A projectile and method of deploying a projectile includes a gun-launched projectile having a pressure reservoir that is fluidly connected to an ejection piston and fin deployment pistons. The fin deployment pistons are actuatable to engage deployable fins of the projectile to move the fins from a folded position to a deployed position. Gas pressure is generated by an external burning propellant to pressurize the pressure reservoir that retains the gas until a muzzle exit of the projectile. When the projectile exits the barrel, the reservoir gas expands thereby causing movement of the ejection piston. When a trailing end of the piston moves past fin deployment piston ports, the remaining reservoir gas pressure acts on the fin deployment pistons which subsequently push on the fins. The fins rotate toward the deployed position in which the fins are locked before the ejection piston is fully ejected.

A frangible detent pin comprising a base a pin head and an elastic member. The base is configured to be secured within a bore. The pin head and the base are interconnected through a frangible connection. The elastic member is configured to bias the pin head away from the base. The frangible detent pin has a rigid stage in which the pin head is rigidly positioned relative to the base and a spring-loaded stage in which the pin head is moveable relative to the base under a compression load between pin head and the base. The frangible detent pin is configured to transition from the rigid stage to the spring-loaded stage in response to the compression load exceeding a predetermined threshold sufficient to cause the frangible connection to fail.

Apparatuses for a projectile are provided, the projectile configured for weapons band launching, examples of the apparatus comprising a body, an inflation system and external walls. The body is inflatable by the inflation system, from a deflated configuration having a first volume to an inflated configuration having a second volume, greater than the first volume. The external walls are deployable from an undeployed configuration to a deployed configuration responsive to the body being inflated. In the undeployed configuration and at an operating airspeed, the center of pressure is located at a first position with respect to the projectile. In the deployed configuration the external walls provide a deployed external surface geometry exposed to an airflow corresponding to the operating airspeed, such that the center of pressure is located at a second position with respect to the projectile, different from the first position.

Apparatuses for a projectile are provided, the projectile configured for weapons band launching, examples of the apparatus comprising a body, an inflation system and external walls. The body is inflatable by the inflation system, from a deflated configuration having a first volume to an inflated configuration having a second volume, greater than the first volume. The external walls are deployable from an undeployed configuration to a deployed configuration responsive to the body being inflated. In the undeployed configuration and at an operating airspeed, the center of pressure is located at a first position with respect to the projectile. In the deployed configuration the external walls provide a deployed external surface geometry exposed to an airflow corresponding to the operating airspeed, such that the center of pressure is located at a second position with respect to the projectile, different from the first position.

A guided projectile includes a body and a deployable wing in which the deployable wing is coupled to and enclosed by the body. A linear distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing defines a chord line that, in the stowed position, forms an angle with a plane containing the chord line and extending parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the wing in a deployed position.

A nose or tail assembly for a flight vehicle is provided in which the deployment of the canards or fins is driven by energy imparted by the shroud when it is released. A tip section is rotatably coupled to a base, and both are stowed in a volume between the shroud and nose/tail assembly. As the shroud is released, a drive feature engages the tip section to rotate and join the base to form a complete canard or fin. This eliminates the need for storing the canards or fins in or wrapped around the body and eliminates the need for a complex deployment mechanism occupying an internal volume of the body. Although viable for all sizes of flight vehicles, the shroud-driven deployment system scales to very small diameter vehicles in which internal volume is not available to store either flight surfaces or deployment mechanisms.

A nose or tail assembly for a flight vehicle is provided in which the deployment of the canards or fins is driven by energy imparted by the shroud when it is released. A tip section is rotatably coupled to a base, and both are stowed in a volume between the shroud and nose/tail assembly. As the shroud is released, a drive feature engages the tip section to rotate and join the base to form a complete canard or fin. This eliminates the need for storing the canards or fins in or wrapped around the body and eliminates the need for a complex deployment mechanism occupying an internal volume of the body. Although viable for all sizes of flight vehicles, the shroud-driven deployment system scales to very small diameter vehicles in which internal volume is not available to store either flight surfaces or deployment mechanisms.

A nose or tail assembly for a flight vehicle is provided in which the deployment of the canards or fins is driven by energy imparted by the shroud when it is released. A tip section is rotatably coupled to a base, and both are stowed in a volume between the shroud and nose/tail assembly. As the shroud is released, a drive feature engages the tip section to rotate and join the base to form a complete canard or fin. This eliminates the need for storing the canards or fins in or wrapped around the body and eliminates the need for a complex deployment mechanism occupying an internal volume of the body. Although viable for all sizes of flight vehicles, the shroud-driven deployment system scales to very small diameter vehicles in which internal volume is not available to store either flight surfaces or deployment mechanisms.

A nose or tail assembly for a flight vehicle is provided in which the deployment of the canards or fins is driven by energy imparted by the shroud when it is released. A tip section is rotatably coupled to a base, and both are stowed in a volume between the shroud and nose/tail assembly. As the shroud is released, a drive feature engages the tip section to rotate and join the base to form a complete canard or fin. This eliminates the need for storing the canards or fins in or wrapped around the body and eliminates the need for a complex deployment mechanism occupying an internal volume of the body. Although viable for all sizes of flight vehicles, the shroud-driven deployment system scales to very small diameter vehicles in which internal volume is not available to store either flight surfaces or deployment mechanisms.

A projectile and deployment method ensures successful deployment of the projectile regardless of an external environment. Contacting engagement is maintained between a piston and deployable fins as the fins rotate from a folded position to a deployed position. The fins are pushed by the piston to rotate into a deployed position in which the fins are locked before the piston is able to eject from the assembly. Using the engaging tabs between the fins and the piston, and a modular pressure reservoir, the piston continues to push on the fins at least until the fins are deployed and locked. After locking, pressure in the projectile is equalized and the piston is launched off of the pressure reservoir. If the fins are not immediately deployed and locked, the piston will continue to push on the fins until the external environment enables full deployment or until the pressure is equalized.