6-INCH INTEGRATED AERO/THRUST VECTOR CONTROL (TVC)

THRUSTVECTOR CONTROL (IATVC) SYSTEM FOR A 6 INCH DIAMETER TAIL CONTROL MISSILE. THE END RESULT OF THIS EFFORT WILL BE A STATE-OF-THE-ART CONTROL ACTUATION SYSTEM WITH THE ASSOCIATED MECHANISMS NEEDEDFOR COMBINED TVC AND FIN AXIS CONTROL. SUCH A SYSTEM WILL GREATLYENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE AND AGILITY OF SMALL DIAMETER AIR TO AIR MISSILES (5-6 INCHES). AN IATVC SYSTEM DOES NOT PRESENTLY EXIST IN THE U.S. INVENTORY. THIS EFFORT WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED IN PART BY SCALING OUR PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED 8 INCH IATVC SYSTEM TO 6 INCHES. SEVERAL INNOVATIVE FEATURES WILL BE INCORPORATED IN THE DESIGN. * A YOKE LINKAGE DESIGN WHICH PROVIDES A HIGH GEAR RATIO IN A SMALL VOLUME. * AUNIQUE BRUSHLESS MOTOR WHICH HAS AN EXTREMELY HIGH TORQUE TO INERTIARATIO. *USE OF STANDARD MATERIALS AND PROCESSES WHICH KEEP PRODUCTION COSTS DOWN. A TWO PHASE APPROACH WILL BE USED TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS OF THIS PROGRAM. THE PHASE I OBJECTIVES ARE TWOFOLD: * IRIVESTIGATION OF THE DIFFERENT APPROACHES AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE MOST PROMISING SOLUTION. * MECHANICAL LAYOUT OF AN ACTUATION SYSTEM USINGTHE BASELINED APPROACH. COMPLETION OF PHASE I WILL PROVIDE A SOUND BASIS FOR PHASE II OF THE PROGRAM. THE PHASE II OBJECTIVES ARE AS FOLLOWS: * REFINEMENT OF THE DESIGN FOR OVERALL SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION. * FABRICATION OF AN ACTUAL FULL SCALE IATVC SYSTEM.