Abstract: Disclosed is a Doppler tracking processor and time of closest approach detector for use in active or semi-active radar-guided missiles. A known processor uses a fractional Doppler gate (FDG) to process the Doppler signal to activate the warhead detonation properly at time of closest approach (TCA); it indicates when the Doppler energy has rolled off to, for example, one-half the pre-intercept Doppler frequency. The present invention uses a Doppler tracking processor and TCA detector. The tracking filter can extract the instantaneous value of the Doppler frequency even during roll-off. The system processes the Doppler from the pre-intercept frequency up to an appropriate fractional frequency occurring at TCA, at which time it provides a signal for use in warhead detonation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a Doppler tracking processor and time of closest approach detector for use in active or semiactive radar-guided missiles. A known processor uses a fractional Doppler gate (FDG) to process the Doppler signal to activate the warhead detonation properly at time of closest approach (TCA); it indicates when the Doppler energy has rolled off to, for example, one-half the pre-intercept Doppler frequency. The present invention uses a Doppler tracking processor and TCA detector. The tracking filter can extract the instantaneous value of the Doppler frequency even during rolloff. The system processes the Doppler from the preintercept frequency up to an appropriate fractional frequency occurring at TCA, at which time it provides a signal for use in warhead detonation.