Airborne platform protection apparatus and associated system and method

Abstract

A protection apparatus adapted to protect a moving platform against an incoming threat is provided. The protection apparatus is deployed from the moving platform in a first direction toward the threat, with the threat moving in a second direction toward the moving platform at a threat velocity. The protection apparatus comprises a projectile housing. A first deployable device is operably engaged with the projectile housing, and is adapted to capture the threat upon deployment such that the protection apparatus mass is combined with the threat mass via the first deployable device. A second deployable device is operably engaged with the projectile housing, and is configured to be deployed upon the first deployable device capturing the threat. The second deployable device is further configured to decrease the velocity of the combined protection apparatus and threat masses in the second direction. Associated systems and methods are also provided.

1 . A protection apparatus adapted to protect a moving airborne platform associated therewith against an incoming threat having a mass, the protection apparatus having a mass and adapted to be deployed from the moving airborne platform in a first direction toward the threat, the threat moving in a second direction toward the moving airborne platform at a threat velocity, said protection apparatus comprising: 
 a projectile housing;    a first deployable device operably engaged with the projectile housing, the first deployable device being adapted to capture the threat upon deployment such that the protection apparatus mass is combined with the threat mass via the first deployable device; and    a second deployable device operably engaged with the projectile housing, the second deployable device being configured to be deployed upon the first deployable device capturing the threat, the second deployable device being further configured to decrease the velocity of the combined protection apparatus and threat masses in the second direction.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the first deployable device comprises one of a net structure and a decelerator structure.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the second deployable device comprises one of a parachute structure and a decelerator structure.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a deployment actuator operably engaged with one of the first and second deployable devices.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein the deployment actuator is configured to be non-explosive.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a first detector device operably engaged with the projectile housing and configured to sense a disposition of the threat with respect to the projectile housing.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6  further comprising a first controller device operably engaged with one of the first and second deployable devices, the first controller device being responsive to the first detector device to deploy the first deployable device to capture the threat and to deploy the second deployable device to slow the velocity of the combined protection apparatus and threat masses in the second direction.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the projectile housing further comprises a leading portion configured to house the second deployable device and a trailing portion configured to house the first deployable device.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a safing/arming device operably engaged with one of the first and second deployable devices, and configured to prevent deployment thereof until the protection apparatus is deployed from the moving platform.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the safing/arming device is configured to be remotely controlled.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the projectile housing is configured to be deployed by a launching device adapted to be operably engaged with the moving platform.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the launching device is further configured to deploy the projectile housing in response to a second controller device operably engaged with the launching device.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the second controller device is further configured to direct the launching device to deploy the projectile housing in response to detection of the incoming threat by a second detection device operably engaged therewith.  
   
   
       14 . A protection system adapted to protect a moving platform associated therewith against an incoming threat having a mass, said protection system comprising: 
 a launching device adapted to operably engage the moving platform; and    a protection apparatus having a mass and configured to be deployed by the launching device in a first direction toward the threat, the threat moving in a second direction toward the moving platform at a threat velocity, said protection apparatus comprising: 
 a projectile housing;  
 a first deployable device operably engaged with the projectile housing, the first deployable device being adapted to capture the threat upon deployment such that the protection apparatus mass is combined with the threat mass via the first deployable device; and  
 a second deployable device operably engaged with the projectile housing, the second deployable device being configured to be deployed upon the first deployable device capturing the threat, the second deployable device being further configured to decrease the velocity of the combined protection apparatus and threat masses in the second direction.  
   
   
   
       15 . A system according to  claim 14  wherein the first deployable device comprises one of a net structure and a decelerator structure.  
   
   
       16 . A system according to  claim 14  wherein the second deployable device comprises one of a parachute structure and a decelerator structure.  
   
   
       17 . A system according to  claim 14  further comprising a deployment actuator operably engaged with one of the first and second deployable devices.  
   
   
       18 . A system according to  claim 17  wherein the deployment actuator is configured to be non-explosive.  
   
   
       19 . A system according to  claim 14  further comprising a first detector device operably engaged with the projectile housing and configured to sense a disposition of the threat with respect to the projectile housing.  
   
   
       20 . A system according to  claim 19  further comprising a first controller device operably engaged with one of the first and second deployable devices, the first controller device being responsive to the first detector device to deploy the first deployable device to capture the threat and to deploy the second deployable device to slow the velocity of the combined protection apparatus and threat masses in the second direction.  
   
   
       21 . A system according to  claim 14  wherein the projectile housing further comprises a leading portion configured to house the second deployable device and a trailing portion configured to house the first deployable device.  
   
   
       22 . A system according to  claim 14  further comprising a safing/arming device operably engaged with one of the first and second deployable devices, and configured to prevent deployment thereof until the protection apparatus is deployed from the moving platform.  
   
   
       23 . A system according to  claim 22  wherein the safing/arming device is configured to be remotely controlled.  
   
   
       24 . A system according to  claim 14  wherein the launching device is further configured to deploy the projectile housing in response to a second controller device operably engaged with the launching device.  
   
   
       25 . A system according to  claim 24  wherein the second controller device is further configured to direct the launching device to deploy the projectile housing in response to detection of the incoming threat by a second detection device operably engaged therewith.  
   
   
       26 . A method of protecting a moving platform against an incoming threat having a mass, said method comprising: 
 deploying a protection apparatus from the moving platform in a first direction toward a threat in response to detection thereof, the threat moving in a second direction toward the moving platform at a threat velocity, the protection apparatus having a mass and comprising a projectile housing having a first and a second deployable device operably engaged therewith;    deploying the first deployable device from the projectile housing to capture the threat such that the protection apparatus mass is combined with the threat mass via the first deployable device; and    deploying the second deployable device from the projectile housing, upon the first deployable device capturing the threat, such that the second deployable device decreases the velocity of the combined protection apparatus and threat masses in the second direction.    
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein deploying the first deployable device further comprises deploying the first deployable device, comprising one of a net structure and a decelerator structure, from the projectile housing.  
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein deploying the second deployable device further comprises deploying the first deployable device, comprising one of a parachute structure and a decelerator structure, from the projectile housing.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein one of deploying the first deployable device and deploying the second deployable device further comprises deploying the one of the first and second deployable devices with a non-explosive deployment actuator operably engaged therewith.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 26  further comprising detecting a disposition of the threat with respect to the projectile housing with a first detector device operably engaged therewith.  
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 30  wherein deploying the first and second deployable devices further comprises deploying the first deployable device to capture the threat and deploying the second deployable device to slow the velocity of the combined protection apparatus and threat masses in the second direction with a first controller device operably engaged therewith in response to the first detector device.  
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein deploying the first and second deployable devices further comprises deploying the first deployable device from a trailing portion of the projectile housing and deploying the second deployable device from a leading portion of the projectile housing.  
   
   
       33 . A method according to  claim 26  further comprising preventing deployment of one of the first and second deployable devices, until the protection apparatus is deployed from the moving platform, with a safing/arming device operably engaged therewith.  
   
   
       34 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein deploying the protection apparatus further comprises deploying the protection apparatus from the moving platform with a launching device adapted to be operably engaged therewith.  
   
   
       35 . A method according to  claim 34  wherein deploying the protection apparatus further comprises deploying the protection apparatus from the moving platform with a launching device in response to a second controller device operably engaged with the launching device.  
   
   
       36 . A method according to  claim 35  wherein deploying the protection apparatus further comprises directing the launching device to deploy the protection apparatus with the second controller device in response to detection of the incoming threat by a second detection device operably engaged with the second controller device.