Patent ID: 7540227

Claim:
A method for providing a defense against a ballistic missile comprising the steps of: positioning a launch tube with a cavity on one side of the launch tube in an approximately vertical position in an aircraft, wherein the launch tube has a self-erecting launch rail slide in the cavity on one side of the launch tube loading an intercepting missile in an approximately vertical position in the launch so that the intercepting missile is indexed on loading; then acquiring and tracking the ballistic missile; and then igniting the missile motor so that the rail is pulled upwardly by the missile during egress from the launch tube until the rail is stopped by a mechanical limit that also unlatches the rail from shoes attached to the missile and forcing the shoes along the remaining length of the rail until the motor clears the aircraft, whereby lateral ripping motions are prevented so that the vertically mounted intercepting missile is launched and then impacts the ballistic missile.