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US 6,484,641 B2Granted
Cruise missile downed airman decoy
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorPaul J. Carreiro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cruise missile, such as the Tomahawk cruise missile, is adapted to deploy decoys in an area as the missile progresses along its preprogrammed course. Each decoy is shaped to be compatible with and ejected from the Tomahawk and has a preprogrammed control unit operating a transmitter connected to an extendible antenna. False beacon signals and/or false message signals are transmitted from each of the decoys to deceive and confuse defensive forces, such as enemy searchers looking for a downed airman.
Claims17
A system for providing decoy signals comprising:
- a cruise missile having a plurality of payload module bays formed therein;
- a plurality of decoys, each decoy being positioned before deployment in one said payload module bay in said cruise missile and being ejected from said payload module bay upon deployment, each decoy comprising:
- a shell;
- a lanyard joining said shell to said cruise missile, said lanyard extending on deployment of said decoy and said lanyard having a weak point for parting said lanyard when said lanyard becomes taut upon deployment;
- a parachute joined to said shell and to said lanyard, said lanyard deploying said parachute upon extension;
- a control unit positioned inside said shell for controlling said decoy;
- a radio transmitter positioned inside said shell and joined to said control unit for providing radio signals on command from said control unit;
- and
- an antenna positioned inside said shell and joined to said radio-transmitter for transmitting decoy signals.
6 more elements
A decoy comprising:
- a protective shell sized to fit within a stowage space of a cruise missile, said shell having an antenna compartment, a parachute compartment, and a components compartment;
- a tear through cover disposed on said shell covering said parachute compartment;
- an antenna disposed in said antenna compartment;
- a parachute disposed in said parachute compartment;
- a lanyard disposed in said parachute compartment, said lanyard having a first section connected to said parachute, and a lanyard release secured to said shell, a second section extending through said tear-through cover and connectable to a closure door of the missile, and a weak point section between said first and second sections;
- an arming switch joined to said lanyard which activates on deployment of said lanyard;
- a radio transmitter disposed in said components compartment and coupled to said antenna to transmit signals therefrom;
- a control unit disposed in said components compartment and connected to said arming switch and said radio transmitter;
- and
- a battery power supply connected to said radio transmitter and said control unit, said battery power supply being disposed in said components compartment.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.