Patent ID: 7089843

Claim:
A launcher for launching a plurality of air vehicles, the launcher comprising: a plurality of launch tubes, each launch tube for containing one of the plurality of air vehicles in a stowed condition and for launching that air vehicle; an air storage tank for storing launch air under pressure; a central air manifold operatively connected to the air storage tank; a first launch tube air manifold operatively connected to a first group of the launch tubes and operatively connected to the central air manifold, the first launch tube air manifold having a separate port corresponding to each launch tube of the first group of launch tubes; a release valve mechanism removably mounted in one of the ports of the first launch tube air manifold, the release valve mechanism controlling the passage of launch air between the first launch tube air manifold and the launch tube corresponding to the port in which the release valve mechanism is mounted; and a plurality of plugs, each of the plugs being removably mounted in one of the ports not occupied by the release valve mechanism, wherein the launch tubes corresponding to the ports in which the plugs are mounted are incapable of launching the air vehicles.