Need two specific AWST issues

flateric

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January 29, 1979
March 30, 1981

If anyone can get rid of these and can scan two articles from them, I'd be very obliged. Thanks in advance!
 
hmmm..I thought by now someone would have replied. I just recently inherited 30 years worth of AvWeek, starting right around that time period up to the late 2000s. They're at the office, so I will check tomorrow morning.
 
Simply overlooked the request. I possibly have both. This evening.
 
thanx to everybody! looking forward eagerly...
 
I located the first of the two magazines you requested. Very cool issue, there is an article on US AirForce research and development, with lots of pictures of advanced (for 1979) concepts, including Raymer's spanloader and laser-armed bomber. Sadly I noticed a few pages were missing (49-52, 79-80, 87-88). Skybolt, if you are scanning any of these pages, could you please send me a copy too?
 
That 1979 issue was my favorite issue, ever. Doesn't it also have those supercruise concepts from Grumman in it? That's the issue I wish I still had, as I remembered drooling through it in high school. Also, all the way up through the early 80's AvWeek had all kinds of cool three view drawings of it, including of some of the Rockwell supercruise and "early" ATF design studies. I remember the isometric drawing of the Rockwell design with the blended bod/swept wings and dorsal inlets. It's probably on this site somewhere, but those were the days before every single design iteration became secret/proprietary.
 
flateric said:
January 29, 1979
March 30, 1981

If anyone can get rid of these and can scan two articles from them, I'd be very obliged. Thanks in advance!

Do you still need the articles? I can get them electronically. No illustrations, but all the words.
 
sure! Thanks!
 
flateric said:
sure! Thanks!

Get me the article titles or the names of the authors. I need something to use in my search.
 
AeroFranz said:
there is an article on US AirForce research and development,
with lots of pictures of advanced (for 1979) concepts, including Raymer's spanloader and laser-armed bomber.
 
Aviation Week & Space Technology

January 29, 1979

Technology Spurs Weapon Gains


BYLINE: By Clarence A. Robinson, Jr.

SECTION: SPECIAL REPORT: U.S. AIR FORCE; Research and Development: Changing Patterns; Pg. 45

LENGTH: 4653 words

DATELINE: Washington



Technology now in the embryonic stages is emerging from U.S. Air Force research and development laboratories and the aerospace industry which will radically change the patterns of weapons system development and acquisition.

Weapons system application that will reflect these changes include:

* Fighter aircraft. Significant performance gains will be achieved in terms of speed, maneuverability, reduced weight and greater fire power. The gains will stem from fiber optic data links with electro-optics, microcomputers and high powered compact laser weapon systems.

* Space systems. Exploitation of space looms as a probability with military manin-space missions in the Rockwell International/NASA space shuttle transportation system. Transmission and retrieval of data will increase for spacecraft with the increased bandwidth potential of optical transmission and the payload capacity of the shuttle and inertial upper stage.


* Strategic missiles. Greatly improved understanding of combustion stability effects through laser Doppler anemometry and other advanced techniques will evolve in the next 10 years. Interest will be renewed in the use of high energy propellants, and in exotic propellant formulations such as metastable hydrogen. Carbon/carbon materials will be used increasingly for upper stages with extendable/expandable exit cones, and advanced thrust termination for solid rocket propellants.

* Tactical missiles. Variety of sensors such as millimeter wave length, imaging infrared and radiometric correlators will be used for all-weather, standoff delivery. Low visible, radar and infrared signature propellants will be used with increased burning rates of about 10 in./sec. at 1,000 psi. Ultrashort propellant consumption times will be available with complete burnout within the launch tube.

Gen. David C. Jones, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and former Air Force Chief of Staff, told AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY that he is more convinced than ever that this is a revolutionary period in terms of data collection, micro-processing and dissemination of information.

He said he believes that within a few years computers will have even more of an impact on daily lives and production of new military systems. The real requirement now, Gen. Jones said, is to combine the available information, assemble it in real time and provide it to political and military commanders so that intelligent decisions can be made on world-shaping events.

'Watching the Battle'

"The airborne warning and control system (AWACS)," Jones explained, "collects tactical information and provides it to the commander in real time. It's just like having the commander standing on a hill watching the battle, only in this case it's the air battle and he sees things in real time. And he need not be in the aircraft since the information can be provided via downlink. The commander doesn't get all the information, but he gets what he needs displayed accurately."

The greatest requirement today, according to the chairman, is to fuse the abundant amount of information available in the areas of command, control and communication with reconnaissance capabilities. Jones wants more information on the enemy available for all the services. "There is too much information available on the enemy's strength, and not enough on his weaknesses -- we need to know his Achilles heel."

This position has lead to real time reconnaissance efforts in the Air Force, both tactical and space-based.

In general, Jones believes that efforts in the U.S. have slacked in the area of basic research and it concerns him. The trend, he said, is toward applied research, and it bothers him that more capital is not being invested in basic science areas. "In our society the money goes where the rewards are the greatest, and the penalty for failure is getting so great that we need to have higher rewards for success and lower penalties for failure."

There is now a great reluctance to develop programs with high risk, but more work should be done in areas where the end is not in sight, he believes.

The lightweight fighter program with the F-16 and F-17 is an example he cited which started with no weapons system in sight. "As a result, we got two of the hottest fighters in the world," he added.

All-weather and night operations for tactical fighters and short takeoff capabilities with combat loads are areas, Jones said, that are being pressed for near-term application. Fighters such as the McDonnell Douglas F-15 and the General Dynamics F-16 can operate with under a 1,000-ft. takeoff roll with a formidable air-to-air weapons load. USAF is now studying mobile barriers and arresting gear systems to provide STOL (short takeoff and landing) capabilities for combat operations, especially in the European theater.

Many of the technologies now taken for granted came to fruition over a 20-year period from 1937 to 1957 through a bulging U.S. technology base: nuclear weapons, jet engines, radar, inertial navigation systems, computers and nuclear energy. Jones is concerned that other nations are now moving toward the leading edge of technology, particularly the Soviet Union, through increased research and development spending.

There is great synergism between seemingly unrelated technologies, and there are always unexpected breakthroughs, Jones said. The concept of devoting this special issue to USAF research and development began with Gen. Jones when he pulled a small nuclear magnetic bubble from his shirt pocket and described it to AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY editors as the next generation gyro for fighters.

Diversity in Backgrounds

Since that time Gen. Lew Allen, Jr. has become Air Force Chief of Staff. Allen is a nuclear physicist, and it pleases Jones that there is a diversity in the backgrounds of those responsible for USAF research and development. Gen. Alton D. Slay, commander of Systems Command is an armaments developer, and Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Stafford, deputy chief of staff for research, development and acquisition, is a test pilot and Gemini/Apollo astronaut. The backgrounds of these Air Force leaders are particularly well suited for technology areas where emphasis is being applied -- energy, armaments, laser/particle beam weapons research, and manned/unmanned space systems.

The Air Force laboratories are teamed with industry and other service laboratories to provide research in a number of areas that will bolster the sagging basic science work Jones now worries about.

The USAF laboratories are controlled by System Command director of science and technology, Brig. Gen. B. D. Ward. There are 13 laboratory complexes with funding of about $1.1 billion every fiscal year.The current Fiscal year involves:

* Basic research -- $104 million.

* Exploratory development -- $376 million.

* Advanced development -- $184 million.

* External sources -- $300 million.

Some Air Force organizations and their major efforts include:

* Armament Laboratory, Eglin AFB, Fla. which is seeking to advance the state-of-the-art in conventional munitions to meet the postulated Soviet threat in the 1980s of massed armor in Europe. Emphasis is on self-forging fragment warheads designed to penetrate armor out to 50 ft. at velocities greater than 6,000 fps. Low-cost adverse weather seekers such as millimeter wavelength contrast guidance are being developed for terminal guidance against armor.

* Avionics Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, working in areas of electronic/electromagnetic devices, reconnaissance, navigation and weapons delivery, and active and passive electronics warfare. This lab is developing the electronic agile radar for operating modes which include high resolution mapping using synthetic aperture radar, terrain following/avoidance and intertial navigation. The radar has a growth capability for air-to-air use. The all-weather tactical strike system is being developed for fighter aircraft in the late 1980s for improved radar weapons delivery while operating in a dense electronic warfare environment. A magnetic bubble memory also is being developed as a replacement for magnetic disc, drum and tape recorder systems. The device requires less space and has built in fault tolerance.

* Aeropropulsion Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, is working in major areas of turbine and ramjet engines, power-electrical, mechanical and hydraulic systems for aircraft and spacecraft, and fuels and lubricants. Advanced technology engine work is in progress to provide higher thrust per weight and volume with lower support costs.

* Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, where work is being accomplished in the joint USAF/NASA program to verify drag reduction and resultant fuel savings from the use of winglets. Based on the useage rates of the Boeing KC-135 tanker fleet, USAF believes it could save 43 million gallons of fuel per year by using winglets. Advanced composite structures for missiles are being developed to reduce reentry vehicle substructure weight by 20% and provide a 30% cost savings. The advanced fighter technology integration program of the laboratory is designed to couple the fire control and flight control systems to enhance weapons accuracy and fighter survivability.

* Materials Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, is working in areas of manufacturing technology, thermal protection materials, aerospace structural materials, propulsion materials and protective coatings. Particular attention is being paid to work with industry to design and operate production plants of the future where robotics are used to construct parts and assemble aircraft.

* Geophysics Laboratory, Hanscom AFB, Mass., which is delving into upper atmosphere density, reentry vehicle erosion, ionospheric propagation and spacecraft charging technology. At geosynchronous altitudes a high negative charge potential is built up on the dark side of the spacecraft, while the sunlight side remains near zero. When the current discharges, electromagnetic interference results and causes disruptions or total satellite failure. The program effort is aimed at overcoming this problem by refining environmental specifications for satellites.

* Human Resources Laboratory, Brooks AFB, Tex. where major tasks include flight simulation training, computer-based instructional systems, maintenance simulation training and human resources in systems design.

* Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Edwards AFB, Calif., seeking to provide longer lifetimes and improved propulsion for satellites and spacecraft, and develop booster and payload propulsion for advanced ballistic missiles and high performance advanced propulsion concepts.

* Rome Air Development Center, Griffiss AFB, N.Y., where digitally coded radar, automated intelligence processing, anti-jam communications, tactical electronic counter countermeasures radar, and emitter location and strike systems work is being accomplished.

* Weapons Laboratory, Kirkland AFB, N.M. where high energy laser weapons work is being accomplished on the USAF/Boeing NKC-135 airborne laser laboratory. USAF officials also envision the use of ground-based high energy lasers for application as antisatellite weapons in response to an attack on U.S. spacecraft. Nuclear weapons design, safety and compatibility work is done at this laboratory along with advanced weapons concepts such as changed particle beams.

* Office of Scientific Research, Bolling AFB, Wash., D.C., which serves as the single manager for basic research programs in areas of life sciences, mathematics and information sciences, physics and geophysics, electronic and solid-state sciences, chemical and aerospace sciences.

* European Office of Aerospace Research and Development, London, which serves as an extension of USAF laboratories to identify foreign technology, engineering and manufacturing advances.

Gen. Allen said that there certainly is no technological plateau he can observe, and no reason to imagine "that the steady progress which has affected the Air Force over recent years cannot be maintained."

The Air Force is particularly a technology intensive organization, and therefore capital equipment intensive, the chief of staff added. Each USAF weapons system operator has a large amount of fire power under his control, and a very large dollar investment in that equipment.

"And it's almost certain that it will continue that way," Allen explained. Even though precision-guided weapons are very important to the Army, and technical improvements are clearly of enormous importance to the Navy, the fact remains that the Air Force will doubtless continue, and should plan to continue, to be a leading technological service, and to place its reliance on steady and significant advancement in weapons systems."

Among the problem areas Allen expresses concern over is "disturbing trends in the quality of technical education, and in the numbers of people with adequate technical education that are made available to us."

Opportunities for continued advancement in systems abound in the field of electronics, "where there is as yet no real limit seen to the amount of computation of data which can be done with very small devices," Allen said.

Other projects with vast potential cited by Allen include:

*Acrodynamic platforms where progress is taking place in the areas of short takeoff and landing (STOL) and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) to "very highly-maneuverable systems, to efficient supersonic vehicles."

* Missile technology, particularly in the strategic area where USAF has little choice but to counter Soviet advancements in accuracy and in multiple independently-targetable warheads.Programs must continue, he said, "which will give us the opportunities to match them and maintain stable, strategic nuclear equipment."

* Command, control and communications, an area where he said the technological opportunities are greatest. But it is an enduring problem to truly match technical capabilities with effective, survivable C<3>. The technology advances very well, "but an enduring command, control and communications system seems always a little bit out of our grasp."

Opportunities arise for the dramatic and novel applications of new technology in development of exotic weapons, according to Allen. "These opportunities arise with reasonable frequency. They challenge us by demanding imagination, boldness, and substantial courage to proceed with them in a way that yields the kinds of advantages potentially there."

Directed energy weapons -- high energy lasers and beam weapons -- are examples Allen signled out. "But there are other such opportunities, and they really exist in almost every field where there is some way of leaping ahead where the risks must be assessed. Many of them are secret, he said, "and we must continue to seek them and to push them."

The chief of staff explained that for years, development of armaments has been almost an afterthought following decisions on aircraft and engine development. He added that he is pleased that is no longer the case with armaments now a development priority, and the Armament Development and Test Center a full product division. "The emphasis is there; the support is there -- the clear recognition of the needs and the advantages of a dynamic approach," Allen added.

Air power has the opportunity to be of great effectiveness against massed armor attacks using new antiarmor now in development.

The use of high energy laser weapons in fighter and bomber aircraft is a possibility, "but there are serious practical problems which must be addressed before one is really sure about how well it will go. We know now that we can do it; we even have idea as to how much it will cost and what kind of performance it will have. But these numbers really need to be better before one reaches the conviction that he should do it.They will doubtless get better as we continue to work on them. And, it's always wise to remember that the laws of physics don't preclude a major breakthrough in those areas."

USAF has always had the dream of putting laser weapons on fighters, according to Allen, "and in a big fighter like the F-15, it has seemed closer at hand than it would be in smaller ones."

The use of the space shuttle will bring about many changes in the Air Force's commitment to space as an operational medium. "There will be men in space with Air Force mission equipment in the future in increasing numbers of circumstances, and, eventually, presumably, an all Air Force space mission."

Man Vs. Machine

The argument in the past over whether to use a man or a machine in space will ease, Allen explained, because the man will now be there on the shuttle.

The Air Force has been driven in recent years to develop long-lived spacecraft to amortize the costs. With the shuttle it may be possible to design a spacecraft for on-orbit assembly, or to accept spacecraft that are less costly by taking a chance on an early launch even though there might be some uncertainty because the checkout of the satellite can be accomplished by the crew in the shuttle after it reaches orbit. This will drive down spacecraft costs because failures can be corrected with shuttle repair or recovery, Allen believes.

Development Cycle

Typically, the Air Force development cycle runs about two years in basic research, three years in the exploratory development stage, five years in advanced development, and another three years in manufacturing before system application. The service is moving rapidly to reduce this lead time.

One important area of development is rocket propulsion. Conventional propellants are reaching theoretical limits. For solid propellants the maximum theoretical specific impulse is about 285 sec., and state-of-the-art technology is 265 sec. Liquid propellants run somewhat higher with the hydrogen-oxygen isp. about 290 sec.

United Technologies is one of the contractors involved in searching for new types of propellants. Unconventional metastable propellants such as inert gas compounds, atomic hydrogen and other esoteric formulations have the potential for significant performance gains -- up to 2,800 sec. isp. for triplet helium.

Storage of the materials in their metastable state is difficult and major gains in energy storage in the next 10-25 years is anticipated. Super conducting storage rings, synthesis and storage of metallic hydrogen, limited control of nuclear fusion and other energy technologies will emerge during this period, according to United Technologies officials.

In the more distant future rockets may be powered by metallic hydrogen pellets or rods serving as burning grains. Triplet helium stored in plastic or monatomic hydrogen maintained in intense magnetic fields may be typical of propellants. Rockets could also be powered by ablated products resulting from bombardment of a mass with electrical or light energy -- continuous wave gigawatt lasers expected by 1990 would perform well.

As a spin-off of current thermonuclear fusion research, a nuclear fusion pulse rocket will be available after the year 2000, possibly for use as a transfer orbit vehicle in space.

Near-term propulsion improvements are likely to be in air breathing systems like ramjets -- liquid or solid fueled -- and ducted rockets. Such systems will be used to increase range and reaction times against increases in speed in enemy aircraft. Within 10 years United Technologies officials believe that ramiets will incorporate infinitely variable inlets and nozzles, compact fuel management systems and have range improvements of 150%.

Gen. Stafford said he is seeking to reverse the trend of decreasing funds in the basic research and experimental technology areas, "but we must still operate within an overall research and development ceiling. This is a problem when troubles develop with major programs. USAF must make difficult decisions, and must sometimes trade off the future to resolve the difficulty," he explained.

One area the Air Force is pursuing vigorously, Stafford said, is to back away from any form of "gold plating." After operational commanders have outlined their requirements, "We can sometimes back off 10% and save up to 30% of the development money in these tradeoffs."

As the deputy chief of staff he also must make development tradeoffs in one operational area, such as strategic offense, which impacts on another, such as tactical aircraft development. "But when we see promising technology such as harassment mini-drones, we have the latitude to realign resources to achieve the near-term gain," he said. Another technology Stafford cited in this category is mosaic infrared starer sensors for application to early warning satellites.

Stafford believes this is a low-risk technology with big benefits for improving the early warning satellite systems response time to ICBM/SLBM attack.

GRumman Corp. is one company involved in the development of mosaic starer sensors. The system incorporates a mosaic array with large numbers of tiny detectors to stare continuously over the entire field to view from space, rather than scanning as with present infrared detectors. The new technology promises a significant improvement in radiometric sensitivity, enabling detection of missiles with cooler signatures, according to USAF officials.

Another emerging technology for USAF application is Grumman's development of a space radar to provide more extensive coverage from the vantage point of space against ICBMs, bombers, tactical aircraft and cruise missiles. Studies show that by the late 1980s a constellation of space-based radars could be operational, placed in orbit by the shuttle and boosted to a 19,300 naut. mi. geostationary orbit by the inertial upper stage.

The radar beam would be generated by phased array antenna elements and electronically shifted from point to point to track high-speed targets. The signal would be radiated from space by a solar-power source.

Stafford explained funding allotments to the technology base. It includes approximately $650 million in Fiscal 1980, in the following categories:

* Propulsion and power -- $121 million.

* Human factors -- $50 million.

* Materials -- $48 million.

* Weaponry -- $151 million.

* Electronics -- $153 million.

* Basic research -- $122 million.

* Environment (geophysics) -- $30 million.

* Flight vehicles -- $49 million.

Technology is emerging now from industry contracts awarded by USAF laboratories and other services which will have a big impact on weapons systems in the next 12 years, Stafford said.

Some examples are systems being developed by Vought Corp. They include:

* Electro-optic phase change scanning laser.A laboratory model has been built and demonstrated to provide the means to control an infrared scanning laser beam. The laser beam is not scanned after generation, but rather emerges from the resonator in the desired direction of propagation. Very large numbers of resolvable beam directions are attainable over a large total scan angle, with switching times between directions of less than 1 microsec. The selection of the beam direction can be done on a random basis. Application of this technology is for active missile guidance and homing systems, and aircrafts fire control.

* Electro-optical phase change optical data processing. A device consisting primarily of a cathode ray tube using a faceplate screen of a new design is being developed for coherent optical data processing. The faceplate screen consists of a multilayer film structure including a layer of electro-optical phase change material. The film is the active component and can be configured for use in either a reflective or transmissive geometry. By addressing points on the screen with an electron beam in response to a signal, the film undergoes a phase transition. The induced phase of the spots addressed by the beam is stable and does not fade in the absence of the beam until erased. The reflective index change permits optical readout of the data. Recorded spots on the order of 1 micron have been achieved, and writing scan frequencies exceed 10 mc.

* Laser radar system. This technology allows the potential for radar with fast, gimballess random address capability and high resolution over a large field of view. This means a simultaneous search and track, and inherent in the system is the ability to use complex search algorithms at lower average transmitted power than conventionally scanned laser radar.The scanning concept also provides the basis for generating synchronous reference coherent wavefronts, increasing receiver sensitivity and reducing transmitted power requirements. The system has application to active guidance and homing systems with significant advantages over passive IR systems because of the capability to discriminate against background and foreground clutter.

* High energy laser protection system. Vought has developed a spray-on coating designed to protect aircraft against high-radiation weapons, and it is being tested on three aircraft in UAF's inventory -- a Boeing KC 135 tanker, a Rockwell International T 39, and Lockheed C-130. The reflective coating has been applied to detachable panels on the aircraft to evaluate climatic and environmental effects. It also has application to hardening of missiles to protect them from laser weapons. The basis of the protection system is the natural high reflectivity of polished aluminum protected by a coating of ablative material applied directly to the naked skin. Paint coatings follow. The protective coating has been successfully tested against high energey laser beams.

John J. Martin, assistant secretary of the Air Force for research, development and logistics, told AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY that the service established a program just about a year ago to look at long-range planning activity. "The idea is to place the Air Force in the year 2000, and look back to see what should have been done to optimize the technology now for that period," he said.

USAF must first determine the changes over which it has no control -- energy, demography, third world nations. With these boundaries it should be possible for a look at the service in that period. Martin believes. "Certain things come with incipient changes . . . the limit on young people, so we seek not to go toward manpower-intensive systems. Other changes are the availability of petroleum resources since USAF consumes more fuel than the other services, although "small by national standards."

Aircraft entering the inventory now operate with engines based on liquid fuel and will be in the inventory for 25 years, so the service is eyeing relatively small changes to lower grade fuels for aircraft.

Air Force is working with the Navy on developing shale oil reserve for aircraft petroleum use, he said.

Martin said the long-term program is just being put together and he is seeking to discover just what mistakes should be avoided as he looks back from the year 2000.

He said that he is convinced that with the intellectual and financial reserves of the U.S., the nation can develop the systems it requires. He cited the example of the Manhattan Project that produced the atomic bomb during World War 2 and said, "charged particle beams and lasers are exactly what I have in mind, and we are doing it without throwing money at the problem."

Martin added that fly-by-wire, coupled with composite materials, sensors and computers on board to determine aerodynamic information, and wing warping of fighters in flight, aircraft will be flown in the near and mid-term in ways that pilots have never witnessed before.


URL: http://www.aviationnow.com

SUBJECT: MILITARY WEAPONS (92%); MISSILE SYSTEMS (91%); DEFENSE RESEARCH (90%); DEFENSE ELECTRONICS (90%); SPACECRAFT (90%); AIR FORCES (90%); AEROSPACE RESEARCH (90%); RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT (90%); SPACE EXPLORATION (90%); DEFENSE INDUSTRY (90%); AEROSPACE SECTOR PERFORMANCE (90%); AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING (89%); ARMED FORCES (89%); AEROSPACE INDUSTRY (89%); BANDWIDTH (79%); FIGHTERS & BOMBERS (78%); LASERS (78%); SATELLITE INDUSTRY (78%); LASER WEAPONS (78%); SURVEILLANCE & RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT (78%); COMPUTER SOFTWARE (77%); FIBER OPTICS (76%); SPACE PROPULSION (75%); SPACE & AERONAUTICS AGENCIES (73%); SHUTTLE BUS & VANPOOL SERVICES (70%);

PERSON: JAMES L JONES (52%);

ORGANIZATION: US AIR FORCE (94%); UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY (59%); US NAVY (59%); NATIONAL WAR COLLEGE (59%); JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF (59%); UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY (59%); JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF (59%); UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY (59%); UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY (59%); NATIONAL WAR COLLEGE (59%);

COUNTRY: UNITED STATES (95%);

STATE: NORTH DAKOTA, USA (79%); ILLINOIS, USA (79%);

COMPANY: US AIR FORCE (94%); UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY (59%); US NAVY (59%); NATIONAL WAR COLLEGE (59%); JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF (59%); UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY (59%); JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF (59%); UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY (59%); UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY (59%); NATIONAL WAR COLLEGE (59%);

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Picutres 1 through 3, Rockwell International Concept in a USAF strategic aircraft design study used forward-swept wings for aerodynamic efficiency. A constant chord wing/canard and constant cross-section fuselage are featured in this design, top left. Northrop Corp.'s air vehicle technology advancements are embodied in an artist's concept of an advanced tactical fighter design. Note the use of top-mounted inlets for advanced engines, left center, and the variable camber wing. The fighter would use two-dimensional nozzles for vectored thrust, and relaxed static stability. Advanced structure composite metallics are used. Advanced strategic air-launched missile is depicted in an artists's concept, lower left, homing on a hostile airborne warning and control aircraft vectoring fighters to attack incoming U.S. bombers. The missile has application for either ground attack or air-to-air modes.; Pictures 4 and 5, Conceptual design of USAF's next-generation primary trainer aircraft, from Fairchild, above, is an aircraft with 1,500-lb.-thrust engines, new design small turbojets with a moderate bypass ratio. The aircraft design is based on the company's A-10 maintenance experience and has side-by-side seating for the flight instructor and student. Night/adverse weather enhanced tactical fighter aircraft design, above right, is depicted in flight over the battlefield. Fairchild this spring will fly a demonstration version of the aircraft with the Westinghouse WX50 radar, a podded Texas instruments forward looking infrared system and a Kaiser head-up display. Hartmann advanced displays will be integrated with the aircraft for evaluation during the flight demonstration series.; Picture 6, Gen. David C. Jones, 57, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . . . attended University of North Dakota and Minot State College . . . commissioned 2nd Lt. USAF 1943 . . . flaw combat missions Korea . . . graduate National War College 1960 . . . Commander-in-Chief U.S. Air Forces Europe 1971 . . . Chief of Staff USAF July, 1974 . . . Chairman Joint Chiefs June, 1978.; Picture 7, Dr. John J. Martin, 58, Asst. Secretary of the Air Force, Research, Development and Logistics . . . graduate University Notre Dame 1943 . . . commissioned U.S. Navy 1944 . . . PhD Purdua University 1951 . . . staff, President's Science Adviser 1969 . . . Associate Deputy Director of Central intelligence for the intelligence Community 1973 . . . appointed Asst. Sec. USAF July 7, 1976.; Picture 8, Gen. Lew Allen, Jr., 63, Chief of Staff U.S. Air Force . . . graduate U.S. Military Academy 1946, advanced pilot training 1948 . . . graduate University of Illinois with master of science 1952 and PhD in physics 1954 . . . Commander Air Force Systems Command 1977 . . . Vice Chief of Staff Air Force April 1, 1978 . . . appointed Chief of Staff July 1, 1978.; Picture 9, Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Stafford, 48, Deputy Chief of Staff, Research, Development and Acquisition . . . graduate U.S. Naval Academy 1952, commissioned USAF . . . outstanding graduate USAF Experimental Flight Test School 1959 . . . astronaut 1962 . . . flew Gemini, Apollo and U.S./Soviet Apollo-Soyuz missions . . . Commander USAF Flight Test Center 1975 . . . Dep. Chief of Staff April 1, 1978.; Pictures 10 through 12, Multi-mode fly-by-wire system is inherent in the advanced technology design concept by Fairchild Republic Corp., above. The technology demonstrator concept is an 18,000-lb.-class aircraft for air-to-air/air-to-ground missions with supersonic cruise capability. Major technology includes vectored thrust and super circulation. Note the thrust deflection exhaust. Light STOL fighter, right, is a conceptual design with relaxed static margin, a two-dimensional nozzle and the capability for takeoff and landing in under 1,000 ft. with combat loads. The 15,000-lb.-class aircraft is for air-to-air combat. Advanced tactical aircraft system conceptual design, below, is a low-level supersonic cruise fighter for night/adverse weather operations in the 30,000-lb. category.; Picture 13, Interactive computer-aided design system to analyze advanced fighter aircraft is used by Air Force Lt. James E. Fucillo. The system is located at Aeronautical Systems Div., and a computer program developed by USAF engineers designs fighter configurations.; Pictures 14 through 15, McDonnell Douglas technology demonstrator, top, is based on the company's F-15 air-superiority fighter with the addition of canards. Aerodynamic and flight control systems enable the pilot to snap the aircraft around in the air. New McDonnell Douglas aircraft design, above, is for the advanced tactical fighter role using new flight control technology.; Picture 16, General Dynamics automated tactical air control center for the Tactical Air Command provides automatic displays of the air situation. Large screen displays provide situation data, and new data can be posted automatically by the processor within milliseconds of receipt. Each of two large screens can function either as a status display of 51 lines by 80 columns of tabular data, or as a geographic situation display of 300 air tracks and 60 ground tracks.; Graph 1, SOVIET AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT; Picture 17, Northrop Corp.'s advanced subsonic trainer concept for USAF/Navy joint service use is designed as a replacement for the company's supersonic T 38 Talon trainer.; Graph 2, SOVIET FIGHTER FORCE LEVEL PROJECTION
 
Aviation Week & Space Technology

January 29, 1979

Advanced Bomber, Missile in Definition


BYLINE: By Craig Covault

SECTION: SPECIAL REPORT: US AIR FORCE; Research and Development: Changing Patterns; Pg. 113

LENGTH: 2808 words

DATELINE: Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio



U.S. Air Force is in the earliest stages of defining a new strategic manned bomber and advanced technology cruise missile. Both could be operational by the early 1990s to replace the Boeing B-52 or cruise missile system currently under development.

About $15 million is being requested in Fiscal 1980 for the new bomber program.

Aeronautical Systems Div.hs advanced cruise missile study has been geared toward identifying key technologies for such weapons. But technology projections for the 1990s have proved difficult because potentially important subcontractors are concentrating on the near term and have provided little far-term enginneering development forecasts for incorporation into the USAF long-range planning, researchers here said.


Although strategic planners here see a serious need for early planning for an advanced survivable cruise missile carrier to go along with a new missile, Congress failed to provide funding for this technology work. Eingineers here foresee survivability problems with some of the current cruise missile carrier aircraft candidates because most of them have not been designed with strategic strike and survival in mind. The new manned bomber will be a factor in advanced cruise missile development.

The Rockwell International B-1 earlier terminated by President Jimmy Carter and the General Dynamics FB-111H reengined version of the operational FB-111A, both terrain-following bombers, will be considered along with more-advanced designs in the new manned bomber program.

Termination of the B-1 program in 1977 has not dampened USAF insistence that manned strategic bombers must be considered as strong candidates for the future. The course of the new manned bomber program will be strongly dependent on decisions made in the cruise missile carrier aircraft (CMCA) program, which Aeronautical Systems Div. planners view as a program competing for funds and manpower.

Basic questions on strategic attack aircraft are being reexamined under the new bomber program. These are:

* Penetration capability -- "We are seeing the standoff and penetration concepts coming closer together," according to USAF Capt. Milton Moores, ASD project manager for the conceptual phase of the new manned bomber program. The new bomber may be a merging of the two concepts, he said. Cruise missile carriers may have to be hardened more as the threat moves outward from enemy frontiers and attacking missiles are going to have to be placed in longer-range aircraft. "The word 'bomber' may be a misnomer because the aircraft will carry cruise missiles, whether it is designed 'hard' to penetrate [low] or designed to stand off at higher altitudes," Moores said.

* Penetration altitude -- There are indications USAF is considering a move away from today's low-level penetrator to an extremely high-altitude/high-speed bomber. "Some people in very high places talk about very high/very fast penetrators," Moores said.

Soviet threats are making bomber penetration of the USSR increasingly difficult. Computer war games conducted under the advanced cruise missile study here showed that with the projected 1995 air defense threat, penetration by B-1/B-52 type aircraft could result in loss of most of the bombers before they launched their advanced technology cruise missiles.

Use of B-1/B-52 type aircraft against a 1995 Soviet threat has inherent inaccuracies because by 1995 technology should have improved beyond the B-1/B-52 stage, but the computer analysis employed the most advanced electronic countermeasures and lethal bomber defense systems envisioned and still resulted in very high penetrator losses prior to cruise missile launch.

All potential bomber concepts will be studied during the early phases of the new bomber program. While extremely high and fast aircraft will be given consideration, recent advanced bomber studies show that once an aircraft is designed for speeds above Mach 1, its life-cycle and development costs climb dramatically. The studies show that supersonic speed, at least in a low-level environment, may not add commensurately more survivability when compared to bomber defense systems and low radar cross-section techniques that will increase survivability over today's capabilities in those areas.

Aeronautical Systems Div.'s deputy for development planning was asked by the USAF Air Staff in late 1978 to prepare a preliminary development plan for the new manned bomber.

This is in advance of the formal USAF new manned bomber mission element needs statement planned soon and a USAF program management directive which will give formal approval for the development effot. Studies that will be used by USAF to draft the new mission element needs statement and will be used as key early guides to the program are:

* Innovative strategic aircraft design study -- This effort was conducted originally by Boeing and Rockwell International to identify possible bomber designs that could be follow-ons to the B-1 once it entered service. The basic data will be useful in the initial new manned bomber work, even though innovative strategic aircraft design studies (ISADS) concepts may be too advanced technically for the current project. The ISADS concepts were geared to a B-1 replacement, but the current new bomber project is oriented toward a B-52 replacement. This makes the ISADs data somewhat too advanced for the current project.

* Strategic bomber study -- Performed by General Research Corp. of Santa Barbara. Calif., for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the study evaluated the B-1, FB-111H, the effect of extensive B-52 modifications and the potential for new bomber designs to identify weaknesses and possible options for the future. One conclusion reached was that an FB-111H model would be an extremely expensive way to proceed. The General Research Corp. study is a major input to the mission element needs statement.

* Strategic Air Command requirement for operational capability -- Also known as a statement of operational need, this document is just being completed by SAC and will support development of a new manned bomber.

* New manned bomber requirements study -- This is a joint SAC/ASD project that will examine the technical requirements for a new aircraft. First results from this effort are expected in late 1979 and will spell out deficiencies that must be addressed in future systems.

* Strategic bomber enhancement program -- This is a group of related efforts that together will be used to assess the status of technology related to strategic systems. It will not only address bombers from an airframe standpoint, but also areas such as cruise missile avionics that can affect attack planning for this leg of the triad.

ASD will use funds in Fiscal 1979 planned for general strategic work to initiate the new manned bomber program since the new program element, designated 63251F, has no designated Fiscal 1979 funds. Money to evaluate alternative concepts will be requested in Fiscal 1980.

Concept Timetable

First Defense System Acquisition Review Council meeting on the project could select the new manned bomber concepts in Fiscal 1981. A systems program office then would contract for a demonstration validation phase that could run through Fiscal 1984, with a full-scale engineering development program starting possibly as early as Fiscal 1985, leading to possible production of an operational aircraft in about 1988.

Generally, it is believed a new bomber would have to have electronics hardened at least to the B-1 level and require electronic countermeasures and active defensive systems such as gunds or missiles, no matter how much progress is made in radar cross-section reduction.

The biggest technology area will be radar cross-section reduction from both a materails and structures standpoint.

The innovative strategic aircraft design study considered many innovative concepts that will be examined for application to the new manned bomber. These include forward-swept wing and flying-wing span loader designs, as well as ground effects machines. Nuclear propulsion and laser defensive systems also were identified but not viewed as likely for application to the new manned bomber program.

Rockwell supplied USAF with five possible new bomber concepts in the innovative strategic aircraft study and Boeing supplied six. No one in USAF or the contractors believes the designs or costs estimated for the designs are anything but extremely preliminary ideas on what could be designed 10-15 years from now. The designs or costs are not going to be directly transferable to the new bomber program because the program is keyed to a more near-term aircraft than the study considered.They do offer a starting point to work from, however, and are useful from the standpoint of showing what engineers believe could evolve.

The contractors submitted several versions of the flying wing or span loader. Life-cycle costs roughly estimated for these span loader designs were among the lowest for all the aircraft emerging from the study.

The $12-13.6 billion range in life-cycle costs for these aircraft spread over 15-20 years were lower than other designs because span loaders have relatively simple structures in which the entire simple structures in which the entire aircraft is an airfoil. The basic flying wing carries a 50,000-lb, payload, the same as the B-1. Two other possible span loader versions showed extremely low radar cross-sections and possible laser defense systems.

The aircraft would hae short takeoff capability. The ride in the low-level environment could be a problem because of aerodynamic characteristics. Advanced active controls now available could be applied to prevent stability problems that earlier flying wings encountered.

Boeing also investigated turboprops, but analysis showed that the extensive moving parts required raised costs. Radar cross-section also was increased by turboprop propulsion.

This study dictated that all aircraft concepts had to be able to fly unrefueled strike missions into Soviet territory from U.S. bases. The new manned bomber program now under way, however, would use tankers.

A more near-term conventional design created by Boeing was an aircraft about 50% the size of a B-52, which would use two moderate-bypass-ratio engines for subsonic cruise and attack from low-level, terrain-following flight. This design also had a 25:1 thrust-to-weight ratio engine in the rear that would be used for takeoff and landing only.

Both contractors' supersonic concepts were swing-wing designs with a life-cycle cost of almost $20 billion or about $6 billion more than the most expensive subsonic concept.

Rockwell pursued only one span loader flying concept and concentrated on low radar cross-section as this concept's key advantage. A laser-defended delta-wing vehicle that would use two dimensional engine nozzles for thrust control was considered a possible design, as was a double delta design described as having minimum weight characteristics.

A low-cost, high-performance penetrator with forward-swept wings and canards was another Rockwell concept. Rockwell International and Grumman have been doing considerable design work on forward-sweep concepts for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and USAF to simplify overall aircraft manufacturing by allowing a constant chord wing and canard.

Engine technologies for an advanced cruise missile are an entirely different story. Powerplant technology must make significant strides to achieve the performance desired for these weapons.

Advanced cruise missile airframe studies have been performed by Boeing, McDonnell douglas and General Dynamics/Convair. A mission analysis phase of the study effort has been conducted by Martin Marietta and Rockwell International.

The studies involved strategic strike situations for 1995-2000 and evaluated the availability of technology in 1990-1995.It is possible, however, that advanced cruise missile development and production could be started somewhat earlier than these study dates imply, according to Richard R. Stalder, who manages advanced cruise missile studies for ASD's strategic planning directorate.

Primary missions evaluated were prime strategic strike, defense suppression and anti-airborne warning and control system for an air-to-air version of the vehicle. Four specific performance regions were studied from the standpoint of both low-and high-altitude attack. These are.

* Subsonic cruise missile powered by a turbofan engine.

* Subsonic cruise/Supersonic dash missile powered by a duct-burning turbofan or turboramjet.

* Supersonic cruise missile powered by a turbojet or integral rocket ramjet.

* Hypersonic cruise missile flying at Mach 6 at altitudes of 150,000-200,000 ft. and powered by a supersonic combustion ramjet better known as a scramjet.

Bulk of the highly secret studies were completed last month, although the three contracts have been extended for studies for an additional six months on the most promising concepts.

Each of the three contractors has derived 30-40 possible cruise missile configurations, which are now being sifted to find the most viable designs for potential missions.

Ranges of 700 mi. to 2,800 mi. have been evaluated because it is uncertain whether the aircraft that will carry these weapons would be penetrators or launch the missiles from a standoff position.

Ability of cruise missiles to perform other roles, such as electronic countermeasures and reconnaissance, also was evaluated.

An extensive amount of threat and performance analysis has been done on the configurations to decide what concepts should be pursued further.

Threat projections, mission analysis and technology projections all have been applied in reaching initial configuration. This process then has been followed by a one-on-one threat analysis and overall engagement analysis to identify critical technologies that ASD will recommend USAF pursue starting with the Fiscal 1980 budget, the first year the advanced technology cruise missile will have a dedicated project office here in Dayton.

Key technologies that have been identified are the following:

* Stealth technology.

* Engines and fuels.

* Avionics.

"Stealth cannot be overemphasized," Stalder said. "Those technologies are really not here today so there are going to have to be a lot of research dollars put into them."

Propulsion Crucial

Propulsion would be "the long pole in the tent" if USAF decides to develop an advanced cruise missile for earlier than the mid-1990s, which is possible, Stalder said.

To get the ranges envisioned and in some concepts the speeds, significant engine work is required to obtain suitable specific fuel consumption figures to keep the design of the missile small.

Most significant technology work here is not under USAF, but rather the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. DARPA is contracting with both Garrett and Teledyne for concepts of advanced turbofan engines with much better specific fuel consumption than current engines. This is difficult because cruise missile engines are extremely constrained as to parts size.

In order to overcome size limitations, Teledyne is pursuing a configuration where the last spool has been pulled off an engine, allowing the construction of a larger turbine section and larger final compressor stage, with gases then rerouted back through the engine via the exhaust nozzle. Garrett is working on a "combined compound cycle" taht uses a high-speed diesel engine to enhance engine compression capabilities, Stalder said.

New fuels that can provide more energy per pound than conventional fuels also will be a factor. Slurry fuels, which involve elements such as carbon imbedded in a hydrocarbon fuel, are being evaluated by the USAF Aeropropulsion Laboratory. Hydrocarbon-based fuels wuld be used in the turbofans, with boron slurries used possibly in integral rocket ramjet engines. USAF advanced strategic air-launched missile (ASALM) work has developed integral rocket ramjet technology that could be a part of an advanced cruise missile, as has the U.S. Navy. NASA has done scramjet work, but this has been a low-priority propulsion area beacause of a lack of funding.

Magnetic bubble memory technology allowing extraordinary data storage capability in extremely small packages will be a key technology that will enable highly accurate guidance systems to be built for advanced cruise missiles. This technology is being pursued widely in industry and evaluated by the USAF Electronic Systems Div. Navigation and terminal guidance update systems will be integrated in the advanced missiles.


URL: http://www.aviationnow.com

SUBJECT: FIGHTERS & BOMBERS (91%); MISSILE SYSTEMS (91%); BOMBINGS (90%); AIR FORCES (90%); MISSILE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT (78%); DEFENSE ELECTRONICS (78%); DEFENSE INDUSTRY (78%); DEFENSE CONTRACTING (78%); US PRESIDENTS (74%); STRATEGIC PLANNING (58%);

TICKER: BOE (LSE) (91%); BAB (BRU) (91%); BA (NYSE) (91%); GD (NYSE) (55%);

INDUSTRY: NAICS336414 GUIDED MISSILE & SPACE VEHICLE MANUFACTURING (91%); NAICS336412 AIRCRAFT ENGINE & ENGINE PARTS MANUFACTURING (91%); NAICS336411 AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURING (91%); SIC3761 GUIDED MISSILES & SPACE VEHICLES (91%); NAICS336411 AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURING (91%); NAICS336992 MILITARY ARMORED VEHICLE, TANK & TANK COMPONENT MANUFACTURING (55%); NAICS336611 SHIP BUILDING & REPAIRING (55%); NAICS334511 SEARCH, DETECTION, NAVIGATION, GUIDANCE, AERONAUTICAL & NAUTICAL SYSTEM & INSTRUMENT MANUFACTURING (55%);

PERSON: JIMMY CARTER (55%);

ORGANIZATION: US AIR FORCE (94%);

COUNTRY: UNITED STATES (93%);

STATE: OHIO, USA (74%);

COMPANY: BOEING CO (91%); GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP (55%); GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP (55%); US AIR FORCE (94%);

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

GRAPHIC: Pictures, 1 and 2, Span loader flying wing concepts were evaluated by Boeing as part of its advanced bomber studies. Span loaders have simple structures, which enable relatively low life-cycle cost projections. Concept above has laser turrets mounted in the nose and tail for aircraft and missile defense. Laser generator is mounted in mid-fuselage. Concept shown below has same aerodynamic configuration, but is not equipped with laser defensive system.; Picture 3, Lt. Gen. George H. Sylvester Commander, Aeronautical Systems Div. Air Force Systems Command Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Picture 4, United Technologies Chemical Systems Div. ramjet Div. ramjet propulsion system is depicted in an artists's concept of Air Force's advanced strategic air-launched cruise missile.; Picture 4, Mockups of the USAF/Martin Marietta advanced strategic air-launched missile (ASALM) are shown on a rotary launch rack inside a mockup of the USAF/Boeing B-52 weapons bay. One missile (lower left) is detached from its mounting on the rack. The ASALM, which would have both an air-to-ground and air-to-air capability, could be carried by either the B-52 or the USAF/General Dynamics FB-111.; Picture 5 through 8, Boeing advanced bomber concept, about half the size of a B-52, would have two medium-bypass cruise engines on the wings and a third high-thrust-to-weight engine in the tail.A Rockwell International concept is based on a span-loaded delta wing, with two-dimensional inlets and a tail-mounted laser defensive weapon. Boeing's high supersonic speed penetrator has an X-wing that would rotate to present a large span for takeoff and landing and a shorter one for supersonic cruise. Rockwell's high supersonic speed concept would use body lift during high-speed flight. The wing would rotate from its stowed position for conventional flight.; Picture 9, Span loader bomber designs evaluated by the Air Force as part of its advanced strategic bomber aircraft studies include this delta wing vehicle, shown in artist's concept above, with two-dimensional inlets mounted on the leading edges just aft of the aircraft's cockpit.
 
Sincere thanks! Now, hopefully, in two years or so we will finally find pics...
 
flateric said:
Sincere thanks! Now, hopefully, in two years or so we will finally find pics...

Pics of the bomber concepts have appeared here in the forum. Rockwell and summary ISADS studies are available from USG sites as well.

Typically crappy AW&ST house-style sketches of compound-cycle and advanced turbofans appeared in an issue in 1981-82 or thereabouts. Wish I could be more specific, my issues from that era are long gone.
 
We have those issues at the Museum. I will get the issues to Mark Nankivil to scan the articles for you. That is, if you still need them.
 
You should be able to access these at archive.aviationweek.com, so it's probably not necessary now.
 
We have those issues at the Museum. I will get the issues to Mark Nankivil to scan the articles for you. That is, if you still need them.
Thanks for the help, but yes, now I can easily access them.
 

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