US 12,228,383 B2
Interceptor missile and method for steering the interceptor missile
Thomas Kuhn, Heiligenberg (DE)
Assigned to Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG, Überlingen (DE)
Filed by Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG, Überlingen (DE)
Filed on Apr. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/301,381.
Application 18/301,381 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2021/077884, filed on Oct. 8, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 006 465.5 (DE), filed on Oct. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0251070 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
Int. Cl. F42B 10/60 (2006.01); F41H 11/02 (2006.01)
CPC F42B 10/60 (2013.01) [F41H 11/02 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for steering a steerable interceptor missile powered by an engine for intercepting a moving target during a midcourse phase of an interception, the method comprising steps of:
steering the interceptor missile by using real steering commands generated at respective steering times based on free control parameters available as a current parameter vector;
at least one of constantly or repetitively optimizing the free control parameters in a course of the midcourse phase by using an optimization procedure for optimizing the control parameters;
carrying out the optimization procedure in parallel with an actual steering;
including at least one of newly detected information about a movement of the target or information about a flight of the interceptor missile in the optimization procedure as soon the information is available; and
taking optimized control parameters into the current parameter vector once the optimized control parameters are available from the optimization procedure.