Nov 3, 2026

US12782097 - Optical command airburst ammunition fuze system

A method of airburst fuze configuration by which airburst capability may be retrofitted to existing weapons systems or munitions or configured for new ones. The system consists of a nose or mid-body fuze package for a host projectile, incorporating a rear-looking optical sensor system, which will periscope outwards to establish a rearwards line of sight. The fuze package is to be used with a separate and retained detonation control system which performs fire control calculations and transmits an optical signal at the time airbursting is desired, which subsequently prompts the rear-looking optical sensor to trigger the payload of the host projectile.

Inventors: John Isaac Boland
Filing date: 2024-05-19

ammunitionfuzeexplosive

The patent describes an airburst fuze system that can be retrofitted to existing munitions or designed for new ones, utilizing a rear-looking optical sensor to receive command signals for detonation. This system includes a signal discrimination component to verify the command code and an output element to activate the projectile’s explosive payload based on the received signal.

Claim 1

1 . A projectile launchable from a host weapon, comprising: a payload including an explosive charge; and a fuze package comprising: a rear-looking optical sensor configured to receive an optical command signal transmitted from a remote optical emitter, wherein the rear-looking optical sensor is positioned forward of at least a portion of the payload along a longitudinal axis of the projectile and has a rearward line of sight during flight of the projectile; a signal discrimination component configured to determine whether the received optical command signal matches a predetermined command code; and an output element configured to activate the payload in response to a determination that the received optical command signal matches the predetermined command code. a payload including an explosive charge; and a fuze package comprising: a rear-looking optical sensor configured to receive an optical command signal transmitted from a remote optical emitter, wherein the rear-looking optical sensor is positioned forward of at least a portion of the payload along a longitudinal axis of the projectile and has a rearward line of sight during flight of the projectile; a signal discrimination component configured to determine whether the received optical command signal matches a predetermined command code; and an output element configured to activate the payload in response to a determination that the received optical command signal matches the predetermined command code. a rear-looking optical sensor configured to receive an optical command signal transmitted from a remote optical emitter, wherein the rear-looking optical sensor is positioned forward of at least a portion of the payload along a longitudinal axis of the projectile and has a rearward line of sight during flight of the projectile; a signal discrimination component configured to determine whether the received optical command signal matches a predetermined command code; and an output element configured to activate the payload in response to a determination that the received optical command signal matches the predetermined command code.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12782097

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12782097