Patent ID: 7874251

Claim:
A projectile capable of operating in a cavity-running mode, the projectile comprising: a body; a nose that depends from the body, wherein the nose comprises a plurality of nesting segments, one or more of which serve as a cavitator, wherein each segment has a diameter that is different from a diameter of other of the segments, and wherein the nose has a diameter that is defined by segments that serve as the cavitator; a drive line, wherein the segments are operatively coupled to the drive line; an actuator, wherein the actuator is operatively coupled to the drive line and is capable of moving the drive line in a manner that causes one or more of the segments to retract or extend from an initial position; at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor obtains data selected from the group consisting of data that is related to the velocity of the projectile and data that is related to the depth of the projectile under water, and further wherein the at least one sensor generates a first signal indicative of the data; and a processor, wherein the processor receives the first signal and, based thereon, determines a desired overall nose diameter and generates a second signal that directs the actuator to move the drive line to achieve the desired overall nose diameter by changing the segments that serve as the cavitator.