The invention relates to a launch apparatus for an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle—in particular, for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle or for a Remotely Operated Vehicle—with a launching tube having an inner wall and an outlet, and the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle contained within the launching tube, whereby the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle has a vehicle casing with a vehicle casing inhomogeneity, such that an ejection of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle causes different contact loads between the vehicle casing and the inner wall, whereby the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle has a detachable compensating form, which is designed in such a way that the vehicle inhomogeneity is compensated, such that the result is a combination of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle and the detachable compensating form, the combination whereof, when ejected, causes a substantially more uniform contact load to occur between the combination and the inner wall.

The invention relates to a launch apparatus for an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle—in particular, for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle or for a Remotely Operated Vehicle—with a launching tube having an inner wall and an outlet, and the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle contained within the launching tube, whereby the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle has a vehicle casing with a vehicle casing inhomogeneity, such that an ejection of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle causes different contact loads between the vehicle casing and the inner wall, whereby the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle has a detachable compensating form, which is designed in such a way that the vehicle inhomogeneity is compensated, such that the result is a combination of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle and the detachable compensating form, the combination whereof, when ejected, causes a substantially more uniform contact load to occur between the combination and the inner wall.

Disclosed is a weapon tube and particularly a torpedo tube structure including a system for holding the weapon in a storage position in the tube, including a clamping mechanism which is connected to the structure and can be moved by an actuator between a closed position for locking an interface part of the weapon in order to lock the weapon in position in the structure and an open position for releasing the interface part and therefore the weapon, the structure includes an elastic unit for soliciting the clamping mechanism in the closed position.

Disclosed is a weapon tube and particularly a torpedo tube structure including a system for holding the weapon in a storage position in the tube, including a clamping mechanism which is connected to the structure and can be moved by an actuator between a closed position for locking an interface part of the weapon in order to lock the weapon in position in the structure and an open position for releasing the interface part and therefore the weapon, the structure includes an elastic unit for soliciting the clamping mechanism in the closed position.

A launching device and associated methods can be utilized to launch an underwater running body from a platform such as a watercraft. The launching device may include a ramp, which extends along a longitudinal ramp axis, and a propellant deflection unit. The ramp may enclose an underwater running body with a propulsion unit underwater. The launching device may activate the propulsion unit, which then emits a propellant. The propellant deflection unit deflects the emitted propellant into an outlet direction. This outlet direction of the propellant may be directed perpendicularly or obliquely away from the platform.

A projectile launcher includes: a storage and launching tube suitable for receiving a projectile; a breech sealing one end of the tube; a thruster arranged in the tube between the breech and the projectile, comprising a pressurized gas reserve and suitable for applying an ejection force to a projectile; a plug blocking the other end of the tube, having a locked configuration, in which the plug engages the internal wall of the tube so as to close the tube and to keep the projectile in the tube, and an unlocked configuration, in which the plug is free relative to the tube; and a trigger having a retracted resting configuration and a deployed configuration, suitable for triggering, causing the plug to pass from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration; wherein the trigger is pneumatic and is supplied with pressure by the reserve.

The present invention is broadly directed to an unmanned surface vessel (USV) 10 broadly comprising: 1. a vessel body (12) adapted to contain a payload (14); 2. a front fin (16) and a rear fin (18) connected to and protruding from the vessel body (12); 3. a forward foil (20) and a rearward foil (22) connected to a distal end region of the respective front and rear fins (16) and (18); 4. propulsion means (24) operatively coupled to the rear fin (18) for propulsion of the fin (18) and the foil (22) through the water.

A rail launch mechanism and method for launching a payload is configured to release payload lugs of a payload from a platform. A rack for launching a payload includes multiple rails that separately engage lugs in the respective payload of the rails, and a force actuator for launching the payload by accelerating the payload along the rails, causing the lugs to separate from the respective rails. A launching system for launching the payload from the platform may include a rail, at least one payload release shoe that carries a payload lug along the rail, and a force actuator for accelerating the payload release shoe such that inertia of the payload causes the payload lug to be released from the payload release shoe.

A rail launch mechanism and method for launching a payload is configured to release payload lugs of a payload from a platform. A rack for launching a payload includes multiple rails that separately engage lugs in the respective payload of the rails, and a force actuator for launching the payload by accelerating the payload along the rails, causing the lugs to separate from the respective rails. A launching system for launching the payload from the platform may include a rail, at least one payload release shoe that carries a payload lug along the rail, and a force actuator for accelerating the payload release shoe such that inertia of the payload causes the payload lug to be released from the payload release shoe.

A weapon launching tube structure, and in particular a torpedo launching tube structure, includes a tube inside which weapon guiding slides are mounted at regular intervals around the weapon. The slides are made from a single slide blank obtained by an extrusion process.