The system and method of weapon on-board range and velocity tracking using a synchronized clock and a pulse beacon on a fire control system, or the like, coupled with an on-board rear-facing detector and processor. A round or a UAS may use this system to accurately estimate range with respect to the fire control system, over time, and the round's or UAS's velocity at various times along its flight path. The system provides for smaller miss distances, and the like.

The fuse mode of a laser guided munition is remotely set and/or changed by encoding fuse mode information onto fuse mode designating light received by the light detector of the munition. Embodiments do not require hardware modification of existing munitions and/or control systems. The mode designating light can be the target designating laser light, and the fuse mode information can be encoded together with counter counter measure (CCM) information. Or the mode designating light source can be a separate laser or non-laser light source. Encoding of the fuse mode information can be by modulation and/or wavelength selection of the mode designating light. In embodiments, the fuse mode can be selected before and/or after launch of the munition.

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 course correction system for a projectile can include a pre-steering trajectory determination module. The pre-steering trajectory determination module can be configured to receive a series of possible trajectories from an estimation module including a physical model defining trajectory as a function of gravitational pull and one or more launch variables, and receive a sensor data from one or more on-board sensors of the projectile. The pre-steering trajectory determination module can also be configured to reduce the possible trajectories from the estimation module to one or more refined trajectories using the sensor data, and output the one or more refined trajectories.

A method for ascertaining position information for an effector after launching from a launcher of a weapons system including the effector and at least one weapons system unit different from the effector, includes receiving a time synchronization signal at the effector in such a way that the effector and the at least one weapons system unit are temporally synchronized at the latest when the effector is launched. The effector furthermore receives position data of the at least one weapons system unit and a timestamp with unique assignment to the position data through a wireless communication connection after the effector has been launched. Position information is ascertained based on the timestamp, the effector's own time upon receipt of the timestamp, and the position data assigned uniquely to the timestamp. An effector, a computing unit and a weapons system are also provided.

A navigation system includes a monocentric lens and one or more curved image sensor arrays disposed parallel and spaced apart from the lens to capture respective portions, not all, of the field of view of the lens.

A navigation system includes a monocentric lens and one or more curved image sensor arrays disposed parallel and spaced apart from the lens to capture respective portions, not all, of the field of view of the lens.

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.

The system and method of weapon on-board range and velocity tracking using a synchronized clock and a pulse beacon on a fire control system, or the like, coupled with an on-board rear-facing detector and processor. A round or a UAS may use this system to accurately estimate range with respect to the fire control system, over time, and the round's or UAS's velocity at various times along its flight path. The system provides for smaller miss distances, and the like.

The fuse mode of a laser guided munition is remotely set and/or changed by encoding fuse mode information onto fuse mode designating light received by the light detector of the munition. Embodiments do not require hardware modification of existing munitions and/or control systems. The mode designating light can be the target designating laser light, and the fuse mode information can be encoded together with counter counter measure (CCM) information. Or the mode designating light source can be a separate laser or non-laser light source. Encoding of the fuse mode information can be by modulation and/or wavelength selection of the mode designating light. In embodiments, the fuse mode can be selected before and/or after launch of the munition.