Variable length inflatable ramp launch and recovery system

A variable length inflatable ramp launch and recovery system for a towed body, said launch and recovery system comprising:

• a tow cable winch securable to a vessel;
• a tow cable partially wound on said tow cable winch and connectable to the towed body;
• a mounting frame with a flattened plane securable to the vessel aft of said tow cable winch when said winch is secured, with said mounting frame including an angled longitudinal cradle as a second plane opposite and facing away from said flattened plane, both planes separated at a distance by a support structure;
• an air beam deployment frame with a first end hinged at said mounting frame, said deployment frame having an angled longitudinal protrusion sized to rest in said angled cradle;
• a pair of air beam winches secured on a side of said angled protrusion opposite a side facing said angled cradle and at a second end of said deployment frame;
• a pulley attached to said air beam deployment frame between said air beam winches with said pulley sized to control direction of said tow cable;
• a pair of inflatable air beams, each of said air beams partially wound at a deflated section around each of said air beam winches;
• a positioning cart having two flat sections spaced apart with each flat section parallel to each air beam and with each said flat section having a first and second plane with said first plane facing away from said mounting frame and having a rail protruding from a longitudinal axis of said first plane, with each said flat section having brackets extending perpendicular in direction from said second plane at longitudinal edges of said flat sections such that said brackets of each flat section encompass each of said air beams, each of said brackets including at least four cart wheels sized to roll on a curvature of each of said extended and inflated air beams;
• a translating arch with ends resting on each said rail with a curvature of said arch spaced away from said cart wherein said translating arch is capable sliding along said rails of said positioning carts to a deploying position;
• and
• a capture boom and swing support affixed to an underside of the curvature of said translating arch wherein said capture boom and swing support is capable of holding the tow body;
• wherein each said air beam is capable of unwinding from each said air beam winch when each said air beam is inflated to extrude into said air beam deployment frame and wherein each said air beam winch is capable of winding each said air beam to stow each said air beam when deflated;
• wherein said tow cable is wound on said tow cable winch when said extendable beams are deflated, said tow cable unwound and when said extendable beams are inflated;
• wherein said positioning cart is capable of moving to an end of said extended air beams away from said air beam winches and using said capture boom and swing support for deployment of the towed body by releasing said tow cable from the towed body.