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(11) | EP 0 911 601 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Aerial target system |
| (57) The present invention relates to an air-borne target system. The use of aerial targets
in weapons training situations is well known. Targets towed by aircraft or self-propelled
targets simulate the characteristics against which anti-aircraft shells and missiles
might be used. Those characteristics might include shape or thermal signatures. Gas
or petroleum powered burners have been used to heat a mesh or solid surface which
gives the required thermal signature. However, the use of a burner also provides a
visual indicator. Whilst not causing any problems for daylight training missions,
during night-time operations, often a person training in the use of anti-aircraft
weaponry inadvertently follows the visual signature rather than the thermal signature.
This clearly reduces the effectiveness of the training in simulating battle conditions
where there may be no visual indication as to a target's location. The present invention
addresses this problem by providing an aerial target including an electrically-powered
heater unit. |