A flight kit that can be retrofitted to existing navy sonobuoys. The
preferred embodiment gives sonobuoys the capability of self-deployment,
allowing them to be sent to a location remotely without the use of manned
aircraft or recoverable unmanned air vehicles. This capability is
advantageous in instances where it is desired to place a sonobuoy in an
area hostile or hazardous to manned aircraft. The preferred embodiment is
an attachment of a GPS navigation and control system, wings, control
surfaces, and a propulsion system, onto a naval size-A sonobuoy, using
the sonobuoy as the central structural load-bearing component of the
assembly. The invention navigates from a launch point on a ship to a
designated position, where the sonobuoy separates from the invention,
using the wings' aerodynamic forces to mechanically assist in separating
the sonobuoy from the flight kit. The sonobuoy and the flight kit enter
the water separately to ensure no interference with the sonobuoy.