Abstract: A beam-riding missile (10) has a freely rotating control portion (11) forming its nose and carrying a pair of fixed ailerons (13) and a pair of fixed elevators (14). Detecting means (not shown) gather information indicative of the location of the missile in the beam and steering logic circuitry (not shown) provides signals to a clutch (18) which interfers with the free rotation of the nose in such a way that the elevators are effective to maintain the chosen flight path. The clutch can be electromagnetic, piezo-electric or function on the Johnson-Raebeck effect. The combination of fixed control surfaces and steering by a single actuator leads to the possibility of useful reductions in the size, weight and complexity of the missile.

Abstract: Daughter missiles 11 are catapulted forward from a mother missile 10 when a rocket motor 12 of the mother no longer accelerates the missiles. A catapult force generated at a piston head 43 by the pressure of gas from the rocket motor on rearward facing surfaces 26 of the daughters is large enough to shear pins 34 holding the daughters to the mother, but only when the forces of reaction of the daughters 11 on the piston 43, due to acceleration, have fallen off. Preferably the daughters are thrown outwardly at release, most preferably by axial spinning of the structure of the mother to which they are mounted.