Drone Launched Short Range Rockets

TL;DR

This paper introduces drone-launched short-range rockets (DLSRR) that are launched from high altitude and velocity, enabling cost-effective missile delivery over long distances without thermal protection requirements.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel concept of drone-launched rockets with detailed theoretical analysis and MATLAB simulations demonstrating their potential advantages.

Findings

DLSRRs can reach targets up to 442 km away.

Impact velocities of DLSRR projectiles can reach 1.88 km/s.

High-altitude launch reduces thermal protection needs.

Abstract

A concept of drone launched short range rockets (DLSRR) is presented. A drone or an aircraft rises DLSRR to a release altitude of up to 20 $km$. At the release altitude, the drone or an aircraft is moving at a velocity of up to 700 $m/s$ and a steep angle of up to 68$^o$ to the horizontal. After DLSRRs are released, their motors start firing. DLSRRs use slow burning motors to gain altitude and velocity. At the apogee of their flight DLSRRs release projectiles which fly to the target and strike it at high impact velocity. The projectiles reach a target at ranges of up to 442 $km$ and impact velocities up to 1.88 $km/s$. We show that a rocket launched at high altitude and high initial velocity does not need expensive thermal protection to survive ascent. Delivery of munitions to target by DLSRRs should be much less expensive than delivery by a conventional rocket. %% Even though delivery of munitions by bomber aircraft is even less expensive, a bomber needs to fly close to the target, while a DLSRR carrier releases the rockets from a distance of at least 200 $km$ from the target. %% All parameters of DLSRRs, and their trajectories are calculated based on theoretical (mechanical and thermodynamical) analysis and on several MatLab programs.