French Flight Test Program

摘要

French R&T effort for hypersonic airbreathing propulsion is focusing on needed technologies for the propulsion system and acquisition of aero-propulsive balance prediction capability. A large part of technology development effort can be led on ground and is currently dedicated to combustion chamber to ensure its performance and thermomechanical strength. On the contrary, it is mandatory to flight demonstrate capability to predict the aero-propulsive balance. In that view, MBDA and ONERA are leading the flight testing LEA program. Started in January 2003, the program will end in 2015 after 4 autonomous flight tests of an experimental vehicle in Mach number range 4 to 8. Guidelines for LEA vehicle and its propulsion system design have been validated in 2006 by a Preliminary Design Review. The running Phase 2 aims at getting a detailed design while validating the aero-propulsive configuration by a first free jet test series to be performed early in 2011. It led to a Critical Design Review performed in June/July 2009.