Smart aircraft technology

A modified NASA NF-15B, capable of altering its own flight software to meet in-flight emergencies, is being prepared for calibration missions scheduled for this summer.

NASA is preparing a highly modified NF-15B for calibration missions scheduled for this summer. The aircraft is capable of altering its own computerized flight software to meet in-flight emergencies. Following the calibration missions will be flight-testing, which is planned to commence next year. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California will operate the aircraft during a second series of flights in the Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS) research project.

IFCS is designed to incorporate self-learning neural network concepts into flight control software to enable a pilot to maintain control and safely land an aircraft that has suffered major systems failure or combat damage. Instrumentation and air-data system calibration flights are being performed to reduce risk for the research effort. Preliminary flight tests of an IFCS neural network that was pre-trained to the NF-15B's aerodynamic database were flown in Spring 1999.

- Frank Bokulich

Airborne Laser is prepared for flight

Boeing, along with team partners Lockheed Martin and TRW, is preparing the ABL 747-400 Freighter for flight testing.

The Airborne Laser (ABL) missile-defense system aircraft, a modified Boeing 747-400 freighter aircraft, has been transitioned to the flight ramp in preparation for flight testing later this summer. Modifications were performed at the company's Modification and Maintenance Center in Wichita, KS. The center previously has been used for the modifications work performed on the presidential Air Force One Boeing 747 as well as for other large-scale military systems.

The ABL aircraft will now undergo flight-worthiness testing at Wichita in which a complete systems functional check and flight tests will be performed to verify aerodynamic performance and the surveillance system. Once those tests are completed, the aircraft will be delivered to Edwards Air Force Base in California for laser and optics integration and testing.

Boeing is the ABL team leader and is developing the ABL surveillance battle-management system, integrating the weapon system and supplying the modified aircraft. TRW is providing the complete chemical oxygen-iodine laser system. Lockheed Martin is developing the beam control/fire control system, which will acquire the target, then accurately point and fire the laser.

- Frank Bokulich

Adding another flavor to unmanned aircraft

Northrop Grumman Corp. has begun development studies on an unmanned combat armed rotorcraft (UCAR) designed to provide enhanced reconnaissance and attack capabilities for U.S. Army aviation. Under a $3 million award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the company's Integrated Systems sector will research the DARPA/Army UCAR program, which will combine autonomous operations and advanced command and control technologies with the advantages of vertical takeoff and landing capability. Integrated with the Army's manned aircraft, the UCAR system will perform armed reconnaissance and attack missions, operating within the Army's Objective Force concept, effectively identifying and prosecuting targets that are camouflaged and concealed in close combat situations. For the concept development phase, Northrop Grumman's UCAR team includes MD Helicopters, Carter Copters, BAE Systems, L3 Communications, Sabre Group, Signature Research, Natural Selection, and Aero-Science Technology Associates.

The RQ-8A Fire Scout is an unmanned vertical takeoff and landing tactical system that is in low-rate initial production for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Flying at altitudes up to 20,000 ft, the Fire Scout system employs an advanced payload with an electro-optical/infrared sensor including a laser designator/rangefinder to provide intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance with pinpoint accuracy, giving military decision-makers real-time information and targeting of enemy resources and personnel on the ground. Earlier this month, Northrop Grumman successfully completed the first two flights of the third Fire Scout prototype, including a completely autonomous flight.

These flights tested the system's ability to take off, fly and land autonomously. The first test, the shorter of the two, verified the ability to modify the system's fully autonomous, preprogrammed mission by executing override commands to hover and land. The five-minute second flight demonstrated a completely autonomous mission including vehicle start, takeoff, flight, landing, and shutdown. Upon command, the vehicle launched and proceeded to hover at 30 ft at the first predesignated waypoint. The vehicle transitioned to forward flight at 10 kts, climbing to 100 ft. Three waypoints were crossed at 200 ft and 10 kts, respectively, while continuously correcting for a gusting, 90° crosswind. After capturing the final waypoint, the vehicle descended to a preprogrammed 30-ft hover/hold position. Following the land command, the vehicle landed on the runway centerline within inches of the intended touchdown point. The mission concluded with an autonomous shutdown.

The Fire Scout uses flight control architecture derived from Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk long-endurance, high-altitude reconnaissance system. Global Hawk has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to conduct autonomous missions of more than 30 h in duration and over thousands of miles. Another derivative architecture is on Northrop Grumman's X-47A Pegasus experimental vehicle, scheduled to fly later this year, which will demonstrate aerodynamic flying qualities for autonomous operation from an aircraft carrier.

After completion of the 12-month UCAR concept development phase, DARPA will select two contractors for a preliminary design concept development effort, which is expected to last nine months. The design concept development will be followed by a system development phase that will include construction and testing of two demonstration vehicles. This will be followed by a system maturation phase, during which the contractor will develop and test a final system concept. The program is scheduled to transfer to the Army in 2009.

- Frank Bokulich