THE INDUSTRIAL BASE

Boeing X-32B JSF CDA Shifts to STOVL Mode

By RICHARD R. BURGESS, Managing Editor

The Boeing X-32B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) concept-demonstration aircraft (CDA) has completed its first in-flight transitions from conventional flight to the STOVL (short takeoff/vertical landing) mode and back again.

The X-32B's first STOVL transitions were made at 9,500 feet altitude during the aircraft's third test flight at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., by Boeing test pilot Dennis O' Donoghue, who redirected the aircraft's engine thrust at 180 knots from the cruise nozzle to its lift nozzles and back again during the hour-long flight. Later that day, on another flight, O'Donoghue performed seven transitions at speeds ranging from 140 to 185 knots and at altitudes between 6,000 and 9,500 feet. Throttle transients and lift-nozzle thrust vectoring also were tested during the flight.

"Today's testing confirmed the ease in conversion between conventional and STOVL flight modes as well as the low pilot workload required," said O'Donoghue, a former Marine Corps AV-8 Harrier pilot. "Ease of operation and the ability to rapidly convert to and from conventional and STOVL modes give the pilot tremendous operational flexibility and are key advantages of direct lift."

The X-32B completed a series of high-altitude flights at Edwards Air Force Base before moving to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., on 11 May for more testing, including short takeoffs and vertical landings. Approximately 55 flights totaling 40 hours are planned for the X-32B.

A flight-ready shaft-driven lift fan--manufactured by Rolls Royce--has been delivered to the Lockheed Martin facility in Palmdale, Calif., for installation into the X-35B--Lockheed Martin's Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) concept demonstration aircraft. Earlier, the X-35B had successfully completed hover-pit testing of its STOVL (short takeoff and vertical landing) propulsion system, and also had tested nozzle dynamic responses in a series of engine runs. Company officials said that the aircraft's shaft-driven lift fan "produces abundant vertical lift, lower exhaust temperatures, and a more acceptable ground environment than traditional direct-lift systems, while eliminating hot-gas reingestion problems typical in conventional STOVL designs." The hover-pit tests were conducted with special landing gear that allowed load cells to measure STOVL lift forces and moments directly, while keeping the aircraft from lifting into a hover. More than 100 hover tests were conducted in a two-week period during which BAE Systems test pilot Simon Hargreaves performed full rehearsals of vertical flight, including conversions from the CTOL (conventional takeoff and landing) mode to the STOVL mode. Successful completion of the test series "not only positions the X-35B for STOVL flights this summer, but also means that no further engine development is needed to meet JSF STOVL requirements," said Harry Blot, deputy program manager for the Lockheed Martin JSF program. "The Pratt & Whitney engine and Rolls-Royce fan performed beautifully."

Messier Dowty Gear Flown on X-32 CDA

The landing gear designed for the full-scale Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) design proposed by Boeing is being evaluated on the company's X-32 JSF concept demonstration aircraft (CDA). Messier Dowty, one of the leading landing gear manufacturers in the aerospace industry, has been actively testing developmental prototypes of the landing gear on the X-32 in order to reduce risk during the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the JSF program.

The landing gears proposed for the different versions of the JSF are designed to routinely withstand landing descents (measured in fps--feet per second) varying from six fps for the conventional takeoff and landing version to 20 fps for the carrier-capable version. The carrier version must be capable of withstanding descent rates up to 28 feet per second.

The dual-wheel nose gear (shown here at the company's test facility in Toronto, Canada) for the carrier-capable version of the Boeing JSF features a unique configuration that will permit retraction into the fuselage under the chin air intake. Upon retraction, the two nose gear wheels "splay" (i.e., pivot away from each other) to flatten their profile for storage in the confines of the wheel well.

Messier Dowty--designer of the main landing gear for the F/A-18 Hornet, V-22, T-45, and Rafale, and of nose gear for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and AV-8B--designed the JSF landing gear using the virtual design software common to all engineering design activities of the Boeing JSF team.

Lockheed Martin Chairman/CEO Coffman Receives Navy League's 2001 Nimitz Award

NLUS National President John R. Fisher has presented the Navy League's 2001 Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Award to Dr. Vance D. Coffman, chairman and chief executive officer of the Lockheed Martin Corporation, citing him for his "outstanding leadership and dedication to the maritime strength of the United States and its allies ... during [an] exemplary career of more than three decades." Coffman is a leader "of the utmost integrity," Fisher said, "totally dedicated to ... our national defense, and a great American in every sense of the word."

Coffman is the 21st recipient of the Nimitz Award, which was established by the Navy League to recognize an individual who, or organization that, "has made an exemplary contribution to our nation's strength and, in turn, our national security." The Navy League's guidelines specify that the person selected to receive the award should possess "the qualities of leadership, statesmanship, and dedication exemplified by Admiral Nimitz himself," and suggest that special consideration should be given to the awardee's "long-term contributions to national security."

Coffman "meets all of the criteria specified," Fisher said, "and then some. He is an outstanding patriot who through his own personal dedication and numerous professional achievements has ensured that excellence is both the bottom line and the end result of all of the programs under his jurisdiction at Lockheed Martin, one of the major pillars of capability that make up our nation's defense industrial base. He is a truly worthy recipient of the 2001 Nimitz Award. I am honored and privileged, on behalf of the Navy League of the United States, to salute both Dr. Coffman and Lockheed Martin for their many accomplishments."

Following are additional excerpts from the award citation:

"Dr. Coffman has demonstrated an unwavering focus and commitment to the United States Navy, our country's national security, and the entire defense industry. The list of programs benefiting from ... [his] managerial expertise is extensive and impressive. Under his direction, Lockheed Martin has expanded its service to our Navy and has increased the focus on critical programs such as Network Centric Warfare, the Joint Strike Fighter, the DD-21 Land Attack Destroyer, and the U.S. Coast Guard Deepwater Program. These contributions have secured the U.S. Navy's preeminent position among the navies of the world, and our national security against any maritime or air threat. Through his quiet dignity, clear vision, and steadfast conviction, Dr. Coffman has been a driving force in the establishment of industry benchmarks for the design and production of naval warfare systems."

RQ-8A Fire Scout VTUAV Receives LRIP Approval

A highly advanced vertical-takeoff unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV) under development for the Navy and Marine Corps has been approved for low-rate initial production (LRIP). Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $14.2 million Naval Air Systems Command contract for the first of three LRIP options to build the RQ-8A Fire Scout VTUAV.

The Fire Scout is a small rotary-wing UAV that is scheduled to replace the RQ-2 Pioneer UAV in one Navy and two Marine Corps squadrons. A small helicopter that can be controlled automatically from a ground station, it does not require an operator experienced in flying helicopters. The Fire Scout, which is designed to provide reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting support for ships and ground forces, will be able to provide continuous coverage for more than six hours at distances up to 110 miles from its launch site. Payloads include electro-optical and infrared sensors and a laser designator.

The first LRIP system--earmarked for the Marine Corps--will include three RQ-8s, two ground control stations, a data link suite, remote data terminals, and modular mission payloads, company officials said. Delivery is expected to be completed by April 2002. The Navy expects to procure more than 70 Fire Scouts.

Second Navy T-6A Batch Ordered from Raytheon

Raytheon Aircraft Company has received another low-rate initial production order from the Air Force and Navy for a batch of T-6A Texan II training aircraft, under a $148.3 million contract. The Air Force and Navy are scheduled to receive 35 and 24 aircraft, respectively, bringing to 167--137 Air Force and 30 Navy--the number of Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) aircraft ordered to date.

The JPATS program calls for the Air Force and Navy to receive 454 and 328 T-6As, respectively. The Texan II is scheduled to achieve initial operational capability with 15 aircraft at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., this month.

The Navy is scheduled to begin training student aviators in the T-6A in 2003. The turboprop­powered aircraft--a derivative of the Pilatus PC-9--is scheduled to replace the T-34Cs and Cessna T-37s now in the inventory.

The Department of Defense has delayed full-rate production of the T-6A primarily because of budget constraints, but also because of radio reception problems and some relatively minor design flaws in the aircraft's air-conditioning system that are now being rectified by the aircraft's contractors.

Litening II Integrated into AV-8B Harrier II

Northrop Grumman and the Naval Air Systems Command have completed integration of the Litening II sensor pod into the Marine Corps' AV-8B Harrier II attack aircraft.

The Litening II pod will give the Harrier: (a) the ability to deliver precision-guided munitions, such as laser-guided bombs, without external laser targeting; (b) enhanced day-and-night target acquisition capabilities; and (c) improved low-level night-flight navigation capabilities. The modular pod--which can operate at altitudes as high as 40,000 feet--features a laser designator, an electro-optical and infrared camera, and a slot for a videocassette recorder. Enhancements envisioned for the pod include an eye-safe laser, improved resolution for the infrared camera, and better corrosion resistance.

The Litening II pod, which completed electromagnetic compatibility testing earlier this year, already is in service on F-16 fighters flown by the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard. The Italian and Spanish navies, which also fly the Harrier II, have joined in the development effort for the pod--Spain plans to demonstrate the pod on an EF-18 Hornet this summer.

The Naval Air Systems Command plans to order 47 Litening II pods for delivery beginning later in 2001. A contract has been issued for 15 pods (plus spare parts) including: nine for the Marine Corps, four for Italy, and one for Spain.

NG Vies With GD for Newport News

Two weeks after General Dynamics (GD) announced its intention to purchase Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a relative newcomer to shipbuilding--Northrop Grumman (NG)--has challenged the merger with a merger offer of its own.

General Dynamics--owner of Bath Iron Works, Electric Boat, and National Steel & Shipbuilding Company--signed a merger agreement on 25 April with NNS, the Navy's sole supplier of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. If approved, the merger would make General Dynamics the only company building nuclear-powered ships for the Navy--GD and NNS already are building the Navy's Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines under a unique teaming arrangement.

Northrop Grumman--which only recently entered the shipbuilding business with the acquisition of Litton Ship Systems and its two shipbuilders, Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding and Avondale Industries--has challenged the GD-NNS merger, contending that it would create an "unhealthy monopoly" that "would leave the nation vulnerable with only one nuclear-capable submarine- and ship-builder." NG has tendered an offer to buy NNS, a move that--if approved--would provide more balance and competition in the ship- building industry, NG officials said.

General Dynamics said it regards the NG offer as "hostile," and maintains that an NNS merger with GD "is the only combination that can provide [the] synergies necessary to achieve significant merger-related savings ... [and that] offers the Navy depth of experience in the safe management of nuclear shipbuilding."