The present invention relates to a glide bomb and methods of use thereof for use with an unmanned or manned aerial vehicle or for operative deployment. In one form, the glide bomb is configured to be carried and released by an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) for flight towards a selected target. The glide bomb includes an elongate body having a nose and an opposed tail aligned along a longitudinal axis; a payload; a pair of wings extendable from opposed sides of the body for producing lift, said wings configured to be selectively moveable between a retracted position and an extended position; and two or more tail control surfaces operatively associated with the tail of the body for at least pitch and yaw control.

The present specification relates generally to unmanned aerial vehicles, and specifically to a vertical take-off and lift unmanned aerial vehicle configured for high speed, long-distance flight, and vertical take-off and lift, while carrying a significant payload. The aerial vehicle includes a first propeller and a second propeller, each comprising at least two blades and each disposed on opposite lateral edges of the aerial vehicle; a tail segment forming a trailing edge of the aerial vehicle, wherein the tail segment comprises: an elevator; and a first wing and a second wing, each comprising an aileron. The aerial vehicle further includes four fins, wherein the four fins are affixed to lateral edges behind the first propeller or the second propeller and configured as endplates; a motor; and a power supply.

A missile including an upper stage and at least one lower stage is provided. The upper stage includes a primary flight computer configured to control a flight of the upper stage along a missile flight path such that, for example, it reaches a predetermined target. The lower stage is mounted to the upper stage and includes a propellant for initially propelling the upper stage along the missile flight path. The lower stage is configured to be jettisoned from the upper stage when the propellant is spent. The lower stage includes a secondary flight computer configured to receive data from the primary flight computer prior to the propellant of the lower stage being spent, and to control a flight of the lower stage along a jettisoned stage flight path of the jettisoned lower stage such that, for example, the jettisoned lower stage glides to a predetermined safe landing zone

A airborne vehicle comprising a fuselage, a folding wing-like structure which is movable from a stowed position to a deployed position, and a hinge mechanism which couples the folding wing-like structure to the fuselage in a manner so that the folding wing-like structure displaces and rotates during movement from the stowed position to the deployed position. The hinge mechanism is housed within an outer mold line of the fuselage and folding wing-like structure to decrease the signature of the airborne vehicle.

Embodiments include active protection systems and methods for an aerial platform. An onboard system includes radar modules, detects aerial vehicles within a threat range of the aerial platform, and determines if any of the aerial vehicles are an aerial threat. The onboard system also determines an intercept vector to the aerial threat, communicates the intercept vector to an eject vehicle, and causes the eject vehicle to be ejected from the aerial platform to intercept the aerial threat. The eject vehicle includes alignment thrusters to rotate a longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle to substantially align with the intercept vector, a rocket motor to accelerate the eject vehicle along an intercept vector, divert thrusters to divert the eject vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intercept vector, and attitude control thrusters to make adjustments to the attitude of the eject vehicle.

A missile including an upper stage and at least one lower stage is provided. The upper stage includes a primary flight computer configured to control a flight of the upper stage along a missile flight path such that, for example, it reaches a predetermined target. The lower stage is mounted to the upper stage and includes a propellant for initially propelling the upper stage along the missile flight path. The lower stage is configured to be jettisoned from the upper stage when the propellant is spent. The lower stage includes a secondary flight computer configured to receive data from the primary flight computer prior to the propellant of the lower stage being spent, and to control a flight of the lower stage along a jettisoned stage flight path of the jettisoned lower stage such that, for example, the jettisoned lower stage glides to a predetermined safe landing zone.

A projectile includes a wing structure to form both an inlet that intakes air for combustion by a propulsion system of the projectile during an initial range of flight, and a lift surface for the projectile after the propulsion engine of the propulsion system burns out. The wing structure acts as both the inlet and the lift surface to enable both a long range and an optimal time of flight for the projectile to the target. The wing structure includes at least one wing that is movable from a folded position, in which the wing extends along a propulsion body section of the projectile to define the inlet, to a deployed position, in which the wing extends outwardly from the propulsion body section to form the lift surface. Any number of wings may be provided and the wings may be simultaneously deployed or sequentially deployed depending on the application.

A winged external guidance frame placed on the muzzle that can couple with a projectile while exiting the barrel utilizing the kinetic energy of the projectile to travel to the target while the accuracy is provided by on board electronics and corrected using the wings. Alternately a reusable unmanned aerial system that travels in the speed and direction of the projectile and couples with the projectile as it exits the barrel.

Embodiments include active protection systems and methods for an aerial platform. An onboard system includes radar modules, detects aerial vehicles within a threat range of the aerial platform, and determines if any of the aerial vehicles are an aerial threat. The onboard system also determines an intercept vector to the aerial threat, communicates the intercept vector to an eject vehicle, and causes the eject vehicle to be ejected from the aerial platform to intercept the aerial threat. The eject vehicle includes alignment thrusters to rotate a longitudinal axis of the eject vehicle to substantially align with the intercept vector, a rocket motor to accelerate the eject vehicle along an intercept vector, divert thrusters to divert the eject vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the intercept vector, and attitude control thrusters to make adjustments to the attitude of the eject vehicle.

An optical seeker assembly having an optical detector located within the wing or canards of a precision guided munition. The optical seeker provides on-wing processing that generates low bandwidth detection data that can be easily transferred to a primary CPU located within the main body or fuselage of the precision guided munition. The on-wing processing reduces or eliminates the need for optical fibers extending between an optical wedge and an optical detector to reduce the likelihood of optical fibers from impeding in the mechanical deployment of the wing and reduces losses. The reduction or elimination of optical fibers between the optical wedge and the optical detector further enables the optical detection assembly to have a higher pixel ratio or transmitting raw data between the wedge and the detector by sending sampled detection data across a low bandwidth link to a CPU in the main body.