures and being configured to compute respective firing solutions using the tracking data; and

a controller coupled to the first sensor and the plurality of fire control processors, the controller configured to receive the detected incoming threat and determine a preferred countermeasure out of the plurality of countermeasures with which to counter the incoming threat.

9. The threat countering system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of countermeasures includes a secondary armament.

10. The threat countering system of claim 8 , wherein the primary armament is a turret-based armament configured to fire explosive rounds containing shrapnel.

11. The threat countering system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further operable to determine the preferred countermeasure based at least in part on the tracking data.

12. The threat countering system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further operable to authorize firing the preferred countermeasure.

13. The threat countering system of claim 8 , wherein the active protection system includes an interceptor launcher configured to launch explosive interceptors.

14. A threat countering system, the system comprising:

a first sensor configured to detect an incoming threat and generate tracking data associated with the incoming threat;

an active protection system; and

a controller coupled to the first sensor and active protection system and operable to receive the tracking data from the first sensor and determine a preferred countermeasure from a plurality of countermeasures with which to counter the incoming threat;

wherein the plurality of countermeasures includes the active protection system and a primary armament,

wherein the controller is further operable to route the tracking data to a plurality of fire control processors, each of the plurality of fire control processors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of countermeasures; and

wherein the plurality of fire control processors are operable to simultaneously compute a respective firing solution for each of the plurality of countermeasures using the tracking data.

15. The threat countering system of claim 8 , further comprising: a second sensor coupled to the controller and configured to generate further tracking data associated with the incoming threat; wherein the controller is further operable to receive the further tracking data.

16. A threat countering system, the system comprising:

a controller including a processor and a memory; a passive sensor operable to detect muzzle flash indicative of a launch of an incoming threat;

a sensor system configured to generate tracking data associated with the incoming threat;

an active protection system; and

software stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the controller to perform operations comprising:

receiving an indication from the passive sensor of an incoming threat;

activating the sensor system such that the sensor system generates tracking data associated with the incoming threat;

receiving tracking data from the sensor system;

determining a preferred countermeasure out of a plurality of countermeasures with which to counter the incoming threat, the plurality of countermeasures including the active protection system and a primary armament of a vehicle;

authorizing firing of the preferred countermeasure; and

routing the tracking data from the sensor system to a plurality of fire control processors, each of the plurality of fire control processors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of countermeasures, and the plurality of fire control processors simultaneously computing a respective firing solution for each of the plurality of countermeasures using the tracking data.

17. The threat countering system of claim 16 , wherein the determining a preferred countermeasure is based at least in part on the tracking data.

18. The threat countering system of claim 16 , wherein the primary armament is a turret-based armament configured to fire explosive rounds containing shrapnel.

19. The threat countering system of claim 16 , wherein the active protection system includes an interceptor launcher configured to launch explosive interceptors.