Airborne platform protection apparatus and associated system and method

Abstract

A protection apparatus adapted to protect a moving platform against an incoming threat is provided. The protection apparatus is deployed from the moving platform in a first direction toward the threat, with the threat moving in a second direction toward the moving platform at a threat velocity. The protection apparatus comprises a projectile housing. A first deployable device is operably engaged with the projectile housing, and is adapted to capture the threat upon deployment such that the protection apparatus mass is combined with the threat mass via the first deployable device. A second deployable device is operably engaged with the projectile housing, and is configured to be deployed upon the first deployable device capturing the threat. The second deployable device is further configured to decrease the velocity of the combined protection apparatus and threat masses in the second direction. Associated systems and methods are also provided.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a defensive device and, more particularly, to a protection apparatus and associated system and method for protecting an airborne platform from an incoming threat. [0003] 2. Description of Related Art [0004] Many aircraft such as, for example, commercial aircraft are vulnerable to attack, such as with rockets and missiles, during take-off and landing, generally at a low altitude and low airspeed. Some active protection systems have been developed that can be implemented to destroy the warhead section of such threats using a threat-defeating interceptor having its own warhead that can be launched from platforms such as airborne helicopters and armored ground vehicles protection. However, such active protection systems utilize an interceptor carrying an explosively-loaded warhead, which may result in undesirable risk to the platform being protected in instances where the platform is, fo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The above and other needs are met by the present invention which, in one embodiment, provides a protection apparatus adapted to protect a moving platform associated therewith against an incoming threat having a mass. The protection apparatus has a mass and is adapted to be deployed from the moving platform in a first direction toward the threat, wherein the threat is moving in a second direction toward the moving platform at a threat velocity. Such a protection apparatus comprises a projectile housing. A first deployable

Problems solved by technology

Many aircraft such as, for example, commercial aircraft are vulnerable to attack, such as with rockets and missiles, during take-off and landing, generally at a low altitude and low airspeed.

However, such active protection systems utilize an interceptor carrying an explosively-loaded warhead, which may result in undesirable risk to the platform being protected in instances where the platform is, for example, a commercial aircraft.

That is, the explosive warhead carried by the interceptor and used to defeat the threat may result in an undesirable risk to a commercial aircraft upon the explosion resulting from the threat being defe

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