Guided missile

Abstract

A missile ( 10 ) comprising a projectile body ( 20 ), a payload ( 60 ) contained within the nose portion ( 30 ), wings ( 70 ) stowed within the mid portion ( 40 ), and fins ( 80 ) stored within the tail portion ( 50 ). The wings ( 70 ) can be deployed during intermediate stages of the flight path when lift is advantageous, and re-stowed during terminal stages when an almost vertical angle-of-attack is desired. The fins ( 80 ) function as stabilizing components during the early ballistic stage of the flight path and function as guiding components thereafter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A missile comprising:
 a projectile body having a fore-aft axis and comprising a nose portion, and a mid portion aft of the nose portion, and a tail portion aft of the mid portion;   a bearing coupler within the projectile body allowing at least a part of the tail portion to rotate freely relative to the mid portion about the fore-aft axis;   a clutch within the projectile body that engages/disengages to selectively allow/prevent rotation of the at least part of the tail portion;   wings, stowed within pockets in the mid portion, that extend to deployed positions outside of the projectile body; and   fins stored within slots in the at least part of the tail portion, wherein the fins are biased to extend radially outward in roll-stabilizing orientations.   
     
     
         2 . A missile as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 further comprising a controller;   wherein the controller is programmed to control the clutch to prevent tail rotation upon reaching a fin-guiding stage of the flight path.   
     
     
         3 . A missile as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 further comprising a controller;   wherein the controller is programmed to control a deployer to deploy the wings upon reaching a wing-deploying stage of the flight path.   
     
     
         4 . A missile as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the controller is programmed to control the deployer to return the wings to the pockets upon reaching a large angle-of-attack stage of the flight path. 
     
     
         5 . A missile as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the controller is programmed to control a deflector to deflect the fins in different angular alignments whereat their leading edges are in direction-controlling orientations. 
     
     
         6 . A missile as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the tip-to-tip span of the wings is greater than the tail span of the fins. 
     
     
         7 . A missile as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the tip-to-tip span of the wings is at least 50% greater than the tail span of the fins. 
     
     
         8 . A missile as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the projectile body has a diameter of less than 160 mm and a length less than 3 m. 
     
     
         9 . A missile as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 further comprising an obturator on an aft end of the fuselage;   wherein the obturator protects the fins during launch of the missile.   
     
     
         10 . A missile as set forth in  claim 1 ,
 further comprising a deployer, within the mid portion, that selectively deploys the wings from the pockets to deployed positions.   
     
     
         11 . A missile as set forth in  claim 10 ,
 wherein the deployer includes a rod;   wherein the wings each include an arm having one end connected to the airfoil and another end pivotally connected to the rod; and   wherein the wings pivot in an aft direction when moving from the pockets to their deployed positions.   
     
     
         12 . A missile as set forth in  claim 10 ,
 wherein the deployer includes a rod;   wherein the wings each include an arm having one end connected to the airfoil and another end pivotally connected to the rod; and   wherein the wings pivot in a fore direction when moving from the pockets to their deployed positions.   
     
     
         13 . A missile as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a deflector that deflects the fins from their roll-stabilizing orientations to angularly align their leading edges relative to the aft-fore axis in direction-controlling orientations. 
     
     
         14 . A method of missile flight, the method comprising:
 launching a missile from a launch unit;   deploying fins of the missile;   during an initial roll-stabilized flight regime, allowing free rotation of a tail of the missile that includes the fins; and   after the roll-stabilized flight regime, engaging a clutch of the missile to prevent tail rotation.   
     
     
         15 . A method as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising deploying wings of the missile during flight. 
     
     
         16 . A method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the deploying the wings occurs after the beginning of the roll-stabilized flight regime, and before the conclusion of the roll-stabilized flight regime. 
     
     
         17 . A method as set forth in  claim 15 , further comprising, after the deploying the wings, stowing the wings while the missile is still in flight. 
     
     
         18 . A method as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising deflecting leading edges of the fins using a deflector of the missile. 
     
     
         19 . A method as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the deflecting includes deflecting the leading edges in order to change course of the missile. 
     
     
         20 . A missile comprising:
 a projectile body having a fore-aft axis and comprising a nose portion, and a mid portion aft of the nose portion, and a tail portion aft of the mid portion;   a bearing coupler within the projectile body allowing at least a part of the tail portion to rotate freely relative to the mid portion about the fore-aft axis;   a clutch within the projectile body that engages/disengages to selectively allow/prevent tail rotation; wings, stowed within pockets in the mid portion, each having an airfoil and a leading edge;   a deployer, within the mid portion, that selectively deploys the wings from the pockets to deployed positions whereat their leading edges extend radially outward from the aft-fore axis in lift-imparting orientations;   fins stored within slots the tail portion and biased to extend radially outward from the aft-fore axis with their leading edges in roll-stabilizing orientations; an obturator maintaining the fins within the slots; and   a deflector that deflects the fins from their roll-stabilizing orientations to angularly align their leading edges relative to the aft-fore axis in direction-controlling orientations.