AFRL / Boeing 1301, 1303 UCAV concepts

[Mr London 24/7]

Boeing Phantom Works/US AFRL 1303, a UCAV with a 47° sweep angle (appears to be an X-45C genesis design):

UNINHABITED COMBAT AIR VEHICLE AERODYNAMICS:
https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/1788

Modification of the Flow Structure over a UAV Wing
for Roll Control (using Plasma-enhanced aerodynamics):
www.nd.edu/~tcorke/AIAA-2007-0884.pdf

Further offline AIAA links:
AIAA-2006-2985 Low Speed Wind Tunnel Tests on the 1303 UCAV Concept (S. McParlin, QinetiQ Ltd., Farnborough, Great Britain)
AIAA-2006-2991 Conceptual Design Studies of the 1303 Configuration (S. Woolvin, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Farnborough, Great Britain)

 

[Dew]

Came across a diagram in a University of Sheffield Thesis, which is referenced as being taken from
Billman, G.M. and Osbourne, B.A. High l/d extended range/payload fighter aircraft technology. AFRL-VA-WP-1999-3084y, 1998.

The 1303 UCAV shown in Figure [above] is an evolution of the 1301 concept which was developed by AFRL and Boeing through a downselection of many potential configurations. This process is discussed in detail in Reference [54]. The 1301 was initially selected because of the long subsonic range / mission radius, available options for controls and longitudinal balance considerations. It subsequently evolved into the 1303 concept to align it with modified requirements. The changes included reduction of the leading edge sweep to 47◦, increasing the trailing edge sweep to ±30◦, removing the trailing edge discontinuities for continuous mouldline technology, addition of an asymmetric fuselage and modification to the lower fuselage.

The 1301 concept is shown in the figure below taken from "Continuing Evolution of Aerodynamic Concept Development Using Collaborative Numerical and Experimental Evaluations"

 

[Dew]

In the early 2000's a 'full-scale existing UAV platform nicknamed “Stingray” and based on the Air Force 1301 UAV design' was employed to develop active flow control by LaRC, Georgia Institue of Technology & Georgia Tech Research Institute.



see:
Synthetic Jet Aerodynamic Control on a Full Scale UAV
Investigations of Synthetic Jet Aerodynamic Control Modulation on a Full-Scale UAV
Active Flow Control at Low Angles of Attack: Stingray Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

 

[Dew]

More Stingray from LaRC image library

 

[flateric]

1303 compared to X-45C