Pressurized sonobuoy deployment system

A sonobuoy launch system comprising:

• a pressure dome having a door wherein when said door is closed said pressure dome maintains a pressure difference between a cabin pressure outside said pressure dome and an ambient pressure inside said pressure dome;
• a gate valve in a floor under said pressure dome that, when said gate valve is closed, allows said pressure difference to be reduced and allows said cabin pressure to be maintained inside said pressure dome so that said door can be opened;
• a rotary launcher inside the pressure dome that rotates a sonobuoy launch container receiver into a loading position and into which rotary launcher a sonobuoy in a sealed sonobuoy launch container is loaded while said gate valve is closed and said door is open;
• and
• a pneumatic system connected to said rotary launcher and that forces the sonobuoy from its sealed sonobuoy launch container when the gate valve is open and the door is closed.

An automated, rotary sonobuoy launch system comprising:

• a pressure shell having a door and that provides a pressure boundary between a cavity inside the pressure shell and a cabin of an aircraft outside the pressure shell wherein, when said door is closed, said pressure shell maintains a pressure difference between a cabin pressure outside said pressure shell and an ambient pressure inside said pressure shell;
• a gate valve in a floor under said pressure shell and connecting said cavity to the exterior of the aircraft wherein:
• when said door is closed and said gate valve is opened said cavity is depressurized to said ambient pressure so that said pressure difference is present across said pressure shell but not across said gate valve;
• and
• when said gate valve is closed allows said cavity to be pressurized to said cabin pressure so that said pressure difference is reduced and said door can be opened;
• and
• a rotary launcher inside said pressure shell that rotates a sonobuoy launch container receiver into a loading position for installation of a sealed sonobuoy launch container containing a sonobuoy into said rotary launcher and into a launch position above said gate valve for launching the sonobuoy from its sealed sonobuoy launch container.

A jet aircraft with integrated rotary sonobuoy launch system comprising:

• a cabin;
• storage racks in said cabin that store a plurality of sonobuoys in sonobuoy launch containers;
• at least one automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher unit in said cabin, wherein:
• said automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher unit has a door that allows loading of sonobuoys in sealed sonobuoy launch containers from said plurality of sonobuoys in sonobuoy launch containers in said storage racks;
• said automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher unit includes:
• a pressure shell that when said door is closed provides a pressure boundary between pressure in a cavity inside the pressure shell and a cabin pressure outside the pressure shell;
• a gate valve in a floor under said pressure shell and connecting said cavity to an exterior of the aircraft wherein:
• when said door is closed and said gate valve is opened said cavity is depressurized to ambient pressure outside the aircraft so that a sonobuoy can be launched;
• and when said gate valve is closed said cavity can be pressurized to said cabin pressure so that said door can be opened and said sonobuoys from said plurality of sonobuoys can be loaded;
• and
• a rotary launcher inside said pressure shell that rotates a sealed sonobuoy launch container containing a sonobuoy into a launch position above said gate valve and a launch tube leading to the exterior of the aircraft.

A modified transport aircraft comprising:

• a cabin;
• storage racks in said cabin that store a plurality of sonobuoys in sealed sonobuoy launch containers;
• a plurality of automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher units in said cabin, wherein:
• each of said automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher units has a door that allows loading of sonobuoys in sealed sonobuoy launch containers from said plurality of sonobuoys in sealed sonobuoy launch containers in said storage racks;
• each of said automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher units includes:
• a pressure shell that when said door is closed provides a pressure boundary between pressure in a cavity inside the pressure shell and a cabin pressure outside the pressure shell;
• a gate valve in a floor under said pressure shell and connecting said cavity to an exterior of the aircraft wherein:
• when said door is closed and said gate valve is opened said cavity is depressurized to ambient pressure outside the aircraft so that a sonobuoy can be launched;
• and when said gate valve is closed said cavity can be pressurized to said cabin pressure so that said door can be opened and said sonobuoys from said plurality of sonobuoys can be loaded;
• a rotary launcher inside said pressure shell that rotates a sealed sonobuoy launch container containing a sonobuoy into a launch position above said gate valve and a launch tube leading to the exterior of the aircraft;
• and
• a pneumatic system and control system connected to said plurality of automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher units so that a sonobuoy in its sealed sonobuoy launch container from each of said plurality of automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher units can be individually and selectively launched directly from its sealed sonobuoy launch container.

A method of launching sonobuoys, comprising the operations of:

• loading a rotary launcher with sonobuoys in their respective sealed sonobuoy launch containers through a door in a pressure dome;
• closing said door and opening a gate valve at a floor above a launch tube to depressurize the inside of said pressure dome;
• and
• launching a sonobuoy from its sealed sonobuoy launch container, in the process breaking a frangible seal of the sonobuoy launch container, using a pneumatic system.