Current projects of experimental aircraft of the X-series
The X-1 rocket plane is the first X-series aircraft. Photo by the US Department of Defense
US science and industry are constantly searching for new solutions and technologies in the field aviation. To test and develop promising ideas, experimental aircraft with the letter "X" in the index are developed, built and tested. The next representatives of this series are undergoing flight and other tests right now. Time will tell whether they will be able to influence the further development of aviation.
Long story
The first in the X series was the experimental X-1 rocket plane, designed and built by Bell for the U.S. Air Force and NACA. It made its maiden flight in January 1946 and flew for the first time in October. stories aviation exceeded the speed of sound.
Soon the Air Force and NACA began developing new projects with the letter "X". At first, it was only about aircraft with certain features. Then they began experimenting with combat aircraft. missiles. In the sixties, the experimental series was first replenished with projects of rocket and space and other types of technology. In recent decades, experimental UAVs have increasingly appeared under the designation "X".
According to open sources, the US Air Force, NACA/NASA and their contractors have developed about 70 X-series designs to date. About 60 of these prototypes have been built and fully tested.
The experimental series tested various layouts and architectures of aircraft. Non-standard aircraft designs, helicopters, various convertiplanes, etc. were built. Experiments were conducted with new versions of propulsion systems, new equipment was tested, etc.
The X-58 QUESST experimental aircraft. Photo by NASA
Some of the Air Force and NASA experiments were successful. New solutions showed their potential and were implemented in real projects. Other "X" products did not live up to expectations, and their main ideas were not developed.
Although the X-series has developed with varying success, its experience is generally considered positive. Numerous flying laboratories allowed us to evaluate the real potential of various ideas at the experimental stage. Thanks to this, we were able to reject unpromising solutions in a timely manner and focus on successful ones.
Work continues
Experimental aircraft with the letter "X" are still being created and tested. They are used to work out various issues of aviation and space technology development. There are regular reports of the launch of new similar projects or work on existing ones. Also, predictably, there are news about the closure of some works.
At the moment, only a few current "X" projects are known. They implement new ideas in the field of aircraft design and aerodynamics, as well as in the field of advanced control systems. Another development helps to test the potential of unmanned space systems.
It should be noted that until recently NASA and the Air Force had several other experiments in the same areas. All of them have now been discontinued for various reasons, including the successful completion of their tasks.
The Future of Airplanes
In early 2024, Lockheed Martin unveiled the X-58 QUESST (Quiet SuperSonic Technology) experimental aircraft, commissioned by NASA. Its first flight will take place in the coming months.
The X-61A UAV in flight. Photo by Dynetics
The goal of the QUESST program is to find technologies to reduce the noise of a supersonic aircraft. To this end, a high aspect ratio airframe with optimized flow was developed, which creates minimal shock waves and does not allow them to amplify each other.
NASA hopes that the distinctive design of the experimental aircraft will find application in civil aviation. In the future, this could lead to the emergence of supersonic airliners that are quiet enough to be used over land, including populated areas.
Unmanned experiments
Since the mid-2018s, the DARPA Advanced Research Projects Agency has been running the Gremlins program. Its goal is to create a combat UAV of the "faithful wingman" type. In XNUMX, a contract for the full development of such a drone received by the company Dynetics. Its project was assigned the index X-61A.
In November 2019, the prototype Gremlin made its first flight on the external sling of the carrier aircraft. Two months later, the first drop took place, but the onboard instruments did not work correctly, and the X-61A crashed. Only in August was it possible to conduct the first flight according to the full program. The UAV detached from the carrier, completed a training task and returned back.
According to known data, the Air Force and DARPA are currently working on issues of single and group use of drones. The carrier of such equipment is a converted military transport aircraft C-130.
The completion dates for the X-61A project, even approximate ones, are still unknown. In addition, it is unclear what equipment the Pentagon will ultimately order. It may purchase drones from Dynamics in their current form or order the development of a new design based on the accumulated solutions.
X-61A in the process of re-entry. Photo by Dynetics
UAV experiments are also being conducted using the X-62 VISTA (Variable Stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft). Previously a training version of the production F-16, it was rebuilt and modernized in 2021.
After replacing the equipment, the X-62 gained the ability to interact with "loyal wingmen." It can exchange data with UAVs, give them instructions, and monitor their work. According to known data, the VISTA aircraft is already participating in tests using various experimental drones.
It is not known when and how such work will be completed, but its goals are quite clear. The Pentagon has long announced its intention to widely introduce “slave” UAVs in the future, as well as to give manned aircraft the ability to control drones.
Experiments in space
The X-series record for duration is held by the X-37 orbital aircraft project. The first version of this product was developed by Boeing in the mid-2006s, and in XNUMX, flight tests in the atmosphere began using a carrier aircraft.
In 2010, the prototype X-37 first flew into space. Since then, two prototypes have completed six space flights lasting from 224 to 908 days. The seventh mission was launched in December 2023 and is still ongoing. Its completion date is unknown.
The X-37 spaceplane after returning from orbit, November 2022. Photo by the U.S. Department of Defense
The X-37 is one of the most secretive programs of the Pentagon and NASA. The goals and objectives of the flights, the payload of the devices and other aspects remain secret. There are reports of various episodes of the devices' activity in orbit, but there is no exact data.
It is assumed that the developments on the X-37 may form the basis for promising projects in the field of military astronautics. However, it is unknown which ideas are being tested and how they will be applied in practice.
Past and Future
All the projects of the "X" series are actually united only by the letter in the index and the desire of their creators to search for and test new solutions. Such activity of the aviation and rocket-space industry has been going on since the middle of the last century and has well-known consequences.
The Pentagon and NASA do not stop searching for new technologies and ideas. In this regard, new X-series projects with certain features are regularly launched. Thus, now the experimental series devices help to work out the issues of using UAVs and optimizing the appearance of supersonic aviation equipment. How these projects will end and how they will affect the further development of American aviation, time will tell.
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