Boeing Phantom Swift Scaled Down Model Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency(DARPA) has awarded contracts for the Phase I develop...
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| Boeing Phantom Swift Scaled Down Model |
DARPA plans to select a model for fabrication and flight demonstration, by 2017-18. The contract period is 22 months. The design will improve the current VTOL capabilities in hover efficiency, useful load and speed.
The four performers are required to submit preliminary designs in late 2015.
The performance goals set:
- Achieve a top sustained flight speed of 300 kt-400 kt.
- Raise aircraft hover efficiency from 60 percent to at least 75 percent.
- Present a more favorable cruise lift-to-drag ratio of at least 10, up from 5-6.
- Carry a useful load of at least 40 percent of the vehicle’s projected gross weight of 10,000-12,000 pounds.
Aurora will feature its VTOL X-Plane, known as LightningStrike. Not much details has been revealed by it, but is expected to be a ducted-fan and hybrid-propulsion aircraft design. Aurora has developed the GoldenEye 80 under the DARPA Organic Air Vehicle (OAV-2) program and the Excalibur UAV proof-of-concept for the US Army between 2005 and 2010. Excalibur features a hybrid-electric propulsion.
Boeing will feature its Phantom Swift X-plane, which features two large lift fans – inside the fuselage – that provide efficient vertical lift. Once the aircraft transitions to cruise mode, the fans are covered. It also features smaller ducted fans on the wingtips that provide forward thrust, and provide additional lift and control in hover.
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| Sikorsky URBW concept |
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| Karem VTOL X-plane concept |
