Sponson tow plate-mounted helicopter armament apparatus and associated methods
OwnerPaul H. Sandersoninventor
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Abstract
External armament apparatus, including a machine gun, an associated ammunition box for supplying belted ammunition to the gun, a flare dispenser, a missile launcher or other external stores apparatus, and a forward looking infrared sensor (FLIR), is exteriorly supported on a landing gear sponson tow plate of a helicopter, adjacent a cabin area gunner's window. The external mounting of the gun and other armament apparatus frees up cabin space, permits the gunner's window to be closed with the gun in a ready position, and permits a 0.50 caliber machine gun to be used an alternative to either a 7.62 mm mini-gun or a single barrel 7.62 mm machine gun adjacent the gunner's window.
Claims5
Belted ammunition storage and feed apparatus for a machine gun, comprising:
- a belted ammunition storage box having an outlet opening;
- a booster housing removably secured to said storage box over said outlet opening and having an ammunition discharge opening, and an access opening;
- and
- a sprocketed electric drive motor structure operable to drive belted ammunition from the interior of said ammunition storage box sequentially through said outlet opening and said ammunition discharge opening, said drive motor structure being releasably latched within said booster housing and being removable therefrom and installable therein, via said access opening, without the use of a tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.