Technology for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, 2000-2035: Becoming a 21st-Century Force Volume 6: Platforms (1997) / Chapter Skim
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3 Naval Air Platform Technology
3 Naval Air Platform Technology
Pages 37-84
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From page 37... ...
for a variety of support and lethal missions, the panel believes that the argument over manned and unmanned aircraft although an important one is not the real watershed decision for 21st-century naval aviation. The cardinal aircraft issue for future decisionmakers is that of tactical aviation (Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force)
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From page 38... ...
Takeoff and landing footprints will be much less than today's conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, thereby opening up design space for future aircraft carrier development. Unmanned Aircraft Naval aviation will employ UAVs for a variety of missions, beginning with reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting, and later expanding to include such familiar aircraft carrier (CV)
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From page 39... ...
Flexible Carrier Deck Loads Although commanders have always been able to tailor the mix of aircraft types in a carrier air wing, force options of unusual flexibility will be open to the Navy in 2035 if the requisite enabling technologies are developed and exploited. For example, support aircraft functions tanking, EW, ASW, AEW could be provided by shore-based air platforms, the majority unmanned, that operate from airfields perhaps thousands of miles away and remain on station in support of battle groups for periods of two days or more.
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From page 40... ...
Thus, when the time comes to develop a tactical aircraft after the joint strike fighter (JSF) or a follow-on support aircraft, the Navy will have the option to pursue either a traditional evolutionary path or one that exploits the enabling technologies identified in this report, with the attendant new platform concepts identified by the panel.
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From page 41... ...
The enabling technologies and their impact on future air platform designs are discussed in the context of the technology focus areas for future naval air platforms described below. Integrated High-Performance Turbine Engine Technology The Defense Department's very successful Integrated High-Performance Turbine Engine Technology (IHPTET)
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From page 42... ...
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS AREAS Aerodynamics Laminar Flow Control The most significant air platform performance parameter for mission capability is range and, alternatively, endurance both of which are major functions of cruise efficiency. From an aerodynamic perspective, this relates to low cruise drag.
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From page 43... ...
Key Enabling Technology 1 Laminar flow control is a technique to control the boundary layer or the airflow closest to the skin. By maintaining laminar flow in the boundary layer and controlling the transition to turbulent flow, drag can be reduced significantly, buffet onset and flow separation can be delayed, and the flight envelope can be extended efficiently.
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From page 44... ...
SOI~CE: NASA Langley Research Center Web site at http://128.155.35.117/LFC_www/ LFC.html. test research has been conducted using a Boeing 757 for investigating laminar flow control in the subsonic regime.
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From page 45... ...
Dynamic electronic prototyping is an essential tool for evaluating particular designs, as are many of the tools used to facilitate reduced-cost, low-rate production. Potential Payoffs for Future Air Platforms improved aerodynamic cruise performance has a first-order, fundamental effect on all aircraft design.
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From page 46... ...
for the life cycle of the vehicle. Recommendations To realize the potential offered by laminar flow control, several technology areas should be pursued to round out the fundamental understanding and provide for operational applications and transition: · The Navy aerotechnology base should provide validated product definition and analysis tools, including shape, location, flow port patterns, and flow control.
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From page 47... ...
Often, developing excellent handling qualities for low-speed flight conditions is an exacting job because of the significant change in lift distribution and lift as a function of both airspeed and angle of attack. A fundamental issue is the ability to characterize the high-lift flow field, including repeatable flow through flap vents and slots, especially as it is affected by flow from the main wing or flow shed from the fuselage.
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From page 48... ...
Researchers need to gain a fundamental understanding of off-body flow field bubble formation and its prevention. Vortex control research should be conducted to better understand and facilitate flow field control, as well as repeatable gap vent flow control (between flap surfaces and wing)
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From page 49... ...
Dynamic electronic prototyping can be a significant benefit for definition of mechanisms and flap motion for implementation of the particular design, as can many of the same techniques used to facilitate reduced-cost, low-rate production. Potential Payoffs for Air Platforms Greater (and repeatable)
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Nominally, 10 to 15 percent (by weight) of modern tactical aircraft structure is made of composite materials.
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From page 51... ...
Key Technology and Enabler: Lightweight, High-strength Composite Structures Many enablers come into play in this technology. Arguably, it may begin with new high-modulus carbon fibers and new resin systems from the Navy's materials technology base programs, tailored to strength and temperature applications.
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From page 52... ...
Of course, the designs must capture the full benefit of available fabrication and tooling concepts, such as advanced fiber placement, stitched resin film infusion, and arc-sprayed composite autoclave tooling. Such manufacturing processes lend themselves to process control and operator verification, rather than postfabrication inspection.
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From page 53... ...
This challenge should be at the heart of the Navy's material technology base program. Fabrication process development must be continued and expanded via Navy ManTech programs to reduce the touch labor content and to provide built-in quality using advanced automated process control techniques.
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From page 54... ...
. The technology base programs have to be integrated with new fabrication and manufacturing processes to eliminate touch labor and emphasize process control for quality.
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From page 55... ...
, the ratio of thrust to weight may no longer be a fundamental measure of platform performance for tactical air platforms and is certainly not a good measure of engine performance. Specific core power and specific weight (weight per pound-second airflow)
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From page 56... ...
The technical challenges associated with its achievement are presented below. Several other key enabling technologies and technical challenges are also presented.
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From page 57... ...
4. Variable cycle engines.
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From page 58... ...
SOURCE: Courtesy of General Electric Aircraft Engines. Potential Payoffs for Air Platforms The payoff in improved core engine performance from aggressive pursuit of these technologies would have a dramatic effect on increasing the range and payload capabilities and reducing the size and therefore life-cycle cost of carrierbased CTOL and STOL or STOVE tactical aircraft, as well as removing other surface constraints to effective VTOL tactical aircraft operations.
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From page 59... ...
Although the chances of achieving a cost-effective variable cycle engine in the near term are probably remote, the payoff could be extremely significant to the air platforms of 2035, and it is therefore recommended that R&D be continued in variable cycle engines through a multicompany demonstrator engine program to fully explore and validate promising design concepts. · Environmental implications.
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From page 60... ...
This traditional approach to the design of air vehicles has limited the space available to tactical aircraft designers. Current Situation and Constraints Current technology in aerodynamics; high-strength, lightweight materials; computers; and high thrust-to-weight ratio engines has greatly expanded the potential design space for combat aircraft.
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From page 61... ...
However, they still depend on conventional aerodynamic surfaces for stability and control at higher speeds and thus incur a penalty in range, weight, complexity, and cost for their VIOL capability over conventional tactical aircraft. The F-22 has taken integrated flight control a step further through the introduction of flight and vehicle management system concepts and mechanical pitch thrust vectoring, which is a by-product of its low signature afterburner nozzle design.
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From page 62... ...
However, achieving this level of design integration and optimization in a timely manner and at an affordable cost is going to depend on the development of advanced design tools such as dynamic electronic prototyping. Potential Payoffs for Air Platforms The potential payoff of integrated flight control for ship-based tactical aviation includes not only the air platform itself but also the carrier.
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From page 63... ...
Bandwidths have already grown from tens of kilobits to tens of megabits per second in five years; network routing is increasingly flexible and transparent to the user; addressing and formats are routine and network independent; and software agents routinely aid in search and analysis of data and in executing orders. Payoff Potential for Air Platforms High-capacity, long-range data links will permit physical separation of com
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From page 64... ...
Operational commanders will therefore be accorded vastly increased flexibility in employing air platforms. Introduction of this technology will accelerate the acceptance and employment of UAVs by the Navy and Marine Corps and will make available real-time tactical information to air crews and commanders.
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From page 65... ...
This technology may be the fundamental enabler for continued progress in signature reduction as well as for product definition. Application of codes and processing techniques facilitates definition of new material properties, manufacturing processes, system applications, and test measurement techniques.
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From page 66... ...
Application of the technology to other naval systems should provide a greater combat detection edge across the board. Recommendations · RF signature reduction efforts should be focused on providing advanced, wide-band, material systems as an integrated design solution.
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From page 67... ...
However, the most significant aspect of film coatings for military aircraft is that the same passive surface treatments used for engine parts could easily be applied to film surfaces in the manufacturing process and potentially produce the same results that have been achieved on engine parts. Used together, surface treatment of exposed engine parts and airframe film coatings could have the potential to reduce the level of IR detectability to that of RF.
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From page 68... ...
Design and Manufacturing Processes Dynamic Electronic Prototyping Tremendous strides have been made in advancing the state of the art in computer-aided design and manufacturing. Designers can now work in a threedimensional design environment that automatically highlights component fit and interference problems, which greatly accelerates the design process.
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From page 69... ...
Key Technology Enabler The three principal software tools used in aircraft development are threedimensional CADAM for design, finite element analysis for structural engineering, and computational fluid dynamics for aerodynamic optimization. A number of additional software tools are used in the process, however.
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From page 70... ...
High-fidelity dynamic electronic prototypes would also facilitate the development of variants and, if maintained for each operating configuration, could be used to engineer and test engineering change proposals, update support, and investigate in-service problems. Thus, electronic prototyping not only would reduce development time costs and risks but also would reduce life-cycle costs and facilitate in-service improvements in combat capability and readiness to extend the airplane' s useful service life.
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From page 71... ...
The panel recommends that such a program be organized and funded as a multiyear effort, with high-level Navy Department or DOD sponsorship. The program will require a well-staffed Navy program management office, capable of organizing, integrating, and contracting for the scope of effort required from the exceptionally wide range of technical expertise that must be brought to bear to define the requirements, do the research, design the architecture, set the standards, and write the core software and application programs necessary to achieve a true high-fidelity dynamic electronic prototyping capability.
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From page 72... ...
Key Technology Enabler: Large Unitized Structures The panel has chosen to label large unitized structures as a key technology. More appropriately it may be labeled a key technology result or a technology process driver.
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From page 73... ...
; and supportability and maintainability of large unitized structures. All of these elements should be the focus of an enduring Navy ManTech program.
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From page 74... ...
Recommendations · Navy ManTech efforts should emphasize the principle of reduced parts, tools, and fasteners in the development and manufacturing processes for both metallic and composite structures. Manufacturing process development should be conducted to extend high-speed machining from aluminum to hard metals
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From page 75... ...
SUMMARY OF ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES Table 3.2 lists the 12 key enabling technologies identified by the panel and indicates their impact on important air platform characteristics and costs. Aggressive development of these technologies will affect acquisition and life-cycle costs positively and in a major and fundamental way.
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From page 76... ...
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From page 77... ...
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From page 78... ...
· A mix of aircraft carrier sizes. Fighter and Attack Missions Exploiting the enabling technologies will facilitate a shift in emphasis from an overfocus on platform performance to a focus on weapons, sensors, and communications.
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From page 79... ...
Additionally, UAVs promise reductions in aircrew manning and attendant training costs, as well as elimination of political risk associated with current manned aircraft reconnaissance missions and one-time punitive strikes in which downed aircrews are in danger of becoming hostages. Exploiting the enabling technologies will assist the Navy and Marine Corps to benefit from the kinds of concepts that spring from the high level of interest in UAVs by Congress and other DOD components.
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From page 80... ...
Lethal UAVs Unmanned vehicles designed for lethal purposes are concepts to be explored as the enabling technologies mature, experience is gained in nonlethal applications, and trade studies help identify the most cost-efficient approaches. Such concepts range all the way from stealthy, loitering, long-endurance UAVs that dive into targets of opportunity to a highly capable air vehicle much like today's F/A-18 that is flown remotely by a pilot located in a command module on board a ship.
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From page 81... ...
The panel believes that the current focus of netted warfare should be expanded to include offensive operations against surface targets by aircraft, submarines, and surface ships, with airborne sensor platformsvery likely UAVs performing terminal guidance where necessary in a forward pass mode of operation. The netting of all warfare platforms by a common cooperative engagement architecture for both defensive and offensive combat operations would greatly expand the inherent warfighting capabilities of all platforms for littoral warfare, including support of Marine Corps forces ashore.
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From page 82... ...
Implications for Aircraft Carriers Introduction of new air platform concepts made feasible by development of the 12 key enabling technologies described above will have a profound effect on the design of future aircraft carriers and amphibious aviation ships. A more vertical aircraft complement broadens considerably the range of viable CV and LHD size options in the following ways: .
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From page 83... ...
These ships could include Nimitz-like CVs suitable for large-scale operations and smaller flattop aviation ships for less demanding situations. Payoff: A Potential Sea Change in Naval Aviation The benefits resulting from aggressively developing the key enabling technologies outlined in Table 3.3 will have a significant impact on both air platforms and their base ships, as summarized in Box 3.1.
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