wings to come - air force magazine documents...n nasa photo lockheed martin would solve the ramp...

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Procurement budgets may be limited, but technologycontinues to evolve.

Lockheed Martin has proposed a research aircraft (above) based on theF-22, to be called the X-44. It would have no flaps, ailerons, rudder, orother control surfaces. Instead, the aircraft’s flight path would be con-trolled purely by the movement of two multiaxis thrust-vectoring exhaustnozzles.

WINGS TO COME

On these pages are some of the new and serious concepts being pursuedby the Pentagon, NASA, and the aerospace industry to meet emergingrequirements and take advantage of the state of the art in materials,propulsion, and aerodynamic research.

At left is Northrop Grumman’s design for a possible Future Strike Aircraft.The company is working on a one-year Defense Advanced ResearchProjects Agency contract, worth up to $2.5 million, to develop a super-sonic cruising attack airplane that produces a sonic boom less intensethan that of today’s aircraft. The research has application to futureairliners as well as to military aircraft. Current plans call for USAF tobegin work on a next-generation bomber within 15 years.

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By John A. Tirpak, Senior Editor

AIR FORCE Magazine / September 2001 83AIR FORCE Magazine / September 200182

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Procurement budgets may be limited, but technologycontinues to evolve.

Lockheed Martin has proposed a research aircraft (above) based on theF-22, to be called the X-44. It would have no flaps, ailerons, rudder, orother control surfaces. Instead, the aircraft’s flight path would be con-trolled purely by the movement of two multiaxis thrust-vectoring exhaustnozzles.

WINGS TO COME

On these pages are some of the new and serious concepts being pursuedby the Pentagon, NASA, and the aerospace industry to meet emergingrequirements and take advantage of the state of the art in materials,propulsion, and aerodynamic research.

At left is Northrop Grumman’s design for a possible Future Strike Aircraft.The company is working on a one-year Defense Advanced ResearchProjects Agency contract, worth up to $2.5 million, to develop a super-sonic cruising attack airplane that produces a sonic boom less intensethan that of today’s aircraft. The research has application to futureairliners as well as to military aircraft. Current plans call for USAF tobegin work on a next-generation bomber within 15 years.

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By John A. Tirpak, Senior Editor


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Lockheed Martin would solve the ramp space problem by making a futuretanker a biplane. The joined-wing, or box-wing, concept would allow forshorter wingspan with greater lift capability. Above, a radio-controlledmodel demonstrates that it will fly; at right, an artist’s concept of thebiplane freighter in service.

NASA is exploring the possibili-ties of a large blended-wingairplane. With a span of well over200 feet, the aircraft would haveprodigious internal volume forcarrying cargo or fuel for aerialtanking purposes. The large wingsurface would give the airplanetremendous ability to lift payloadsand carry them long distances withincreased fuel economy. However,the design would crowd otherairplanes on the ramp and thuswould require large airfields. Atfar right, the blended wing in aNASA wind tunnel; at right, as itmight appear in Air MobilityCommand service.

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Lockheed Martin would solve the ramp space problem by making a futuretanker a biplane. The joined-wing, or box-wing, concept would allow forshorter wingspan with greater lift capability. Above, a radio-controlledmodel demonstrates that it will fly; at right, an artist’s concept of thebiplane freighter in service.

NASA is exploring the possibili-ties of a large blended-wingairplane. With a span of well over200 feet, the aircraft would haveprodigious internal volume forcarrying cargo or fuel for aerialtanking purposes. The large wingsurface would give the airplanetremendous ability to lift payloadsand carry them long distances withincreased fuel economy. However,the design would crowd otherairplanes on the ramp and thuswould require large airfields. Atfar right, the blended wing in aNASA wind tunnel; at right, as itmight appear in Air MobilityCommand service.

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Scaled Composites is developing the Proteus aircraft (above) for a varietyof missions, one of which might be to serve as a regional relay platformfor communications, substituting for a satellite. The aircraft will cruisebetween 59,000 and 65,000 feet for a maximum duration of 18 hours.Other missions might include atmospheric research, reconnaissance, andlaunch of small satellites. The Proteus has a wingspan of more than 77feet, expandable to 92 feet, and a length of more than 56 feet, butweighs only as much as a midsize car.

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The US currently enjoys a mo-nopoly on fielded stealth aircraft,but other nations are looking atstealth for their next generation ofcombat airplanes. At right is aBAE Systems concept employing acranked-delta wing. Outside theUS, the UK is considered to havethe most capability in stealthdesign.

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LLockheed Martin has developed a future fighter concept (left) in whichthe pilot would be optional. One version would be an Unmanned CombatAir Vehicle for especially dangerous missions, while another variantwould have a cockpit that would be used only when there was need for apilot. A common assembly line would reduce overall costs for the fighter-size aircraft.


Scaled Composites is developing the Proteus aircraft (above) for a varietyof missions, one of which might be to serve as a regional relay platformfor communications, substituting for a satellite. The aircraft will cruisebetween 59,000 and 65,000 feet for a maximum duration of 18 hours.Other missions might include atmospheric research, reconnaissance, andlaunch of small satellites. The Proteus has a wingspan of more than 77feet, expandable to 92 feet, and a length of more than 56 feet, butweighs only as much as a midsize car.

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The US currently enjoys a mo-nopoly on fielded stealth aircraft,but other nations are looking atstealth for their next generation ofcombat airplanes. At right is aBAE Systems concept employing acranked-delta wing. Outside theUS, the UK is considered to havethe most capability in stealthdesign.

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LLockheed Martin has developed a future fighter concept (left) in whichthe pilot would be optional. One version would be an Unmanned CombatAir Vehicle for especially dangerous missions, while another variantwould have a cockpit that would be used only when there was need for apilot. A common assembly line would reduce overall costs for the fighter-size aircraft.


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NASA’s unmanned Pathfinder Plus flying wing (above) is the basisfor another possible aerial signals relay platform. The aircraft ispowered by the solar panels on its wings and is designed to stay aloftfor weeks at a time, at extremely high altitude. Designed by Aero-Vironment, it set a propeller-driven-aircraft altitude record of 80,285feet in 1998. Plans call for later versions to fly at sustained altitudes inexcess of 100,000 feet.

The Air Force has a near-term need for a Space Maneuver Vehicle thatcan be rapidly launched, perform tasks in orbit, return to Earth au-tonomously, and turn quickly for another mission. The X-40A (below) isa subscale prototype that has accomplished several low-altitude free-flight tests. The larger X-37 version will be lofted into space on a Deltarocket or on the space shuttle and will demonstrate return from orbit.The Space Operating Vehicle is the bus that would take the SMV andsmall satellites to orbit (right). Reusability and speed of turnaround arethe hallmarks of the effort.

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Bell is investigating a possibleexpanded version of its V-22Osprey tilt-rotor. Dubbed V-44,the quad tilt-rotor (at left) wouldhave the same fuselage size as aC-130 transport but would be ableto take off and land vertically,eliminating the need for a runway.The concept has appeal for specialoperations forces needing trans-port to unimproved airfields orremote locations. ■


wings to come - air force magazine documents...n nasa photo lockheed martin would solve the ramp...

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