SHARC – Subsonic High Alpha Research Concept

Is this a further YF-23 development ??? … Does anyone have some more information about this project ??? … was it only a project or is there even a “real” plane ??

It looks like a cross-over of the two ATF-contenders ….

Here is the link:
http://www.dreamlandresort.com/black_projects/aircraft.htm and http://www.acig.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=719&forum=4&0

… and the text + pictures:

“SHARC – Subsonic High Alpha Research Concept

SHARC definately seems to be based on the Northrop Grumman YF-23 Lightening II. The overall shape of the aircraft design is very similar. NASA’s Langley Research Center seem to be the main contractor for developing this aircraft concept and have tested the design in various wind tunnel experiments.

A Very smart looking shape based on the YF-23A. Could this be a future Black Program or is it already a black Program? the shape is very stealthy however unlike most peoples imagination of new aircraft these days, this is subsonic like the F-117 and B-2A.
The Vortex of the wind tunnel experiment can be seen streaming off the right wing.
In my personal opinion, High Supersonic or high Hypersonic travel is not the way to go for military strike aircraft. There is no tactical advantage in going Mach 8, there isnt much you can do at that speed. Anything over Mach 5 i think is useless unless you are running away. Recon at Mach 8 is pretty much dim unless you use a SLAR etc and an interceptor MACH 8 is pretty damn useless as air-air missiles are not capable of that speed. Same goes with Strike aircraft, its impossible to strike anything faster than supersonic. The future maybe Hypersonic, but in reality i see no tactical gain in anything except maybe strategic reconnaissance with a SLAR and Sidewards Looking Sensors. The Future is Stealth, the Future is subsonic stealth or perhaps low supersonic.
A slightly different view showing the angles of the SHARC. Notice the extremely large dorsel of the plane….probably due to the large size of the engine including an avionics compartment.
The Actual air-intake is located underneath the fuselage with saw tooth edges like the F-117A has around the cockpit.
Showing the very similar configuration to the YF-23A the under fuselage air-intake can be seen…..very small for large a engine however.
Showing perhaps a Full size development looking by the size comparison with the workers….A very strange looking aircraft.
You can now the similar tail-plane layout and wing layout to the YF-23A aircraft of Northrop/McDonnell Douglas and also a single large engine. Is this a future plane to watch out for? Maybe! This could go ‘Black’ so keep the eye out for an aircraft the same shape as the YF23 possibly!
The single engine configuration makes this look more like the Northrop/British Aerospace Joint Strike Fighter concept which lost out to Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
It sort of makes you think that maybe Northrop are only reserved for Strike/Bomber aircraft with advanced stealth characteristics…..it makes sense and so far, the YF23, JSF from northrop have both been failed…except they have been much more further developed into aircraft we dream of no doubt…!!!”

That’s all …. any comments ??

Best regards, Deino 🙂

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