Target interception

A method of manufacturing a projectile deployment system, the method including:

• a) Providing a body member defining a body axis;
• b) Providing a support material surrounding the body member, the support material including a number of first and second connectors embedded therein;
• c) Drilling a number of holes in the support material to thereby define one or more barrels, the barrels being circumferentially spaced around the body axis and being adapted to intersect selected ones of the first and second sets of connectors;
• and,
• d) Inserting projectiles and associated charges into the barrels, the projectiles including first and second connections, the projectiles being aligned such that:
• i) The first connections of each of the projectiles in a respective set of barrels are coupled to a respective set of first connectors;
• and,
• ii) The second connections of respective projectiles in different sets of barrels are coupled to respective second connections.

A method of manufacturing a projectile deployment system, the method including:

• a) Providing a body member defining a body axis;
• b) Coupling a barrel array having a number of barrels to the body member, the barrels being circumferentially spaced around the support axis, and each barrel being arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to the body axis;
• the barrels including a number of connectors;
• c) Inserting projectiles and associated charges into the barrels, the projectiles including first and second connections adapted to be aligned with respective ones of the number of connectors;
• and,
• d) Mounting a control system in a cavity in the barrel array, the control system being coupled to the connectors to allow the projectiles to be deployed.

Apparatus for intercepting a target, the apparatus including:

• a) A projectile deployment system having:
• i) A body;
• and,
• ii) A number of projectile systems mounted to the body in an array, each projectile system being adapted to deploy a number of projectiles in a predetermined direction with respect to the body and, including:
• (1) a barrel
• (2) a number of projectiles
• (3) a number of charges, each charge being adapted to urge a respective projectile along the barrel to thereby deploy the projectile;
• b) A controller, the controller being adapted to selectively activate one or more of the projectile systems to thereby deploy projectiles in accordance with a projectile deployment pattern.

A missile for intercepting a target, the missile including:

• a) A missile body defining a missile axis;
• and,
• b) Apparatus including:
• c) A projectile deployment system having:
• i) A body;
• and,
• iii) A number of projectile systems mounted to the body in an array, each projectile system being adapted to deploy a number of projectiles in a predetermined direction with respect to the body and, including:
• (1) a barrel
• (2) a number of projectiles
• (3) a number of charges, each charge being adapted to urge a respective projectile along the barrel to thereby deploy the projectile;
• b) A controller, the controller being adapted to selectively activate one or more of the projectile systems to thereby deploy projectiles in accordance with a projectile deployment pattern.

A method of intercepting targets, the method including:

• a) Launching a device at the target, the device including:
• i) A body;
• and,
• ii) A number of projectile systems mounted to the body in an array, each projectile system being adapted to deploy a number of projectiles in a predetermined direction with respect to the body and, including:
• (1) a barrel
• (2) a number of projectiles
• (3) a number of charges, each charge being adapted to urge a respective projectile along the barrel to thereby deploy the projectile;
• b) Selectively activating one or more of the charges to thereby deploy projectiles in accordance with a projectile deployment pattern such that at least one of the projectiles intercepts the target.