DARPA/USAF Force Application and Launch from CONUS (FALCON) program

[hesham]

Hi,

An artist picture to the Lockheed Martin HCV Falcon.


http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/2004/2004-09%20-%201766.pdf

 

[flateric]

*Very* interesting 4-years old DARPA/AFRL presentation ('Distribution: Gov & Gov Contractors, ITAR Restricted' appears sometimes) that gives some insights on the FALCON program plans. http://narod.ru/disk/147168000/FALCON.pdf (~30MB)

Just can't understand what Australians made to US? Follow-on to Bart Simpson's war?

 

[sferrin]

Well Australia is gonna be pissed.

 

[KJ_Lesnick]

How exactly does this thing work (The link seems to be in Russian which I cannot read)?

 

[airrocket]

HCV 3D inward inlets.... aurora design is now dated.

 

[KJ_Lesnick]

What kind of weapons does it release?


KJ Lesnick
I just hope the US doesn't use this for some kind of world domination idea

 

[sferrin]

What kind of weapons does it release?


KJ Lesnick
I just hope the US doesn't use this for some kind of world domination idea

: So this is going to be more deadly than a thousand ICBMs?

 

[KJ_Lesnick]

It would be harder to detect than an ICBM launch right?

 

[Abraham Gubler]

Well Australia is gonna be pissed.

Nahh, Falcon has managed to hit those spots of Australia without any humans within a thousand klicks...

 

[Orionblamblam]

I just hope the US doesn't use this for some kind of world domination idea

Don't worry. President Obama will use if for his world submission plans.

 

[shockonlip]

Hi,

An artist picture to the Lockheed Martin HCV Falcon.


http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/2004/2004-09%20-%201766.pdf

I love those inlets!

Falcon reminds me of the 1960 Republic M25 concept (AW&ST; August 15, 1960; pg 64).

 

[Skybolt]

Things like Falcon are studied since at least 1960 (MaRV is only one example, but there were even more far-off projects, like an anti-radar ICBM steerable warhead, with an home-on-jam capability). What's new is that new guidance technologies allow for small conventional warheads. Or, better, have allowed since the '80s. One example is the Trident-based concepts studied in the FOFA (Follow-On Forces Attack) framework. Problem with this kind of systems is that if used massively (or in a large number, >10) can be mistaken as a surprise strategic attack, expecially in a tense political situation.

 

[Skybolt]

Well Australia is gonna be pissed.

Not to mention Mongolians, and the whalers offshore Madagascar... ;D

 

[Skybolt]

BTW, looking at the DARPA presentation, seems no-one noticed that some of the slides came from a restricted presentation when they assembled it for the conference...

 

[flateric]

How exactly does this thing work (The link seems to be in Russian which I cannot read)?

Re-uploaded http://www.zshare.net/download/10976763bfa1b1fe/

 

[flateric]

BTW, looking at the DARPA presentation, seems no-one noticed that some of the slides came from a restricted presentation when they assembled it for the conference...

Aga =) but it was 2004 then

 

[Archibald]

can be mistaken as a surprise strategic attack, expecially in a tense political situation.

You mean "how I stopped worrying and learned to love the bomb?"

 

[sferrin]

I just hope the US doesn't use this for some kind of world domination idea

Don't worry. President Obama will use if for his world submission plans.

Well it would allow him to fly to Iran, Syria, North Korea, etc. that much faster. If it were manned.

 

[Skybolt]

You mean "how I stopped worrying and learned to love the bomb?"

Well, that WAS a large scale strategic attack, at lest in the original intention.. and nothing would have happened if not for the "Doomsday weapon"... :

 

[flateric]

BTW, looking at the DARPA presentation, seems no-one noticed that some of the slides came from a restricted presentation when they assembled it for the conference...

We did, we did...=)

 

[sferrin]

BTW, looking at the DARPA presentation, seems no-one noticed that some of the slides came from a restricted presentation when they assembled it for the conference...

We did, we did...=)

They've got stealthy black helicopters for people like you.

 

[flateric]

Not enough range for Kuzminki district for black helicopters, I suppose. In fact, it's always a dilemma if to share this info to forum members or not, because sometimes, as I said before, you have obvious funny leaks, and there are always guys who watching from the other side monitoring the SPF and deleting leaks. Interesting that this beautiful hi-res HCV OS rendering was removed from DARPA site.

These days seems this paper don't have anything on FALCON not known before on this wunderwaffe.

 

[sferrin]

Not enough range for Kuzminki district for black helicopters, I suppose. In fact, it's always a dilemma if to share this info to forum members or not, because sometimes, as I said before, you have obvious funny leaks, and there are always guys who watching from the other side monitoring the SPF and deleting leaks.

For the most part if it's something found in the public domain it's free game. Sometimes you'll run into self-appointed censors who think they know every document ever officially released by anybody but there aren't a lot of those. The stuff you have to be careful with is when someone PM's you and says "I have a cool picture" . . .

 

[flateric]

I assume we have our own Open Source Intelligence a-la CIA.
And remember leaks like X-41/X-42 configurations accessible ca.2003
After Russian PopMech edition reprinted Jim Wilson's article on 'Future X' with X-41 and X-42 images shown as black squares with red 'Classified' letters, I've sent some images from **** presentations to editor saying that he could hit a notch with add-on article. He replied that 'X-41 and X-42' are classified, and USAF didn't provide us photos that we've requested (huh), so we have decided to not publish images as we don't use Internet as core source'...

 

[flateric]

Oh, they have a cute model there at Palmdale...Mr.Fradkov guys would be happy to become these guys best friends=)

 

[flateric]

'.. and I've seen it before
.. and I'll see it again
.. yes I've seen it before
.. just little bits of history repeating'

AIAA-82-0373
An Aerodynamic and Signature Shaping Technique for Developing Advanced Supersonic Missile Concepts
R.J. Krieger, McDonnell Douglas
Astronautics Co., St. Louis, MO

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

All of this has happened before. And all of this will happen again.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

is this hypersonic aircraft project real or fake ?.
http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/hypersonics.html

 

[Orionblamblam]

It's part of the FALCON project. I've seen it as a CAV design, though it's listed here as an HCV. The artwork itself may have been produced by the magazine.

 

[flateric]

This is quite *real* project, HTV-3 hypersonic test vehicle, part of FALCON program research, later evolved into HTV-3X.

The Falcon program addressed the implications of hypersonic flight and reusability by developing a series of hypersonic technology vehicles (HTVs) to incrementally demonstrate these required technologies in flight.

The Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 1 (HTV-1) is an unpowered, maneuverable, hypersonic reentry
vehicle integrated with state-of-the-art hypersonic technologies to address materials and fabrication
challenges. A set of HTV-1 ground tests were conducted to develop and validate the vehicle’s
aerodynamic, aero-thermal, and thermal-structural performance as well as to validate advanced carboncarbon
manufacturing approaches.

HTV-2 is a second generation design developed under Falcon that incorporates advanced aerodynamic
configuration and thermal protection systems, and improved guidance, navigation and control systems for
greatly improved performance compared with HTV-1. The HTV-2 detailed design has been completed
and an aeroshell prototype fabricated. Two HTV-2 flight tests will be conducted in 2009 launched from
Vandenberg Air Force Base using the Minotaur IV Lite launch system.

The Falcon program originally planned to develop a third Hypersonic Technology Vehicle (HTV-3) that
would focus on reusable materials. However early on in the execution of Phase II of Falcon, DARPA
elected to exercise an option to fund development and ground testing of propulsion technology necessary
to realize a reusable hypersonic testbed. This task, dubbed FaCET (Falcon Combined-cycle Engine
Technology), has the objective of developing a reusable, hydrocarbon fueled, Turbine-Based Combined
Cycle (TBCC) propulsion system capable of operating from a conventional runway up to speeds greater
than Mach 6. Propulsion advances in this effort coupled with the availability of the High Speed Turbine
Engine Demonstration (HiSTED) program high-Mach capable turbojet engine led to the decision to
evolve HTV-3 into a testbed that would take off from a conventional runway, cruise at Mach 6, and land
back on a runway. This new design was subsequently designated HTV-3X. HTV-3X is a highly
integrated testbed that will allow demonstration of key technologies such as efficient aerodynamic
shaping for high lift to drag, lightweight and durable (reusable) high-temperature materials, thermal
management techniques including active cooling, autonomous flight control, and turbine-based combined
cycle propulsion.

AIAA-2008-2544
Falcon HTV-3X – A Reusable Hypersonic Test Bed
Dr Steven Walker, DARPA TTO Deputy Director
Mr Ming Tang, Booz Allen Hamilton
Mrs Sue Morris, CENTRA Technology, Inc.
Mr Caesar Mamplata, CENTRA Technology, Inc.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

From the NATO brief I just posted in Space Projects:

http://ftp.rta.nato.int/public/PubFullText/RTO/EN/RTO-EN-AVT-116/EN-AVT-116-02-APP-03.pdf

 

[flateric]

LM has posted another nice FALCON HCV OV rendering at ADP section.

 

[antigravite]

National Geographic website published a new picture of the LM Skunk Works's FALCON HCV mock up under the label HCV-3X on their website :

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/inside/3933/Overview

direct HiRes download there :

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGC/StaticFiles/Images/Show/39xx/393x/3933_americas-secret-weapons-6_12801024.JPG

Can anybody tell why this wind tunnel test article happens to have a tail number : N-8645 - 93599

Why should a (not so simple) mock up be so "decorated" ? Is it normal ? Or what.

AntiGravite

 

[Orionblamblam]

Can anybody tell why this wind tunnel test article happens to have a tail number : N-8645 - 93599

Why should a (not so simple) mock up be so "decorated" ? Is it normal ? Or what.

I doubt that it's a wind tunnel model. Most likely just decoration. Same model as shown on the previous page.

 

[flateric]

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Falcon Combined Cycle Engine was successfully ground tested April 9 for the first time in the Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit at Arnold Engineering Development Center, Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. (AF photo)

 

[flateric]

Aerospace Testing Alliance Outside Machinist Everett Fulmer inspects the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Falcon Combined-cycle Engine Technology (FaCET) scramjet test article in the center’s Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit test cell prior to a test. (Photo by Rick Goodfriend)

hi-res version http://www.arnold.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/090115-F-9114G-023.jpg

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Successfully Tests Dual-Mode Ramjet Engine at Mach 4 Flight Conditions

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - May 5, 2009

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's PWR-9221FJ dual-mode ramjet engine successfully completed its first ground test at Mach 4 flight conditions at Arnold Engineering Development Center, Tullahoma, Tenn. A dual-mode ramjet engine is a key technology for developing reusable hypersonic vehicles. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

"Successful demonstration of the dual-mode ramjet engine integrated with a variable geometry inlet and exhaust nozzle sets the stage for future turbine-based, combined-cycle propulsion and flight demonstration opportunities," said Cal DeFreese, program manager, Falcon Combined-Cycle Engine Technology (FaCET), Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. "Current testing is focused on validating the operability and robustness of the dual-mode ramjet design during simulated transitions from turbojet to ramjet propulsion modes."

A dual-mode ramjet engine is designed to operate as both a ramjet at moderate supersonic speeds (up to Mach 5) and a scramjet at hypersonic speeds (greater than Mach 5). This broad range of operational capability is required for turbine-based, combined-cycle propulsion that would enable a vehicle to take off from and land on a conventional runway, and travel at speeds up to Mach 6.

The tests are being conducted as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's FaCET program; Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a principal contractor to Lockheed Martin on the program. Additional tests over the next two months are designed to check the integrated system performance from Mach 3 to Mach 6 flight conditions.

 

[flateric]

I wonder if anyone knows any news of fate of HTV-2 flight tests that were originally scheduled for May and October, 2009, and later rescheduled with first flight in 2009 and the second in 2010 (obviously, no first HTV-2 flight was done)?
At least, HTV-2s were not cancelled to my knowledge.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/04/30/223351/darpa-reveals-hypersonic-test-plans.html

 

[sferrin]

I'd like to know the results (if any) of the 3rd HyFly launch that was suppose to happen.

 

[quellish]

HTV-2 hasn't been cancelled, it's undergone some interesting changes. I may have some more information soon, but this should be of interest:

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=2526c938060174acc9cc77ba6caec68a&tab=core&_cview=0&cck=1&au=&ck=

 

[quellish]

HTV-2's booster and pad won't be available for it's flight until early next year. Originally SBSS (same pad, first flight of the Minotaur IV) was to launch much earlier in 2009 but is now slated for Nov/Dec. HTV-2 is to use a Minotaur IV as well.
That said, I do not have any news on the HTV-2 vehicle itself. All I could get was the scheduling story.