1. A system comprising:
an an elevation drive that is operatively coupled at a first end thereof to the interior of a cell of a vertical-launching-system; anda munitions adapter that is operatively coupled to a second end of the elevation drive, wherein the munitions adapter comprises a munition-frame structure that removably receives a munition that is a non-vertical-launch munition;wherein the system is operable to
(i) deploy the munition-frame structure from within the cell of the vertical-launching system to a position that is above a hatchway at the top of the cell, and
(ii) pivot the munition-frame structure between an upward orientation and a non-vertical orientation, and
(iii) launch the munition from the non-vertical orientation, and
(iv) stow the munitions adapter in the upward orientation within the cell of the vertical-launching system, wherein the upward orientation is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cell; andwherein the system is adapted, arranged, and dimensioned to fit within the interior of the cell of the vertical-launching-system.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein
the vertical-launching-system is ship-borne and installed below- deck, and wherein the position that is above the hatchway of the cell is above-deck.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein
the system is operable to perform at least one of the deploy, pivot, and stow operations whether the munitions adapter is equipped with the munition or not equipped with the munition.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein
the munition-frame structure is releasable from the system to receive the munition.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein
the non-vertical orientation is perpendicular to the upward orientation.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein
the munition is one of a plurality of non-vertical-launch munitions, and wherein the munition-frame structure is adapted and dimensioned to removably receive the plurality of non-vertical-launch munitions.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein
the system is operable to launch the plurality of non-vertical-launch munitions from one or more non-vertical orientations.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein
the vertical-launching-system is a modular below-deck multi-missile launching system.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein
the vertical-launching-system comprises a plurality of cells.
10. The system of claim 1 further comprising: a shell structure, wherein: the elevation drive and the munitions adapter are disposed within the shell structure, andthe shell structure is dimensioned to fit within the cell of the vertical-launching system.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein the the system is operable to launch the non-vertical-launch munition from the vertical-launching-system.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is further adapted, arranged, and dimensioned to operate with an adaptable-launching-system that is installed in the cell of the vertical-launching-system.
13. A system comprising : a vertical-launching-system ; an elevation drive that is operatively coupled at a first end thereof to the interior of a cell of the vertical-launching-system ; and a munitions adapter that is operatively coupled to a second end of the elevation drive, wherein the munitions adapter comprises a munition-frame structure that removably receives a munition that is a non-vertical-launch munition ;
wherein the system is operable to
(i) deploy the munition frame structure from within the cell of the vertical-launching system to a position that is above a hatchway at the top of the cell, and
(ii) pivot the munition frame structure between an upward orientation and a non-vertical orientation, and
(iii) launch the munition from the non-vertical orientation, and
(iv) stow the munitions adapter in the upward orientation within the cell of the vertical-launching system, wherein the upward orientation is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cell; andwherein the
(i) elevation drive and
(ii) the munitions adapter are adapted, arranged, and dimensioned to fit within the interior of the cell of the vertical launching system.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the system is operable to perform at least one of the deploy, pivot, and stow operations whether the munitions adapter is equipped with the munition or not equipped with the munition.
15. The system of claim 13 further comprising: an adaptable-launching-system that comprises a shell structure, wherein the elevation drive and the munitions adapter are disposed within the shell structure, and wherein the adaptable-launching-system is disposed within the cell of the vertical-launching system.
16. The system of claim 13 wherein the vertical-launching-system is a modular below-deck multi-missile launching system.
17. The system of claim 13 wherein the system is ship-borne and installed below-deck, and wherein the position that is above the hatchway of the cell is above-deck.
18. A method comprising: receiving, by a launcher, from a weapons system that is associated with a vertical-launching-system, a command to launch a munition that is a non-vertical-launch munition, wherein the launcher is disposed in a cell of the vertical-launching-system;deploying from the cell of the vertical-launching-system, to a position above a hatchway at the top of the cell, a munition-frame structure that removably receives the munition;pivoting, by the launcher, the munition-frame structure between an upward orientation and a non-vertical orientation, wherein the upward orientation is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cell of the vertical-launching-system; andlaunching the munition from the non-vertical orientation towards a launch direction.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising: stowing the munitions adapter in the upward orientation within the cell of the vertical-launching-system, wherein the stowing operation occurs whether the munitions adapter is equipped with the munition or not equipped with the munition.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the stowing of the munitions adapter comprises pivoting the munitions adapter to the upward orientation.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein at least one of the receiving, deploying, and pivoting operations occurs whether the munitions adapter is equipped with the munition or not equipped with the munition. 22. The method of claim 18 wherein the vertical-launching-system is ship-borne and installed below-deck, and wherein the position that is above the hatchway of the cell is above-deck.
A system and method for launching non-vertical launch munitions with a non-vertical launch trajectory from a launcher that is operationally coupled to a vertical launching system (VLS).
The inventors of the present invention recognized that munitions that are unsuitable for vertical launches were unavailable for use with vertical launching systems,
thus foreclosing important defense, attack, and cost-savings opportunities for VLS-equipped platforms.
A VLS could be substantially more versatile if it accommodated munitions such as torpedoes, counter-measures, direct-fire munitions, point-and-shoot munitions, and a variety of other missiles and equipment.
The launcher according to the present invention is also stowable in an upward orientation within a cell of the host vertical launching system.