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Future Air Force Needs for Survivability (2006) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Pages 1-8

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From page 1...
... In Chapter 3, it assesses the technical feasibility of achieving various levels of stealth at subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic speeds by 2018, including consideration of specific aircraft subcomponent technologies (airframe, 1The capability to avoid or withstand a man-made hostile environment.
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From page 2...
... Concept of Operations (CONOPS) in high-threat environments determines survivability requirements for the long-range strike system and other systems because it simultaneously stresses range, signature reduction, persistence, timeliness, and payload characteristics.
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From page 3...
... Air Force should develop and exploit technologies to enable efficient airframe and propulsion operation at both subsonic and supersonic speeds, and at medium and high altitudes, with appropriate levels of signature reduction to enhance survivability against plausible future threats. Finding 2: The USAF has not completely investigated the combinations of speed, stealth, situation awareness (SA)
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From page 4...
... Subsonic, supersonic dash, and supersonic cruise, all with appropriate stealth treatments for consistently high levels of survivability, are feasible with increased funding in a few areas. The committee found reasonable consensus on stealth capability achievable at speeds ranging from subsonic to hypersonic.
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From page 5...
... Finding 4: The design balance of speed and stealth will depend on the quality of available friendly and adversary situation awareness. SA has a very significant potential to improve vehicle survivability.
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From page 6...
... Recommendation 5: The USAF should continue to implement countermeasure improvements, and: · If the Air Force concludes after further trade-off studies and evalu ation that sustained supersonic cruise is essential to GS CONOPS, it should implement a high-speed penetration aid effort compatible with contemporary stealth signature levels. · The Air Force should evaluate the relative effectiveness of self defense weapons and define requirements for any new or upgraded capability for next-generation aircraft.
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From page 7...
... If warranted by the results of the study and the readiness level of the technology, the USAF should begin development of a hypersonic aircraft.
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Key Terms

  • air defense
  • enemy air
  • future air
  • cruise aircraft
  • signature reduction

  • supersonic cruise
  • hypersonic cruise
  • multimission capabilities
  • operational utility
  • supersonic aircraft

  • aircraft survivability
  • operational capability
  • supersonic dash
  • airborne interceptor
  • appropriate levels

  • hostile environment
  • current missiles
  • technical feasibility
  • numerous briefings
  • future aircraft

  • adversary situation
  • survivable aircraft
  • stealth signature
  • potential enemy
  • stealth capability

  • specific aircraft
  • future threat
  • supersonic designs
  • aircraft subcomponent
  • including technology


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