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." *
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