Small smart weapon and weapon system employing the same
A weapon and weapon system, and methods of manufacturing and operating the same. In one embodiment, the weapon includes a warhead including destructive elements and a guidance section with a seeker configured to guide the weapon to a target. The seeker includes a detector configured to receive a distorted signal impinging on an objective lens from the target, memory configured to store target criteria and a correction map, and a processor configured to provide a correction signal based on the distorted signal, the target criteria and the correction map to guide the weapon to the target.
1. A seeker, comprising:
a detector configured to receive a distorted signal impinging on an objective lens from a target, said objective lens comprising a front surface with a central region being a non-planar cone and outer regions being sharper cones,
memory configured to store target criteria and a correction map, and
a processor configured to provide a correction signal based on said distorted signal, said target criteria and said correction map to guide a weapon to said target.
2. The seeker as recited in claim 1 wherein said objective lens is integrated with a hemi-dome of said seeker.
3. The seeker as recited in claim 1 wherein said objective lens includes a fast fresnel lens.
4. The seeker as recited in claim 1 wherein said objective lens comprises a back surface configured to provide a complementary corrective curvature to said front surface of said objective lens.
5. The seeker as recited in claim 1 wherein said objective lens comprises a back surface with at least a portion formed by a conic surface.
6. The seeker as recited in claim 1 further comprising a dome configured to provide environmental protection for said objective lens.
7. The seeker as recited in claim 1 further comprising a standoff between said objective lens and said detector.
8. The seeker as recited in claim 1 wherein said correction map is derivable in accordance with a response map from a calibration array in comparison to known angles of illumination.
9. A weapon, comprising:
a warhead including destructive elements; and
a guidance section with a seeker, including:
a detector configured to receive a distorted signal impinging on an objective lens from a target, said objective lens comprising a front surface with a central region being a non-planar cone and outer regions being sharper cones,
memory configured to store target criteria and a correction map, and
a processor configured to provide a correction signal based on said distorted signal, said target criteria and said correction map to guide said weapon to said target.
10. The weapon as recited in claim 9 wherein said objective lens is integrated with a hemi-dome of said seeker.
11. The weapon as recited in claim 9 wherein said objective lens includes a fast fresnel lens.
12. The weapon as recited in claim 9 wherein said objective lens comprises a back surface configured to provide a complementary corrective curvature to said front surface of said objective lens.
13. The weapon as recited in claim 9 wherein said objective lens comprises a back surface with at least a portion formed by a conic surface.
14. The weapon as recited in claim 9 wherein said seeker includes a dome configured to provide environmental protection for said objective lens.
15. The weapon as recited in claim 9 wherein said seeker includes a standoff between said objective lens and said detector.
16. The weapon as recited in claim 9 wherein said correction map is derivable in accordance with a response map from a calibration array in comparison to known angles of illumination.