Air-delivered monocoque submersible vehicle system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsRobert Woodall, Felipe Garcia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An air-delivered submersible vehicle system has a monocoque-construction shell made from a fiber-reinforced plastic material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastics and thermoset plastics. The shell is equipped with a wing kit so that it can be deployed from an aircraft and fly through the air to a destination at a surface of a body of water. The shell is further equipped as a submersible vehicle so that it can be propelled through the water once it has reached its water destination.
Claims20
An air-delivered submersible vehicle system, comprising:
- a monocoque-construction shell made from a fiber reinforced plastic material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastics and thermoset plastics;
- at least one door formed integrally in said shell for gaining entrance thereto;
- first means coupled to said shell for guiding said shell through the air to a destination at a surface of a body of water;
- and
- second means coupled to said shell for propelling and guiding said shell through said body of water.
An air-delivered submersible vehicle system, comprising:
- a monocoque-construction shell made from a fiber-reinforced plastic material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastics and thermoset plastics;
- a plurality of strength members embedded in said shell;
- at least one door formed integrally in said shell for gaining entrance thereto;
- a wing kit coupled to said shell for guiding said shell through the air to a destination above a surface of a body of water;
- a drag device coupled to said shell for slowing said shell descending from said destination above the surface of said body of water to a destination at the surface of said body of water;
- and
- means coupled to said shell for propelling and guiding said shell through said body of water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.