Raytheon Company

Jeffrey H Koessler

Paul A Merems

Gregory John Artz

James H Dupont

Timothy A Murphy

Steven J Elder

Anthony O Lee

Zachary Williamson

Martin Allen Kebschull

David A Corder

Juan A Perez

John Christopher Parine

Cody D Tretschok

Purnachandra R Gogineni

Dennis E Rossmeier

Brian L Cochran

Mark A DeBake

George R Webb

A control system of a flight vehicle automatically varies the relationship between the center of gravity and the center of pressure of the flight vehicle. The control system automatically adjusts a center of pressure of the flight vehicle depending on a varying payload or payload type that is removably couplable to the flight vehicle. The control system automatically limits translational movement of the one or more wings of the flight vehicle in response to coupling of a payload to a fuselage of the flight vehicle.

Flight vehicle wing positioning system

A deployment system includes a spring-driven linkage for deploying one or more kicker feet, to push a device to be deployed away from the deployment system. The kicker feet may include fore and aft kicker feet that push the deployed device to obtain a desire pitch in the launch, an example being a minimal or substantially zero pitch. The release of the kicker feet may be controlled by a pair of actuator, such as electrical solenoid actuators, both of which must be actuated to deploy the device. An electrical connection may allow positional float to account for tolerances in the positioning of the device relative to the deployment system.

Aircraft device deployment system with spring-driven mechanical linkage

Embodiments of a vortice-amplified diffuser section for use in a buoyancy dissipater are generally described herein. The vortice-amplified diffuser section may include a plurality of diffusion ports to diffuse an expanding gas, a reduction sleeve to adjust an amount of diffusion flow, and vortex generators within at least some of the diffusion ports to generate vortices. The reduction sleeve may be configurable to block off some of the diffusion ports. The vortex generators may generate vortices of gas bubbles in the water to reduce the water's buoyancy and to inhibit movement or disrupt the operations of an errant vessel. The reduction sleeve may be used to control the size, shape, and intensity of the expanding gas bubble or bubble plume as well as to control the lethality level of the buoyancy reduction.

Vortice amplified diffuser for buoyancy dissipater and method for selectable diffusion

One embodiment includes a launch vessel defining an elongate, linear interior extending from a bottom portion to an exit opening. The embodiment includes a ram slidably disposed in the launch vessel, the ram sealed to the vessel. The embodiment also includes one or more wedges coupled to the launch vessel along the interior proximal the exit opening, with each wedge shape sized to increasingly narrow a cross section of the interior along an exit vector extending from the bottom portion toward the exit opening. In the embodiment, the vessel is to house a charge proximal the bottom portion, the charge to propel the ram along the exit vector, with the one or more wedges sized to stop be ram inside the interior.

Method and apparatus for ram deceleration in a launch system

A missile has fins that rotate about a single axis to deploy from a stowed position to a deployed position. A foil longitudinal axis of each fin is angled relative to a shaft of the fin, such that a single-axis rotation of the shaft moves the foil from the stowed position to a deployed position. A coil spring may provide both torsion and compression forces to rotate the fin into the deployed position and lock it into place. Torsion rotates the shaft until it reaches a seat on a bushing that is around the shaft. Then compression forces from the spring engage a keyed protrusion on the shaft with a corresponding keyway in the bushing, locking the shaft in place. There may be an additional lock once the fin is deployed, such as a spring-loaded pin in the missile body that engages a depression in the shaft.

Single-axis fin deployment system

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.

Air-launchable aircraft and method of use

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Jeffrey H Koessler