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Aerospace Engineering Online: Technology update - STOVL JSF undergoes environmental testing
Error 404--Not Found
From RFC 2068 Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1:
10.4.5 404 Not Found
The server has not found anything matching the Request-URI. No indication is given of whether the condition is temporary or permanent. If the server does not wish to make this information available to the client, the status code 403 (Forbidden) can be used instead. The 410 (Gone) status code SHOULD be used if the server knows, through some internally configurable mechanism, that an old resource is permanently unavailable and has no forwarding address.
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Error 404--Not Found
From RFC 2068 Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1:
10.4.5 404 Not Found
The server has not found anything matching the Request-URI. No indication is given of whether the condition is temporary or permanent. If the server does not wish to make this information available to the client, the status code 403 (Forbidden) can be used instead. The 410 (Gone) status code SHOULD be used if the server knows, through some internally configurable mechanism, that an old resource is permanently unavailable and has no forwarding address.
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Technology update
STOVL JSF undergoes environmental testing
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The 1/15th-scale JSF STOVL model underwent environmental testing at British Aerospace's acoustic/thermal facility in Brough, England.
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Lockheed Martin's short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has completed environmental testing at the British Aerospace Military Aircraft and Aero-
structures Division acoustic/thermal facility in Brough, England. The test program used a 1/15th scale model of the X-35B Concept Demonstrator Aircraft, producing exhaust flows at the velocity and temperatures expected for the full-scale aircraft scheduled to fly next year. The exhaust flows were used to model the X-35B's STOVL propulsion system, which includes a three-bearing swivel-duct exhaust nozzle, lift fan, and two roll-control nozzles.
The JSF is being developed for three U.S. military services and the UK Royal Navy. Lockheed Martin and the Boeing Company were awarded the JSF concept demonstration contracts from the Department of Defense in November 1996.
The tests were conducted to assess environmental effects of the JSF propulsion system in the STOVL mode. It involved hundreds of velocity, temperature, pressure, and acoustic level measurements. From these data, engineers were able to assess the environmental effects on the aircraft, ground personnel, ground equipment, and landing surfaces.
The first X-35 JSF aircraft is shown after completion of major component structures at the company's Skunk Works facility.
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British Aerospace has extensive experience with STOVL design, and its acoustic/thermal facility has a history of advanced STOVL environmental testing, which is why they were asked by Lockheed Martin to work on the X-35B's propulsion system team.
Later this year, Lockheed Martin plans to modify the 1/15th scale model from the X-35B to the Preferred Weapon System Concept STOVL aircraft design and rerun the environmental tests to reconfirm its environmental effects. According to the company, larger-scale testing of the design will be performed later in the U.S.
While testing continues on the STOVL design, the construction of the first X-35 progresses. According to Lockheed Martin, production is ahead of schedule, signaling that the first aircraft will be ready for flight testing next year.
The company is also conducting lessons learned reviews during the construction of the first two JSF demonstrators, the X-35A and B. It will use this information to improve its designs and manufacturing processes for the production JSF or preferred weapon system concept.
The forward and mid-fuselage segments of the X-35 JSF were mated at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.
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"There have been only minor refinements to the preferred weapon system concept since we froze the design of the X-35, so all of the subtleties coming from detailed design have direct significance to the proposal and program plans our team will submit for the next phase (Engineering and Manufacturing Development)," said Gary Ervin, the Skunk Works' X-35 program manager.
"The X-35 design evolution is providing us with huge learning for Engineering and Manufacturing Development," he said. "The X-35 air vehicle's design features, flight control laws, handling qualities characteristics and Integrated Flight Propulsion Control (IFPC) logic are directly applicable to our preferred weapon system concept efforts and allow us to get an early baseline definition of preferred weapon system concept design requirements."
The X-35 program has integrated flight control design technologies with propulsion system components and systems, to provide an overall robust and failure-tolerant control system during STOVL flight. "The system (IFPC) design allows multiple failures across the propulsion control system much along the methods used to provide for uninterrupted aircraft control when a flight actuator or hydraulic system branch fails in a modern fighter design," said Ervin. "Although the two X-35s are demonstrator aircraft, we felt it important to include these capabilities in the X-35, to improve overall system performance and flight safety."
Frank Bokulich
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Error 404--Not Found
From RFC 2068 Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1:
10.4.5 404 Not Found
The server has not found anything matching the Request-URI. No indication is given of whether the condition is temporary or permanent. If the server does not wish to make this information available to the client, the status code 403 (Forbidden) can be used instead. The 410 (Gone) status code SHOULD be used if the server knows, through some internally configurable mechanism, that an old resource is permanently unavailable and has no forwarding address.
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