Raytheon Company

Richard Dryer

Chris Eugene Geswender

Andrew J Hinsdale

James L Moore

Gary H Johnson

William S Peterson

Rajesh H Shah

Matt H Summers

James Kendall Villarreal

Rudolph Adolph Eisentraut

Paul Vesty

Martin Allen Kebschull

Richard Janik

Kenneth G Preston

George A Blaha

John Christopher Parine

John M Hitner

Christopher E Geswender

Conlee O Quortrup

Kenenth G Preston

David A Smallwood

Neal M Conrardy

Neal Conrardy

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.

Rocket motor with combustion product deflector

A multi-function radio frequency (MFRF) module integrates command guidance, active and semi-active terminal guidance (and possibly passive) and fuzing sensors for gun-launched munitions into a single assembly. The MFRF module can be incorporated into a variety of different gun-launched munitions to execute missions currently performed by guided missiles. The MFRF module is programmable during munition activation to select the guidance mode, active or semi-active, and a primary fuze mode, proximity or height of burst.

Multi-function radio frequency (MFRF) module and gun-launched munition with active and semi-active terminal guidance and fuzing sensors

A spin-stabilized projectile has a collar around the middle of its spun fuselage, longitudinally spanning a center of mass of the projectile. The collar includes lift-producing aerodynamic surfaces. Positioning the collar relative to the spinning fuselage produces a direct lift force on the projectile that may be used to steer the projectile. Since the projectile is constantly spinning, the positioning may be accomplished by a brake, such as a magnetic brake or a fiction brake, that allows the collar to be positioned substantially fixed relative to inertial space, with the collar not rotating with the fuselage about a longitudinal axis of the projectile. Since the lift force is applied close to the center of mass of the projectile, the steering occurs with no substantial change in the angle of attack of the projectile.

Steerable spin-stabilized projectile

A method of modifying a projectile includes removing material from an aft end of the projectile, and coupling a device to the aft end. The method may be used to convert a spin-stabilized projectile into a fin stabilized projectile, by modifying the aft end of a spin-stabilized projectile to accept a fin kit. The modifying may involve removing material with lathe, and may include forming external threads on the aft end that may engage corresponding internal threads on the device, to effect the coupling of the device to the aft end. The modification method allows versatility in employing projectiles, including existing stocks of projectiles. In particular the method allows spin-stabilized projectiles to be converted to more accurate fin-stabilized projectiles.

Projectile modification method

A modular artillery projectile and method of engaging a target. A modular artillery projectile may include a payload module, a guidance module coupled to the payload module and a rear module coupled to the guidance module. The payload module may be selected from a plurality of interchangeable payload modules containing different payloads. The guidance module may include a transverse propulsion system to propel the modular artillery projectile transversely to a longitudinal axis of the modular artillery projectile, a global positioning system receiver, and a control system to control the transverse propulsion system responsive to the global positioning system receiver to guide the modular artillery projectile to a predetermined target position.

Modular guided projectile

A gun fired projectile includes a rocket motor housing including a pressure chamber and an exhaust nozzle. A plurality of propellant cells are positioned within the pressure chamber. The rocket motor propellant is mechanically supported during the severe gun fire event. This support may take several forms, each of which is discussed herein. The projectile further includes a support structure including one or more supports: wherein each of the one or more supports is engaged with the rocket motor housing. Each of the one or more supports is engaged with one propellant cell of the plurality of propellant cells, and each of the one or more supports suspends an individual propellant cell from the remainder of the plurality of propellant cells. All of these approaches provide the opportunity to tailor the performance of the rocket motor by combining a combination of propellant formulations and geometries to optimize the projectile performance.

Gun fired propellant support assemblies and methods for same

A semi-active laser (SAL) sensing system is provided that uses a lightpipe to pass received reflected laser light from an aperture to a detector. The lightpipe facilitates further miniaturization of the SAL sensing system by taking the place of a larger lens system that would otherwise be required. For example, the use of the lightpipe in a missile or guided projectile can facilitate the placement of the SAL sensing system with other sensors in the limited available space at the front of the missile. In one embodiment, the lightpipe is formed from cladded optical fibers that are bundled together, shaped, and fused together. The core material from the optical fibers are then dissolved away, leaving the outer cladding. This remaining outer cladding remains fused together, and maintains its shape, thus forming a lightpipe that can be used in a SAL sensing system.

Lightpipe for semi-active laser target designation

Methods and apparatus for a fast action impulse thruster according to various aspects of the present invention may comprise a projectile comprising an impulse thruster system. The impulse thruster system may comprise a guidance system and a fast action impulse thruster system. The guidance system may control the trajectory of the projectile, for example by activating the fast action impulse thruster system to adjust the projectile's trajectory. The fast action impulse thruster system may be configured such that it may provide an impulse force to guide the projectile with a reaction time that is not affected by the rotational velocity of the projectile. The impulse force may be achieved by ejecting at least one mass from the projectile at high velocity such that a resulting momentum exchange may alter the trajectory of the projectile. The fast action impulse thruster system may also be configured in such a way so as to provide a significant improvement to the overall safety during the production, assembly, and handling of the projectile.

Methods and apparatus for fast action impulse thruster

A spin-stabilized projectile is steered by taking air from an air intake at the front of the projectile, and expelling the air along an outer surface of the projectile to alter its trajectory toward the desired impact location. Air taken in through the air intake is directed toward a rotor that is able to rotate relative to the rest of the projectile. The rotor has an outlet that may direct the air taken in at the air inlet out in a direction having both radial and circumferential components. The force produced in the radial direction provides a steering force substantially normal to the projectile axis, used to steer the projectile. The force produced in the circumferential direction is used to provide impetus to spin the rotor. A brake is used to control the rotational speed of the rotor, to control the direction that the air is expelled from the projectile.

Projectile control device

Methods and apparatus for projectile systems according to various aspects of the present invention comprise a projectile attached to an auxiliary control system. The auxiliary control system may include a control system and a transverse propulsion system. The control system controls the trajectory of the projectile system, for example by activating the transverse propulsion system to adjust the trajectory.

Methods and apparatus for projectile guidance

Methods and apparatus according to various aspects of the present invention comprise a propelling system for propelling projectiles with variable velocity. In one embodiment, a cartridge comprises a cartridge case, the propelling system, and the projectile attached to the cartridge case.

Methods and apparatus for selectable velocity projectile system

The disclosed system, device and method for providing a multi-mode munition generally includes a modular projectile assembly having an aft module suitably configured for mechanical and electrical engagement with a forward module. The aft module generally provides a common assembly for engagement with a variety of forward modules as well as engagement with cartridge casings of various calibers. Disclosed features and specifications may be suitably controlled, adapted or otherwise optionally modified to improve optimization of artillery projectiles for a specific role. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally provide munition cartridges that may be augmented in the field with the utilization of specialized forward modules.

Multi-mode modular projectile

A hybrid spin/fin stabilized projectile. The novel projectile includes a body, a first mechanism for spin stabilizing the body during a first mode, and a second mechanism for fin stabilizing the body during a second mode. In an illustrative embodiment, the projectile includes a rifling band adapted to engage with rifling in a gun during gun launch to impart a spin rate compatible with spin stabilization to the projectile, and a plurality of folding fins attached to an aft end of the body. A fin locking mechanism locks the fins in an undeployed position during the first mode and unlocks to deploy the fins at a predetermined time to switch the projectile to fin stabilization during the second mode. The projectile also includes a mechanism for reducing the spin of the projectile to a rate compatible with guided flight during the second mode.

Hybrid spin/fin stabilized projectile

A projectile reconfigures in flight from a launch configuration, in which the center of gravity is aft of the center of pressure, to a flight configuration, in which the center of gravity is forward of the center of pressure. The projectile includes a forward portion and an aft portion, and the reconfiguration involves movement of at least part of one of the portions relative to the other portion. The projectile may have an overall substantially conical shape when in the launch configuration. The forward portion may include a substantially conical nose, and a cylindrical central body attached to the nose. In the launch configuration, at least part of the central body may be located within a hollow in a base of the aft portion. The base may be slidable relative to the central body.

Telescoped projectile

A 2-D correction system uses intermittent deployment of aerodynamic surfaces to control a spin or fin stabilized projectile in flight; correcting both crossrange and downrange impact errors. Intermittent surface deployment develops rotational moments, which create body lift that nudge the projectile in two-dimensions to correct the projectile in its ballistic trajectory. In low spin rate projectiles ('fin stabilized'), the rotational moment directly produces the body lift that moves the projectile. In high spin rate projectiles ('spin stabilized'), the rotational moment creates a much larger orthogonal precession that in turn produces the body lift that moves the projectile. The aerodynamic surfaces are suitably deployed over multiple partial roll cycles at precise on (deployed) and off (stowed) positions in the cycle to nudge the projectile up or down range or left or right cross range until the desired ballistic trajectory is restored.

Growing community of inventors

Oro Valley, AZ, United States of America

Richard Dryer