Effector with ejectable stealth shell

Abstract

An effector for an aircraft has an effector body and a stealth sheath enclosing the effector body at least in part. The stealth shell is attached to the effector body and embodied so as to be separated from the aircraft and from the effector body during flight of the aircraft carrying the effector.

Claims

1. An effector for an aircraft, the effector comprising: an effector body; and a stealth shell enclosing the effector body at least in part, wherein the stealth shell is attached to the effector body, wherein the stealth shell is configured so as to be separated from the aircraft and from the effector body during flight of the aircraft carrying the effector, wherein the effector body comprises a plurality of wing-like extensions, wherein the stealth shell has a plurality of shell elements each arranged between two of the plurality of wing-like extensions and comprising recesses or indentations on each lateral edge of each respective shell element, such that the plurality of wing-like extensions are receivable between two adjacent ones of the plurality of shell elements, and wherein each of the shell elements has an angled outer contour on a side facing away from the effector body such that the stealth shell has a circumferential edge running around a direction of longitudinal extension of the entire effector body, thereby reducing a radar backscatter cross-section of the effector.

2. The effector of claim 1, wherein the stealth shell is attached in a form-fitting manner to the effector body.

3. The effector of claim 1, wherein the stealth shell has at least one circumferential edge running around a direction of longitudinal extension of the effector body.

4. The effector of claim 1, wherein the stealth shell has an outer surface facing away from the effector body, and the outer surface is electrically conductive or has a radar absorber.

5. The effector of claim 1, wherein the stealth shell has a radar-absorbing structure.

6. The effector of claim 1, wherein the stealth shell has a separating device that is configured so as to separate the stealth shell from the effector body.

7. The effector of claim 1, wherein the stealth shell is made at least in part of a shattering material.

8. The effector of claim 1, wherein the stealth shell is made at least in part of a foam-like material.

9. An aircraft, comprising: a fuselage wings; and an effector, which comprises an effector body comprising a plurality of wing-like extensions; and a stealth shell enclosing the effector body at least in part, wherein the stealth shell is attached to the effector body, wherein the stealth shell is configured so as to be separated from the aircraft and from the effector body during flight of the aircraft carrying the effector, wherein the stealth shell has a plurality of shell elements each arranged between two of the plurality of wing-like extensions and comprising recesses or indentations on each lateral edge of each respective shell element, such that the plurality of wing-like extensions are receivable between two adjacent ones of the plurality of shell elements, and wherein each of the shell elements has an angled outer contour on a side facing away from the effector body such that the stealth shell has a circumferential edge running around a direction of longitudinal extension of the entire effector body, thereby reducing a radar backscatter cross-section of the effector body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be elaborated below with reference to the enclosed drawings.

(2) FIG. 1A shows a cross-section of an effector for an aircraft according to one exemplary embodiment.

(3) FIG. 1B shows a cross-section through a portion of the effector from FIG. 1A.

(4) FIGS. 2A to 2D each show a snap-shot of an ejection of an effector according to one exemplary embodiment.

(5) FIG. 3 shows an aircraft with an effector according to one exemplary embodiment.

(6) The figures are merely schematic and not true to scale. In principle, identical or similar parts are provided with the same reference symbols.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1A shows a cross-section of an effector 10 for an aircraft 100 according to one exemplary embodiment. The effector 10 has an effector body 12. The effector body 12 can refer to a bomb, a rocket, a guided missile body, a fuel tank or an external load for the aircraft 100 in general.

(8) The effector body 12 is attached to a supporting structure 13 which can be a pylon. For example, the effector body 12 can be detachably attached to the outside of an end of the supporting structure 13, and an end of the supporting structure 13 opposite this end can be attached, for example, to a fuselage or a bearing surface of the aircraft 100. The effector body 12 also has four wing-like extensions 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d which protrude radially from the effector body 12 in the manner of rays.

(9) Moreover, the effector 10 has a stealth shell 14 enclosing the effector body 12 at least in part and is embodied so as to be separated from the aircraft 100 and from the effector body 12 during a flight.

(10) The stealth shell 14 has a total of four shell elements 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d. Each one of the shell elements 16a-16d is arranged between two of the extensions 15a-15d. The shell elements 16a-16d can each have recesses or indentations 18 on each lateral edge of the shell element 16a-16d, so that the extensions 15a-15b can each be received between two adjacent shell elements 16a-16d.

(11) A side 20 of each shell element 16a-16d facing toward the effector body 12 is embodied to cooperate with an outer contour of the effector body 12 such that the shell elements 16a-16d enclosing the effector body 12 in a form-fitting manner can be attached thereto through a positive fit. The side 20 can be rounded off for this purpose as shown in FIG. 1A. Alternatively or in addition, the shell elements 16a-16d can also be attached by quick-release fasteners and/or a locking device to the effector body 12, such as with a clip or snap connection.

(12) Furthermore, the shell elements 16a-16d can be connected to one another on their abutting edges, i.e., on adjacent lateral edges of two adjacent shell elements 16a-16d. For example, two respective adjacent shell elements 16a-16d can be adhered, screwed, welded, locked or otherwise connected to each other.

(13) Each of the shell elements 16a-16d has an angled outer contour 22 on a side facing away from the effector body 12, so that the stealth shell 14 has a circumferential sharp edge 24 running around a direction of longitudinal extension of the effector body 12 overall, thereby reducing an RBCS of the effector 10 or of the effector body 12. The circumferential edge 24 has a total of eight corners, and the stealth shell 14 is octagonal in a cross-section orthogonal to the direction of longitudinal extension of the effector body 12. Any other cross-sections are conceivable, however, such as polygonal, rounded off, round, oval or elliptic.

(14) Furthermore, the stealth shell 14 has an outer surface 26 facing away from the effector body 12 that can be electrically conductive and/or on which a radar absorber can be arranged. For example, camouflage mats made of radar-absorbing material can be adhered to the outer surface 26.

(15) Moreover, the stealth shell 14 has a passage 28 for passing through the supporting structure 13. For example, the passage 28 can be a recess in at least one shell element 16a-16d. The stealth shell 14 can also have an access to the effector body 12 that can also be a recess in at least one of the shell elements 16a-16d. The access can also be closable, for instance, and provided with a flap, for example.

(16) The effector 10 also has a separating device 30 that is embodied so as to separate the stealth shell 14 from the effector body 12 and/or the shell elements 16a-16d from one another and from the effector body 12, as described in detail in the following figures. For this purpose, a respective separating device 30 can be arranged between two adjacent shell elements 16a-16d. It is also possible for at least one separating device 30 to be arranged between the effector body 12 and the stealth shell 14.

(17) FIG. 1B shows a cross-section through a portion of the effector 10 from FIG. 1A. The cross-section of FIG. 1B shows an abutting edge of two adjacent shell elements 16a, 16b.

(18) The two shell elements 16a, 16b are connected to one another on the inside with an angle 32 an inner surface 31 opposite the outer surface 26. The angle can be made of plastic, for instance, and screwed and/or adhered to a respective end of a respective shell element 16a, 16b. Furthermore, the shell elements 16a, 16b can be connected to one another on the inside with an electrically conductive strap, for example an adhesive tape.

(19) Moreover, FIG. 1B shows the separating device 30 in detail. The separating device 30 has two detonating cords 34a, 34b, which can be arranged parallel to a direction of longitudinal extension of the effector body 12 and/or of the stealth shell 14. With the aid of the detonating cords 34a, 34b, the shell elements 16a, 16b can be separated from each other and from the effector body 12 before or after ejection of the effector 10 from the aircraft 100. For example, the angle 32 can be separated in the middle through ignition of the detonating cords 34a, 34b, whereby a connection of the shell elements 16a, 16b provided by the angle 32 can be undone. For this purpose, the angle 32 can also have a predetermined breaking point that can be embodied in the form of a groove and can be broken through ignition of the detonating cords 34a, 34b. It should be noted that the angle 32 is provided only optionally for the connection of the shell elements 16a, 16b and that they can also be connected to one other by adhesive tape along, for example. In such a case as well, the connection between the shell elements 16a, 16b can be separated with the aid of the separating device 30 or of the detonating cords 34a, 34b.

(20) In principle, two possibilities are conceivable for the ejection of the effector 10 and separation of the stealth shell 14 from the effector body 12 and from the aircraft 100.

(21) For one, the stealth shell 14 can first be ejected or separated from the effector body 12 and then the effector body 12 can be ejected or separated from the aircraft 100. Such a procedure can be advantageous, for example, if the effector body 12 has to be started from a track, as can be the case with various rocket systems. Suitable guides and segmentations of the shell elements 16a-16d can ensure that the shell elements 16a-16d can be separated reliably from the effector body 12 and the aircraft 100.

(22) For another, the effector body 12 can be ejected together with the stealth shell 14 the shell elements 16a-16d can then be separated from the effector body 12 at a sufficiently large safety distance from the aircraft 100. In this case, however, the leaving behavior of the effector body 12 can change as a result of the aerodynamic shape of the stealth shell 14 or of the shell elements 16a-16d, and it may optionally be necessary to re-evaluate and qualify the aerodynamic characteristics for each effector body 12.

(23) FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D each show a snap-shot of an ejection of an effector 10 according to one exemplary embodiment. The ejection sequence is shown here using the example of a joint ejection of the effector body 12 and the stealth shell 14 from an aircraft 100, with only a portion of a bearing surface 101 of the aircraft 100 being shown. Insofar as not described otherwise, the effectors 10 of FIGS. 2A to 2D can have the same features and characteristics as the effectors 10 of FIGS. 1A and 1B.

(24) FIG. 2A shows a captive flight of the aircraft 100 in which the effector 10 is attached to the aircraft 100 at an end of the supporting structure 13.

(25) FIG. 2B shows a snap-shot of the ejection of the effector 10, the effector body 12 being separated together with the stealth shell 14 from the aircraft 100 or the supporting structure 13 and moving away from the aircraft 100 as a result of gravitational force or the fixed weight and/or through aerodynamic forces. For this purpose, the effector 10 can be latched from the supporting structure 13, for example. Alternatively or in addition, the effector 10 can also be ejected by means of an ejection device, such as a track system, from the aircraft 100 or the supporting structure 13.

(26) Alternatively, the supporting structure 13 can also be separated from the aircraft 100 and be removed from the aircraft 100 together with the effector 10. In this case, the supporting structure 13 can also be integrally formed with one of the shell elements 16a-16d. This would also offer the additional advantage that no radar signature contribution of the supporting structure 13 remains on the aircraft 100, but the supporting structure 13 would have to be replaced after every ejection.

(27) After a sufficiently long freefall phase in order to bring the effector 10 and, optionally, the supporting structure 13 to a safe distance away from the ejecting aircraft 100, the shell elements 16a-16d are separated from one other with the aid of separating devices 30 and from the effector body 12, as shown in FIG. 2C. For example, the shell elements 16a-16d can be separated from each other through activation or ignition of the detonating cords 34a, 34b and/or by opening a locking device between the shell elements 16a-16d.

(28) The shell elements 16a-16d and, optionally, the supporting structure 13, if they were ejected together, can subsequently separate from the effector body 12 and fall separately to the ground. This is shown schematically in FIG. 2D. The separation of the shell elements 16a-16d from the effector body 12 can be supported by additional mechanisms, such as by one or more ejection devices 36, which can be arranged between the shell elements 16a-16d and the effector body 12. The ejection devices 36 can have spring elements and/or airbag-like air pillows for this purpose, for example, that push apart or separate the shell elements 16a-16d and the effector body 12 from each other.

(29) In the event of a peace operation exercise, for example, the shell elements 16a-16d and, optionally, the supporting structure 13, can be additionally equipped with transponders in order to enable recovery and, optionally, reuse.

(30) Parachute packages can also be attached to the shell elements 16a-16d and, optionally, to the supporting structure 13 that are triggered after separation and can fold up. The reuse of these components can thus be simplified.

(31) FIG. 3 shows an aircraft 100 with two effectors 10 according to one exemplary embodiment. The aircraft 100 can be an unmanned or a manned aircraft 100.

(32) The effectors 10 are each arranged on the aircraft 100 on a supporting structure 13 on an underside of a respective bearing surface 101. To reduce the RBCS of the effector body 12 they are each enclosed at least in part by a stealth shell 14.

(33) In addition, it should be pointed out that comprising does not exclude any other elements, and one or a does not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features that have been described in relation to one of the above exemplary embodiments can also be used in combination with other features of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference symbols in the claims are not to be regarded as a limitation.

(34) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.