Patent ID: 8530809

Claim:
A control actuation system (CAS) for actuating tail fins on an air-breathing missile, said missile comprising a first air inlet to draw air to a rocket motor that expels gases through an exhaust tube to propel the missile and a first streamlined inlet fairing extending aft of the first air inlet towards the tail of the missile, said CAS comprising: a first remote actuation assembly, comprising: a first motor positioned external to said exhaust tube within the first inlet fairing, said first motor rotating a drive shaft; a first input gear positioned external to said exhaust tube within the first inlet fairing, said first input gear mechanically coupled to the drive shaft to rotate the first input gear about an input axis; a first output gear positioned coincident with and mechanically coupled to a first tail fin to rotate the fin, said first output gear and first tail fin offset in a circumferential direction of the missile from said first input gear and the inlet fairing; and a first ring gear positioned around the exhaust tube to rotate in the circumferential direction of the missile, said first ring gear comprising input teeth that engage the first input gear and output teeth that engage the first output gear to rotate the output gear and remotely actuate said first tail fin.