BAE Systems CAFD (Combat Air Flying Demonstrator)

https://aviationweek.com/defense/ai...ator-progresses-critical-gcap-de-risk-efforts

Frames for each fuselage section have been aligned on jigs with the center fuselage section arguably the most revealing, showing two deep internal weapons bays positioned ahead of the main landing gear. Their size suggests the demonstrator could potentially carry around twice the internal weapons volume of the F-35's relatively shallow bays, and potentially could be capable of accommodating larger-diameter stores.

Where the landing gear will be fitted, faceted edges have been added to the frames to reduce the radar cross-section of where the gear doors will be fitted.

Individual ducts for the two Eurojet EJ200 engines wrap over the weapons bays and run almost the full length of the center fuselage, explaining the unusually shaped intake ducting displayed previously. It remains unclear whether the ducts stay parallel all the way to the rear of the aircraft or whether the engines are widely spaced, as journalists were not shown the aft section of the rear fuselage. The demonstrator will also feature modified engine nozzles rather than the standard Eurofighter Typhoon installation, Aviation Week has been told.

The intake-fuselage junction is manufactured as a single component using hot isostatic pressing (HIP), a process that BAE engineers said would not have been possible using conventional manufacturing techniques. The same process has also been used to produce titanium actuator cradles for the aircraft's large trailing-edge control surfaces.

Based on what was shown, the demonstrator appears to be at least one-third longer than the Eurofighter, as Aviation Week has previously reported, making it the largest aircraft assembled in the UK since the Nimrod MRA4. The production GCAP fighter is expected to be larger still.
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That is good to see that the main structure of the prototype is in final assembly, looking forward to seeing the role out when that eventually occurs.
 
It's a very sleek looking machine.
 

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timmymagic said:
The IWB can be seen in the image...and confirmation that supersonic weapons release will be undertaken as part of the trials. You can also see some of the inlet ducts seperate to the main structure.
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Can it? I've thought that what we could see on the image are mostly air ducts between the inlet and the engine...
 
snne said:
Aside from the duckbill, IMPO

It works on the Hellduck, but on this aircraft it just looks quite awkward and honestly ugly...
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Esthetically the bigger issue IMHO is the twin tails... something about their proportion looks off.

I think the issue is that the tailfins don't taper enough towards the top, making it very wide. Perhaps also cutting the top edge at an angle would help (as on the J-35 for example).
 
Any ideas what the two boxy bumps represent under the rear fuselage of the model?
 
I certainly don't like the tail fins either Jackonico, let's see what happens between the prototype and the actual GCAP when it finally enters service.
 
I did not know that BAE Systems were involved with designing Kaan zebedee. I suppose that it was mostly the shaping of Kaan that BAE Systems helped with?
 
FighterJock said:
I did not know that BAE Systems were involved with designing Kaan zebedee. I suppose that it was mostly the shaping of Kaan that BAE Systems helped with?
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It wasn't like LockMart's role in KF-21 (PDR & CDR); BAE only advised during the Preliminary Design Phase. They didn't design the aircraft, and realistically couldn't even have designed it for Turkey with only 200 engineers.

At the time (2016/18-2021/22), there were many comments from within TAI's engineering team expressing dissatisfaction with the support provided by BAE Systems (assignment of less experienced engineers to the program, etc.). That was later reinforced by the fact that TAI declined to renew the support that BAE had publicly offered for the CDR phase.

Anyway, that's a bit beside the point. He was making an ironic remark about BAE's involvement in both programs, not suggesting that anything was copied from Kaan for some reason...
 
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SteveO said:
Had an idea they were camera housings for stores release trials. Or just radar reflectors?
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Those would be unusual choices to include in a display model.

Not saying they aren't cameras or radar reflectors, but it'd be weird to include them in a display model.
 
I'd love to see it fly, but after decades of following this scene, color me skeptical.
 
martinbayer said:
My sentiment exactly, though you could easily have left off the HM in the last word...
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There's parts of some governments that operate with sense. Then Congress starts adding new laws that must be followed, or you're trying to budget things out and sense left the building decades ago.
 
Maro.Kyo said:
Can it? I've thought that what we could see on the image are mostly air ducts between the inlet and the engine...
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See the black structures on platforms to the left and right of the airframe....parts of the inlet ducting.
 
Jackonicko said:
The tailfins are the worst thing about it!
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AFAIK, that geometry is primarily driven by planform alignment and edge diffraction for stealth...
Sure, it doesn't hide the engine nozzles that well, but that's what LOANs are for...
 

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That is true snne, look at all modern stealth aircraft today all have planform alignment for stealth it was first used on the F-22 to get away from the flat panel shaping used on the F-117A Nighthawk and that increased manoeuvreability and also aided supersonic flight performance.
 

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