Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Orbital Atk, Inc.

Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Inc.

Mbda Incorporated

Mike Hutchings

Behshad Baseghi

David Sharpin

Harold Kregg Hunsberger

Kent Carl Nelson

Mark A Cvetnic

James Tennison

James C Kolanek

Hank O'Shea

Peter Zeman

Rick Cappo

Chuck Ungermann

Dave Madigan

Lee Johnson

Randy Berberea

Jim Kolanek

Embodiments include active protection systems and methods for an aerial platform. An onboard system includes one or more radar modules, detects aerial vehicles within a threat range of the aerial platform, and determines if any of the plurality of aerial vehicles are an aerial threat. The onboard system also determines an intercept vector to the aerial threat, communicates the intercept vector to an eject vehicle, and causes the eject vehicle to be ejected from the aerial platform to intercept the aerial threat. The eject vehicle includes a rocket motor to accelerate the eject vehicle along an intercept vector, alignment thrusters to rotate a longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle to substantially align with the intercept vector, and divert thrusters to divert the eject vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intercept vector. The eject vehicle activates at least one of the alignment thrusters responsive to the intercept vector.

Methods and apparatuses for active protection from aerial threats

An elongate cylindrical projectile including processing circuitry, a head assembly, a tail section assembly, a mid body section positioned between the head assembly and tail assembly, and a wing assembly, the wing assembly including a deployable wing which is stored in a closed position entirely within the mid body section and is deployed, using an actuator, to outside the mid body section in an open position in response to a command from the processing circuitry.

Projectile with a range extending wing assembly

Growing community of inventors

Newbury Park, CA, United States of America

Mike Hutchings