Boeing's new hypersonic aircraft concept
Boeing continues research into hypersonic aircraft and shows new results. A few days ago, she presented for the first time materials on the next concept of a reusable hypersonic aircraft, potentially suitable for use in the military sphere. However, so far we are talking only about the most general ideas and solutions, the development of which will take a lot of time and effort.
Hypersonic program
It should be recalled that Boeing has been dealing with the subject of hypersonic aircraft for a long time, and new steps have been taken in this direction in recent years. New technologies are being worked out, the necessary materials are being searched, and various units and assemblies are being created. In particular, since 2016 Boeing and Orbital ATK have been jointly developing a promising air-jet engine for hypersonic aircraft.
In January 2018, at the SciTech Forum and Exposition of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Boeing first showed a mockup of its Valkyrie hypersonic aircraft. This concept involved the construction of an unmanned vehicle with a large sweep wing and a twin-engine power plant. The design characteristics were not disclosed.
The Valkyrie project naturally attracted attention. It was considered independently and in comparison with other modern developments in the hypersonic sphere. However, as it became clear later, the concept from the 2018 exhibition was not implemented in its current form. At the same time, his main ideas were developed and led to the emergence of another similar project.
A new version of the hypersonic aircraft from Boeing was presented a few days ago at the next AIAA conference. Photos of the exhibition layout and fragmentary information about the project appeared in the specialized media. It is reported that the new concept appeared as a result of the development of a previously shown project. The updated design is "more realistic" and is being created with an eye to military and space applications.
The development company then posted a short commentary on the goals and objectives of the project. They also showed a computer image of the new aircraft in flight. According to official data, the mock-up shows a new design concept for a hypersonic reusable aircraft designed to solve various military tasks. Other details, incl. tactical and technical characteristics are not disclosed.
Features of the appearance
The new exhibition layout differs markedly from the previous one and has several interesting features. It is made according to the integrated tailless scheme without a pronounced fuselage, but with protruding engine nacelles. The use of arrow-shaped consoles and collapsed keels is envisaged. The coloring of the mock-up shows that the skin should be made of different materials: nose, keels and steering surfaces differ in color and, probably, withstand stress during flight.
To create lift, the aircraft must use an integral fuselage and wing. The fuselage has an ogive leading edge, an almost flat bottom and a curved top surface. The wing consoles have variable sweep. Curiously, the leading edges of the fuselage and the console are not connected to each other. Why such a "ledge" is needed is unclear.
The power plant of the aircraft consists of two air-jet engines and is located in the tail. Used two separate gondolas, the main part of which "hangs" under the fuselage. In this case, the tail section of the nacelle, made in the form of a cone-shaped unit, protrudes beyond the fuselage.
The type and characteristics of the engines are not specified. A combined jet engine should probably be used. In sub- and supersonic modes, it will operate on the principle of a turbojet, and for further acceleration it will be able to use a direct-flow cycle. It is this design that has been worked out over the past several years.
In flight control should be carried out in an aerodynamic manner. The aircraft has elevons on the wing and an elevator between the nacelles. All-turning keels were probably used.
There is no pronounced lantern on the layout. This fact, as well as the features of the previous project, suggest that an unmanned aerial vehicle is being created. However, details on this account are not given.
The development company mentions the possibility of using the new aircraft in the military or rocket-space sphere. The appearance of the presented layout does not allow us to accurately determine the potential tasks for the aircraft in these areas. However, at the current stage, the layout is not obliged to disclose all the technical and operational features of the future full-fledged aircraft.
Similarities and differences
Thus, at intervals of four years, Boeing has presented two hypersonic aircraft concepts. It makes sense to compare the older Valkyrie to the new display item and find differences in their design. This will show how Boeing's hypersonic program has evolved in recent years, what ideas were found, and which they decided to abandon.
In general terms, the two aircraft variants are similar. They are built on an integrated circuit, have a load-bearing fuselage, swept consoles, two keels and a twin-engine power plant. At the same time, general ideas are implemented in different ways.
The old version of the airframe had a pronounced "hump" of the fuselage, and now the airframe gets smooth contours. Previously, the leading edge of the wing was continuous and did not have a "ledge" between the fuselage and the console. "Valkyrie" received a common large engine nacelle, which had air intakes with a central wedge. In the new project, the engines were smashed into separate nacelles, shifted to the tail.
Apparently, the observed changes in the airframe indicate the optimization of the aerodynamic appearance in order to solve the existing problems and improve the overall flight characteristics. In particular, the rejection of protruding parts of the fuselage may indicate a reduction in air resistance and a decrease in mechanical and thermal loads. At the same time, such modifications reduce the internal volume of the aircraft.
A radical rearrangement of the propulsion system and nacelles could pursue the same goals. In addition, some benefits should be provided by the removal of the nozzle apparatus for the tail edge of the fuselage and the use of new fairings.
It should be noted that comparison of the two mock-ups makes it possible to evaluate only the processes of development of the airframe and aerodynamic appearance. Obviously, Boeing is also working on improving the internal equipment of a promising aircraft, but details of this kind remain unknown.
In the process of development
Thus, Boeing continues research and development work in the field of hypersonic aircraft. One of the main projects of this kind involves the creation of a full-size aircraft with high flight performance and the ability to perform a wide range of tasks.
From the available data, it follows that at the moment this direction is at the stage of research and search for optimal solutions, technologies, etc. This allows you to work out and demonstrate various concepts, but the development of a full-fledged project remains a matter of the future. Accordingly, the construction and testing of a full-fledged prototype aircraft is postponed indefinitely.
Despite the insufficient technical and technological maturity of its hypersonic program, Boeing has already decided on the areas of application of future technology. The armed forces are considered as a potential customer for a promising aircraft or UAV, and the reasons for this are obvious. Only the Air Force will be able to fully use the potential of a hypersonic aircraft, and in addition, only the Pentagon is able to provide the financial, organizational and other support necessary to complete such a complex project.
Thus, the new layout from the recent exhibition should not only show the developments and capabilities of Boeing, but also attract the attention of the Pentagon. The fate of the entire program may depend on the success of the latter undertaking. If it receives full support from the military, then the next version of the concept will not have to wait four years, and then a full-fledged prototype aircraft will appear. However, we should not exclude another scenario, in which Boeing's hypersonic projects will yield to competitors' developments and will not be able to advance beyond exhibitions.
- Ryabov Kirill
- Boeing, Guy Norris / twitter.com/AvWeekGuy
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