A system for bistatic radar target detection employs an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a ramjet providing supersonic cruise of the UAV. Deployable antenna arms support a passive radar receiver for bistatic reception of reflected radar pulses. The UAV operates with a UAV flight profile in airspace beyond a radar range limit. The deployable antenna arms have a first retracted position for supersonic cruise and are adapted for deployment to a second extended position acting as an airbrake and providing boresight alignment of the radar receiver. A mothership aircraft has a radar transmitter for transmitting radar pulses and operates with an aircraft flight profile outside the radar range limit. A communications data link operably interconnects the UAV and the tactical mothership aircraft, transmitting data produced by the bistatic reception of reflected radar pulses in the UAV radar antenna to the mothership aircraft.

An aircraft includes a fuselage having a wing profile. An apparatus for thrust reversal is disposed on the tail of the aircraft. Air feed takes place from the outside, by way of a braking flap with an air intake channel and/or from a propelling machine.

A system for bistatic radar target detection employs an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a ramjet providing supersonic cruise of the UAV. Deployable antenna arms support a passive radar receiver for bistatic reception of reflected radar pulses. The UAV operates with a UAV flight profile in airspace beyond a radar range limit. The deployable antenna arms have a first retracted position for supersonic cruise and are adapted for deployment to a second extended position acting as an airbrake and providing boresight alignment of the radar receiver. A mothership aircraft has a radar transmitter for transmitting radar pulses and operates with an aircraft flight profile outside the radar range limit. A communications data link operably interconnects the UAV and the tactical mothership aircraft, transmitting data produced by the bistatic reception of reflected radar pulses in the UAV radar antenna to the mothership aircraft.

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first deflector configured to couple to a shaft of an aircraft. The first deflector may form part of a top surface of the aircraft when in a first closed position. The apparatus may further include a second deflector configured to couple to the shaft and form part of a bottom surface of the aircraft when in a second closed position. The first deflector and the second deflector may be configured to be positioned at a junction of a body of the aircraft and a wing of the aircraft. The first deflector and the second deflector may be configured to simultaneously pivot from the closed positions to respective first and second open positions upon actuation of the shaft.

A system for bistatic radar target detection employs an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a ramjet providing supersonic cruise of the UAV. Deployable antenna arms support a passive radar receiver for bistatic reception of reflected radar pulses. The UAV operates with a UAV flight profile in airspace beyond a radar range limit. The deployable antenna arms have a first retracted position for supersonic cruise and are adapted for deployment to a second extended position acting as an airbrake and providing boresight alignment of the radar receiver. A mothership aircraft has a radar transmitter for transmitting radar pulses and operates with an aircraft flight profile outside the radar range limit. A communications data link operably interconnects the UAV and the tactical mothership aircraft, transmitting data produced by the bistatic reception of reflected radar pulses in the UAV radar antenna to the mothership aircraft.

Refueling devices for use in in-flight refueling operation are provided, including a body configured for being towed by a tanker aircraft and having a boom member that has a fuel delivery nozzle, a spatial control system and a longitudinal control system. The longitudinal displacement control system includes at least one panel element defining a front panel projected area orthogonal to a body longitudinal axis, each panel element being controllably and reversibly deployable incrementally to each one of a plurality of successive deployed positions between a fully retracted position and a fully deployed position, to provide a respective reversible incrementally increasing aft force to the refueling device at least during the in-flight refueling operation.

A cylindrical active airborne platform for determining measurement data is latchable to a carrying cable such that the airborne platform is towable through the air. Sensors are configured to determine the measurement data and a flight position of the airborne platform. Two aerofoils arranged in the middle region of the airborne platform are adjustable and are connected to electrical adjusting devices configured as ailerons so as to vary a vertical flight position. Opposing two first air guide surfaces and two second air guide surfaces have further electrical adjusting devices configured respectively as elevators and as rudders. A computer-supported control device comprises an automatic flight management system that is configured to provide self-acting control of the vertical flight position of the airborne platform, and that is configured to control the further electrical adjusting devices.

An aviation speed brake assembly having a fuselage-conformal belly-mounted aviation speed brake panel and having a pilot controlled speed brake pneumatic actuator that a pilot may choose to energize to extend and to de-energize to retract said speed brake panel. The invention is particularly useful in effecting a modification of a preexisting experimental light sport aircraft that results in a more capable aircraft with improved low speed flight characteristics and improved airspeed deceleration capability.

A method for providing a controllable side force to an air vehicle having a vertical stabilizer arrangement includes (a) selectively causing the vertical stabilizer arrangement to generate a first side force in a first side direction to provide the controllable side force, the first side force inducing a corresponding first yaw moment in a first yaw direction; and (b) selectively providing to the air vehicle a second yaw moment in a second yaw direction, the second yaw moment being induced by a force component of an auxiliary force applied to the air vehicle, the force component being in a force direction that is non-parallel with respect to the first side direction and the force component being spaced from a center of gravity of the air vehicle; wherein the second yaw direction is opposed to the first yaw direction. Also disclosed is a corresponding auxiliary yaw generating system.

An aviation speed brake assembly having a fuselage-conformal belly-mounted aviation speed brake panel and having a pilot controlled speed brake pneumatic actuator that a pilot may choose to energize to extend and to de-energize to retract said speed brake panel. The invention is particularly useful in effecting a modification of a preexisting experimental light sport aircraft that results in a more capable aircraft with improved low speed flight characteristics and improved airspeed deceleration capability.