Self-powered tethered decoy for heat-seeking transport aircraft missile defense

• US 7,028,947 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2005
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan Alexander Burns
• Original Assignee: Mlho, Inc.
• Inventors: Burns, Alan Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Radi, John A
• Application Number:
  US11/089,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20060060691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 244/1.TD, 244/135.A, 244/137.4, 244/136, 102/400, 102/336, 342/13, 250/340, 250/341.6
• US Class Current: 244/1.0TD
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 7/00 Arrangements of military equipment, e.g. armaments, armament accessories, or military shielding, in aircraft; Adaptations of armament mountings for aircraft dropping bombs or the like B64D1/00; armaments or mountings therefor per se F41
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0006 Ballistically deployed systems for restraining persons or animals, e.g. ballistically deployed nets
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 2/02 Active targets transmitting infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 9/10 towed

Abstract

A low-cost airliner defense system utilizing self powered, retrievable, towed decoys against man portable heat-seeking missile (MANPAD) systems provides both high power and a large IR radiating surface area. An efficient and lightweight integrated turbine-alternator extracts sufficient electric power from an air stream directed through a small decoy deployed and towed behind an aircraft during the vulnerable phases of a flight to power a large and intense IR emitter. Unfurled IR radiator “petals” present large area arrays of rear-facing IR emitters. During the high-altitude cruise phase the radiating petals furl down folding around the retrieved decoy body as it is stowed in a streamlined housing for minimizing fuel consumption and maneuverability penalties.

Claims

1. A deployable and retrievable decoy system for protecting passenger/transport aircraft against man portable, heat seeking missiles, comprising in combination,

a) a decoy housing integrated with the aircraft having an aft deployment port;

b) a decoy structure stowable within and deployable from the decoy housing via its aft deployment port, the decoy structure including,

(i) an annular casing with an inner cylindrical core defining an annular airflow plenum having an upstream end and a downstream end;

(ii) normally unfurled radiator petals pivotally secured coaxially around the annular casing of the decoy biased for an unfurled position opening outward from the annular casing, each radiator petal structurally supporting and presenting an array of infrared radiation emitters;

(iii) a turbine-alternator means in the cylindrical core of the decoy receiving and converting air streaming through the annular airflow plenum into electrical current for electrically exciting, energizing the arrays of infrared radiation emitters presented by the radiator petals to radiate infrared radiation at peak wavelengths less than 5 microns; and

(iv) a tether coupler; and

c) a decoy deployment and retrieval mechanism including a tether connecting between the decoy housing and the tether coupler of the decoy structure for deploying, then retrieving and stowing the decoy structure back into the decoy housing, the normally unfurled radiator petals pivoting and furling around the outer annular casing of the decoy structure when stowed within the decoy housing.

2. The deployable and retrievable decoy system for protecting passenger/transport aircraft of claim 1 wherein the turbine-alternator means includes,

(a) a high-magnetic-permeability stator element structurally integrated with the inner cylindrical core of the decoy structure presenting multiple stationary stator vanes for deflecting and directing airflow through the annular airflow plenum, at least one stator vane providing a separate, low reluctance magnetic flux path,

(b) a high-magnetic-permeability rotor element mounted for spinning within the annular casing of the decoy structure presenting multiple rotor vanes intercepting airflow deflected and directed by the stator vanes, the intercepted airflow spinning the alternator rotor element with respect to the alternator stator element, at least one rotor vane providing a separate, low reluctance magnetic flux path;

(c) a magnetic field source establishing a magnetic flux in the high magnetic-permeable stator and rotor elements crossing between the stationary stator vanes and the spinning rotor vanes; and

(d) induction coils encircling low reluctance magnetic flux paths through the high-magnetic permeability stator element,

(e) electrical energy distribution means coupling between the induction coils and the infrared radiation emitters arrayed on the respective radiator petals for conducting electrical currents generated in the induction coils by variations of magnetic flux in the encircled magnetic flux paths through the high-magnetic permeability stator element induced by the spinning rotor vanes for exciting and energizing the infrared emitters to radiate the infrared radiation.

3. The deployable and retrievable decoy system for protecting passenger/transport aircraft of claim 1 or 2 wherein the decoy structure further includes:

(v) an intake nozzle cone coaxially positioned within the annular casing at the upstream end of the annular air flow plenum establishing in combination with the annular casing a converging annular airflow nozzle for compressing and accelerating airflow into the turbine-alternator means.

4. The deployable and retrievable decoy system for protecting passenger/transport aircraft of claim 1 wherein the decoy structure further includes:

(vi) a tail cone structure extending from the annular casing out the downstream end of the annular airflow plenum for;

(a) supporting distal ends of furled radiator petals, and

(b) scattering impinging infrared radiation emitted from the arrays of infrared radiation emitters presented by the unfurled radiator petals for decoying heat seeking missiles approaching the aircraft head on.

5. The deployable and retrievable decoy system for protecting passenger/transport aircraft of claim 3 wherein the decoy structure further includes:

(vii) a tail cone structure extending from the annular casing out the downstream end of the annular airflow plenum having a surface array of infrared radiation emitters energized by electrical power from the turbine-alternator means for decoying heat seeking missiles approaching the aircraft head on.

6. The deployable and retrievable decoy system for protecting passenger/transport aircraft of claim 1 wherein the tether coupler has a pair of swiveling components, one fastening coaxially onto the intake nozzle cone at its tip, the other fastening onto the tether connected to the decoy housing secured to the aircraft for allowing the decoy structure and the tether to independently rotate relative to each other.

7. The deployable and retrievable decoy system for protecting passenger/transport aircraft of claim 3 wherein the decoy structure further includes:

(viii) at least one steering vane protruding into streaming airflow when the decoy is deployed,

and further including,

e) controller means for responding to signals from the aircraft and changing the orientation of the steering vane allowing operational control of tethered positions of the deployed decoy relative to the aircraft.

8. The deployable and retrievable decoy system for protecting passenger/transport aircraft of claim 7 and further including a controller means sensing relative rotation between the pair of swiveling components of the tether coupler and moving the orientation of the steering vane responsive to the sensed rotation to counter torques rotating the decoy structure relative to the tether line.

9. The deployable and retrievable decoy system for protecting passenger/transport aircraft of claim 1 wherein the decoy structure further includes:

(ix) an impact web unfurling radially outward from around the annular casing of the decoy structure for presenting a large proximity and impact cross-section to an approaching missile.

10. The deployable and retrievable decoy system for protecting passenger/transport aircraft of claim 9 wherein the impact web unfurls radially outward from around the annular casing of the decoy structure responsive to operational command from the aircraft.

12. The deployable and retrievable decoy system of claim 1 or the method of claim 11 for protecting passenger/transport aircraft against man portable, heat seeking missiles wherein the decoy housing comprises a pod having a streamlined low wind resistance front nose secured to an exterior surface of the aircraft.

11. A method for protecting passenger/transport aircraft against man portable, heat seeking missiles, comprising the steps of:

a) providing the aircraft with a decoy housing having an aft deployment port;

c) stowing a decoy in the decoy housing, the decoy including,

(i) an annular casing with an inner cylindrical core defining an annular airflow plenum having an upstream end and a downstream end;

(ii) normally unfurled radiator petals pivotally secured coaxially around the annular casing the decoy biased for an unfurled position opening outward from the annular casing, each radiator petal structurally supporting and presenting an array of infrared radiation emitters;

(iii) a turbine-alternator means in the inner cylindrical core of the decoy for receiving and converting air streaming through the annular airflow plenum into electrical power for energizing the arrays of infrared radiation emitters presented by the radiator petals to radiate infrared radiation at peak wavelengths less than 5 microns; and

(iv) a tether coupler; and

d) connecting the decoy via the tether coupler to a tether line that is reeled into and out from the decoy housing upon an operational command from the aircraft;

and upon aircraft take off,

e) ejecting the decoy from the decoy housing at a predetermined point after lift off from an airport runway;

f) reeling out the tether line deploying the decoy aft the flying aircraft, allowing the radiator petals to unfurl outward around the decoy and the infrared radiation emitters to radiate responsive to electrical power generated by the turbine-alternator means driven by air streaming through the annular airflow plenum of the decoy;

g) reeling in the tether line preparatory to stowing the decoy at a predetermined safe altitude, positioning the upstream end of the annular airflow plenum through the decoy aft deployment port of the decoy housing for interrupting airflow into the annular air flow plenum allowing the unfurled radiator petals and presented arrays of infrared radiation emitters to cool in the air stream;

h) stowing the decoy within the decoy housing;

then upon aircraft landing,

i) ejecting the decoy from the decoy housing at a predetermined altitude on approach before landing on an airport runway;

j) reeling out the tether line deploying the decoy aft the flying aircraft, allowing the radiator petals to unfurl outward around the decoy and the infrared radiation emitters to radiate responsive to electrical power generated by the turbine-alternator means driven by air streaming through the annular airflow plenum of the decoy;

k) reeling in the tether line preparatory to stowing the decoy at a predetermined safe elevation just before touchdown, positioning the upstream end of the annular airflow plenum through the decoy aft the port of the decoy housing for interrupting airflow into the annular air flow plenum allowing the unfurled radiator petals and presented arrays of infrared radiation emitters to cool in the air stream;

l) stowing the decoy within the decoy housing.