A novel electromechanical actuator for missile jet vane thrust control

Thrust vector control (TVC) methods were developed as an alternative to aerodynamic control surfaces for missiles, which suffered from poor pitch-over characteristics in launching stage. TVC system, can allow the missile to turn quickly and stably in any direction by deflecting the nozzle exhaust gas irrespective of the missile speed. A jet vane is one of such devices, used for thrust vectoring. In conventional approaches, jet vane is connected control surface through a mechanical interface such as wire and link. However, these approaches lead to angular position dependent transmission ratio. In addition, these techniques limit designer to obtain the required hybrid control ratio. In this study, a novel compact electromechanical actuator is proposed to overcome these problems. Constant or variable transmission ratio can be obtained using such actuator. Proposed solution is not only a simple and compact structure, but also being able to provide sufficient control torque for a missile's quick turn.