Reconfigurable payload systems (RPS) for aircraft and methods related thereto

• US 9,676,482 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3harris Technologies Integrated Systems LP (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hodge, Ben D., Troup, Timothy W., Cropper, Richard D., Stokes, Brandy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzell, Philip J
• Application Number:
  US14/604,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20160272319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• 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: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F

Abstract

Reconfigurable payload systems (RPS) and methods of configuring and using the same are disclosed that may be employed to enable external aircraft payloads to be rapidly interchanged or swapped out together with associated internal equipment within a given aircraft so as to modify or change payload capability of the aircraft, e.g., to meet a particular mission and/or to enable use of future payload types as they are developed. The RPS and associated methods may be implemented to allow multiple different payload systems to be swapped in and out on a given aircraft as required based on needs for a given mission.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable payload system (RPS), comprising one or more external payload attachment features mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of a fuselage of an aircraft, the one or more external payload attachment features being configured to be attached to external payload components, external fairings, or a combination thereof, where the external payload attachment features comprise at least one mounting adapter section mechanically coupled to the aircraft fuselage across the given section of the aircraft fuselage;

where the mounting adapter section includes at least one of;

one or more payload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the rail fastener locations;

or

multiple payload hardpoints having regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations provided on each payload hardpoint that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations; and

where the mounting adapter section is mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that;

the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rail of the mounting adapter section so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage with the mounting adapter positioned between the aircraft fuselage and the interchangeable external payload component and with the rails of the mounting adapter supporting the interchangeable external payload component in a position spaced apart from the aircraft fuselage, or

the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the mounting adapter section so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage with the mounting adapter positioned between the aircraft fuselage and the interchangeable external payload component and with the hard points of the mounting adapter supporting the interchangeable external payload component in a position spaced apart from the aircraft fuselage; and

comprising a RPS disconnect panel assembly mechanically attached to the interior of the aircraft.

2. The RPS of claim 1, where the mounting adapter section includes two or more parallel payload rails configured to be selectably attached to multiple different types of interchangeable external payload components, each of the payload rails being configured with multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations.

3. The RPS of claim 1, where the mounting adapter section includes multiple payload hardpoints configured to be selectably attached to multiple different types of interchangeable external payload components, each of the payload hardpoints being configured with a hardpoint fastener location and the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that the spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced.

4. The RPS of claim 1, where the mounting adapter section is mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of a bottom side of the aircraft fuselage to at least one of:

allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to the mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage with the mounting adapter positioned between the bottom side of aircraft fuselage and the interchangeable external payload component and with the rails of the mounting adapter supporting the interchangeable external payload component in a position underneath the aircraft that is spaced apart from the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage, or

allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage with the mounting adapter positioned between the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage and the interchangeable external payload component and with the hard points of the mounting adapter supporting the interchangeable external payload component in a position underneath the aircraft that is spaced apart from the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage.

5. The RPS of claim 1, where the mounting adapter section is mechanically coupled to the aircraft fuselage by fuselage fittings, the fuselage fittings being positioned between the aircraft fuselage and the mounting adapter section with the fuselage fittings supporting the mounting adapter in a position spaced apart from the aircraft fuselage.

6. The RPS of claim 1, where the external payload attachment features comprise multiple separate mounting adapter sections mechanically coupled to the aircraft fuselage in adjacent end-to-end manner to extend longitudinally across the given section of the aircraft fuselage;

where each of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includes at least one of;

one or more payload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the rail fastener locations;

or

multiple payload hardpoints that are each configured with a hardpoint fastener location with the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that the spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced and configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations; and

where the multiple mounting adapter sections are mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that;

the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rails of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage, or

the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage.

7. The RPS of claim 6, where each of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includes:

one or more payload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the rail fastener locations; and

where the multiple mounting adapter sections are mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rails of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage.

8. The RPS of claim 6, where each of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includes:

multiple payload hardpoints that are each configured with a hardpoint fastener location with the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that the spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced and configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations; and

where the multiple mounting adapter sections are mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage.

9. The RPS of claim 6, where the multiple separate mounting adapter sections are longitudinally aligned in end-to-end relation;

and where a spacing and a periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations or hard point fastener locations of the different modular mounting adapter sections is the same.

10. The RPS of claim 6, where the multiple separate mounting adapter sections are longitudinally aligned in end-to-end relation with a gap between the mounting adapter sections;

where a spacing and a periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations or hard point fastener locations of the different modular mounting adapter sections is the same; and

where the gap dimension between the sections is selected to maintain the periodicity of the rail fastener locations or hardpoint fastener locations across the multiple mounting adapter sections of the RPS.

11. The method of claim 6, where the step of providing further comprises mechanically coupling the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to the aircraft fuselage in longitudinally aligned end-to-end relation with a gap between the mounting adapter section so that a spacing and a periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations or hard point fastener locations of the different modular mounting adapter sections is the same and so that the gap dimension between the sections is selected to maintain the periodicity of the rail fastener locations or hardpoint fastener locations across the multiple mounting adapter sections.

12. A method of operating an aircraft, comprising:

providing one or more external payload attachment features mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of a fuselage of the aircraft; and

attaching external payload components, external fairings, or a combination thereof to the one or more external payload attachment features;

where the external payload attachment features comprise at least one mounting adapter section mechanically coupled to the aircraft fuselage across the given section of the aircraft fuselage, the mounting adapter section including at least one of;

one or more payload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the rail fastener locations and the method further comprising aligning the mating payload fastener locations with the rail fastener locations and attaching the mating payload fastener locations to the aligned rail fastener locations, or

multiple payload hardpoints having regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations provided on each payload hardpoint that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations and the method further comprising aligning the mating payload fastener locations with the hardpoint fastener locations and attaching the mating payload fastener locations to the aligned hardpoint fastener locations; and

where the mounting adapter section is mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that;

the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rail of the mounting adapter section so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage with the mounting adapter positioned between the aircraft fuselage and the interchangeable external payload component and with the rails of the mounting adapter supporting the interchangeable external payload component in a position spaced apart from the aircraft fuselage, or

the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the mounting adapter section so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage with the mounting adapter positioned between the aircraft fuselage and the interchangeable external payload component and with the hard points of the mounting adapter supporting the interchangeable external payload component in a position spaced apart from the aircraft fuselage; and

coupling a reconfigurable payload system disconnect panel assembly to the interior of the aircraft fuselage adjacent a location of the external payload attachment features.

13. The method of claim 12, where the mounting adapter section includes two or more parallel payload rails, each of the payload rails being configured with multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations;

and where the method further comprising selectably attaching multiple different types of interchangeable external payload components to at least a portion of the multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the payload rails.

14. The method of claim 12, where the mounting adapter section includes multiple payload hardpoints, each of the payload hardpoints being configured with a hardpoint fastener location and the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that the spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced;

and where the method further comprises selectably attaching multiple different types of interchangeable external payload components to at least portion of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of one or more interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of a first set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections that are mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of the fuselage of the aircraft by at least a portion of a defined pattern of fuselage fittings attached to the aircraft, each of the modular mounting adapter sections having a given length and being configured to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage;

then using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the one or more external payload components mechanically coupled to the first set of modular mounting adapter sections;

then removing the interchangeable external payload components from the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and removing the first set of modular mounting adapter sections from the fuselage fittings;

then using at least a portion of the same defined pattern of fuselage fittings to mechanically couple a second set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections to extend across at least a portion of the same given section of the fuselage of the aircraft, each of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections having a length and being configured to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage on the aircraft, the second set of modular mounting adapter sections including a different number of modular mounting adapter sections than the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and/or including one or more modular mounting adapter sections having a length that is different than any of the modular mounting adapter sections of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections;

then aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of one or more interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage; and

then using the same aircraft to fly a second mission with the one or more external payload components mechanically coupled to the second set of modular mounting adapter sections;

where a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is the same as a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and/or where a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is the same as a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections such that the same configuration and spacing of payload fastener location pattern that is complementary to and configured to align and mate with the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is also complementary to and configured to align and mate with the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of a first interchangeable external payload component simultaneously to multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of a set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections that are mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of the fuselage of the aircraft;

then using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the first interchangeable external payload component mechanically coupled to the set of modular mounting adapter sections.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of s interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of a first set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections that are mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of the fuselage of the aircraft by at least a portion of a defined pattern of fuselage fittings attached to the aircraft, each of the modular mounting adapter sections having a given length and being configured to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage;

then using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the one or more external payload components mechanically coupled to the first set of modular mounting adapter sections;

then removing the first set of modular mounting adapter sections from the fuselage fittings and using at least a portion of the same defined pattern of fuselage fittings to mechanically couple a second set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections to extend across at least a portion of the same given section of the fuselage of the aircraft, each of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections having a length and being configured to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage on the aircraft, the second set of modular mounting adapter sections including a different number of modular mounting adapter sections than the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and/or including one or more modular mounting adapter sections having a length that is different than any of the modular mounting adapter sections of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections;

then aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of one or more interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage; and

then using the same aircraft to fly a second mission with the mechanically coupled one or more external payload components mechanically coupled to the second set of two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections;

where a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is the same as a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and/or where a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is the same as a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections such that the same configuration and spacing of payload fastener locations that is complementary to and configured to align and mate with the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is also complementary to and configured to align and mate with the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections.

18. The method of claim 12, where the method further comprises:

providing the one or more external payload attachment features mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of a bottoms side of the fuselage of the aircraft; and

attaching external payload components, external fairings, or a combination thereof to the one or more external payload attachment features in a position underneath the aircraft;

where the external payload attachment features comprise at least one mounting adapter section mechanically coupled underneath the aircraft fuselage across a given section of the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage; and

where the mounting adapter section is mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage and the method further comprises at least one of;

aligning and simultaneously attaching the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to the mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage with the mounting adapter positioned between the bottom side of aircraft fuselage and the interchangeable external payload component and with the rails of the mounting adapter supporting the interchangeable external payload component in a position underneath the aircraft that is spaced apart from the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage, or

aligning and simultaneously attaching the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to the mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage with the mounting adapter positioned between the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage and the interchangeable external payload component and with the hard points of the mounting adapter supporting the interchangeable external payload component in a position underneath the aircraft that is spaced apart from the bottom side of the aircraft fuselage.

19. The method of claim 12, where the step of providing further comprises mechanically coupling the mounting adapter section to the fuselage fittings of the aircraft fuselage so that the fuselage fittings are positioned between the aircraft fuselage and the mounting adapter section with the fuselage fittings supporting the mounting adapter in a position spaced apart from the aircraft fuselage.

20. The method of claim 12, where the external payload attachment features comprise multiple separate mounting adapter sections mechanically coupled to the aircraft fuselage in adjacent end-to-end manner to extend longitudinally across the given section of the aircraft fuselage;

where each of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includes at least one of;

one or more payload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the rail fastener locations;

or

multiple payload hardpoints that are each configured with a hardpoint fastener location with the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that the spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced and configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations; and

where the multiple mounting adapter sections are mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that;

the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rails of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage, or

the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage; and

where the method further comprises;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage, or

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage.

21. The method of claim 20, where each of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includes one or more payload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the rail fastener locations, the multiple mounting adapter sections being mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rails of the different mounting adapter sections;

and where the method further comprises;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage.

22. The method of claim 20, where each of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includes multiple payload hardpoints that are each configured with a hardpoint fastener location with the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that the spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced and configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations, the multiple mounting adapter sections being mechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the different mounting adapter sections;

and where the method further comprises;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage.

23. The method of claim 20, where the external payload attachment features comprise multiple separate mounting adapter sections;

where the step of providing comprises mechanically coupling the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to the aircraft fuselage in adjacent end-to-end manner to extend longitudinally across the given section of the aircraft fuselage; and

where each of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includes at least one of;

one or more payload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the rail fastener locations;

or

multiple payload hardpoints having regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations provided on each payload hardpoint that are configured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations; and

where the method further comprises mechanically coupling the multiple mounting adapter sections to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that;

the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rails of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage, or

the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rails of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage.

24. The method of claim 20, where the step of providing further comprises mechanically coupling the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to the aircraft fuselage in longitudinally aligned end-to-end relation so that a spacing and a periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations or hard point fastener locations of the different modular mounting adapter sections is the same.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

selecting a first set of one or more interchangeable external payload components;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the first set of interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage, or aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the first set of interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage; and

then using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the mechanically coupled first set of one or more external payload components.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

then selecting a second and different set of one or more external payload components;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the second set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the second set of interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage, or aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the second set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the second set of interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage; and

then using the same aircraft to fly a second mission with the mechanically coupled second set of one or more external payload components after flying the first mission.

27. The method of claim 26, where the components of the second set of payload components have different dimensions and different weight than the components of the first set of payload components;

where the aircraft has a longitudinal axis; and

where each of the components of the first and second sets of payload components have the same configuration and spacing of payload fastener location pattern that is complementary to and configured to align and mate with different combinations of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to allow each of the individual payload components of each of the first and second sets of payload components to be selectably positioned and repositioned on the multiple separate mounting adapter sections in any one of multiple different longitudinal positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

then removing the first set of one or more external payload components from aircraft after flying the first mission;

aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more multiple separate mounting adapter sections mounted on a second and different aircraft to mechanically couple the first set of interchangeable external payload components to a fuselage of the second aircraft, or aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more multiple separate mounting adapter sections mounted on the second and different aircraft to mechanically couple the second set of interchangeable external payload components to the fuselage of the second aircraft; and

then using the second and different aircraft to fly a second mission with the mechanically coupled first set of one or more external payload components after flying the first mission.

29. The method of claim 28, where at least the number or length of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections mounted on the second and different aircraft is different than the number or length of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections mounted on a first aircraft of the first mission;

and where;

the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rail of the mounting adapter sections of the fuselage of each of the first and second aircraft so as to allow the same mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adapter sections of each of the first and second aircraft to mechanically couple the same interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage of each of the first and second aircraft, or

the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the mounting adapter sections of the fuselage of each of the first and second aircraft so as to allow the same mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component to align with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on the mounting adapter sections of each of the first and second aircraft to mechanically couple the same interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage of each of the first and second aircraft.