In the US, a student helped create a fifth generation target aircraft

The technical project of one of the American students allowed the US Department of Defense to save hundreds of millions of dollars when creating air targets that simulate fifth-generation airplanes. According to "Warspot" With reference to the press service of Sierra Technical Services, the US military has signed a contract to assemble the second prototype 5GAT (5th Generation Aerial Target) aerial target.

Target aircraft for training the pilots of the US Air Force were created by refitting manned vehicles. For example, an unmanned target plane QF-4 was created based on the F-4, and the remote-controlled QF-16 was made from the F-16. With the advent of fifth-generation aircraft, the need arose for targets that mimic "stealth planes." However, due to the fact that the cost of creating a target aircraft is comparable to the price of a manned vehicle, it was decided to abandon this technique and postpone the issue for a while.

Then the project became interested in the US Air Force Academy. In 2008, the cadets presented their work on this topic and one of the projects interested the Pentagon. Three years later, in 2011, the work of the same student received funding from the Ministry of Defense.

First, work on the projects were carried out at the US Air Force Academy. The target aircraft was called 5GAT. The drone has a simple triangular wing shape and weighs only 545 kg. The full-size model was tested in a wind tunnel and showed excellent results. At the final stage of development, engineers who had previously participated in the creation of the F-5 connected to the creation of 22GAT.

The air target 5GAT is designed in the form of a twin-engine aircraft with jet propulsion systems. The aircraft will receive a diamond-shaped wing in plan and two keels deflected to the sides. The target airframe will be 95 percent made of composite materials.

In 2017, the US Department of Defense transferred the groundwork for the 5GAT project to Sierra Technical Services and ordered the assembly of the first prototype. The second order for the assembly of the air target 5GAT company received 21 March of this year. The cost of the target does not exceed 16 million.

It is assumed that the target aircraft will be used by the military for training fighter pilots and air defense calculations.

Comments

[poquello]

here a similar article was about our young crazy hands, so there at least it was said about some new solution

[Nord2015]

And I remember the report, as a young talent created an invulnerable miracle tank. The venerable designers carefully studied the layout of the tank made of cardboard. I will not name the country of invention.

[poquello]

Quote: Nord2015

And I remember the report, as a young talent created an invulnerable miracle tank. The venerable designers carefully studied the layout of the tank made of cardboard. I will not name the country of invention.

in vain Ukrainians did not take it into development and did not connect stronghold designers to the project, and they want to copy the Americans

[Kuroneko]

Quote: Nord2015

And I remember the report, as a young talent created an invulnerable miracle tank. The venerable designers carefully studied the layout of the tank made of cardboard.

The talent at the same time, with paternal severity, taught all this stupid old man of design engineers, chewing the poor basics of tank building.

[figwam]

Then the project became interested in the US Air Force Academy.

Thousands of engineers in the American defense industry could not make the aircraft a target? Well, this is another nonsense.

[andrewkor]

I remember exactly that the first contract for drones, about 30 years ago, was received by one famous American aircraft modeller! So there is nothing surprising.

[2329 Carpenter]

In the 30s, a student from Göttingen generally came up with a turbojet engine. He quickly got to Heinkel, and as a result, the jet began to fly in the 38th.

[Kuroneko]

And another eccentric student (in a different letter) even launched social networks, and this infection is worse than a zombie creature since then continues to triumphantly march across the planet.

[2329 Carpenter]

Wow, these damn social networks!
As I climb into VO - he did what at home!
Yes, and the middle of affairs - hardly
Last Friday, lads!

[NEXUS]

Visually, it looks like the SU-57 in forms ... but such a target aircraft will not be able to give out everything that the SU-57 is capable of, both in speed and in over-maneuverability.
I think that the distant similarity with SU-57 will only be visual. But is the point in such a target, even if it is not approximately capable of behaving, like a real enemy fighter?

[evgen1221]

Well, take an interest in aircraft modeling - impellers plus a glider design allow models to cruise with the tail to fly forward, and real ones cannot.

[NEXUS]

Quote: evgen1221

Well, take an interest in aircraft modeling - impellers plus a glider design allow models to cruise with the tail to fly forward, and real ones cannot.

This is not an air model, but a full-size aircraft in fact. And as a target aircraft, he is obliged to issue parameters as close as possible to the original in flight and in aerial combat. I doubt very much that this prototype is capable of this.

[KVU-NSVD]

Quote: NEXUS

But is the point in such a target, even if it is not approximately capable of behaving, like a real enemy fighter?

The drone has the main thing for imitation - stealth (radio-transparent composites) and speed (jet engines) It is capable of programmable maneuvers without extreme - in general, it is enough for training pilots to detect a stealthy enemy and electronic missile launches. And training in the "dump for dogs" in this case is not supposed.

[san4es]

Target aircraft for training pilots of the American Air Force were created by the re-equipment of manned vehicles. For example, on the basis of the F-4, an unmanned target aircraft QF-4 was created ...

.... and from the F-16 they made a remotely controlled QF-16 ....

[rocket757]

I blinded you out of that sho!
In principle, it’s possible .... And the wards outdid, there the schoolchildren are super super sculpting projects, and the students have stripes!

[sir_obs]

Then the project became interested in the US Air Force Academy. In 2008, the cadets presented their work on this topic and one of the projects interested the Pentagon. Three years later, in 2011, the work of the same student received funding from the Ministry of Defense.

That is, some student invented something there, it is unclear in which year, but certainly until 2008. And already in 2019, the Ministry of Defense transferred the best practices based on this very talent to work

In 2017, the US Department of Defense transferred the groundwork for the 5GAT project to Sierra Technical Services and ordered the assembly of the first prototype. The second order for the assembly of the air target 5GAT company received 21 March of this year. The cost of the target does not exceed 16 million.

Or the student even invented such an intricate complex that they had been trying for several years to understand how it was and why. Or so simple that it again had to be worked out for so many years. and then pass on even smarter to manufacture. And again, it is not known how long it will take and what will happen.

I wonder what he proposed so new from the very beginning.

[bone1]

Target aircraft were created by remaking manned vehicles? - finally, what kind of student guessed to use the model - couldn’t he guess without him?

[rtutaloe]

People from the system are locked in their box of thinking. A free man gives a new thought.

Given the tactics of using American long-range air missiles from the layout, it is not necessary to completely copy the enemy’s aircraft. Enough to comply with the general basic principles. Important in this project price and features. Yes, before they used their retreating planes as targets. Now they are trying to extend the service life of aircraft, so the creation of targets is quite relevant.

[alexandrmakedo]

Quote: Nord2015

And I remember the report, as a young talent created an invulnerable miracle tank. The venerable designers carefully studied the layout of the tank made of cardboard. I will not name the country of invention.

I support your desire not to reveal the country. For the project is so secret that Putin’s spies can steal not only cardboard from which the designed tank destroyed the terrorists, but also the inventor himself. They will be shackled to the battery in their sharashka on Novaya Zemlya and forced to forge weapons against their native Nenko.

[alexandrmakedo]

So what? At the age of 12, I also made airplanes flying on the strength of rubber from a slingshot. Why didn’t they take me into the developers of military equipment? Apparently, because I was then under the guise of an all-powerful KGB.

[lvov_aleksey]

they are great, but why are they looking for a target developer - the SU57 simulator?
https://riafan.ru/1162361-voennyi-ekspert-obyasnil-pochemu-ssha-ne-smogut-sozdat-imitator-rossiiskogo-su-57