USAF Mayhem Program: New Members
New concept aircraft Mayhem from Leidos
In the recent past, it became known that the US Air Force was going to develop a promising hypersonic aircraft or UAV for reconnaissance and, possibly, strike missions. The Mayhem cipher project is still in its early stages, but is now moving into full development. Recently, the Air Force selected the main contractors and issued them contracts for the work. Over the next few years, they will have to complete and submit the finished project.
In the early stages
A promising program for the development of a multi-purpose hypersonic complex started in August 2020 with a request for proposals. The project was ordered by the US Air Force, the overall coordination of work was entrusted to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). It was planned to involve a number of scientific and commercial organizations in the implementation of the project.
Initially, the project received the designation Expendable Hypersonic Multi-Mission Air-Breathing Demonstrator ("Expandable multi-purpose hypersonic technology demonstrator with an air-breathing engine"). Later, the name indicated reconnaissance and strike capabilities - Expendable Hypersonic Multi-mission ISR and Strike. All stages also used the short designation Mayhem ("Mayhem").
Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, which have some experience in the field of hypersonic technologies, were invited to the project. By the beginning of 2021, they had prepared and submitted their Mayhem product concepts to AFRL, after which they received contracts for further development of projects. 15 months were given to complete these works.
Based on the results of this stage, the Air Force planned to select the two most successful projects for further development. Preliminary design was to be completed in the spring of 2022, and then contracts for further development could be signed.
Boeing hypersonic variant
However, the contracts were not signed within the specified time frame. did not appear and news about the course of the Pogrom project. The reasons for this are unknown. Perhaps the secrecy of the work affected - or the contractors, due to the complexity of the project, did not meet the deadlines. Anyway, the next news came only a few months after the expected date.
New contracts
Recently, in mid-December, it became known that the Air Force will attract new participants to the Mayhem project. As reported, their task is also to create a full-fledged project of a promising aviation complex that meets the requirements of the customer. The first contracts under which the work will be carried out have already been issued.
So, on December 16, the Air Force and Leidos signed a contract to develop a new version of the Mayhem complex. These works are estimated at 334 million dollars and 51 months are allocated for them. Calspan, Draper and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions will participate in this project as subcontractors and performers in certain areas.
It is reported that in the near future a group led by Leidos will analyze the technical requirements and determine the main features of the future Pogrom. The timing of such work is not specified, but they will spend $ 24 million. Then a concept project will be created that meets the requirements of the customer. Taking into account modern trends and requirements, the development will be carried out entirely in a digital environment.
On January 17, some details of the distribution of roles in the project from Leidos became known. Thus, The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. will take over the development of electronic systems. It will prepare the materiel and environment for digital design. Then Draper will develop various electronic components of the future aircraft - navigation, guidance, control, etc.
Hypersonic concept from Raytheon
The goals and objectives of other members of the "conglomerate" led by "Leidos" have not yet been specified. At the same time, all companies speak of their readiness to use all the accumulated experience in a promising project and develop completely new ideas, which will allow creating aviation complex that fully meets the wishes of the customer. Whether they will be able to fulfill such promises, time will tell.
hypersonic platform
The Mayhem project is generally classified, and most of the information of primary interest has not yet been made public. However, to date, the customer has disclosed part of his requirements, and the developers have published some of their ideas of a technical nature. In general, at the moment it is only a technology demonstrator that will show how viable new ideas are.
It is planned to develop a small or medium-sized platform aircraft. It will take off with the help of a carrier aircraft and, after a reset, perform an independent flight. If there are technical possibilities, it will be made returnable. Otherwise, "Pogrom" will be one-time.
For the Mayhem product, a new airframe will be developed with the required aerodynamic, strength, and other characteristics. Probably, when creating this product, various kinds of existing developments will be used. As a result, the airframe and the aircraft as a whole will be similar to previous experimental samples of the American design.
The dimensions and weight of the product have not yet been specified. The mention of takeoff with tactical aircraft indicates the possible dimensions drone. The mass can reach several hundred kilograms. However, strategic bombers can also become carriers of Pogrom. In this case, it will be possible to increase the dimensions of the product, and its mass will change in tons.
One of the developments of Lockheed Martin
As the name of the program suggests, the device will receive a hypersonic ramjet engine. The development companies will have to create a new unit of this class, which has the necessary technical and operational characteristics. In particular, Leidos plans to create a scramjet engine with increased parameters, which will give an increase in flight range and payload, as well as form the basis for further development.
The technology demonstrator will be unmanned, which places special demands on its avionics. The need for a completely new set of controls has already been reported. At the same time, the role of a technology demonstrator and an experimental model implies the development of new components and devices for combat aviation.
If the experimental drone confirms the calculated characteristics, the Mayhem project will be developed. A hypersonic aircraft is considered as a promising platform for deploying reconnaissance equipment or weapons. In theory, such an aircraft is capable of carrying optical or electronic intelligence, but the implementation of such ideas is associated with a number of difficulties.
It is possible that Pogrom will be equipped with weapons, but this task is quite difficult. Flying at hypersonic speeds makes it drastically difficult to drop weapons - if at all possible under such conditions. However, the possibility of creating a disposable aircraft is being considered, in which case it itself can become a missile - carrying only a warhead, without its means of delivery to the target.
Making up for lost
Despite the mass of research programs and experimental samples, in the field of hypersonic weapons, the Pentagon found itself in a position of lagging behind. Now the department and various scientific and commercial organizations are trying to catch up and catch up with world leaders. To this end, several new projects of various kinds are being developed, both research and intended for future implementation in the troops.
The promising hypersonic aviation complex Expendable Hypersonic Multi-mission ISR and Strike or Mayhem is being developed in the interests of the Air Force and should give them new opportunities in the field of reconnaissance and destruction of ground targets. Certain hopes are pinned on him, but there are no reasons for optimism yet. The project is experimental and only recently moved to the stage of full development. It will take several more years for further activities, and only after that will tests begin that can show the real potential of the complex. And only after that it will become clear whether the US Air Force will receive a fundamentally new aviation complex.
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