Anti-submarine warfare UAV and method of use thereof

• US 6,409,122 B1
• Filed: 01/17/2001
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Nicolai, Leland M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAKEL, KEVIN W
• Application Number:
  US09/761,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20020092949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 244/105, 244/106, 244/137.3, 244/137.4, 244/138, 244/1.R, 244/13, 114/21.2, 114/312, 114/316, 114/317, 114/318
• US Class Current: 244/106
• CPC Class Codes: B60V 1/08 wherein the cushion is created during forward movement of the vehicle by ram effect
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 35/005 with propellers, rudders or brakes acting in the water
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/20 Vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft flying platforms B64U10/13; helicopters B64U10/17
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/18 for dropping bombs; for firing ammunition
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/297 Tilting rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/12 using turbine engines, e.g. turbojets or turbofans
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/15 using combustion exhausts other than turbojets or turbofans, e.g. using rockets, ramjets, scramjets or pulse-reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/10 specially adapted for use on water
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/60 Take-off or landing of UAVs from a runway using their own power
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/84 Waterborne vehicles

Abstract

An anti-submarine warfare system includes an unmanned “sea-sitting” aircraft housing submarine detecting equipment, the aircraft including a body portion having a catamaran configuration adapted for stably supporting the body portion when sitting in water, the body portion including a fuselage and laterally disposed sponsons connected to the fuselage via platforms, and submarine detecting equipment housed within the fuselage and adapted to be electronically linked to sonobuoys disposed in adjacent water locations.

Claims

1. An unmanned anti-submarine warfare aircraft, comprising:

a body portion having a catamaran configuration adapted for stably supporting said body portion when sitting in water, said body portion including a fuselage and laterally disposed sponsons connected to said fuselage via platforms, said sponsons being deployable from said fuselage while said aircraft is airborne over a predetermined target location, said sponsons being further deployable from said fuselage while said aircraft is sitting in the water, and submarine detecting equipment housed within said fuselage and adapted to be linked to sonobuoys disposed in adjacent water locations.

2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein said fuselage further includes propulsion apparatus housed therein, and said sponsons each house torpedo tubes for launching torpedo armament when an enemy submarine or other object is detected.

3. The aircraft of claim 2, wherein power for said detecting equipment is derived from solar collecting devices supported by said fuselage or said laterally extending platforms.

4. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein power for said detecting equipment is derived from on board APU and batteries.

5. The aircraft of claim 2, wherein said armament may be deployed upon command from a host ship or aircraft.

6. The aircraft of claim 2, wherein said detecting equipment may be deployed, activated or deactivated by command from a host ship.

7. The aircraft of claim 2, wherein said aircraft may autonomously activate and deactivate said armament and said detecting equipment.

8. An anti-submarine warfare system, comprising:

a host ship having a manned control center, unmanned aircraft housing submarine detecting equipment, said aircraft capable of flying ahead of said host ship to a predetermined location where detection functions are to be performed by said aircraft, and armament deployable from said unmanned aircraft upon detection of enemy submarines or enemy objects.

9. An anti-submarine warfare system, comprising:

an unmanned sea sitting aircraft housing submarine detecting equipment, said aircraft including a body portion having a catamaran configuration adapted for stably supporting said body portion when sitting in water, said body portion including a fuselage and laterally disposed sponsons connected to said fuselage via platforms, and submarine detecting equipment housed within said fuselage and adapted to be electronically linked to sonobuoys disposed in adjacent water locations.