Patent Abstract:
Guns are fired simultaneously from a rotating platform. This is primarily a last-ditch, defense weapon system to protect the Navy&#39;s aircraft carriers and the Marine Corps amphibious landings: This system would have the ability to destroy all of many incoming ballistic missiles and bombs, and their fragmentation over a wide area. The ships are out at sea and are moving; falling debris is only a minor problem compared to getting hit by a bomb or missile. A land or port version of this system may be of some interest; such as a system on a mobile water platform or vehicle. The system could certainly knock down a swarm of hostile unmanned aerial vehicles.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present system relates to the field of the U.S. Navy&#39;s weapon systems. Specifically, it relates to a surface-to-air defense weapon system. This system will be used primarily to protect the Navy&#39;s aircraft carriers. It would have the ability to destroy all of many incoming ballistic missiles and bombs, and their fragmentation over a wide area. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field. 
         [0005]    The monthly magazine  Seapower  is about the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. It is a sea services directory that gives the latest information on all weapons and many other things as well. It will be the subject of ships&#39; surface-to-air weapons that I am concerned with for this system, the defense against ballistic missiles in particular. 
         [0006]    The phalanx CIWS, a Gatling gun, is a last-ditch defense system against aircraft and anti-ship missiles and surface craft, not ballistic missiles that comes down from the edge of space. This system fills a gap. The Navy needs a last-ditch defense system against many incoming ballistic missiles and bombs and their fragmentation over a wide area. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    This is primarily a last-ditch defense weapon system for the Navy&#39;s aircraft carriers and the Marine Corps&#39; amphibious landings. This system would have the ability to destroy all of many incoming ballistic missiles and bombs and their fragmentation over a wide area. 
         [0008]    The ships are out at sea and are moving; falling debris is only a minor problem compared to getting hit by a bomb or a missile. The advantages and object of this system will be described in the specification and shown in the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a ship and a rotating circular platform combination. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the platform assembly on the ship&#39;s deck. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the pattern the fired projectiles will make over a given defended area. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the rotating platform assembly on the ship&#39;s deck. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a partial section view of the platform and deck combination. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the entire system. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a modified gun. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram of a power source. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a block diagram of a cooling system. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a top view of three guns mounted on the platform. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a top view of two guns mounted on the platform. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a good place to place this system. The rotating circular platform  40  is placed on a ship&#39;s forward deck  60 , or on a land based structure. The ship can be modified existing one or a new one. The ship can have its own ballistic missiles detection ability or rely on other ships of a Navy battle group for detection of incoming ballistic missiles. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a powerful electric motor  45  and its electrical connection  49  under the deck  60 , the platform  40  is rotated with the motor&#39;s shaft  47 . On the platform  40  is mounted four modified guns. Many types of modified guns can be used from a single barrel to a multiple barrel. Each of these guns  20 A,  20 B,  20 C and  20 D comprises an inner regulated power supply section, equipment protection section fire-control mechanisms and outer multiple barrels  22  and an ammunition drum  24 ; gun  20 B is omitted for clarity. The equipment support column  55  and electrical connections are omitted for clarity. 
         [0022]    The stationary guns  20 A and  20 C lean to the right approximately five degrees C., and guns  20 B and  20 D lean to the left approximately 5 degrees C.; degrees of other amounts can be used. Each gun&#39;s line-of-fire B points substantially upward; each line-of-fire B makes an angle C with the vertical. The guns  20 A,  20 B,  20 C and  20 D are approximately ninety degrees apart around the outer portion of the platform  40 . Each gun has no search or tracking radar; they are not needed. The guns  20 A,  20 B,  20 C and  20 D are fired simultaneously. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  shows how the projectiles from the guns are dispersed. They form a slightly exaggerated point A on the rotating platform  40  on the deck  60 . The two sets of guns create a nearly cone-shaped line-of-fire B and an angle C around the vertical axis of the platform  40 . The angle C is approximately five degrees. The maximum effective range D is a minimum of two miles; it can be much, much higher. A nearly umbrella-shaped pattern E of projectiles will be produced when three guns are fired simultaneously while rotating. This umbrella pattern E will have a minimum diameter of 1,848 feet or more. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  shows the approximately ninety degree angle between the guns  20 A,  20 B,  20 C and  20 D. The motor  45  and an equipment support column  55  are in the center of the platform  40  on the ship&#39;s deck  60 . Electrical connections are omitted for clarity. An outer multiple barrel  22  and an ammunition drum  24  are shown on  20 A.  81 ,  82 ,  83  and  84  are power sources;  81 A,  82 A,  83 A and  84 A are cooling systems. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a partial sectional view. The equipment support column  55  is connected to the platform  40 . The motor&#39;s shaft  47  rotates the platform  40  and the motor  45  is powered through an electrical line  49  under the ship&#39;s deck  60 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  shows the entire ROTATING RAPID-FIRING DEFENSE WEAPON SYSTEM  10 . The control cables W, X, Y and Z are between the remote receivers RR 1 , RR 2 , RR 3  and RR 4  and the modified guns  20 A,  20 B,  20 C and  20 D and the antennas. The remote receivers RR 1 , RR 2 , RR 3  and RR 4  control cables W, X, Y and Z and the antennas are mounted on the equipment support column  55 . 
         [0027]    The stationary remote control transmitters RT 1 , RT 2 , RT 3 , and RT 4  are mounted on the ship facing the rotating remote receivers RR 1 , RR 2 , RR 3  and RR 4  on the rotating platform  40 . A stationary structure on land or sea can be a good mounting place for stationary objects of the system  10 . The ship&#39;s structure is an example. 
         [0028]    Each gun  20 A,  20 B,  20 C and  20 D has a power source  81 ,  82 ,  83  and  84  and a cooling system  81 A,  82 A,  83 A and  84 A adjacent to it. The central control room  75  will house the control panels/video screens  85  that are physically and electronically connected to the remote control transmitters RT 1 , RT 2 , RT 3  and RT 4  and outer antennas. There is an electric line  49  to the motor  45 . An independent electric power source  65  will supply all the power needed by the control room  75 . 
         [0029]    A land-based system will have a central control room. There should be a means for supplying electric power for all versions of this system  10 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 7  shows the output electrical power OEP into each gun  20 A,  20 B,  20 C, and  20 D. Each control cable W, X, Y, and Z makes electrical connections inside each gun. Each gun  20 A,  20 B,  20 C, and  20 D comprises a regulated power supply section, equipment protection section and fire control mechanism; and each gun has multiple barrels  22  and an ammunition drum  24  (see  FIG. 2 ). There is a cooling connection CC to each gun. 
         [0031]      FIG. 8  shows the output electrical power OEP out of each power source  81 ,  82 ,  83 , and  84 . For this means for power source  81 ,  82 ,  83 , and  84 , there is a small fossil fuel engine that power an electrical generator. Each engine is controlled through a cable W, X, Y, and Z. 
         [0032]    The regulated power supply takes place within each gun  20 A,  20 B,  20 C, and  20 D as shown in  FIG. 7 . Another option is to change the output electrical power OEP to a regulated power supply before going into each gun. The output electrical power OEP will be 440 volts (v) at 60 cycles (Hz) in both cases. 
         [0033]      FIG. 9  shows the cooling connection CC out of each cooling system  81 A,  82 A,  83 A, and  84 A. For this means for cooling  81 A,  82 A,  83 A, and  84 A, there is a water reserve and auxiliary units. The auxiliary units are controlled through a cable W, X, Y, and Z. One auxiliary unit would be a water pump. 
         [0034]      FIG. 10  shows an assembly of three guns A 1 B 1  and C 1  the rotating platform  41 . They are approximately 120 degrees apart;  46  is the electric motor and  56  is the support column.  FIG. 11  shows an assembly of two guns N and O on the rotating platform  42  and opposite one another. The number of guns used could increase or decrease the effectiveness of this system. A substantial number of guns would be best;  48  is the motor and  58  is the column. 
         [0035]    This system would be relatively economical to design and manufacture. This is due to the technology needed for such a system has already been developed. And there is ongoing progress in the improvement of this technology. 
         [0036]    The ships are out at sea and are moving; falling debris is only a minor problem compared to getting hit by a bomb or missile. A land or port version of this system may be of some interest. 
         [0037]    There has been a lot of talk about how to defend against a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles. The above system is one way; any type of gun can be used. This system has the ability to shoot down anything that comes in range of its projectiles.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5