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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8066218 | Anti-missile defense suite A system and method for an aircraft (10) that provides an IR decoy (12) for an incoming missile (18) to track instead of an engine (14) of the aircraft (10) is disclosed. The IR decoy (12) is deployed during or just after ta... | 11/29/2011 |
| 8047464 | Method and apparatus for fast deploying and retrieving of towed bodies In a method and apparatus for controlling the deployment of a towline connecting a mooring craft to an ejected object comprising the steps of monitoring velocity to determine when a point for optimum braking has been achieved and then engaging a brake system to reta... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8038090 | System and method for the retrieval of a smaller unmanned aerial vehicle by a larger unmanned aerial vehicle A system and method are provided for using a first aircraft to retrieve a second aircraft. The first aircraft is typically larger than the second aircraft. A minimum airspeed of the first aircraft is typically greater than a maximum airspeed of the second aircraft. ... | 10/18/2011 |
| 7967237 | Method and apparatus for fast deploying and retrieving of towed bodies In a method and apparatus for controlling the deployment of a towline connecting a mooring craft to an ejected object comprising the steps of monitoring velocity to determine when a point for optimum braking has been achieved and then engaging a brake system to reta... | 06/28/2011 |
| 7900866 | System and methods for airborne launch and recovery of aircraft A system and methods for airborne launch and recovery of aircraft. In one embodiment the system comprises a flexible tether configured to be towed behind an airborne mother ship. A drag device is secured to a distal end of the flexible tether to generate drag and ma... | 03/08/2011 |
| 7681831 | Suspension net for airborne surveying A suspension net is provided for distributing tension forces from a tow rope to an electromagnetic bird used for geophysical surveying. The suspension net allows large transmitter loop sizes, and the net structure generally avoids rope confusions that can occur duri... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7673831 | Small unmanned air vehicle system for deploying and towing a sensor in a tow medium and methods related thereto Embodiments of the invention are directed to an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) system and a small unmanned air vehicle (SUAV) system for deploying and towing a sensor in a tow medium, and to methods related thereto. A UAV-sensor towing package comprises a fixed-wing UAV... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7648101 | Method and apparatus for fast deploying and retrieving of towed bodies In a method and apparatus for controlling the deployment of a towline connecting a mooring craft to an ejected object comprising the steps of monitoring velocity to determine when a point for optimum braking has been achieved and then engaging a brake system to reta... | 01/19/2010 |
| 7604197 | Tow cable termination A specialist tow cable termination for sustaining the tensile load when an object is towed at high speeds at the end of an cable behind an aircraft, the termination comprises a closed eye bolt attached to the cable and a U-bolt looped through the eye bolt attached t... | 10/20/2009 |
| 7520463 | Method and apparatus for fast deploying and retrieving of towed bodies In a method and apparatus for controlling the deployment of a towline connecting a mooring craft to an ejected object comprising the steps of monitoring velocity to determine when a point for optimum braking has been achieved and then engaging a brake system to reta... | 04/21/2009 |
| 7513454 | Drag-producing devices Described herein is a towed body (10) having a deployment mechanism (18, 20, 22, 28) for deploying a drag cone carried thereby. The towed body (10) comprises a body portion (12), a nose portion (14) and a tail portion (16). ... | 04/07/2009 |
| 7429016 | Method and apparatus for fast deploying and retrieving of towed bodies In a method and apparatus for controlling the deployment of a towline connecting a mooring craft to an ejected object comprising the steps of monitoring velocity to determine when a point for optimum braking has been achieved and then engaging a brake system to reta... | 09/30/2008 |
| 7404530 | Control of a drogue body A refueling drogue adapted to connect to a refueling hose extending from a refueling aircraft. The refueling drogue may include an active control system, wherein, in an exemplary embodiment, the active control system is adapted to regulate the position of the drogue... | 07/29/2008 |
| 7377468 | Active stabilization of a refueling drogue A refueling drogue adapted to connect to a refueling hose extending from a refueling aircraft. The drogue may include an active stabilization system adapted to effectively stabilize the refueling drogue via control surfaces on the refueling drogue when the refueling... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7357352 | Air vehicle assembly and an associated control system and method An air vehicle assembly and a corresponding method for launching an air vehicle assembly are provided, along with corresponding control systems and methods. The air vehicle assembly may include a plurality of air vehicles releasably joined to one another during a po... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7352929 | Rotary joint for data and power transfer A rotary joint is disclosed. The rotary joint comprise a power transfer interface for transferring power between a first portion having a first magnetic core and a second portion having a second magnetic core and rotatable relative to the first portion. The rotary j... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7343861 | Device and method for producing an infrared emission at a given wavelength An infrared emitting device produces a certain heat emission. The device has a heat source for generating a specific amount of heat for heating inert material to a given temperature and expelling this heated material to form a cloud. The heated inert material produc... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7275717 | Helicopter one-piece door An aircraft vehicle includes a body, including a front portion and a rearward tail portion, a single panel door constructed and arranged to close an access opening defined in a lower portion of the body, and a linkage between the body and the door. The linkage is co... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7182011 | Mine retrieval method and apparatus The invention relates to the field of land mines and in particular to devices and techniques for neutralising and/or retrieving land mines. Existing mine retrieval/neutralisation techniques include mechanical excavation or shaped charge attack and such techniques ar... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7154429 | Device for protecting military vehicles from infrared guided munitions A heat seeking missile decoy device mounted on a military vehicle to change the infrared signature of the military vehicle. The device is at ambient temperature when stored on the military vehicle. When a heat seeking missile is fired at the military vehicle, the de... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7137597 | In-flight refueling system, bladder device and method for preventing oscillations in in-flight refueling system components An in-flight refueling system, bladder device and method are provided for enhancing the stability of an elongate hose extending from a tanker aircraft during an in-flight refueling operation. The various embodiments of the present invention provide a compact, lightw... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7137598 | In-flight refueling system, sensor system and method for damping oscillations in in-flight refueling system components An in-flight refueling system, sensor system and method are provided for detecting and damping changes in the disposition of an elongate hose extending from a tanker aircraft during an in-flight refueling operation. The various embodiments provide a compact, lightwe... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7095221 | Doppler radar sensing system for monitoring turbine generator components The invention provides a sensing system and a method for monitoring the damage to turbine components in a turbine generator. The sensing system comprises an electromagnetic wave generator that generates an electromagnetic wave; a transmitter that transmits the gener... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7028947 | Self-powered tethered decoy for heat-seeking transport aircraft missile defense 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... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7002349 | Remote sensing electric field exploration system An airborne exploration system used with an aircraft for shallow and deep exploration for oil and gas, mineral deposits and aquifers. The survey system uses natural electromagnetic EM fields as an energy source. The exploration system includes a pair of aerodynamic ... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6977618 | Aircraft folding antenna assembly An aircraft radio antenna assembly including a mast; an omni-directional antenna connected to a first end of the mast; and a pivot and movable latch connection system at a second end of the mast. When the pivot and latch connection system is attached to an aircraft,... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6937778 | Sensor arrays having light-powered transducers A sensor array includes a plurality of sensor locations at which sensed signals are produced. A tension element holds locations at a given maximum spacing. The tension element includes an optical fiber. Light propagating on the optical fiber is applied to converters... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6932299 | Apparatus for aerial rearmament of aircraft The invention provides an apparatus for the aerial transfer of munitions from a rearming aircraft to the weapons pylon of the recipient combat aircraft. The invention also provides for the selection of munitions from a database of munitions and aircraft types in res... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6913224 | Method and system for accelerating an object A system for accelerating an object that includes a towing vehicle, a tether connected to the towing vehicle, an object having at least one airfoil connected to the tether and a controller for controlling movement of the object, wherein, the towing vehicle moves in ... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6886773 | Method and apparatus for fast deploying and retrieving of towed bodies In a method and apparatus for controlling the deployment of a towline connecting a mooring craft to an ejected object comprising the steps of monitoring velocity to determine when a point for optimum braking has been achieved and then engaging a brake system to reta... | 05/03/2005 |
| 6857596 | High speed electro-optic payout system incorporating a stationary optical terminus A system and apparatus for deployment of a decoy from a moving object, such as an aircraft, to protect the aircraft from an enemy missile. The decoy is stored in a housing mounted on the aircraft and is connected by a cable containing fiber optics and high voltage c... | 02/22/2005 |
| 6845936 | Stable heli-borne vector platform for performing geophysical measurements A stable heli-borne vector platform capable of accepting a range of different sensors or instruments, particularly, but not exclusively, for the mapping and exploration of mountainous regions is described. The platform enables the arrangement of the sensors in three... | 01/25/2005 |
| 6739232 | Towed airborne vehicle control and explosion damage assessment Device and method for controlling a towed vehicle such as a bomb damage detector towed on a tether cord behind the bomb. The towed vehicle is ejected from the bomb at a selected release point in its trajectory. A tether cord is wound on a spool and dispensed from th... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6708926 | Modular integrated self-contained cargo deployment/retrieval system The present invention relates to self contained, modular integrated deployment and retrieval system for use with an aircraft such as a helicopter. The deployment and retrieval system comprises a support frame, a winch connected to the support frame, a tow cable woun... | 03/23/2004 |
| 6662700 | Method for protecting an aircraft against a threat that utilizes an infrared sensor A method for protecting an aircraft against a threat that utilizes an infrared sensor includes providing a plurality of dispensable infrared sources transported in an infrared-source dispenser with the aircraft. A set of infrared-emitting properties of th... | 12/16/2003 |
| 6454212 | Aerial refueling hose reel drive controlled by a variable displacement hydraulic motor and method for controlling aerial refueling hose reel The invention is a variable displacement hydraulic motor-controlled hose reel drive system. The system includes a variable displacement hydraulic motor, having an electro-hydraulic control valve; a tachometer/position sensor; a reaction torque sensor; and... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6422506 | Towed airborne array system A towed airborne array system has a balloon that supports appropriate instrumentation packages overhead and is tethered to a towing ship to improve line-of-sight sensing and communication capabilities to up to about 100 nautical miles. These improved capa... | 07/23/2002 |
| 6244534 | Airborne electromagnetic system A towed aircraft for use in an airborne electromagnetic geophysical prospecting system which includes a transmitting antenna and power generating means for powering the antenna. A bird to which is mounted a receiving antenna may be towed by the towed airc... | 06/12/2001 |
| 6199793 | System for deployment and retrieval of airborne towed vehicles 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... | 03/13/2001 |
| 6116606 | High speed glide target A glide target comprising a fuselage having forward and aft ends. Movably attached to the fuselage is at least one control surface, while releasably attached to the fuselage is a tow line adaptor. Disposed within the fuselage is a tow line adaptor release... | 09/12/2000 |
