Technology Integration for Close Air Support Aircraft

摘要

The objectives of this technology integration study for close air support aircraft are to perform configuration design and validation using, in part, man-in-the- loop simulation techniques. An advanced technology close air support aircraft configuration known as Lightweight Attack (LWA) Configuration 29 is evolved and justified. The selected configuration embodies powered lift in the form of vectored thrust with supercirculation (VT/ SC) and an advanced composite structure. Other advanced technologies which are integrated in LWA Configuration 29 are direct sideforce control (DSFC), variable camber, internal/conformal pallet for stores carriage, close-coupled canard, and modular digital avionics. Results of the study show that such an integrated advanced technology configuration provides significant improvement in total tactical fighter mission capability and in the ability to perform and survive in the ground attack environment. (Author-PL)