Patent ID: 8022343

Claim:
An aiming system to be directed towards a target and comprising a deviation meter operable to locate at least one missile flying at least approximately in the direction of said target and to which is linked an optical emitter generating successive light flashes in the near infrared, said deviation meter comprising: an optical detector comprising a matrix of photosensitive elements operable to detect said successive light flashes; an optical system, which observes the scene in which said target and said missile are located and in the focal plane of which is positioned said optical detector; an electronic control section that controls said optical detector and that is operable to trigger snapshots of said scene by the latter; and a synchronization section that synchronizes snapshots of said optical detector with said successive light flashes, wherein: said optical detector is an infrared detector sensitive not only to the near infrared in the emission spectrum of the optical emitter associated with the missile, but also to the mid-infrared between 3 and 5 micrometers; said photosensitive elements of said infrared detector have an angular resolution at least as good as 0.3 mrad; said electronic control section triggers snapshots of said scene by said infrared detector not only in synchronism with said light flashes, but also in the intervals between said successive light flashes; and a viewing section is provided to view the images resulting from the snapshots taken in said intervals between said successive light flashes.