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US 11,879,416 B1Granted
Method for reducing jet tab exposure during thrust vectoring
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsBrandon J. Napier, Scott R. Wells, Derek T. Betts, Kevin R. Albrecht
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of thrust vectoring a missile utilizing jet tabs is presented. Jet tabs are used to create lateral control moments on a missile by rotating tabs into the rocket exhaust plume and changing the thrust deflection angle. The method includes simultaneously rolling the missile during the thrust vector maneuver in order to reduce the maximum tab exposure to the rocket plume. The method enables aggressive pitchover maneuvers while reducing the risk of tab failure due to excessive exposure.
Claims13
A method of thrust vectoring a missile, comprising the steps of:
- launching the missile such that an exhaust plume exits an exit end of a rocket nozzle of the missile;
- changing a thrust deflection angle of the exhaust plume by controlling a jet tab assembly of the missile, thereby creating a lateral control moment on the missile;
- and
- as a result of changing the thrust deflection angle of the exhaust plume and simultaneously with changing the thrust deflection angle of the exhaust plume, rolling the missile, wherein a roll amount of the missile is a function of the lateral control moment on the missile and a reduction of maximum exposure of any one of a plurality of jet tabs in the jet tab assembly.
1 more element
A missile, comprising:
- a jet assembly;
- a thrust vector controller configured to change a thrust deflection angle of an exhaust plume exiting an exit end of a rocket nozzle of the missile after a launch of the missile, thereby creating a lateral control moment on the missile, wherein the thrust vector controller is configured to control the jet tab assembly to change the thrust deflection angle of the exhaust plume;
- and
- a roll controller configured to roll the missile simultaneously with the change of the thrust deflection angle of the exhaust plume by the thrust vector controller, wherein the roll controller is configured to roll the missile a roll amount that is a function of the lateral control moment on the missile and a reduction of maximum exposure of any one of a plurality of jet tabs in the jet tab assembly.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.