Power lim

Hi folks,

Global Hawk’s AE3007 engine is very power limited

We need the then the quantum nucleonic reactor powered Global Hawk !!! 😀
Go to the link:
http://www.popularmechanic.com/science/aviation/2004/5/atomic_wings/

Project managers for Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory tell POPULAR MECHANICS they have begun discussions that could lead to the conversion of a Global Hawk to a nuclear-powered aircraft.

With enough power, we will maybe soon see Global Hawks as AWACS and comucations aircrafts over cities!!!

Hope, the never fall down!!! 😮

fightingirish

Can anybody post the specification of Gripen.

Go to:
http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRTypen/FRJAS39.htm

I hope, this time the link works!

Super Darkstar ?!

do you realise that darkstar or a version of darkstar exists out there??
I thought that this project was doing well ,and it certainly wouldnt seem likley that a major aerospace company in this day and age would produce an aircraft like that with serious defficiencies, its one of the easiest to design!

yes this went quiet very quickly, then a report in a mil av magazine mentioned that intelligence from an undisclosed aerial vehicle had been used for afghanistand and iraq…..darkstar was mentioned.

Source: http://www.spyflight.co.uk/DarkStar.HTM

Lockheed Martin-Boeing RQ-3A DarkStar

In the early 1990s, the USAF decided to integrate various Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems to ensure that all US Forces would be provided with the appropriate information necessary to successfully conduct military operations. As part of this integration, the Defence Airborne Reconnaissance Office (DARO) issued a requirement for long endurance UAVs with reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition capabilities. This in turn led to the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) overseeing development of a pair of complementary High Altitude Endurance (HAE) UAVs, under their policy of producing Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) versions of each design and then ensuring they perform as advertised. The two designs were the RQ-3A Darkstar, developed by Lockheed Martin & Boeing and the RQ-4A Global Hawk developed by Northrop Grumman – two different designs to meet specific mission criteria. Northrop Grumman’s relatively conventional UAV design enabled the Global Hawk to provide long range & endurance and carry a multi-sensor payload in a low –to-moderate threat environment.

However, Lockheed Martin developed a low-observable design, incorporating a considerable amount of stealth technology, enabling the UAV to operate in highly defended areas. The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works were responsible for building the fuselage and integrating the ReconOptical Electro-Optical (EO) sensor and various other sub-systems. Boeing were responsible for building the wings and avionics, as well as integrating the Westinghouse Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), a legacy from the US Navy’s cancelled A-12 programme, as well as the vehicle management system.

The DarkStar was designed to carry either the interchangeable SAR or EO sensor at altitudes above 45,000ft and 250kts, operating up to 500nms from its base for around 8 hrs and was powered by a single Williams-Rolls FJ44-1A turbofan engine – the same engine used in the Cessna Citation business jet. The digital SAR and EO systems enabled images to be transmitted in near real-time to a ground station or satellite. Designed to be fully autonomous and follow a programmed sortie, DarkStar could take off, fly to its assigned target area, transmit its sensor imagery, return to base and land without any human intervention. Nevertheless, if DarkStar was within line-of-sight of its ground station, it could be re-programmed in flight to alter course and direct its sensors at another target; beyond line-of-sight the ground station could remain in touch via a satellite link.

DarkStar first flew from Edwards AFB on 29 Mar 96, but then on its second flight on 22 Apr 96, due to a software fault in the flight control system, the vehicle developed uncontrollable oscillations after take-off, stalled nose high and crashed.. A second DarkStar first flew on 29 Jun 98 and during testing on 11 Jan 99 reached an altitude of 25,000ft on a 2hr 37 min sortie. The third and fourth DarkStar vehicles were completed when, because of budget cutbacks, the DoD cancelled the DarkStar programme in late Jan 99. The thinking behind the decision has never been explained, however, it was probably becoming apparent that the Global Hawk could meet every requirement for both programmes, apart from the need for stealth. Also, as Global Hawk would probably only ever operate within airspace in which the USAF had already gained air superiority, the requirement for low-observable technology was minimal.

To date, the DarkStar is probably the stealthiest UAV to have publicly flown, given the profile of the vehicle, the radar cross-section would have been extremely small and would have enabled the DarkStar to operate with virtual impunity in the most hostile airspace, whilst sending back crystal-clear images to its ground station. However, DARPA realised the value of such a UAV and have developed and flown other stealthy UAVs as well as instigating a concept programme to develop a revolutionary UAV named SensorCraft. Indeed, some well informed commentators have even suggested that, rather than actually being cancelled, the DarkStar programme simply dissappeared into a ‘black’ project and that the the DarkStar was a small-scale ‘Technology demonstrator’, in the same mould as the ‘Have Blue’ flying prototype that proved the concept of the much larger F-117, of a much larger, very stealthy, UAV. Whether this is the case and also whether the larger, more developed version actually operated over Iraq during ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’ will hopefully be answered at some future date.

The only surviving DarkStar to have flown is now preserved in the USAF Museum.

Source:http://www.spyflight.co.uk/Latest%20News.HTM#Superdarkstar

Super DarkStar?

Although the stealthy Darkstar UAV was cancelled back in Feb 99, there have been persistent reports that, as part of a ‘black’ programme, a larger derivative of this UAV was developed by Lockheed Martin and has been used in operations over Iraq. These rumours have been given added strength by the apparent inability of current UAVs to meet a long-standing USAF requirement for a very low observable, high-altitude UAV that can fly 1,000nm to a target area, penetrate a modern air defence system, loiter for at least 8hr and then return to base.

Although the first Darkstar crashed during a test flight on 22 Apr 96, the second Darkstar was modified and flew successfully, later reaching 25,000ft on a 2hr 37 min test flight. Undoubtedly, some problems had been encountered during the development programme with the flight control system, the command & control system and the stealthy apertures, but these could almost have been expected during the development cycle of such an advanced UAV and were effectively cured. So if these problems had been overcome it seems odd for the programme to be have been cancelled, when the requirement remained extant and these doubts have fed persistent rumours of a follow-on programme.

Little if anything has been said by Lockheed Martin about the new ‘Super Darkstar’ or whatever name it has been given, other than the tacit admission recently by some well placed individuals from Lockheed Martin that the vehicle exists and has been used successfully in operations. They also confirmed that, whilst it cannot carry the same payload as a U-2S, it nevertheless is capable of carrying an LPI synthetic aperture radar as well as infra-red and electro-optical sensors. A number of U-2S pilots reported seeing an unknown high-flying vehicle, operating at or above the height of their own aircraft, whilst flying over Iraq.[…]

There was an article in AirInternational last year !!!

[…]Lockheed Martin will probably attempt to keep this new UAV out of the limelight for as long as possible. Presumably the USAF have been willing to pay considerably more for this vehicle, compared to the non-stealthy Northrop Grumman Global Hawk, because of its capability to penetrate highly defended airspace undetected and the quality of intelligence it provided

.

Source: http://www.spyflight.co.uk/Sensorcraft.HTM

SensorCraft

The USAF has learnt, through sometimes bitter experience, that however good a design looks on paper, it’s only by actually building, flying and thoroughly testing a design that its true capability can be determined. In recent years this practice has been used to good effect for a number of manned aircraft was also used in the development of the Dark Star and Global Hawk UAVs. Even though the Global Hawk has just begun full-scale production and entry into service and the Dark Star has evolved into a larger ‘black’ UAV, the Air Vehicles Directorate element of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio has already begun developing the concept of a next-generation advanced UAV to replace these vehicles.

Throughout the remainder of this decade the AFRL will investigate a wide variety of the latest sensors, communications links, air vehicle components and propulsion systems and consider how they can all be incorporated into the concept of a next generation long-range high-altitude ISR UAV – known as SensorCraft. When and if it finally enters service, this cutting-edge vehicle will carry an integrated mix of radar, cameras, ELINT equipment and data links, whilst orbiting a battlefield at 65,000ft for between 60-80hrs at around 350kts, gathering intelligence and passing it onto supporting elements in near real-time.

For the design of SensorCraft the traditional design process has been reversed. In previous UAV designs the vehicle has been constructed and then the sensors have been incorporated into the available space. In SensorCraft the optimum mix of sensors will be determined and then the vehicle design moulded around the systems, with sensor apertures embedded in the fuselage as necessary. This unusual approach to UAV design has already resulted in some radical proposals; in particular, a diamond shaped structure that would facilitate sensor coverage. Another proposal is for a flying-wing design, not dissimilar to the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber along with a large U-2 style design with a 200ft wing-span and an endurance of 60hrs.

Particular attention is being paid to the sensors planned for this UAV and they will probably operate on a wide variety of frequencies, such as VHF to allow foliage penetration and X-band for improved image resolution, as well as hyperspectral and passive sensors. There’s even as possibility that the vehicle will be able to operate in a bistatic mode, allowing for passive operations, and be equipped with active countermeasures. As technology advances, this next generation Global Hawk could well have a combined Air and Ground Moving Target Indicator (AGMTI) built into an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) giving it the air-to-air capability of an E-3D AWACS together with the air-to-ground function of the E-8 JSTARS.

The SensorCraft concept will allow the ARFL to establish how evolving technologies develop and enable the programme to determine if they can eventually mature into a viable UAV. The ARFL aim to launch an aircraft programme around 2010 and the eventual system could enter service around 2020

Hi folks,
visit also the links for the pic’s! 🙂 🙂 🙂

fightingirish

come on guys, the greek don’t need a new trainer, they just beat Portugal! 😉

Well the Greek history is full of acts of God weather it be Athena or one of the lesser Gods.

Yes, with a German “trainer”!
Not the Mako, his name is “Koenig” (King) Otto Rehagel! 😀 😀

fightingirish

Fair Strike

Hi folks,

I was just reading the newest issue of the german magazine “Flug-Revue”, when I saw an article of the helosim “Fair Strike”:
http://www.fair-strike.com/
Has anyone played this game yet & how good/bad it is? :confused:

You can fly the Ka-58 “Black Ghost” the “Comanchski” in the “Hokum” family! 😀

Was this helocopter a real study by Kamow or a model dream like the Mig-37 “Ferret” or F-19 “Ghostrider” ?

Here some facts and pic’s: 😎

Ka-58 Black Ghost

The newest “invisible” Russian helicopter, manufactured using stealth technology. At the same time, the use of composed materials and a concealed weapons mount improves the helicopter’s responsiveness, and the use of an internal mount and shortened external pylons makes it possible to carry on board about two metric tons of weapons, including a guided ground missile system, air-to-ground rocket launcher, and anti-aircraft missile systems.The helicopter differs from previous models by its higher maximum speed, its precision aiming equipment for its on-board artillery system, and its increased maneuverability and responsiveness. Maximum speed is achieved when the external pylons for hung equipment are removed.

Weaponry (6 mounts, 2 of them internal):
– built-in 30mm 2A42M cannon
– Vikhr guided anti-tank rocket
– Igla-V rocket launcher
– Kh-29T rocket launcher
– S-8 unguided folding-fin rocket

Thanks for your answers!!!

fightingirish

1. EF 140
2. IL- 215 (“bicycle” landing gear configuration test bed!)
3. EF 150
4. Ju 287
5. Early version EF 150

And some more pic’s:
6. EF 140
7. First German passenger jet “152” (also called “Baade 152”)
8. EF 150
9. HFB 320 Hansa Jet D-CHFB before the first flight

So, hope you all enjoy the part of german-russian aviation history! 🙂

See you,

fightingirish

😀 I forgot some facts: 😮

Junkers Ju 287 V1

Description
Role Bomber prototype
Crew two, pilot and co-pilot

Dimensions
Length 18.30m 60′
Wingspan 20.11m 65′ 11″
Height 4.70m 15′
Wing area 61m² 655ft²

Weights
Empty 12,500kg 27,500 lb
Loaded 20,000kg 44,000 lb
Maximum take-off ???

Powerplant
Engines 4x Junkers Jumo 004B-1 turbojets
Power 35.3kN 8,182 lb

Performance
Maximum speed 560km/h 348 mph
Range 980km 1570 miles
Service ceiling 9,400m 30,000ft
Rate of Climb 575m/min 1,840ft/min

Armament
Guns None
production version was to have
2x 13mm MG 131 machine guns
in tail turret
Bombs None
production version was to carry
4,000kg (8,800 lbs)

Anyway, it is the big ugly grandfather of the Grumman X-29, HansaJet and Su-47! 😀
fightingirish