System for deployment and retrieval of airborne towed vehicles

Details System for deployment and retrieval of airborne towed vehicles System for deployment and retrieval of airborne towed vehicles

1999-06-11

2001-03-13

Eldred, J. Woodrow (Department: 3644)

Aeronautics and astronautics

Miscellaneous

C244S137400

Reexamination Certificate

active

06199793

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to airborne towed vehicles and, more particularly, to a helicopter mounted system for the deployment and retrieval of airborne towed vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Mines and similar water submersed explosive devices can cause significant damage to naval vessels, not to mention harm and/or death to personnel on such vessels. One of the methods currently employed to detect and destroy submersed mines is by dragging a towed vehicle over the area of concern. The towed vehicle is submersed behind an aircraft and includes electrical circuitry for detecting and destroying submersed mines. Raytheon Corporation makes an AQ-S20 towed vehicle which is submersible and controlled via fiber optics embedded into a tow cable. Typically, the towed vehicle is hauled behind a helicopter during an Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM) mission. The importance of the AMCM mission was highlighted during the Persian Gulf War when three US Navy warships struck World War I era mines, causing significant damage to the ships and nearly sinking one.
Currently, the AMCM towing mission is performed using a Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation S-65 series aircraft, particularly, the US Navy MH-53E and the Japan Naval Defense Force S-80M. These aircraft are very large and include an interior cabin with a retractable ramp. An airborne towed vehicle is retained within the cabin until deployment. The towed vehicle is stored in a cradle which can be moved fore and aft in the cabin. When it is desired to deploy the towed vehicle, the cradle is moved to the rear ramp. An A-frame assembly mounted to the aircraft above the ramp is used to lift the towed vehicle from the cradle. The cradle is then moved away and the ramp is lowered to a vertical position, clearing the area beneath the suspended towed vehicle. The towed vehicle is then lowered into the water using a cabin mounted winch. The cable that supports the towed vehicle includes a tow ball which is designed to engage with a hook formed on a tow boom mounted to the helicopter. This allows the tow boom and helicopter to support the towing loads and unload the winch. The operation is reversed to recover and stow the vehicle.
Due to the large size of the S-65 aircraft used in the AMCM mission, these aircraft are only compatible with large naval vessels, such as helicopter/aircraft carriers. To meet the diverse needs of the Navy, the United States military currently maintains forces that are dedicated to performing the AMCM mission. These forces are deployed to areas of concern on an as-needed basis. Accordingly. deployed naval forces must wait until the AMCM forces to arrive, detect and clear the area of mines.
A need therefore exists for a more versatile airborne towed vehicle deployment and retrieval system that can be used with smaller aircraft which are more readily available to the naval forces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a towed vehicle deployment and retrieval system for attachment to an aircraft. The system includes a pylon support that is designed to mount to an aircraft and project outward therefrom. A stores pylon is mounted to the pylon support. The stores pylon has at least one swaybrace reciprocally attached to it for removably engaging with a towed vehicle.
The system also includes a winch that is configured for mounting within the aircraft. The winch controls the feeding and retrieval of a winch cable that is attached to the towed vehicle.
A tow cable is removably attached to the aircraft and is engaged with the winch cable using a tow pole such that the tow cable fully supports the towed vehicle when the towed vehicle is in the towing position.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying figures.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4890751 (1990-01-01), Opdahl
patent: 5494240 (1996-02-01), Waugh
patent: 5762297 (1998-06-01), Ascherin et al.
patent: 5904323 (1999-05-01), Jakubowski, Jr. et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

System for deployment and retrieval of airborne towed vehicles does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with System for deployment and retrieval of airborne towed vehicles, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System for deployment and retrieval of airborne towed vehicles will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2448752