899results about "Rocket launchers" patented technology

A system and method for the conversion of fuel tanks, detachably mountable on the exterior of an aerial vehicle, into high volume, high capacity, diverse functionality and aerodynamically efficient airborne stores is disclosed. A conventional external fuel drop tank is modified such that the exterior shape of the tank is substantially retained while the interior of the tank is suitable restructured to allow for the introduction of diverse airborne stores, associated airborne store mounting means, control and monitoring means and support means therein, which replace the fuel store. The airborne store is suitably interfaced to the stores control and management system of the aerial vehicle. The airborne store is integrated into a new external stores configuration The enhanced airborne store will have aerodynamic characteristics substantially similar to the original external fuel tank while its payload capacity is substantially improved.

An air-launched aircraft includes deployable wings, elevons, and vertical fins that deploy from a fuselage during flight. The aircraft may include a control system for operating the elevons, a communication system, and batteries for powering the systems. In addition, the aircraft may include a payload module that mates with an interface in the fuselage. The payload module may include any of a variety of payloads, including cameras, sensors, and/or radar emitters. The aircraft may be powered or unpowered, and may be very small, for example, less than on the order of 10 kg (22 pounds). The aircraft may be employed at a low cost for any of a wide variety of functions, such as surveillance, or as a decoy. The deployable surfaces of the aircraft may be configured to deploy in a pre-determined order, allowing the aircraft automatically to enter controlled flight after being launched in a tumbling mode.

In one embodiment there is provided a radar signature and induced aerodynamic drag minimizing, externally mountable, internally configurable pod structure optimized for internal placement of one or more deployable stores through configuration and optimal kinematic operation of a pod door assembly. The pod structure has an externally mountable pod housing, a predetermined pod housing cross-sectional configuration optimized to provide a configurable interior volume accommodating multiple different store configurations, and a predetermined pod housing configuration having a cross-sectional configuration optimized to minimize a radar signature and an induced aerodynamic drag. The pod structure further has a pod door assembly integral with the pod housing and having a plurality of pod doors and one or more seal door mechanism assemblies. The pod structure is optimized in kinematic operational combination of the pod doors and seal door mechanism assemblies controlling ejection launch envelopes.

Launching payloads at high velocity uses high-pressure gas or combustion products for propulsion, with injection of high pressure gas at intervals along the path behind the payload projectile as it accelerates along the barrel of the launcher. An inner barrel has an interior diameter equal to the projectile diameter or sabot containing the projectile. An outer casing surrounds the inner barrel. Structures at intervals attach the outer casing and the inner barrel. An axial gas containment chamber (AGC) stores high pressure gas between the inner barrel wall, the outer casing wall, and enclosure bulkheads. Pressure-activated valves along the barrel sequentially release the high pressure gas contained in the AGC in to the barrel to create a continuously refreshed high energy pressure heads behind the projectile as it moves down the barrel. A frangible cover at the exit end of the barrel allows the barrel to be evacuated prior to launch. The launcher is rapidly recyclable. The valves close automatically after the projectile has exited the barrel, allowing a new projectile to be introduced into the breech and the AGC to be recharged with high-pressure gas.

In a method and apparatus for controlling the deployment of a towline connecting a mooring craft to an ejected object comprising the steps of monitoring velocity to determine when a point for optimum braking has been achieved and then engaging a brake system to retard deployment of the towline, a DC motor augments and controls the brake system. The DC motor further controls the retrieval of the object. A cutter mechanism uses a first blade to grip the towing cable to maintain tension thereon as a second blade cuts the cable. A spring biased boom in combination with spring biased fins on the ejected object rapidly deploys the object from its storage housing. A locking mechanism secures the deployment mechanism in a stable locked position upon the object reaching its fully extended position.

A self-adjusting bumper comprising slidably adjustable upper and lower tapered nylon wedges for eliminating rattle space between objects and their containers. A tapered lower wedge comprises a dovetail guide rail and opposing guide pin rails; a tapered upper wedge comprises a corresponding dovetail guide path and opposing slots shaped for insertion and slidable adjustment of the guide pin rails. Opposing helical extension springs secured to the sides of the upper and lower wedges minimize friction forces between the wedges as they slidably move relative to one another. External surfaces of the wedges may be contoured to accommodate the shape of the object and/or its container.

Methods and apparatus for marine deployment according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with a floatable housing adapted to be deployed by a marine vehicle. The floatable housing may be adapted to be launched from a marine vehicle and rise to the surface. Assets, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle, may be deployed from the surfaced floatable housing.

An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) weapon system with an overhead mounted, electrically driven, remote controlled weapon station that supports a tube-launched optically-tracked wire-guided (TOW) missile launcher and a machine gun, typically the caliber .50 M2, on a single traversing and elevating platform. Above-deck assemblies include the TOW and gun cradle, a dual pod missile launcher, the Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS), target acquisition subsystem (TAS), elevation and traverse motors and gear transmissions and drive electronics, and an ammunition case. Below-deck assemblies include the ATGM weapon system control handles, biocular display, control panel, ITAS fire control system (FCS), ITAS battery power source (BPS), slip-ring, and gunner's seat. Electrical cables connecting the two assemblies penetrate the vehicle deck directly below the weapon System.

A stealth weapon module (10) including a weapon support cage (11) and a weapon (12), with the weapon module (10) able to be stowed beneath a retractable hard roof (15). The roof (15) is raised and lowered by a hydraulic motor (16), and includes a stabilizing cloth (15b) that keeps the roof (15), made of interconnected slats (15a), from pulling apart or otherwise changing shape as it is raised and lowered, even at rates of travel of several inches per second. The weapon module (10), with any of various different roof designs including the retractable hard roof (15), can be incorporated into either a transportable shell (20), able to be moved from one application to another, or can be built into (and so specially adapted to) a structure, such as the back/cab of a sports utility vehicle.

An umbilical cable for delivering electrical signals between an aircraft and a smart weapon carried by the aircraft. The umbilical cable includes cabling comprising a plurality of conductive wires, a first connector provided on one end of the cabling and configured to connect to the aircraft, and a second connector provided on the other end of the cabling and configured to connect to the smart weapon. The umbilical cable further includes an interface circuit electrically coupled between the first connector and the second connector via the plurality of conductive wires. The interface circuit is configured to receive via the first connector a non-standard combination of signals comprising at least one of data signals, control signals and power signals not receivable directly by the smart weapon to carry out operations. Moreover, the interface circuit is configured to convert the non-standard combination of signals to a set of signals receivable by the smart weapon to carry out operations, and to provide the set of receivable signals to the smart weapon via the second connector.

A sea-launched and recovered unmanned aircraft is disclosed. The aircraft is jet-powered and has features and systems to maintain watertight integrity such that it may be released from a submerged submarine or dropped into a body of water by a ship or an aircraft. The aircraft is buoyant and remains at or near the water surface before its rockets are ignited. The rockets propel the air vehicle out of the sea and accelerate it to flying speed at which time a jet engine is started and the rockets are jettisoned. The air vehicle performs its mission independently or in conjunction with other ones of the air vehicles. The air vehicle then returns to an assigned splashdown point at sea via, for example, an engine-off “whip-stall” maneuver. A submarine or ship may retrieve the air vehicle and readies it for another mission.

An underwater launch system includes a launch tube frangibly sealed at its forward end. At launch time, pressure equalization means introduces water at depth pressure into the launch tube between its frangibly sealed ends. A rotary electromagnetic pump coupled to the launch tube receives water at depth and expels the water at a higher pressure. The higher pressure water is coupled to the aft end of the launch tube.

A distributed ground sensor threat detection system, which is an automated missile warning system designed to provide reliable, timely and accurate missile location information of shoulder-launched SAMs within the volume under surveillance by a network of sensors. Remote sensor nodes position in proximity to an airport runway monitor the area between the nodes to locate threat missiles. Detection information from each remote sensor node is sent to a central processing node which processes the information to determine if a threat missile is launched against a commercial aircraft.

Methods and apparatus for marine deployment according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with a floatable housing adapted to be deployed by a marine vehicle. The floatable housing may be adapted to be launched from a marine vehicle and rise to the surface. Assets, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle, may be deployed from the surfaced floatable housing.

The invention discloses a solid-liquid power sounding rocket land launching sequential control system which comprises a main control computer, a ground sequential control system and a rocket-mounted single chip computer control system, wherein the main control computer sends a control command to the ground, sequential control of a rocket-mounted engine igniter is achieved through the ground sequential control system which is further used for conducting the sequential control on a rocket-mounted engine liquid path valve and the rocket-mounted single chip computer control system, and meanwhile opening and closing condition information of the rocket-mounted engine igniter and the liquid path valve is obtained and sent to the main control computer. The sequential control of a rocket-mounted engine pressurized valve is achieved by the rocket-mounted single chip computer control system, and meanwhile the closing and opening condition information of the rocket-mounted engine pressurized valve is obtained and sent to the main control computer through the ground sequential control system. The solid-liquid power sounding rocket land launching sequential control system has the advantages of solving the key problems of matching the solid-liquid power sounding rocket ground sequential control with a rocket-mounted sequential control circuit and meeting millisecond level requirements of launching sequential errors.

A launcher system and method for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the launcher system comprises a barrel comprising a prepackaged internal pusher cup configured behind the UAV housed within the barrel; an expansion chamber operatively connected around the barrel, wherein the barrel extends out of a first end of the expansion chamber; a muzzle adapter operatively connected to a second end of the expansion chamber, wherein the first end of the expansion chamber is positioned opposite to the second end of the expansion chamber; a rifle slip-fitted to the muzzle adapter; and a stand operatively connected to the expansion chamber, wherein a triggering of the rifle causes the internal pusher cup to push the UAV out of the barrel at a predetermined launch velocity in order to attain a predetermined self-propelled flight trajectory.