| 摘要 |
A carrier including one or more guide tracks, an endless positioning chain associated with each guide track for supporting a payload item, and one or more drive motors for moving the chains in unison with respect to the guide tracks to move a payload item toward an ejection station. A fairing may be mounted in association with the guide tracks. The guide tracks encircle the aircraft fuselage and are maintained under sufficient tension to apply a radial compressive force to the fuselage for securing them thereto. The guide tracks are laterally rigid but are flexible radially to conform to a range of fuselage contours when subjected to a tensile force. The guide tracks thus may be secured to different aircraft in order to temporarily transform the aircraft into a military payload carrier, with minimal modification. Following military employment, the aircraft may be refurbished for non-military usage by removal of the carrier. The carrier is particularly suited for reversibly converting an aircraft to a platform for carrying and launching one or more rockets or cruise missiles.
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