Foldable ramp for missile launchers

A naval surface ship, on deck of which a foldable ramp is mounted, the foldable ramp comprising:

• a frame for carrying and orientating one or more canisters for launching rockets or missiles;
• at least one lifting device adapted to lift a front end of the frame with respect to a launching platform on the deck;
• at least one rear support element pivotably attached to said frame and adapted to pivotably connect to the launching platform to allow rotary movement of said frame with respect to the launching platform;
• at least one front support element pivotably attached to said frame and adapted to pivotably connect to the launching platform to allow rotary movement of the frame with respect to the launching platform;
• and
• foldable locking elements in pivotal communication to each other and incorporating, respectively, an upper slot and a lower slot through both of which a locking rod slides to lock the ramp in a tilted position;
• wherein the foldable ramp is located on one side of the deck such that in an opened position, rear ends of the canisters face outside an edge of the one side of the deck and front ends of the canisters face toward the other side of the deck, and the at least one front support element is longer than the at least one rear support element, wherein the at least one front and rear support elements span a pantographic movement relative to the launching platform when the at least one lifting device lifts the front end of the frame, and
• wherein the rear ends of the canisters displace a horizontal distance (w=w1+w2) towards the edge of the one side of deck, as the at least one lifting device lifts the front end of the frame, to avoid aft flame of any launched rockets or missiles from hitting the deck.