A munitions rack includes a munitions rack structure that houses multiple compact ejectors. The structure includes a pair of internal longitudinal ribs, inboard of a pair of external longitudinal ribs. A spine of the munitions rack structure links all the ribs, and the munitions rack structure may be formed out of a single piece of material. The ribs define a pair of side recesses on the port and starboard sides of the bomb, which each may be further subdivided into a forward pocket and an aft pocket. Removable ejectors are located in the pockets. The ejectors may receive pressurized gas from pressurized gas source(s) located outside of the ejectors. The ejectors may each have multiple forward pistons and multiple aft pistons. The ejectors may include pitch control valving to control the relative amounts of pressurized gas sent to the forward piston(s) and aft piston(s).

A method of conducting a strike against a target using a designator and a missile. The following steps are conducted: (i) the designator designates the target using a first signal, such as a laser; (ii) the missile detects the laser reflected off the target; (iii) after detecting the reflected laser, the missile emits a second signal, such as a LADAR signal, to designate the target; (iv) the missile tracks the so-designated target; (v) the designator detects the LADAR signal reflected off the target; and (vi) in response to detecting the reflected LADAR signal, the designator stops the designation of the target. This may enable the designator to perform other tasks, while the missile tracks and engages the target.

The present invention relates to electro-optic guided missile systems and, in particular, it concerns systems and methods providing enhanced navigation capabilities based on ego-motion processing of seeker images. The missile system comprising: a missile; a seeker located at a nose portion of said missile, said seeker comprising an electro-optic imaging sensor; and a control arrangement for steering the missile along a flight path to a target, characterized in that the missile system further comprises: a navigation subsystem receiving images from said imaging sensor, said navigation subsystem being configured to: co-process a plurality of said images from said imaging sensor to derive ego-motion of said missile relative to a region viewed by said imaging sensor; derive from said ego-motion a calculated target direction from said missile to a target.

A system for transferring power and/or data between a host and a store over a single-wire umbilical cable is herein described. The system comprises a host-store interface configured to allow the transfer of both power and data between the host and a store in operative communication therewith. The store comprises a microcontroller and memory operatively coupled thereto, allowing the microcontroller to be powered on and to receive and store data sent by the host in its memory through a single-wire without requiring additional electronic systems that the store may comprise to also be powered on. This data may later be incorporated into pre-programmed systems onboard the store at full power-on, thereby enabling the reprogramming of the store without powering it on prior to launch.

An adaptive navigation system for airborne, ground and dismount applications. The system performs adaptive fusion of all sensed signals, information sources, and databases that may be available on a single or multiple cooperative platforms to provide optimal Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) state. To reduce error building over time, the system incorporates the concept of geo-registration fusion into the ANAGDA filter. The architecture of the ANAGDA filter consists of user/application configurable functionalities in hierarchical layers. The sensing layer senses the environment and contains the required databases such as surveyed landmarks, and Digital Terrain Elevation Data/Digital Elevation Model (DTED/DEM). The processing layer has a Smart Sensor Resource Manager which is a performance-based sensor/feature selection module. The measurement abstraction layer isolates the filter from hardware specifics. The fusion layer performs the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data integration with sensor measurements, and feature fusion.

A time domain detection system to measure and report on hypervelocity impacts HVI between an interceptor vehicle and a target vehicle. Wherein, said time domain detection system comprises a target vehicle components installed on said target vehicle, a one or more panels arranged on a portion of said target vehicle at a potential HVI locations, and a hit detection system wired into said one or more panels. Said target vehicle components comprise at least said hit detection system, and a lines. Said one or more panels are wired into said hit detection system with said lines. Said hit detection system is configured to communicate with said one or more panels over said lines. Said one or more panels can each comprise a one or more detector panel layers, and a two or more insulator layers.

A method of targeting, which involves capturing a first video of a scene about a potential targeting coordinate by a first video sensor on a first aircraft; transmitting the first video and associated potential targeting coordinate by the first aircraft; receiving the first video on a first display in communication with a processor, the processor also receiving the potential targeting coordinate; selecting the potential targeting coordinate to be an actual targeting coordinate for a second aircraft in response to viewing the first video on the first display; and guiding a second aircraft toward the actual targeting coordinate; where positive identification of a target corresponding to the actual targeting coordinate is maintained from selection of the actual targeting coordinate.

A navigation system includes a star camera having a field of view. The star camera includes a sun shields that selectively block portions of the star camera's field of view, to prevent unwanted light, such as light from the sun or moon, reaching image sensors of the star cameras. Some sun shields include x-y stages or r- stages to selectively position a light blocker to block the unwanted light. Some sun shields use positionable partially overlapping orthogonally polarized filters to block the unwanted light. Some sun shields use counter-wound spiral windows that are selectively rotated to block the unwanted light. Some sun shields a curved surface that defines a plurality of apertures fitted with individual mechanical or electronic shutters.

A method for operating a ground-based anti-aircraft system includes providing a group of main system components containing a sensor system, a tactical operation control and an effector system. Combat target sensor data are passed from the sensor system to the tactical operation control, processed therein and passed in processed form from the tactical operation control to the effector system, using the data to combat the target. A central integration module having a converter unit and a central data distributor allows differently constructed main system components to be connected. Data from all main system components are routed to the central data distributor by the converter unit and converted therein from component protocol into system-internal data protocol, and passed from the central data distributor to one or more main system components, through the converter unit, converting the distributed data back from system-internal data protocol into component protocol.

An inflatable dummy target fittable into a carrier missile capable of being released from the carrier missile during exo-atmospheric flight; upon release, the dummy target or portion thereof is capable of being inflated and manifest characteristics that resemble GTG missile characteristics, wherein the GTG missile characteristics include IR signature, RF signature and GTG missile.