Variable Bomb Ejection Pressure Cartridge

The advanced capabilities of the new fifth generation aircraft, and the extreme mission planning that they enable, require an update to the legacy bomb release units (BRUs). Corvid and Harris propose development of an ejection pressure cartridge capable of providing this advanced capability by delivering the precise, on demand control of ejection force and bomb pitch rate needed to accurately and effectively launch payloads from the bomb bays of these aircraft. The pressure cartridge designed though this effort will eliminate the many maintenance, special handling, logistic, and safety issues that result the use of pyrotechnic gas generators; the power draw and weight issues associated with on board air compressors; and the cost and complexity of tapping into existing on board high-pressure lines by utilizing a high-pressure storage tank. A specially designed system will provide consistent and reliable pressure that will then be precisely controlled to deliver the desired gas flow rate to the ejector pistons. The pressure cartridge design will be prototyped, tested, and integrated onto an existing BRU platform (Harris’s existing BRU 47). Phase I tasking will include the successful demonstration of a surrogate bomb from the variable BRU system in anticipation of additional development, characterization, maturation, and integration