Patent Abstract:
Stores launch tubes and vehicles equipped with stores launch tubes are disclosed. According to a particular illustrative example, a stores launch tube includes a tube member and a flexible seal. The flexible seal couples an exterior of the tube member to a hull. The flexible seal acts as a pressure barrier against an ambient environment.

Full Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This divisional application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/701,304, filed on Jan. 31, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     GOVERNMENT RIGHTS 
     Embodiments were made with Government support under Agreement No. N00019-04-C-3146 awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command. The Government has certain rights therein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Stores, such as sonobuoys and countermeasures, can be deployed from vehicles, such as aircraft, surface ships, and submarines, in a variety of manners. As an example, to minimize loads on a sonobuoy during deployment, some aircraft launch systems are oriented such that stores are ejected at an aft swept angle to reduce incident air loads. This practice, however, can cause interference with structural members and, increase the weight of the launcher system. Therefore, launching at 90 degrees is desirable. As a further example in the case of sonobuoys, it is desirable to store a sonobuoy in its Sonobuoy Launch Container (SLC), thereby extending shelf life of the sonobuoy, and to eject the sonobuoy directly from the SLC. 
     The SLC is larger in diameter than the sonobuoy itself, and the sonobuoy rests on a bottom plate of the SLC. For store deployment from an SLC to occur, both the sonobuoy and the bottom plate must be ejected through a sonobuoy launch tube before departing an aircraft. The diameter of the sonobuoy launch tube must be large enough to accommodate the bottom plate (that has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the sonobuoy). As a result, desirable load-reducing tolerances nominally close to diameter of the sonobuoy can not be maintained, and the sonobuoy can rotate within the sonobuoy launch tube during transit. 
     These rotations occur due to airloads that laterally push on the sonobuoy as it begins to emerge from the sonobuoy launch tube at the bottom of the aircraft. For example, an airstream force is roughly proportional to an exposed portion of the store. As the buoy rotates and clearances are taken up, contact with the launch tube will occur at the aft bottom edge of the launch tube and upper leading edge of the sonobuoy, causing local shear and moment loads. A friction force also occurs at these upper and lower bearing surfaces. 
     The airloads do not keep the buoy to one side, but can cause multiple impacts to occur as the sonobuoy bangs repeatedly into the sonobuoy launch tube during exit. These impacts can possibly result in shock loading outside of levels for which the sonobuoys are qualified. 
     Some attempts have been made to deal with problems associated with loading on sonobuoys during launch. For example, sonobuoys are launched from P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft at around a 55 degree angle from vertical to avoid buoy load problems. As discussed above, use of an angled launch system can cause interference with structural members and can increase weight of the launcher system. In other air vehicles, such as the Nimrod, sonobuoys are removed from their sonobuoy launch containers and are vertically launched from smaller-diameter launch tubes. 
     The foregoing examples of related art and limitations associated therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the problems described above in the Background have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, a stores launch tube comprises a tube member and a flexible seal. The flexible seal is coupled to an exterior of the tub member such that the flexible seal couples the exterior of the tube member to full and the flexible seal acts as a pressure barrier against an ambient environment. 
     According to another aspect, a method is disclosed for ejecting a store from a vehicle. A store is received into a first end of a launch tube where the second end of the launch tube is secured by a seal to an opening in a hull of the vehicle. The store is released, causing the store to pass through the second end of the launch tube into an ambient atmosphere outside the hull. At least a portion of the launch tube moves relative to the store to reduce a load caused by relative motion of the fluids in the ambient atmosphere that apply one or more forces to the store causing the store to apply the load to the launch tube. 
     According to still another aspect, a method is disclosed for reducing an impact force imparted to a store upon being ejected from a moving vehicle. A store is launched from a stores launch system of a moving vehicle toward an ambient atmosphere outside a hull of the moving vehicle. The ambient atmosphere includes a fluid. In response to at least a portion of the store contacting the fluid, an impact force between the store and the stores launch system resulting from a force applied to at least the portion of the store contacting the fluid. 
     In addition to the exemplary embodiments and aspects described above, further embodiments and aspects will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are cross-sectional side views of exemplary embodiments of stores launch tubes; 
         FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  2 D are cross-sectional views of further exemplary embodiments of stores launch tubes; 
         FIG. 2C  is a top view of a portion of the stores launch tube of  FIG. 2B ; 
         FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  3 C,  3 D,  3 E,  3 F,  3 G, and  3 H are cross sectional top views of the exemplary stores launch tubes of  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  2 A,  2 B, and  2 D; 
         FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, and  4 C illustrate operation of an exemplary stores launch tube; 
         FIGS. 5A ,  5 B,  5 C, and  5 D illustrate exemplary load-reducing features; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of another exemplary stores launch tube; 
         FIGS. 7A ,  7 B, and  7 C illustrate vehicles that include an exemplary stores launch tube; and 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary stores launch system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Given by way of overview, in an exemplary embodiment, a stores launch tube includes an outer tube and an inner tube. The inner tube is disposed interior the outer tube and is configured to reduce load as a store exits therefrom. Thus, the exemplary stores launch tube can help reduce impact forces and bearing normal loads imparted to the store due to induced rotational moments as the store emerges from the launch tube. Details of exemplary embodiments and aspects thereof will be discussed below. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1A , a stores launch tube  10 A includes an outer tube  12  and an inner tube  14 . The inner tube  14  is disposed interior the outer tube  12  and is configured to reduce load as a store (not shown) exits therefrom. 
     The stores launch tube  10 A is a lower portion of a stores launch tube assembly that also includes an upper tube portion  18  that is attached to a stores launcher (not shown) and a normally shut gate valve  20 . The gate valve  20  is disposed toward a bottom end  22  of the upper tube portion  18 . The gate valve  20  operates in conjunction with a stores launcher (not shown) and opens to permit the store (not shown) to be ejected from an opening  24  in an outer mold line  26  of a vehicle (not shown) by the stores launcher. 
     The outer tube  12  can serve multiple functions. For example, the outer tube  12  can serve to provide backup stiffness for hung store loads which are generally higher than normal launch loads, can provide for longitudinal deflections due to vehicle deflections, and can also provide a seal for pressure loads induced by opening and closing the gate valve  20  within the tube at various altitudes. The outer tube  12  is a pressure boundary between the interior of the stores launcher and ambient environment. As such, the outer tube  12  has a thickness and is made of a material as desired for a particular application. Material selection for the outer tube  12  may also depend in part on corrosion considerations (such that dissimilar metal galvanic corrosion is mitigated). For example, when the vehicle is an aircraft and the ambient environment is air, the outer tube  12  may be made of aluminum, steel, or the like. When the vehicle is a surface ship and the ambient environment is seawater, the outer tube  12  may be made of steel or the like. When the vehicle is a submarine and the ambient environment is seawater under high pressure, the outer tube  12  may be made of steel, high-strength steel such as HY-80, titanium, or the like. 
     The outer tube  12  includes a flexible pressure seal  28 . The pressure seal  28  is located toward a lower portion  30  of the outer tube  12 . The pressure seal  28  extends around the entire periphery of the exterior of the lower portion  30  of the outer tube  12 . An exemplary, non-limiting example of the pressure seal  28  is described below. An upper portion  32  of the pressure seal  28  is attached, such as by welding, at an attachment portion  33  to the exterior of the lower portion  30  of the outer tube  12 . A lower portion  34  of the pressure seal  28  is attached, such as by welding, at an attachment portion  35  to the outer mold line  26  exterior the opening  24 . 
     An overlapping portion  36  of the upper portion  32  of the pressure seal  28  is urged against an overlapping portion  38  of the lower portion  34  of the pressure seal in sealing engagement, thereby maintaining a pressure seal and acting as a pressure barrier. The overlapping portion  36  is urged in sealing engagement against the overlapping portion  38  by a biasing portion  40  of the upper portion  32 . The overlapping portions  36  and  38  are maintained in sealing engagement with each other but are able to slide along each other. This sliding, sealing engagement maintains a pressure barrier while accommodating relative motion between the outer tube  12  and the outer mold line  26 . Such relative motion may arise due to pressure variations as the vehicle changes altitude in air or changes depth in water, or as the vehicle performs maneuvers that exert forces on the outer tube  12  or the outer mold line  26 . 
     The inner tube  14  is disposed interior the outer tube  12  and is configured to reduce load as a store (not shown) exits therefrom. In an exemplary embodiment, the inner tube  14  is able to reduce load because the inner tube  14  is made of flexible material and can flex, which distributes load over more of the buoy surface, and also reduces shock to the buoy by lengthening the duration of the restoring impulse from collision with the wall of the launch tube. Given by way of non-limiting example, the flexible material used for the inner tube  14  may include such flexible materials as an acetal homopolymer like DELRIN™, available from DuPont; a polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE) like TEFLON™, available from DuPont, or HOSTAPLON™, or CUFLON™; or a fluorocarbon such as a tetrafluroethylene (TFE) fluorocarbon like any of several formulations of RULON™. Other flexible materials may be used as desired for a particular application, provided that the flexible material provides a coefficient of friction sufficiently low enough to permit a store (not shown) to travel without binding through the inner tube  14 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the inner tube  14  may be provided as part of a unit, such as a canister  42 , that can be easily replaced. For example, the inner tube may be received within the canister  42  that has an outer casing  44  that is attachable to the outer tube  12 . The canister  42  may be made of any material as desired, such as for example aluminum, steel, or the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the casing  44  may be held in place by one or more fasteners  46  that are securely received (such as threadedly received) in an opening  48  (such as a threaded opening) in the outer tube  12 . The opening  48  may be located near the outer mold line  26  in order to provide for ease of access when installing or removing the canister  42 . 
     The inner tube  14  is attached at an attachment portion  50  to an interior of the canister  42  at an upper portion  52  of the canister  42 . In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment portion  50  is bonded to the upper portion  52  of the canister  42  with an adhesive that is appropriate for a desired application. Suitable types of adhesives depend on the type of flexible launch tube material chosen. 
     Flexing of the inner tube  14  is accommodated by an interstitial chamber  54  between the inner tube  14  and the casing  44 . The interstitial chamber provides a space through which the inner tube  14  can flex unimpeded as the store (not shown) emerges from the opening  24  and rotates due to forces exerted on the store by slipstream forces. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1B , an exemplary stores launch tube  10 B includes all of the features of the stores launch  10 A ( FIG. 1A ), but the interstitial chamber  54  optionally is at least partially filled with a soft filler material  56 , such as foam. If provided, the filler material  56  can help provide spring-like and energy dissipative qualities and/or can help reduce voids between the inner tube  14  and the outer tube  12 , depending on the mechanical properties of the filler material  56  selected. Filling the interstitial chamber  54  with the filler material  56  can enhance the function of the inner tube  14 , or not affect it at all, as desired. For example, certain types of filler material  56 , such as foam, can provide more stiffness and/or dampening to the inner tube  14 , if desired. Alternatively, other types of filler material  56  can be selected which do not affect stiffness or dampening of the inner tube  14 , but which do fill the interstitial chamber  54  at least partially so foreign objects—which could substantially affect flexing capability of the inner tube  14 —do not enter the interstitial chamber  54 . To that end, the interstitial chamber  54  need not be completely filled with the filler material  56 , if provided. The interstitial chamber  54  may be sealed sufficiently with the filler material  54  being provided just in a lower portion  58  of the interstitial chamber  54 . Alternatively, other means such a flexible membrane may be used to afford a seal between the inner tube  14  and the outer tube  12 , or between the inner tube  14  and the outer casing  44 . Like reference numbers are used to denote features of the stores launch tube  10 B in common with the stores launch tube  10 A ( FIG. 1A ), and their details need not be repeated for an understanding of the embodiment. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2A , a stores launch tube  10 C includes an outer tube  12  and an inner tube  14 . The inner tube  14  is disposed interior the outer tube  12  and is configured to reduce load as a store (not shown) exits therefrom. The stores launch tube  10 C includes many features in common with the stores launch tube  10 A ( FIG. 1A ) that are indicated by like reference numbers, and their details need not be repeated for an understanding of the embodiment. Unlike the stores launch tube  10 A ( FIG. 1A ), in the stores launch tube  10 C the inner tube  14  retained within the outer tube  12  without use of a unit such as the canister  42  ( FIG. 1A ). For example, an indexed retention ring  60  may be disposed within the inner tube  14  under an upper flange  62  of the inner tube  14 . The indexed retention ring  60  is fastened against the outer tube  12  with fasteners  64 . Fastening the indexed retention ring  60  against the outer tube  12  holds the upper flange  62  of the inner tube  14  securely against an upper flange  66  of the outer tube  12 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2B and 2C , the upper flange  62  of the inner tube  14  instead may be held securely against a lower flange  68  of the lower portion  22  of the upper tube portion  18  by a bracket  70 . The bracket  70  may include two bracket members  72  that each extend around half of the periphery of the exteriors of the flanges  62  and  68 . The bracket members are held together securely by fasteners  74 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2D , an exemplary stores launch tube  10 D includes all of the features of the stores launch  10 C ( FIG. 2A ), but the interstitial chamber  54  optionally is at least partially filled with the soft filler material  56 , as described above. As discussed above, the interstitial chamber  54  need not be completely filled with the filler material  56 , if provided. The interstitial chamber  54  may be sealed sufficiently with the filler material  54  being provided just in a lower portion  58  of the interstitial chamber  54 . Like reference numbers are used to denote features of the stores launch tube  10 D in common with the stores launch tube  10 C ( FIG. 2A ), and their details need not be repeated for an understanding of the embodiment. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3A through 3F , various embodiments of stores launch tubes may have various cross-sections, as desired for a particular application. While the outer tube  12  has been illustrated in the drawings, by way of non-limiting examples, as having either a circular cross-section or an oval cross-section, it is not intended that the outer tube  12  be limited to circular or oval cross-sections. No limitation whatsoever is intended regarding the cross-section of the outer tube  12 . Thus, the outer tube  12  can have any cross-section shape as desired that is consistent with the outer tube  12  performing its functions, such as providing backup stiffness for hung store loads which are generally higher than normal launch loads, or providing for longitudinal deflections due to vehicle deflections, or for providing a seal for pressure loads induced by opening and closing the gate valve  20  within the tube at various altitudes. With this context in mind and referring now to  FIG. 3A , the outer tube  12  and the inner tube  14  of the stores launch tube  10 A each suitably have a substantially circular cross section and each are made of one-piece construction. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3B , the outer tube  12  and the inner tube  14  of the stores launch tube  10 A each suitably have a substantially circular cross section. The outer tube  12  is made of one-piece construction. If desired, the inner tube may be made of more than one piece. To that end, the inner tube  14  can be made of sections  14 A. Given by way of non-limiting example, the sections  14 A may be multiple segments with differing properties, as desired, or portions of a tube or tubes sliced longitudinally. While two of the sections  14 A are illustrated by way of non-limiting example, the number of the sections  14 A is not intended to be limited whatsoever. Any number of the sections  14 A may be used as desired to make up the inner tube  14 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3C , the outer tube  12  and the inner tube  14  of the stores launch tube  10 A each suitably are made of one-piece construction. The inner tube  14  has a substantially circular cross section. If desired, the outer tube  12  has a substantially oval cross section. In this case, the exterior of the inner tube  14  abuts the interior of the outer tube  12 . This arrangement creates two substantially crescent-shaped interstitial chambers  54 A. Thus, a more slender (albeit slightly elongated) cross section than that illustrated in  FIG. 3A  can be obtained. Use of a substantially oval cross section for the outer tube  12  may be desired in the event of interference with structural members or other nearby systems or subsystems, or to achieve stiffness and or dampening effects limited by and/or tailored to the direction of load reduction only. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3D , the outer tube  12  suitably is made of one-piece construction and has a substantially oval cross section (as illustrated in  FIG. 3C ). The inner tube  14  has a substantially circular cross section but is made of the sections  14 A. While two of the sections  14 A are illustrated by way of non-limiting example, the number of the sections  14 A is not intended to be limited whatsoever. Any number of the sections  14 A may be used as desired to make up the inner tube  14 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3E ,  3 F,  3 G, and  3 H, the cross sections of the outer tube  12  and the inner tube  14  are the same as those illustrated in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  3 C, and  3 D, respectively. However, the interstitial chambers  54  or  54 A, as appropriate, are at least partially filled with the filler material  56 , as described above. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, and  4 C, embodiments operate as follows. As shown in  FIG. 4A , the gate valve  20  has been opened, and a store  76 , such as a countermeasure or a sonobuoy resting on a bottom plate  78  of its sonobuoy launch container (not shown), descends through the upper tube portion  18  and the stores launch tube  10 A, as shown by an arrow  80 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4B , the store  76  begins to emerge from the stores launch tube  10 A through the opening  24  at the outer mold line  26 . The bottom plate  78  (in the case of a sonobuoy that is launched from its sonobuoy launch container) falls away from store  76 . Slipstream forces, indicated by arrows  82 , cause the store  76  to begin to rotate (in a fore-aft manner) within the stores launch tube  10 A. When the store  76  has rotated sufficiently, it first contacts a lower, aft portion of the inner tube  14 , thereby resulting in a bearing stress on the store  76 . Because the inner tube  14  is made of flexible material, as described above, the inner tube  14  flexes rearwardly at lower portions of the inner tube  14  responsive to the fore-aft rotation of the store  76 . In this manner, rearward flexing of the lower portions of the inner tube  14  can help reduce bearing stress on the store  76 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4C , the store  76  continues to rotate in a fore-aft manner and the store  76  contacts an upper, forward portion of the inner tube  14 , thereby resulting in impact shock loads on the store  76 . Because the inner tube  14  is made of flexible material, as described above, the inner tube  14  can help reduce the impact shock loads. In addition, the inner tube  14  may flex forwardly at portions of the inner tube  14  near the area of impact with the store  76  responsive to the fore-aft rotation of the store  76 . In this manner, forward flexing of portions of the inner tube  14  can help reduce impact shock loads on the store  76 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C, at least one load-reducing device  84 , such as a spring, a piston, or a jet, may be disposed between the inner tube  14  and the outer tube  12 . The inner tube  14  should not be rigidly attached, but instead should be permitted to move freely, restrained only by the load reducing device  84 . A load-reducing device  84  may be disposed between an upper, forward portion of the inner tube  14  and the outer tube  12  to reduce impact shock loads on the store (not shown), and another load-reducing device  84  may be disposed between a lower, rearward portion of the inner tube  14  and the outer tube  12  (that is, at a radial position that is around 180 degrees from the load-reducing device at the upper, forward portion of the inner tube  14 ). However, as many of the load-reducing devices  84  may be provided as desired for a particular application. 
     Any type of load-reducing device may be used as desired for a particular application. Given by way of non-limiting example and without any intention of limitation, the load-reducing devices  84  may be provided in the form of springs ( FIG. 5A ), a spring-like material such as foam (not shown), pistons ( FIG. 5B ), fluid jets ( FIG. 5C ), or the like. As shown in  FIG. 5C , a source of fluid (not shown) provides the fluid to a manifold  86 . Jets  84  receive the fluid from the manifold  86 . The fluid may be selected as desired for a particular application. For example, a gas such as air or an inert gas may be used as the fluid when the vehicle is an aircraft or a surface ship or a submarine. A gaseous fluid as described above or a liquid such as water or seawater may be used as the fluid when the vehicle is a surface ship or a submarine. Use of water or seawater as the fluid would provide for quieter operation for a submarine than use of a gaseous fluid (because gas bubbles would eventually collapse due to sea pressure, thereby causing cavitation-like noise). As shown in  FIG. 5D , in another embodiment that includes the jets  84  no inner tube is necessary. In this embodiment, the outer tube  12  provides the pressure boundary and the jets  84  perform load-reduction functions of an inner tube. 
     The load-reducing devices  84  can reduce bearing stress and impact shock loads in addition to load reduction provided by the inner tube  14  when the inner tube  14  is made of a flexible material. If desired, the load-reducing devices  84  can reduce bearing stress and impact shock loads in lieu of load reduction provided by the inner tube  14  when the inner tube  14  is not made of a flexible material. In such a case, the inner tube  14  can be made of any material as desired for a particular application, such as aluminum, steel, titanium, or the like. 
     While the load-reducing devices  84  are illustrated in use with the stores launch tube  10 A, the load-reducing devices  84  can be used with any embodiment as desired. For example, the load reducing devices can be used with the stores launch tube  10 B ( FIG. 1B ) and the stores launch tube  10 D ( FIG. 2D ) when the filler material  56  ( FIGS. 1B and 2D ) does not interfere with the load-reducing devices  84 —such as when the filler material  56  serves only to seal the bottom of the interstitial chamber  54  ( FIGS. 1B and 2D ). Alternatively, the filler material  56  can serve as an enhancement to the stores launch tube  10 A by providing tailored stiffness and/or dampening. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a stores launch tube  10 E includes a tube member  88  that is configured to reduce load as a store (not shown) exits therefrom. The stores launch tube  10 E includes many features in common with the stores launch tube  10 A ( FIG. 1A ) that are indicated by like reference numbers, and their details need not be repeated for an understanding of the embodiment. Unlike the stores launch tube  10 A ( FIG. 1A ), in the stores launch tube  10 E only the tube member  88  is provided. That is, the stores launch tube  10 E need not have a separate outer tube and inner tube. Instead, the stores launch tube  10 E includes a tube member  88  that is configured to reduce load as a store exits therefrom. The flexible seal  28  is coupled to an exterior of the tube member  88  and is arranged to cooperate with the tube member  88  to act as a pressure barrier to an ambient environment. In such an exemplary embodiment, a separate outer tube and a separate inner tube are not needed, and their functions can instead be satisfied with the single tube member  88  which can perform the functions related to impact and stress loading, hung store loading, and pressure differential loading. To that end, the tube member  88  is configured to flex as a store (not shown) exits therefrom, as described above for the inner tube  14  ( FIG. 1A ), while also meeting any or all other functions previously assigned to the outer tube  12  ( FIG. 1A ), such as acting as a pressure barrier, permitting axial movement, and providing adequate stiffness for hung store loads. For example, the stores launch tube  10 E could provide both soft (load relieving) and hard (hung store) stiffness attributes if a material with nonlinear stiffness characteristics is used for the tube member  88 , or through geometric considerations in tube construction. For example, bilinear stiffness could be achieved with a soft material encased by a stiff material with a gap between them. It will be appreciated that any of the functions performed by an outer tube can alternatively be performed by a single tube with no loss of functionality. In such a case, manufacturing costs and/or ease of production may help determine which approach is more desirable in a given application. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B, and  7 C, any of the stores launch tubes described herein may be used in vehicles such as an aircraft, a surface ship, or a submarine. While not being intended to be limiting, the stores launch tube suitably is oriented substantially perpendicular to a fore-aft axis of the vehicle. However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments the stores launch tube suitably is not oriented substantially perpendicular to a fore-aft axis of the vehicle and can be oriented as desired for a particular application. As shown in  FIG. 7A , an aircraft  90  includes a fuselage  92  that defines a cabin  94  therein. A stores launching system  96 , such as a sonobuoy launching system, includes a stores launcher  98 , such as a sonobuoy launcher, provided in the cabin  94  and a load-reducing stores launch tube  100 , such as a sonobuoy launch tube, operatively coupled to the stores launcher  98  to receive therefrom a store, such as a sonobuoy, and then to eject the store. The load-reducing stores launch tube  100  suitably can include any of the exemplary stores launch tubes described above. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7B , a surface ship  102  includes a hull  104  that defines a cabin  106  therein. A stores launching system  108 , such as a sonobuoy launching system or a countermeasures launching system, includes a stores launcher  110 , such as a sonobuoy launcher or a countermeasures launcher, provided in the cabin  106  and a load-reducing stores launch tube  112 , such as a sonobuoy launch tube or a countermeasures launch tube, operatively coupled to the stores launcher  110  to receive therefrom a store, such as a sonobuoy or a countermeasure, and then to eject the store. The load-reducing stores launch tube  112  suitably can include any of the exemplary stores launch tubes described above. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7C , a submarine  114  includes a pressure hull  105  that defines a cabin  106  therein. An outer (non-pressure) hull  105 A defines an outer mold line. A stores launching system  108 , such as a sonobuoy launching system or a countermeasures launching system, includes a stores launcher  110 , such as a sonobuoy launcher or a countermeasures launcher, provided in the cabin  106  and a load-reducing stores launch tube  112 , such as a sonobuoy launch tube or a countermeasures launch tube, operatively coupled to the stores launcher  110  to receive therefrom a store, such as a sonobuoy or a countermeasure, and then to eject the store. The load reducing stores launch tube  112  suitably can include any of the exemplary stores launch tubes described above. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , the stores launching system  108  includes the stores launcher  110 . The stores launcher  110  can be any suitable, known stores launcher. Given by way of non-limiting example, the stores launcher  110  may be a rotary sonobuoy launcher as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,093,802 or a radial sonobuoy launcher as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,454, or any well-known single-load stores launcher, such as a countermeasures launcher. The stores may include a sonobuoy, a countermeasure, a smoke canister, a sound underwater signal (SUS) canister, or other type of store as desired. 
     While a number of exemplary embodiments and aspects have been illustrated and discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions, and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions, and sub-combinations as are within their scope.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1