“Follows the Su-57 concept”: France is developing a Superman fighter project with “stealth maneuverability”
The French aerospace research center ONERA is working on the Superman project, which creates the concept of a fighter capable of combining maneuverability and stealth, like the Su-57.
As indicated in the Air Cosmos publication, the corresponding mock-up tests are being carried out in the ONERA wind tunnel in Modan. During testing, the developer tries to find the optimal balance between the three main characteristics of the fighter - maneuverability, stealth and speed.
The name of the Superman project may suggest exceptional maneuverability, while it is more about maneuverability in stealth conditions.
- explained in ONERA.
Previously, designers could not find the optimal balance. For example, although the inconspicuous F-22 can be called maneuverable, it is not sufficiently maneuverable, since it has vector thrust only along two axes (due to the requirements for stealth from the rear side of the fuselage), while the Su-35, which is "stealth "is not, - three each.
The contradiction is present in any case: the larger the surface of the keel, the higher the maneuverability of the apparatus and the less secretive it is. So all this story compromise.
ONERA, in search of the optimal solution for the development of a new design, took advantage of Russian experience:
The aircraft we are creating follows the concept of the Su-57, that is, it should be a maneuvering machine that combines limited stealth.
To achieve this goal, the developers took advantage of Levcon's technical solution. This is the name of an additional inclined plane attached to the wing root in front, which increases lift at low speeds, provides a large angle of attack and allows you to quickly exit the stall. At the moment, Levcon is used on two types of aircraft - the Russian Su-57 and the Indian Tejas.
In fact, this is the only control [of the aircraft] that we do not know enough about.
- say the French designers.
According to them, the example of the Su-57 shows that when creating the desired angle of attack, you can control the relative position of the air intake and Levcon. The concept created by ONERA is called by the developers a “technological feat”:
The model is a technical masterpiece: the rudders move at a speed of 100 degrees per second, and their positioning is guaranteed to within 0,1 degrees.
At the moment, the model is blown in a wind tunnel only at low speeds for a fighter (200 km/h). Over time, it will be equipped with an engine and a set of thrusters, which will increase speed.
However, we must remember that very high maneuverability is not achieved at Mach 2.
- the developers explain.
The shape of the airfoil, when viewed from above, is very similar to the design of the Su-57. Its characteristic angles help to avoid stalling. When changing the angle of attack in cruise mode, the pitching moment of the aircraft is zero. For the Superman, this formula works up to Mach 0,85.
In the course of the work, the designers are trying to link the Levcon with the vortex flows that create lift for the aircraft.
The Russians didn't call the Levcon the "controller" for nothing, since it's a steering wheel that controls the vortices on the leading edge.
- the developers explain.
They cite a steep pitch-up as an example: the aircraft must lose speed during a sharp climb, but Levcon, by manipulating the vortexes, allows [lightning] to return to the nose-down position to restore speed.
Will future [NATO] combat aircraft be equipped with Levcon? At the moment, the answer cannot be in the affirmative, because this decision will be made by the manufacturers. However, Onera makes this choice possible.
- summed up in the French edition.
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