Flown munition that is rocket-propelled for hitting a target behind a barrier, and which comprises a rocket motor; and a successive payload that is mounted behind the rocket motor in a tandem configuration and is towed by it; and wherein the rocket motor is used for accelerating the munition towards the barrier and also serves as a sort of kinetic penetrator to clear a passage through the barrier for the successive pay load, which is connected to it and towed by it, and the successive payload (e.g.a high-explosive charge) is adapted for delayed detonation following and just after said rocket motor hits the barrier.

A gas gun launcher has a pump tube and a launch tube with a first end of the launch tube slidably inserted into a second end of the pump tube. The pump tube may hold a heat exchanger to heat a light gas used to launch a vehicle. A sliding seal can be employed to manage recoil and to retain the gas within the launch tube and the pump tube. A fast-closing muffler at the second end of the launch tube can conserve the light gas utilized for launching a vehicle, enabling the light gas to be recycled. A launch tube alignment system is preferably automatic, ensuring the survival of the launch vehicle.

Various types of structures, along with associated systems, are disclosed herein and configured for responding to an energy wave for changing a state of a mechanism to which said structures are operatively coupled. In at least one embodiment, the structure provides a material selectively changeable upon exposure to the energy wave to cause at least a portion of the material to mechanically degrade from a first state to a second state. When the material is in the first state, the material forms a mechanical or electrical link with the mechanism such that a force or an electrical current can be transmitted through the structure. When the material is in the second state, degradation of at least the portion of the material disrupts the mechanical or electrical link and inhibits transmission of the force or electrical current through the structure.

A tubular structure having a length and a width is provided. The tubular structure includes an outer, inner or no surface along the tubular structure length and a cross-sectional area at the tubular structure width. The tubular structure cross-sectional area remains constant or near-constant along the tubular structure length. The tubular structure also has unit cells on the tubular structure outer, inner or no surface that are formed with a thermal fusion process. Each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells has a repeating triangular configuration along the tubular structure length. The plurality of unit cells forms a spiral pattern along the tubular structure length where the spiral pattern provides improvement in cross sectional-area modulation along the tubular structure length.

A tubular structure having a length and a width is provided. The tubular structure includes an outer, inner or no surface along the tubular structure length and a cross-sectional area at the tubular structure width. The tubular structure cross-sectional area remains constant or near-constant along the tubular structure length. The tubular structure also has unit cells on the tubular structure outer, inner or no surface that are formed with a thermal fusion process. Each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells has a repeating triangular configuration along the tubular structure length. The plurality of unit cells forms a spiral pattern along the tubular structure length where the spiral pattern provides improvement in cross sectional-area modulation along the tubular structure length.

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a thermoelectric generator (TEG) system can include a TEG conversion element configured to be in thermal communication with a leading edge surface subject to hypersonic flow and a heatsink to generate a temperature differential across the TEG conversion element mounted between the leading edge surface and heatsink, and an electrical conductor configured to connect between the TEG conversion element and a powered unit to supply electrical energy from the TEG conversion element to the powered unit.

A radar-absorbing material projectile system including a projectile with an outer layer of radar-absorbing material (RAM). A carrier or armature is disposed around the projectile, protecting the layer of RAM during the firing sequence. In some embodiments the carrier is a discarding carrier which falls away after firing, rendering the projectile low-observable with regard to radar detection due to the layer of RAM.

A radar-absorbing material projectile system including a projectile with an outer layer of radar-absorbing material (RAM). A carrier or armature is disposed around the projectile, protecting the layer of RAM during the firing sequence. In some embodiments the carrier is a discarding carrier which falls away after firing, rendering the projectile low-observable with regard to radar detection due to the layer of RAM.