System and method for deployment of an aircraft weapons system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9963231-B2
Application number	US-201615278730-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2016
Priority date	Sep 28, 2016
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

A device for mounting a weapon system to an aircraft includes an adaptor to couple to an internal structure of the aircraft. The device also include a gun mount and a deployment system. The deployment system is coupled to the adaptor to the gun mount and is configured to move the gun mount from a first position internal to the aircraft to a second position at least partially external to the aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for mounting a deployable weapon system to an aircraft, the device comprising:
an adaptor coupled to a linkage system and to an internal structure of the aircraft;
a gun mount pivotably connected to the linkage system; and
a deployment system coupled to the adaptor and to the gun mount and configured to move the gun mount from a first position internal to the aircraft to a second position at least partially external to the aircraft, the deployment system comprising pivotable actuators positioned between the gun mount and the adaptor and operable to move the gun mount in multiple planes.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the adaptor is configured to couple to a support for a rotary launcher located within a weapons bay of the aircraft.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a turret coupled to the gun mount, the turret configured to rotate a weapon coupled to the gun mount relative to the aircraft.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the turret is further configured to adjust an elevation of the weapon relative to the aircraft.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the deployment system comprises one or more linkages of the linkage system, and further comprising a control system to initiate movement of the gun mount from the first position to the second position.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the deployment system is configured to move the gun mount from the first position to the second position by movement in one direction.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the deployment system is configured to move gun mount from the first position to the second position by movement in multiple directions.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising ammunition containers coupled to a support member that is coupled to the adaptor.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first position corresponds to a storage position, wherein a weapon coupled to the gun mount is aligned with a roll axis of the aircraft when stored at the first position.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first position corresponds to a storage position, wherein a weapon coupled to the gun mount is aligned with a pitch axis of the aircraft when stored at the first position.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the adaptor, the gun mount, and the deployment system are included in the aircraft.

12. A method of operating an aircraft based weapons system, the method comprising:
opening a bay door of an aircraft;
using a deployment system to at least partially extend a gun mount through the bay door, the gun mount pivotably connected to an internal structure of the aircraft via an adaptor and a linkage system; and
after extending the gun mount, moving the gun mount in multiple planes using pivotable actuators of the deployment system, the pivotable actuators positioned between the gun mount and the adaptor.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising flying the aircraft at a supersonic speed with the gun mount at least partially external to the aircraft.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
retracting the gun mount using the deployment system; and
closing the bay door of the aircraft.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein moving the gun mount in multiple planes includes adjusting an aiming direction of a weapon relative to a yaw axis of the aircraft, a pitch of axis of the aircraft, or both.

16. A method of installing a weapons system on an aircraft, the method comprising:
accessing a weapons bay of the aircraft by opening or removing a bay door;
coupling a linkage system to an internal structure of the aircraft via an adaptor, the internal structure located in the weapons bay; and
coupling a deployment system and a gun mount to the adaptor via the linkage system such that the gun mount pivotably connected to the linkage system, wherein the deployment system is configured to move the gun mount from a first position internal to the aircraft to a second position at least partially external to the aircraft, and wherein the deployment system comprising pivotable actuators positioned between the gun mount and the adaptor and operable to move the gun mount in multiple planes.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising, after removing the bay door, installing a second bay door, wherein the bay door has a first length that is greater than a second length of the second bay door.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling ammunition containers to a support member that is coupled to the adaptor.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling one or more of the adaptor, the gun mount, the deployment system, or a weapon coupled to the gun mount, to a control system of the aircraft.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the bay door comprises a bomb bay door, wherein the internal structure includes one or more supports for a rotary launcher, and further comprising, before coupling the adaptor to the one or more supports for the rotary launcher, removing the rotary launcher.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Chattopadhyay Aditya Brahma

Classifications

• F41A27/06

  Mechanical systems (F41A27/02, F41A27/04, F41A27/30 take precedence) · CPC title

• F41A23/20

  for disappearing guns · CPC title

• B64D7/06 Primary

  movably mounted · CPC title

• B64C1/14

  Windows; Doors; Hatch covers or access panels; Surrounding frame structures; Canopies; Windscreens {accessories therefor, e.g. pressure sensors, water deflectors, hinges, seals, handles, latches, windscreen wipers}(fairings movable in conjunction with undercarriage elements B64C25/16; bomb doors B64D1/06) · CPC title

• B64C1/1407

  Doors; surrounding frames · CPC title