Anti torpedo system

Abstract

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an anti torpedo system, suitable for use on a ship, comprising operably linked; a combat management system comprising a high frequency hull mounted sonar, to determine the current positon and track (depth and underwater trajectory) of a torpedo, a plurality of (direct fire) munitions, each comprising an ogive portion terminating with a water drag reduction element, an energetic payload and a programmable fuze for initiating said payload, an auto-fuze setting system, for setting the time of initiation of the programmable fuze, and a gun management system for: receiving the current position and track of said torpedo from the combat management system, and aiming and firing of said munitions, based on the received position and track of the torpedo, such as to cause each fired munition to arrive at or proximate to said torpedo and to cause detonation of the payload.

1 . An anti-torpedo system comprising:
 a combat management system including a sonar system configured to determine the current position and track of a torpedo;   a plurality of munitions each including an energetic payload, a programmable fuze configured to detonate the payload, an ogive portion, and a water drag reduction element within or on the ogive portion;   an auto-fuze setting system, configured to set initiation time of the programmable fuze of each munition; and   a gun management system configured to aim and fire the munitions, based on the current position and track of the torpedo, so as to cause each fired munition to arrive at or within a threshold distance of the torpedo and to cause detonation of the payload.   
     
     
         2 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 1 , wherein the gun management system comprises:
 at least one gun barrel;   a fire control system configured to fire the munitions from said at least one gun barrel; and   an aiming system configured to control aiming direction of the at least one gun barrel.   
     
     
         3 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 1 , wherein the combat management system comprises a further-target acquisition system. 
     
     
         4 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the water drag reduction elements which causes water at a water entry location of the corresponding munition to change to a more gaseous state. 
     
     
         5 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the water drag reduction elements is a supercavitating surface feature on an outer surface of the ogive portion, arranged to vaporise the water at the water entry location of the corresponding munition. 
     
     
         6 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the water drag reduction elements comprises a gas generator, or a shaped charge, within the ogive portion and arranged to provide energetic displacement of the water at the water entry location of the corresponding munition, prior to the corresponding munition entering the water at the water entry location. 
     
     
         7 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 1 , wherein there is the plurality of munitions includes a first munition and a second munition, the anti-torpedo system being configured to co-ordinate detonation of the energetic payload in the first munition and the energetic payload in the second munition to establish a co-ordinated explosive event to neutralize the torpedo. 
     
     
         8 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the programmable fuzes is adapted to trigger detonation of the corresponding energetic payload in accordance with one or more of:
 after a predetermined time period after entering the water;   upon detection of a target sonar signature;   upon detection of a target magnetic signature;   upon detection of a target electric field signature;   at a predetermined pressure under the water surface;   at a predetermined depth under the water surface;   at a predetermined speed-of-sound in water; or   upon impact with said torpedo under the water surface.   
     
     
         9 . The anti-torpedo system according  claim 1 , wherein the combat management is operably linked to a target deconfliction system configured to determine that an identified target is a torpedo. 
     
     
         10 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the munitions is a direct fire munition and has a calibre in the range of 12.7 mm to 40 mm. 
     
     
         11 . A method for engaging an incoming torpedo, the method comprising:
 causing firing of a first munition from a first gun barrel into water to engage with the torpedo, the first munition comprising a first explosive charge and a first fuze system;   causing firing of a second munition from a second gun barrel into the water to engage with the torpedo, the second munition comprising a second explosive charge and a second fuze system; and   co-ordinating the timing of the triggering of the first explosive charge and the second explosive charge to establish a co-ordinated explosive event to neutralize the torpedo.   
     
     
         12 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sonar system includes one or more hull-mounted sensors. 
     
     
         13 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 1 , wherein the track of the torpedo includes depth and trajectory of the torpedo. 
     
     
         14 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 2 , wherein the gun management system is configured to cause:
 aiming of the one or more gun barrels, based on a location, a depth, and the track of the torpedo; and   activation of the fire control system to fire the munitions to cause at least first and second fired munitions to each arrive at or within the threshold distance of the torpedo and to cause detonation of the corresponding energetic payloads, so as to provide a co-ordinated explosive event.   
     
     
         15 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the water drag reduction elements causes water at a water entry location of the corresponding munition to change to a more gaseous state prior to the corresponding munition entering the water. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the water drag reduction elements comprises a gas generator or shaped charge configured to introduce bubbles at a water entry location of the corresponding munition prior to the corresponding munition entering the water. 
     
     
         17 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 7 , wherein the co-ordinated explosive event includes one or both of the first and second munitions receiving a co-ordinating data signal. 
     
     
         18 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of programmable fuzes is adapted to trigger detonation of the corresponding energetic payload in accordance with a co-ordinating data signal, to cause a co-ordinated explosive event that includes detonation of two or more of the munitions. 
     
     
         19 . An anti-torpedo system comprising:
 a combat management system including a sonar system configured to determine the current position and track of a torpedo;   a plurality of munitions each including an energetic payload, a programmable fuze configured to detonate the payload, an ogive portion, and a water drag reduction element within or on the ogive portion, wherein at least one of the water drag reduction elements causes water at a water entry location of the corresponding munition to change to a more gaseous state;   an auto-fuze setting system, configured to set initiation time of the programmable fuze of each munition; and   a gun management system configured to aim and fire the munitions, based on the current position and track of the torpedo;   wherein the auto-fuze setting system and/or gun management system is/are further configured to cause a co-ordinated explosive event that includes detonation of two or more of the munitions, at or within a threshold distance of the torpedo.   
     
     
         20 . The anti-torpedo system according to  claim 19 , wherein the co-ordinated explosive event includes one or both of first and second munitions of the plurality receiving a co-ordinating data signal.