New image of RATTLRS

A couple more. . . .

LockMart’s already been down that path with the ‘alternative’ D-21 studies. 😀

So there WERE studies to turn the D-21 into a strike option???

Cool, always wondered why they didn’t at least study it.

Can you give any more details or sources (That WON’T get you fired??? 😉 )

thanks,

Matt

Now a manned D-21. THAT would be cool. Swap out the ramjet for one of these fancy new turbines and away you go. Oh yeah. . .landing gear, cockpit, by the time you got done it would probably look like that Mig they modified to test the Concordski wing shape. Oh well.

I think you’ll be lucky to ever see Aerion fly, let alone a M3+ SSBJ. Handover $3M of greenbacks and content yourself with a Javelin for now.

I was thinking more towards the Javelin or BD-10. Something small, 1 or 2 person and fast.

[i]turboshaft[/i] might know more about it

You tryin’ to get me fired? :diablo:

There were a few details publicly released on the engine in the late ’90s, but most of this has disappeared following the renewed interest in high-speed strike. The Popular Mechanics article from earlier this year gave a fairly generous amount of public domain insight, including images of the YJ102R from which a rough impression of the engine’s architecture can be inferred, and is worth a read for those interested in the program. Other stats released earlier in the project include the engine’s length (approx. 4ft) and width (1 ft). Some data on the JETEC prototypes (XTL 16 & XTL 17) is also public realm, including their Fn/Wa achievements.

Much of this tech was developed in the late ’80s and has been waiting for a suitable application. High operating temps are key to the engine’s performance, and advances in metallurgy and cooling have played a key role.

The similarity to the J58 (axial-flow, single-stage) results from the similar operating environments, though none of the J58 team were involved in the J102 program.

Prolly explains why it appears that Lockheed is trying to turn an SR-71 nacelle into a missile

LockMart’s already been down that path with the ‘alternative’ D-21 studies. 😀

A D-21 cutaway actually gives a fairly representative impression of the newer project’s airflow, though you’ll have to work out for yourself where the payload sits.

Will this spawn a new age of very light supersonic general aviation aircraft?

I think you’ll be lucky to ever see Aerion fly, let alone a M3+ SSBJ. Handover $3M of greenbacks and content yourself with a Javelin for now.

According to an article in C4ISR Journal, RATTLRS was in fact developed in some way from the J-58. Prolly explains why it appears that Lockheed is trying to turn an SR-71 nacelle into a missile 😀

turboshaft might know more about it. (BTW do you happen to have a copy of that article?)

According to an article in C4ISR Journal, RATTLRS was in fact developed in some way from the J-58. Prolly explains why it appears that Lockheed is trying to turn an SR-71 nacelle into a missile 😀

Hell, I thought they were dusting off the D-21 :diablo: :diablo:

Matt

According to an article in C4ISR Journal, RATTLRS was in fact developed in some way from the J-58. Prolly explains why it appears that Lockheed is trying to turn an SR-71 nacelle into a missile 😀

Australia, USA to Collaborate on Hypersonic Research

Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and the United States Air Force have signed an agreement to advance research into hypersonic (Mach 5 or higher) flight. The 8-year program has been established as a Project Arrangement under an existing research and development agreement between Australia and the USA, and the USD $54 million Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) project is one of the largest collaborative ventures to be undertaken between the two nations. It will have obvious implications for projects like DARPA’s FALCON, both as a boost to its ambitions for lower-cost satellite launches and an obvious feed-in to spaceplane projects (see our FALCON HTV Focus Article with hypersonic resources). Hypersonics also has potential implications for missile projects like the $120 million RATTLRS contract, not to mention the dual-combustion ramjet approach of HyFly et. al..DSTO will be the Australian lead agency, but key personnel from The University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy will also be involved. Australia actually has an extensive team of experienced researchers in hypersonics along with state-of-the-art equipment for simulating velocities up to 50 times the speed of sound. On the American side, the US Air Force Research Laboratory will lead, with additional contributions from NASA, US industry and US universities. Australian Senator Macdonald said the HIFiRE project will see up to 10 hypersonic flight experiments conducted over the next 5 years at Woomera in South Australia

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2006/11/australia-usa-to-collaborate-on-hypersonic-research/index.php

One thing they don’t mention but I’m virtually certain is the case is that not only are they using new technology they are also running the thing MUCH closer to it’s limits. It’s not going to be good for thousands, hundreds, or likely even tens of hours.

You’re right.

With the scalability part, you could potentially make an engine the same size as the J58 (45 inches in diameter) with ~200,000 lbs of thrust without the need for an afterburner.

This weapon fascinates me. All the material I’ve read on it says it has the same specific thrust of the J58 meaning for the same air it intakes it makes the same thrust, only the YJ102R does it without afterburners. They also mention that the design is scalable to full size engine.

Would this be a revolution in powerplants that makes all existing high performance aircraft engines obsolete? Would it also be scalable downward, possibly for A-A missle application?

What about the civilian market? Will this spawn a new age of very light supersonic general aviation aircraft?

Eveything I’ve read says it’s got six times the specific thrust of the J58.

This weapon fascinates me. All the material I’ve read on it says it has the same specific thrust of the J58 meaning for the same air it intakes it makes the same thrust, only the YJ102R does it without afterburners. They also mention that the design is scalable to full size engine.

Would this be a revolution in powerplants that makes all existing high performance aircraft engines obsolete? Would it also be scalable downward, possibly for A-A missle application?

What about the civilian market? Will this spawn a new age of very light supersonic general aviation aircraft?