# US 2014/0197270 A1 · Air vehicle with control surfaces and vectored thrust > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197270 A1 - Document ID: US20140197270A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/743,829 - Filed: 2013-01-17 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-17 - Assignees: Raytheon Company - Inventors: Robert W. Morgan; James P. Normoyle; Kurt J. Wuest; David Drake - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197270A1 ## CPC - F42B 10/64: of fins - F42B 10/62: Steering by movement of flight surfaces - F42B 10/66: Steering by varying intensity or direction of thrust (thrust vector control of rocket engine plants F02K9/80 {; guiding or controlling apparatus using jets adapted for cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/26}) - F42B: EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION (explosive compositions C06B; fuzes F42C; blasting F42D) ## Abstract An air vehicle, such as a missile, for example an interceptor, includes control surfaces and a vectored thrust system, both used for steering the missile. A controller is operatively coupled to both steering mechanisms, and is configured to operate in a low dynamic pressure mode, which uses the vectored thrust system for at least part of the steering, only when the dynamic pressure is low, such as when the missile is at high altitude. At higher dynamic pressure, such as at lower altitude, the controller is configured to operate in a high dynamic pressure mode that uses only the control surfaces for steering. This allows the interceptor to operate at higher altitudes than interceptors that use only control surfaces for steering during flight. During flight for a high altitude interception the missile shifts from the high dynamic pressure mode to the low dynamic pressure mode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air vehicle comprising: movable control surfaces for steering the air vehicle; a thrust system that provides vectored thrust for steering the air vehicle; and a controller operatively coupled to the control surfaces and the vectored thrust system; wherein the controller shifts during flight of the air vehicle from a high dynamic pressure mode, in which the controller uses only the control surfaces to steer the air vehicle, to a low dynamic pressure mode, in which the controller uses the vectored thrust system to provide at least part of the steering of the air vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the thrust system also provides thrust to accelerate the air vehicle toward a target. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the thrust system includes: fuel; and a nozzle operatively coupled to the fuel, to produce thrust in various directions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The air vehicle of claim 3, wherein the nozzle is a gimbaled nozzle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The air vehicle of claim 3, wherein the fuel has multiple solid fuel portions that are separately ignitable, so as to produce multiple thrust pulses at different times. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air vehicle of claim 5, further comprising partitions between the fuel portions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control surfaces are movably coupled to a fuselage of the air vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The air vehicle of claim 7, wherein the control surfaces include canards that are movable relative to the fuselage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The air vehicle of claim 7, wherein the control surfaces include fins that are movable relative to the fuselage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the air vehicle is an interceptor that includes a lethality enhancement device for defeating an airborne device that is intercepted by the air vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller uses dynamic pressure, as a function of at least altitude of the air vehicle and airspeed of the air vehicle, to shift between the modes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller, in the low dynamic pressure mode, also uses the control surfaces to steer the air vehicle. ### Claim 13 A method of operating an air vehicle, the method comprising: launching the air vehicle; and after the launching, steering the interceptor both in a high dynamic pressure mode, in which the steering involves only movable control surfaces of the air vehicle to steer the air vehicle, and in a low dynamic pressure mode, in which the steering uses a vectored thrust system of the air vehicle to provide at least part of the steering of the air vehicle; wherein the steering includes shifting between the high dynamic pressure mode and the low dynamic pressure mode during flight of the air vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the shifting includes a shifting from the high dynamic pressure mode to the low dynamic pressure mode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the shifting from the high dynamic pressure mode to the low dynamic pressure mode occurs while the air vehicle is at an altitude of at least 20 kilometers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the shifting includes shifting between the high dynamic pressure mode and the low dynamic pressure mode multiple times during the flight of the air vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the thrust system is a multiple pulse rocket motor that is capable of providing multiple thrust pulses at different times; and wherein the steering in the low dynamic pressure mode includes saving at least one of the thrust pulses for use in a terminal flight portion that includes guiding the air vehicle to a target. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the target is a moving target; and wherein the guiding the air vehicle to the target includes using the at least one of the thrust pulses to maneuver the air vehicle, in the terminal flight portion, to neutralize the moving target. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the launching includes accelerating the air vehicle using the thrust system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising changing orientation of the air vehicle, using the vectored thrust system, after the launching and prior to the steering.