Universal tube launched munitions system
View Patent ↗A universal tube launched munitions system has a launcher base having an array of a plurality of initiator stations, first and second cassettes each having a mounting facility operable for releasable connection to the launcher base, each of the cassettes having a plurality of barrels, the barrels of the first cassette been axially registered with the first quantity of the initiator stations, and the barrels of the second cassette been axially registered with a different second quantity of the initiator stations. The barrels of the first cassette may be axially registered with all of the initiator stations. The barrels of the second cassette may be axially registered with a subset of the initiator stations the barrels of the first cassette are axially registered with. The barrels of the first cassette may have a different diameter than the barrels of the second cassette.
1. A tube launched munitions system comprising:
a launcher base having an array of a plurality initiator stations;
a first cassette having a mounting facility operable for releasable connection to the launcher base;
a second cassette having a mounting facility operable for releasable connection to the launcher base;
each of the cassettes having a plurality of barrels;
the barrels of the first cassette being axially registered with a first quantity of the initiator stations when the first cassette is positioned on the base individually;
the barrels of the second cassette being axially registered with a different second quantity of the initiator stations when the second cassette is positioned on the base individually; and
wherein a center to center spacing from at least one initiator station to an adjacent initiator station is a distance smaller than a caliber of each of the barrels of the second cassette.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the barrels of the first cassette are axially registered with all of the initiator stations.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the barrels of the second cassette are axially registered with half of the initiator stations.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the barrels of the second cassette are axially registered with a subset of the initiator stations the barrels of the first cassette are axially registered with.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the barrels of the first cassette have a different diameter than each of the barrels of the second cassette.
6. The system of 1 wherein the barrels of the first cassette are arranged in an orthogonal grid and the barrels of the second cassette are arranged in a diagonal grid.
7. A tube launched munitions system comprising:
a launcher base having an array of a plurality of initiator stations;
the initiator stations being arranged in an orthogonal grid;
a cassette releasably connected to the launcher base;
the cassette having a plurality of barrels;
the barrels being axially registered with one of the group consisting of diagonally adjacent initiator stations and orthogonally adjacent initiator stations; and
wherein a center to center spacing from at least one initiator station to an orthogonally adjacent initiator station is a distance smaller than a center to center spacing from at least one barrel to a diagonally adjacent barrel.
8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of cassettes having a plurality of barrels, wherein at least one of the cassettes has barrels axially registered with diagonally adjacent initiator stations when that cassette is positioned on the base individually and at least one of the cassettes has barrels axially registered with orthogonally adjacent initiator stations when that cassette is positioned on the base individually.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein the initiator stations are arranged in a rectangular orthogonal grid.
10. The system of claim 7 wherein the initiator stations are arranged in a 2×5 orthogonal grid.
11. The system of claim 8 wherein each of the barrels of the cassette that are axially registered with diagonally adjacent initiator stations have a larger caliber than each of the barrels of the cassette that are axially registered with orthogonally adjacent initiator stations.
12. The system of claim 8 wherein the barrels of the cassette that are axially registered with diagonally adjacent initiator stations are axially registered with a subset of the initiator stations the barrels of the cassette that are axially registered with orthogonally adjacent initiator stations are axially registered with.
13. The system of claim 7 wherein the barrels have an interior bore selected from the group consisting of smooth bores and rifled bores.
14. The system of claim 7 wherein the barrels have a caliber selected from the group consisting of 40 mm and 66 mm.
15. The system of claim 7 wherein the barrels are arranged in configuration selected from the group consisting of a 2×5 orthogonal grid and a diagonal two-tiered grid of 5.
16. A tube launched munitions system comprising:
a launcher base having a plurality of initiator stations;
the initiator stations being arranged in an orthogonal grid;
a first cassette having a plurality of barrels;
the barrels of the first cassette being axially registered with diagonally adjacent initiator stations when the first cassette is positioned on the base individually;
a second cassette having a plurality of barrels;
the barrels of the second cassette being axially registered with orthogonally adjacent initiator stations when the second cassette is positioned on the base individually;
wherein the first cassette and the second cassette are interchangeable and releasably connect one at a time to the launcher base; and
wherein a center to center spacing from at least one initiator station to an adjacent initiator station is a distance smaller than a caliber of each of the barrels of the second cassette.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein the initiator stations are arranged in a rectangular orthogonal grid.
18. The system of claim 16 wherein the initiator stations are arranged in a 2×5 orthogonal grid.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the barrels of the first cassette have a larger caliber than the barrels of the second cassette.
20. The system of claim 16 wherein the barrels have an interior bore selected from the group consisting of smooth bores and rifled bores.
21. The system of claim 16 wherein the barrels of the first cassette have a caliber of 66 mm.
22. The system of claim 16 wherein the barrels of the second cassette have a caliber of 40 mm.
23. The system of claim 16 wherein the barrels of the first cassette are arranged in a diagonal two-tiered grid of 5.
24. The system of claim 16 wherein the barrels of the second cassette are arranged in a 2×5 orthogonal grid.
25. The system of claim 16 wherein the barrels of the second cassette are axially registered with a subset of the initiator stations the barrels of the first cassette are axially registered with.