Raytheon Company

David A Smallwood

Richard Dryer

Matt H Summers

James Kendall Villarreal

John M Hitner

A missile includes a rocket motor that has a flow deflector in an expansion region of the rocket motor's nozzle. The flow deflector diverts flow of combustion products away from a safe region that is aft of the missile. The safe region protects an operator of a launcher used to fire the missile, such as a shoulder-fired launcher, from harm caused by the combustion products. The flow deflector may be small enough such that it does not significantly adversely affect the performance of the rocket motor. The presence of the flow diverter may allow for the rocket motor to be started sooner in the flight of the missile, or at a distance closer to the operator, while still keeping the operator safe. The flow deflector and supporting structure, such as struts, may be additively manufactured with at least an aft part of the nozzle, as a continuous single-piece part.

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Oro Valley, AZ, United States of America

David A Smallwood