Submunition dispenser system

Claim 2

Submunition delivery system for attacking extended area targets which comprises: an elongated housing; a plurality of sets of parallel tubes within said housing; the centerline of each of said tubes lying in a plane which is at an angle of at least about 60° to the longitudinal axis of said elongated housing; at least some of some sets of tubes oriented at different angles to the vertical than other sets of tubes; each of said tubes adapted to contain a submunition and a means of ejecting said submunition from said tube; first timing means actuating ejection means to cause said submunitions to be ejected in a selected sequence; and second timing means carried by said submunitions to actuate a flight drag means at a selected time.

Claim 3

The system according to claim 1 wherein said tubes lie in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said housing and sets of said tubes are oriented at ±45°, ±20°and 0° to the vertical.

Claim 4

The system according to claim 1 wherein said ejection means comprises pyrotechnic gas generators in spaces communicating with said tubes behind said submunitions.

Claim 5

The system according to claim 1 wherein said elongated housing makes up a portion of the forward fuselage of a cruise missile.

Claim 6

Cruise missile submunition dispenser for attacking airfields which comprises: an elongated dispenser housing which makes up a substantial portion of a forward cruise missile body; said housing having a vertical centerline when said missile is in flight; a plurality of sets of tubes within said housing, the tubes in each set oriented in a substantially contiguous, parallel, planar arrangement, the plane of each set lying approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said housing; different sets of tubes positioned at different selected angles to the housing vertical centerline; each of said tubes containing a submunition and having means to eject the submunition from the tube; each submunition comprising an explosive charge, a stabilizing device to stabilize initial flight after ejection, a main drag device and timing means to deploy said main drag device at a selected time after ejection; and control means to arm the submunitions; start the submunition timing means and initiate submunition ejection all at selected times;

Claim 7

Cruise missile submunition dispenser for attacking airfields which comprises: an elongated dispenser housing which makes up a substantial portion of a forward cruise missile body; said housing having a vertical centerline when said missile is in flight; a plurality of sets of tubes within said housing, the tubes in each set oriented in a substantially contiguous, parallel, planar arrangement, the plane of each set lying approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said housing; different sets of tubes positioned at different selected angles to the housing vertical centerline; each of said tubes containing a submunition and having means to eject the submunition from the tube; each submunition comprising an explosive charge, a stabilizing device to stabilize initial flight after ejection, a main drag device and timing means to deploy said main drag device at a selected time after ejection; and control means to arm the submunitions; start the submunition timing means and initiate submunition ejection all at selected times;

Claim 8

whereby said submunitions strike the ground in a repeating lateral impact pattern.

Claim 9

whereby said submunitions strike the ground in a repeating lateral impact pattern.

Claim 10

The dispenser according to claim 5 said submunition timing means comprises a timer carried by said submunition which actuates a flight drag means at a selected time.

Claim 11

The dispenser according to claim 5 wherein sets of tubes are oriented at ±45°, +20°, 0°, -20° and -45° to the vertical axis.

Claim 12

The dispenser according to claim 5 wherein said ejection means comprises pyrotechnic gas generators in a space communicating with said tubes behind said submunitions.