Research lab experts test joined-wing demonstrator

  • Published
  • By Sue Baker
  • Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) --  Researchers here flew a 7 percent scaled Joined-Wing Technology Demonstrator for the first time Sept. 22, putting the future of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft design through its initial paces.

Air Force Research Laboratory experts designed and are developing the SensorCraft which will use sophisticated, emerging technologies to merge space, air and ground-based sensors to provide warfighters a "God's-eye" view of the joint battlespace, said Dr. Max Blair, flight director.

Lab experts said throughout the remainder of this decade, they will use the SensorCraft to investigate a wide variety of the latest sensors, communications links, air vehicle components and propulsion systems. They will consider how these tools can be incorporated into the concept of a next-generation, long-range, high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle.

When and if it finally enters service, this cutting-edge vehicle will carry an integrated mix of radar, cameras, equipment and data links, while orbiting a battlefield at 65,000 feet for 60 to 80 hours at around 350 knots; it will gather intelligence information and pass it on to supporting elements in near real-time. Experts said as technology advances, this next generation Global Hawk could have a combined air and ground moving target indicator built into an active electronically scanned array, giving it the air-to-air capability of an E-3 Sentry AWACS together with the air-to-ground function of the E-8 Joint Stars.

The SensorCraft concept will allow AFRL experts to establish how evolving technologies develop and allow them to determine if they can eventually mature the program into a viable UAV. Officials said the aim is to launch an aircraft program in about 2010, and the eventual system could enter service around 2020.

"The joined-wing design option supports the SensorCraft project because of its natural compatibility with 360-degree ISR coverage," Dr. Blair said, emphasizing that the wing will be integrated with the sensors, rendering them virtually unobstructed.

The joined-wing vehicle flew between 7 and 11 a.m. in virtually perfect weather conditions, Dr. Blair said.

"The vehicle is stable and clearly controllable on all three axes, though its pitch response is a bit sluggish due to [its] conservatively-placed forward center of mass," he said. "But we are fairly confident that the aerodynamic analysis adequately identified the aerodynamic center, and the response in roll is better than expected, thus helping us to calibrate the vehicle dynamics model. The front nose strut is not durable, but it is fail-safe."

Dr. Blair said the 25-person, part-time flight test team has proven itself worthy with the first flight of this unusual configuration. Modifications in the near future will include reconfiguring the redundant control system as well as the main landing gear and removing its additional vertical tail fin.

"This is a first step toward scaled flight research in order to validate nonlinear aeroelastic flight characteristics of (high-altitude long-endurance) concepts," he said. (Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service)