Status of hardware preparation and flight test plans to assess actuated forebody strakes

摘要

Flight test sof actuated forebody strakes on an F-18 research airplane are to be conducted at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. The purpose of these tests is to provide flight validation of ground-based studies and to evaluate the use of such forebody strakes as a means to enhance fighter maneuverability at conditions where conventional aerodynamic controls become ineffective. This series of tests is collectively referred to as the Actuated Nose Strakes for Enhanced Rolling (ANSER) flight experiment, which is part of NASA's High-Angle-of-Attack Technology Program. Following extensive experimental studies, a new research radome, housing the strakes, actuators and attendant research hardware, was designed and fabricated at the Langley Research Center and recently delivered to Dryden.