Systems and methods for providing location and guidance, and more particularly for providing location and guidance in environments where global position systems (GPS) are unavailable or unreliable (GPS denied and/or degraded environments) utilizing inertial measurement units IMUs to provide such location and guidance. A series of low-accuracy or low-resolution IMUs, in combination, are utilized to provide high-accuracy or high-resolution location and guidance results along with an electronics-control system for handing off control of the measurement and guidance of a body in flight between groups or subgroups of IMUs to alternate between high dynamic range/lower resolution and lower dynamic range/higher resolution measurement and guidance as the environment dictates.

Systems and methods for providing location and guidance, and more particularly for providing location and guidance in environments where global position systems (GPS) are unavailable or unreliable (GPS denied and/or degraded environments), utilizing inertial measurement units (IMUs) to provide such location and guidance. A series of low-accuracy or low-resolution IMUs, in combination, are utilized to provide high-accuracy or high-resolution location and guidance results.

Methods involve using a guided munition (e.g., a mortar round or a grenade) that utilizes deployable flow effectors, activatable flow effectors and/or active flow control devices to extend the range and enhance the precision of traditional unguided munitions without increasing the charge needed for launch. Sensors such as accelerometers, magnetometers, IR sensors, rate gyros, and motor controller sensors feed signals into a controller which then actuates or deploys the flow effectors/flow control devices to achieve the enhanced characteristics.

Methods involve using a guided munition (e.g., a mortar round or a grenade) that utilizes deployable flow effectors, activatable flow effectors and/or active flow control devices to extend the range and enhance the precision of traditional unguided munitions without increasing the charge needed for launch. Sensors such as accelerometers, magnetometers, IR sensors, rate gyros, and motor controller sensors feed signals into a controller which then actuates or deploys the flow effectors/flow control devices to achieve the enhanced characteristics.

A closed, self-contained ballistic apogee detection module for use in a projectile, such as a rocket, mortar round, or artillery round, fuses data from multiple built-in sensors, such as an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and a gyroscope, and processes the data using a microprocessor through a custom quaternion extended Kalman filter to provide accurate state and orientation information about the projectile so as to accurately predict apogee. The module outputs a signal indicating apogee detection or prediction which they projectile uses to initiate fuze arming, targeting control, airbody transformation, maneuvering, flow effector deployment or activation, payload exposure or deployment, and/or other mission activity. Because the system and method of the invention does not rely on external environmental data to detect apogee, it need not use a pressure sensor and can be completely sealed in and closed without requiring access to air from outside the projectile for barometric readings.

A guided projectile having a nose portion, a body portion, a tail portion, and a central axis. In various embodiments the projectile includes a control support portion and a collar assembly pivotally mounted to the control support portion. In various embodiments the collar assembly includes a collar having an exterior sidewall with a plurality of fixed aerodynamic surfaces thereon for spinning the collar and a plurality of variable sweep wings for directional control of the projectile. In various embodiments the plurality of variable sweep wings each have a first end coupled to a wing actuator configured to rotate a second end portion between and including a first position, where the wings are oriented generally parallel to the central axis of the projectile to a second position, where the lengthwise wing axis of the plurality of wings are oriented generally perpendicular to the central axis of the projectile.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a mortar bomb, comprising: a main body; a nose; a tail extending from the main body, away from the nose; an obturating ring groove for accommodating, in use, an obturating ring, the ring groove being located in the main body; wherein a maximum diameter of the main body is upstream of the ring groove, toward the nose.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a mortar bomb, comprising: a main body; a nose; a tail extending from the main body, away from the nose; an obturating ring groove for accommodating, in use, an obturating ring, the ring groove being located in the main body; wherein a maximum diameter of the main body is upstream of the ring groove, toward the nose.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a mortar bomb, comprising: a main body; a nose; a tail extending from the main body, away from the nose; an obturating ring groove for accommodating, in use, an obturating ring, the ring groove being located in the main body; wherein a maximum diameter of the main body is upstream of the ring groove, toward the nose.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a mortar bomb, comprising: a main body; a nose; a tail extending from the main body, away from the nose; an obturating ring groove for accommodating, in use, an obturating ring, the ring groove being located in the main body; wherein a maximum diameter of the main body is upstream of the ring groove, toward the nose.