High Density Carriage Technology Innovation, High Density Carriage Rotary Racks

ABSTRACT: The current (such as the F-35) and the next (i.e. the 6th gen) generation of attack aircraft have a fundamental constraint. To achieve low radar cross-sections, they need to carry their weapons internal to the aircraft. This creates a conflict between the size and number of weapons that can be carried by the aircraft. When the F-35 bay dimensions were originally established, the F-35 was designed to carry one bomb per bay. The accuracy and lethality of new weapons being developed allows smaller weapons to destroy targets that previously required large bombs. To take advantage of these smaller weapons, Systima is proposing the use of a purpose built rotary ejection rack to carry and eject the weapons. The use of a rotary rack allows the number of weapons to be carried to be at least doubled. The rack utilizes throwaway pyrotechnically driven ejectors to eliminate the need to clean the rack between reloads and eliminate the weight and maintenance requirements of pneumatic ejection system. The rotary racks innovative design minimizes the diameter of the rack and munitions, eliminates the need for complex lug/hook retention mechanisms and utilizes MIL-STD-1901A/MIL-STD-1316 electronic controls to simply control of the rack functions. BENEFIT: The current commercial infrastructure for conventional bomb ejector racks and ejector rack cartridges is relatively well established. The key commercialization strategy that Systima is planning for the High Density Carriage, Rotary Rack System is similar to what Systima accomplished with the Common Launch Tube (CLT) system that is now the standard for all SOCOM aircraft internally carried/launched missiles. Currently Systima produces all of the CLT launch tubes Systima is planning on working closely with AFRL to develop the operating concepts, system designs and assist AFRL in refining the design requirements for High Density Carriage, Rotary Racks and working with munition suppliers to integrate their weapons onto the rack system. As suitable weapons mature, Systima will have proven systems which the match the requirements of these next generation weapons systems. Accordingly as these weapons go into production, Systima will have proven carriage release system designs and will carry these designs into production along with the weapons. Similarly, Systima will work with key aircraft providers such as Boeing, and Lockheed to integrate Systima"s technology into their systems. Size of the market for High Density Carriage Rotary Racks is relatively large. For just the F-35 market, the market, assuming two rotary racks per airplane is over 5000 units. Combined with the external variants of High Density Carriage Rotary Racks, the total market is likely over 10,000 units. As new variants are required for different payloads, the market will increase accordingly. The pacing item for commercializing this technology is the development of the next generation of smaller weapons. To some extent however, there is a little bit of a chicken and egg problem. The key technology that makes these smaller weapons tactically viable is the ability to carry more weapons. If an aircraft is only limited to carrying two weapons, it might as well carry the largest ones that fit. Correspondingly, the key to commercially viable small weapons is developing carriage systems capable of taking advantage of the small size of the weapons. The proposed High Density Carriage Rotary Rack program would go a long way towards providing the hard technical data necessary to determine the maximum number of smaller, precision guided munitions that can be carried on aircraft. Systima assumes that significant production of High Density Carriage, Rotary Racks will not likely start for approximately 10 years. While the major production of High Density Carriage, Rotary Racks may not occur for a number of years, significant work will be required (both engineering, and hardware fabrication and test) supporting these new weapon development efforts as programs build towards tactical systems.