LAU-142/A AMRAAM Vertical Eject Launcher (AVEL)
On the new F-22 the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile is carried on an EDO Corp.-built LAU-142/A pneudraulic (pneumatic and hydraulic) launcher, called an AMRAAM Vertical Eject Launcher (AVEL). The AVEL is substantial (nearly 113 pounds each) in order to minimize missile movement in the weapons bay. The AVEL, which is made mostly of aluminum, has a nine-inch stroke, and ejects the missile out of the bay at more than 25 feet per second with a force of 40 G (40 times the force of gravity) at peak acceleration. Unlike conventional missile launchers on other aircraft, the AVEL requires no pyrotechnics, and it requires less logistics support than other launchers.
Sources and Resources
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/equip/lau-142.htm
Maintained by Robert Sherman
Originally created by John Pike
Updated Saturday, January 09, 1999 10:27:01 AM
