Method and apparatus for actively enhancing aircraft weapon separation

An apparatus for actively enhancing the separation of weapons having a nose from an open bay of an aircraft while in flight, comprising:

• at least one injector located ahead of the nose of the weapon;
• said injector having an outlet orifice oriented in a direction external to the aircraft;
• a source of high pressure gas in fluid communication with said injector;
• a control valve between said source and said injector for controllably directing a continuous flow of said high pressure gas through said injector away from the aircraft and into the airstream of the aircraft in flight during weapon separation.

A method for actively enhancing the separation of weapons having a nose from an open bay of an aircraft while in flight, comprising the steps of:

• providing an injector ahead of the nose of the weapon for introducing a flow of high pressure gas into the airstream of the aircraft in flight;
• providing a source of high pressure gas in fluid communication with said injector;
• extending said injector into the airstream of the aircraft in flight;
• controllably injecting a continuous flow of high pressure gas from said source into the airstream;
• and,
• terminating the flow of high pressure gas after separation of the weapon.

An apparatus for actively enhancing the separation of weapons having a nose from an open bay of an aircraft while in flight, comprising:

• at least one injector located ahead of the nose of the weapon;
• said injector having an outlet orifice directed externally to the aircraft, said injector being located in the bay of the aircraft and extensible into the airstream of the aircraft in flight;
• a source of high pressure gas in fluid communication with said injector;
• a control valve between said source and said injector for controllably directing a continuous flow of said high pressure gas through said injector into the airstream of the aircraft in flight during weapon separation.