A submunition assembly to be stored and deployed from an aerial vehicle, particularly a supersonic vehicle, includes a container having at least first and second walls that are joined at one end by a hinge that together define a volume along an axis perpendicular to the hinge that contains a submunition. The submunition assembly is suitably axially-shaped with a rigid parachute panel positioned around the hinge to separate and deploy a parachute. The container may have an internal volume that is conformal to the submunition. The container may have an exterior shape that is either optimized for free-fall or has a portion that provides a conformal surface for the aerial vehicle. The submunition assembly may be configured so that all processing, memory and data resides with the submunition, which issues any and all commands to control the container including separation of the rigid parachute panel and opening of the container to release the submunition.

A radially firing munition defining a longitudinal axis and comprising a nonfragmenatary hollow collar having an inner surface and an outer surface opposed thereto with a first plurality of ports extending therebetween in a substantially radial direction. An ammunition is disposed in each port of the first plurality of ports and oriented outwardly from the longitudinal axis. An ignition source is provided for expelling each ammunition from the collar in response to an ignition signal.

A radially firing munition defining a longitudinal axis and comprising a nonfragmenatary hollow collar having an inner surface and an outer surface opposed thereto with a first plurality of ports extending therebetween in a substantially radial direction. An ammunition is disposed in each port of the first plurality of ports and oriented outwardly from the longitudinal axis. An ignition source is provided for expelling each ammunition from the collar in response to an ignition signal.

A payload module for an aerial vehicle stores and deploys one or more submunition assemblies, which provide a portion of the vehicle's OML when stored, in a manner that preserves the aerodynamics of the aerial vehicle post-deployment. Pre-deployment a skin is aligned to a strongback such that the submunition assemblies are exposed through openings in the skin. Post-deployment, the skin rotates to cover any openings in the strongback exposed by the deployment of the submunition assemblies to restore the OML.

The present invention is a warhead design for a ballistic missile defense system. The warhead is to eject a plurality of projectiles toward an incoming missile. There are two embodiments, both based upon the concepts of impellers; in the present invention: spin of the body and application of internal pressure. Both embodiments are designed to form a dense cloud of metallic projectiles, each pellet potentially colliding with the incoming missile with a relative speed of 40,000 feet per second. Both designs are immune to counter measures such as decoys, flares, and chaff.

The present invention is a warhead design for a ballistic missile defense system. The warhead is to eject a plurality of projectiles toward an incoming missile. There are two embodiments, both based upon the concepts of impellers; in the present invention: spin of the body and application of internal pressure. Both embodiments are designed to form a dense cloud of metallic projectiles, each pellet potentially colliding with the incoming missile with a relative speed of 40,000 feet per second. Both designs are immune to counter measures such as decoys, flares, and chaff.