An inflatable dummy target comprising a chassis of inflatable ducts wrapped with a sheet. The chassis of inflatable ducts can include one or more ring shaped ducts and one or more elongate ducts. The chassis can include at least two ring shaped ducts interconnected by one or more elongate ducts. The dummy target can include several attached axi-symmetrical sections, each section have a chassis of inflatable ducts. Each section can be conical, frustoconical or cylindrical, thereby achieving a concave or convex dummy target geometry.

An afterbody flow control system is used for aircraft or missile flow control to provide enhanced maneuverability and stabilization. A method of operating the flow control system is also described. The missile or aircraft comprises an afterbody and a forebody; at least one activatable flow effector on the missile or aircraft afterbody; at least one sensor having a signal, the at least one sensor being positioned to detect forces or flow conditions on the missile or aircraft afterbody; and a closed loop control system; wherein the closed loop control system is used for activating and deactivating the at least one activatable flow effector based on at least in part the signal of the at least one sensor.

A molded dichroic mirror and method of manufacture thereof. The dichroic minor may be molded from polysiloxane or lithia potash borosilicate and may be coated to reflect an infrared signal and configured to transmit a radio frequency signal between 33 GHz and 37 GHz.

Technology for determining a geographical location is described. A sequence of magnetic field gradient measurements can be identified for specific positions on the Earth that correspond to a path traveled by a moving platform. The sequence of magnetic field gradient measurements for the path can be compared to a reference magnetic field gradient map. A trajectory derived from the reference magnetic field gradient map that correlates to the sequence of magnetic field gradient measurements can be identified. The trajectory can have known geographical coordinates. The geographical location of the moving platform can be determined based on the known geographical coordinates of the trajectory.

A missile system includes a plurality of components, and a testing instrumentation platform secured within at least one of the plurality of components. The testing instrumentation platform is secured within the component(s) through at least one platform supporting adapter assembly. The platform supporting adapter assembly may include an adapter having a planar panel that supports one or more fasteners. The fastener(s) are configured to securely connect to a portion of a base of the testing instrumentation platform. At least one through-hole may be formed through a portion of the adapter. At least one tapered bolt is configured to be securely retained within the through-hole(s). The tapered bolt(s) securely connects the adapter to the component(s).

The invention relates to a method for acquiring the coordinates of a trigger point (P) of a projectile (4) above a field part (1) on which a target (5a, 5b, 5c) is located. The method is characterized in that it comprises the following steps: emission of at least one laser pulse having a pre-determined duration and directed towards the target (5a, 5b, 5c); reception of the images reflected with a receiver equipped with means for the synchronous visualization of the laser pulses originating from a piece of observation of the field part (1); recovery of the coordinates of a desired trigger point (P) when the operator has chosen a location after the piece of observation was moved. The invention also relates to a fire-control system using such a method.

A method to spread laser photon energy over separate pixels to improve the likelihood that the total sensing time of all the pixels together includes the laser pulse. The optical signal is spread over a number of pixels, N, on a converter array by means of various optical components. The N pixels are read out sequentially in time with each sub-interval short enough that the integration of background photons competing with the laser pulse is reduced. Likewise, the pixel read times may be staggered such that laser pulse energy will be detected by at least one pixel during the required pulse interval. The arrangement of the N pixels may be by converter array column, row, two dimensional array sub-window, or any combination of sub-windows depending on the optical path of the laser signal and the capability of the ROIC control.

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 Laser Designator Pod (LDP) protective system, the LDP protective system comprising: a protective hood a laser detector arranged within the protective hood to generate a signal when exposed to laser radiation within a predefined range of wavelengths; and a computing device to record the generated signal.

A method includes removably coupling a projectile interface of a dongle to a dongle interface of a projectile. The method also includes loading a dongle code from the dongle onto the projectile. The dongle code identifies a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) code to be recognized by the projectile. The dongle code may be unique to an operator of the projectile. The method may further include, prior to loading the dongle code onto the projectile, loading an operator code onto the projectile, where the dongle code is loaded onto the projectile in response to the projectile authorizing the operator code. There may be a limited number of uses of the dongle code with different projectiles, and/or there may be a limited amount of time for using the dongle code. A companion electronic device may be used to authenticate the dongle.