A store suspension lug assembly comprises a base securable to a store and a lug portion hingedly movable between an extended position in which it is engageable by a suspension hook of a release unit and a retracted position presenting a lower aerodynamic profile. The lug portion is biased towards the retracted position. A locking mechanism has a locked state in which the lug portion is held in the extended position. The locking mechanism is releasable by action of the suspension hook on the lug portion, e.g. by the suspension hook engaging a portion of the locking mechanism as the weight of the store acts on the suspension hook via the lug portion. Engagement of the suspension hook with the lug portion may maintain the lug portion in the extended position against the bias.

A system for fighting fires has a source of fire-retardant material, a delivery hose connected to the source has a delivery nozzle at an end, and an end effector carrying the delivery hose proximate the nozzle. The end effector has controllable thrusters, an imaging device, and control circuitry including a display monitor, the control circuitry providing commands controlling actuators varying thrust and direction of the thrusters, and a valve in the delivery nozzle. With the delivery hose deployed, images from the end effector are transmitted to the control circuitry and displayed on the display monitor, and an operator viewing the images on the display monitor uses the command inputs to maneuver the end effector, carrying the nozzle at the end of the delivery hose to a position proximate an active fire, and opens the valve on the nozzle, delivering fire retardant material from the nozzle onto the fire.

A system for fighting fires has a source of fire-retardant material, a delivery hose connected to the source has a delivery nozzle at an end, and an end effector carrying the delivery hose proximate the nozzle. The end effector has controllable thrusters, an imaging device, and control circuitry including a display monitor, the control circuitry providing commands controlling actuators varying thrust and direction of the thrusters, and a valve in the delivery nozzle. With the delivery hose deployed, images from the end effector are transmitted to the control circuitry and displayed on the display monitor, and an operator viewing the images on the display monitor uses the command inputs to maneuver the end effector, carrying the nozzle at the end of the delivery hose to a position proximate an active fire, and opens the valve on the nozzle, delivering fire retardant material from the nozzle onto the fire.

A propulsionless munition configured to be launched from a hypersonic aerial includes a munition body that is free of any propulsion system for producing thrust. The munition body includes a forward section including a radome assembly and an aft section including a control system. The radome assembly includes a nose radome and a frangible radome cover disposed over the nose radome for shielding the nose radome from high temperatures resulting from aerodynamic heating at hypersonic speeds. The frangible radome cover is detachable from the nose radome upon detection by the control system of a predetermined threshold comprising at least one of a predetermined speed, a predetermined altitude, and a predetermined temperature.

A propulsionless munition configured to be launched from a hypersonic aerial includes a munition body that is free of any propulsion system for producing thrust. The munition body includes a forward section including a radome assembly and an aft section including a control system. The radome assembly includes a nose radome and a frangible radome cover disposed over the nose radome for shielding the nose radome from high temperatures resulting from aerodynamic heating at hypersonic speeds. The frangible radome cover is detachable from the nose radome upon detection by the control system of a predetermined threshold comprising at least one of a predetermined speed, a predetermined altitude, and a predetermined temperature.

A hinge assembly of a system for operating a door of an aircraft includes a bracket secured to a structure of the aircraft. The bracket includes a first forward joint and a first aft joint separated by a first distance. A forward link is coupled to the first forward joint. An aft link is longer than the forward link, and is coupled to the first aft joint. A door coupler is secured to a door. The door coupler includes a second forward joint and a second aft joint separated by a second distance that is less than the first distance. The forward link is further coupled to the second forward joint, and the aft link is further coupled to the second aft joint.

A system and method for ejecting a store from an aircraft include a stowage tube configured to retain the store. The stowage tube includes an open rear end. A door panel is coupled to the stowage tube. An actuator driven linkage is coupled to the door panel. The actuator driven linkage is configured to rotate the door panel about a pivot axis at a forward edge opposite from an aft end between a closed position associated with a stowed position of the system and an open position associated with a deployed position of the system. The stowage tube is configured to rearwardly eject the store out of the open rear end when the system is in the deployed position.

A UAV catch and release system has a UAV adapted to fly a mission, an aircraft adapted to carry, launch, and retrieve the UAV, a fuel hose deployed and retrieved by mechanisms from the aircraft, an end effector joined by a gimbal joint to a lowermost end of the fuel hose, a downward projecting aerodynamic acquisition blade connected at a lowermost end of the hose, and an acquisition port opening upward from the body of the UAV, with a roller mechanism operable to engage the acquisition blade, and to draw the blade into the body until a refueling nozzle on an end of the acquisition blade is engaged to a refueling port of the UAV.

Container retention and release apparatus are disclosed. An example container retention and release apparatus includes an actuator and a swaybrace and retention assembly pivotally coupled to the actuator. The swaybrace and retention assembly is to pivot relative to the actuator between a first position to retain a container and a second position to release the container. The swaybrace and retention assembly includes a swaybrace arm having a receptacle to engage a post of a container. The swaybrace arm to pivot between the first position to cause the receptacle to engage the post of the container to retain the container and the second position to cause the receptacle to disengage the post to release the container.

A container suspension and release system provides at least one ejector assembly having a carry position and a deployed position. The ejector assembly includes an actuator configured to extend ejector assembly from the carry position to the deployed position, and a retention assembly. The retention assembly employs a bracket attached to the actuator and a fixed sway brace extending from the bracket. A left retention arm is pivotally attached to the bracket and a right retention arm is pivotally attached to the bracket, with the left and right retention arms configured to rotate in opposite directions. A rotation activation mechanism is provided to rotate the left and right retention arms in the deployed position. An energy source connected to the actuator to provides energy to actuate the at least one ejector assembly.