Abstract: An airborne missile launcher is provided which is of modular construction to carry a variety of different missiles. A main body section has top attachment points, whereby it is carried by an aircraft, and a sub-rail hanger releasably attached at its underside which sub-rail preferably has a plurality of longitudinal tracks for carrying several different types of missile. To complete the launcher body, forward and aft body sections are attached to the main body section, each of which forward and aft body sections can be selected from a number of different such sections to suit different types of missile. The launcher also includes a nitrogen bottle carried right forward in a detachable fairing, a chaff dispenser carried aft, hold-back shoes to enable missile power up prior to translation relative to the sub-rail and convex bulged sides to reduce vertical stiffness and vibrations.

Abstract: A launcher is provided for a remotely piloted aircraft that has a launch ramp mounted on a transport vehicle and a carriage which is accelerated up the ramp carrying the aircraft to be launched. The carriage is hauled along the ramp by a cable leading to and wound around a winch drum which is driven by a flywheel through an electromagnetic slipping clutch, the flywheel being first run up to speed by an electric motor coupled to it by a torque limiting coupling. A hold-back device retains the carriage at the lower end of the ramp until the cable tension has built up to a predetermined value, and a brake system decelerates and arrests the carriage at the upper end as the aircraft leaves. On a short transport vehicle, the length of the ramp can be reduced for travel either by making it telescopic or by arranging it to fold about a hinge.