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AIAA Design Competition Advanced Gunship Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Spring 2005 Proposal

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AIAA Design Competition Advanced Gunship Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Spring 2005 Proposal AIAA Design Competition Advanced Gunship Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Spring 2005 Proposal Team Archangel May 5, 2005 2 Executive Summary Virginia Tech AIAA Team 3 presents the Archangel as the solution for the 2004-2005 AIAA Undergraduate Team Aircraft Design Competition Request for Proposal for an Advanced Gunship Design. Current world events demand a new gunship alternative to respond to rapidly changing situations. The aircraft must be highly survivable versus low-cost threats. In addition, the aircraft must provide precise, persistent firepower at an affordable cost. The aircraft must also have a low life cycle and acquisition cost to meet the defense budget plans. When examining current gunships, the only real-life example is the AC-130. However, the practicality of this type of gunship is diminishing. Team Archangel decided not to re-invent the AC-130, but instead create a totally new gunship to meet the RFP requirements. The Archangel is a single-engine aircraft, similar in size to larger fighters currently being used but significantly smaller than the AC-130. The design does not utilize guns; instead it carries state-of-the-art munitions that guarantee more kills at a lower overall cost with reduced collateral damage. The primary weapon is the Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS). APKWS consists of 80 small laser-guided missiles that can easily engage small targets such as troops as well as light vehicles and buildings. Archangel also has the capability to carry laser and GPS-guided bombs for larger targets. The other major feature that distinguishes Archangel from other aircraft is that the design will be unmanned. The technology is still under development, but it is believed that all these issues will be resolved by time of production. One major benefit of this design is that it will protect the lives of military personnel who normally would man this type of gunship. The Archangel design is capable of easily integrating this new technology because of the weaponry employed and the size of the aircraft. The Archangel will be more agile then its AC-130 counterpart, allowing for improved survivability against future enemy capabilities. In addition, with the adaptation of the new Sniper 3 XR targeting system, the enemy can be targeted and fired upon from miles away, allowing the Archangel to remain outside the threat envelope. Overall, the innovative design of the Archangel is an effective, highly survivable aircraft, both physically and politically, that can attack a diverse array of targets. Table E.1 Archangel General Characteristics Length, ft 60 Ceiling, ft 34400 Height, ft 17.4 Range, nm (ferry) 2600 Wing span, ft 78.74 Max Speed at altitude, kts 475 Wing area, ft^2 620 Approach Speed, kts 131 Wing sweep, deg 6 TOGW, lb 57750 Aspect Ratio 10 4 Table of Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 3 List of Figures........................................................................................................................................ 6 List of Tables ......................................................................................................................................... 7 List of Symbols and Abbreviations...................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 1 Introduction and RFP Requirements..................................................................... 10 1.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 RFP Requirements............................................................................................................ 10 1.3 Target Environments........................................................................................................ 11 Chapter 2 Design Approach...................................................................................................... 14 2.1 Comparator Aircraft ........................................................................................................ 14 2.2 Configuration Concepts ................................................................................................... 15 2.3 Component Configuration Concepts............................................................................... 19 2.4 Mission Analysis................................................................................................................ 30 Chapter 3 UAV Design ................................................................................................................. 37 3.1 Manned vs. Unmanned..................................................................................................... 37 3.2 Situational Awareness ...................................................................................................... 37 3.3 The Future of UAV Design............................................................................................... 38 Chapter 4 Weights ........................................................................................................................ 39 4.1 Component Weight Breakdown ...................................................................................... 39 4.2 Longitudinal Center of Gravity....................................................................................... 40 4.3 Vertical Center of Gravity ............................................................................................... 41 Chapter 5 Stablilty and Controls................................................................................................. 42 5.1 Control Surfaces ............................................................................................................... 42 5.2 Horizontal Tail Sizing....................................................................................................... 42 5.3 Stability Derivatives and Flight Dynamics ..................................................................... 44 Chapter 6 Aerodynamics.............................................................................................................. 46 6.1 Airfoil Selection................................................................................................................. 46 6.2 3-D Wing Performance..................................................................................................... 50 6.3 High Lift System ............................................................................................................... 53 Chapter 7 Propulsion.................................................................................................................... 56 7.1 Type of Propulsion System............................................................................................... 56 7.2 Number of Engines ........................................................................................................... 56 7.3 Inlet Configuration/Exhaust Configuration ................................................................... 57 7.4 Installation Losses/Engine Wear ..................................................................................... 59 7.5 Final Design of Propulsion System.................................................................................. 59 Chapter 8 Survivability ................................................................................................................ 62 8.1 Vulnerability Reduction Features ................................................................................... 62 8.2 Susceptibility Reduction Features................................................................................... 66 Chapter 9 Weapons....................................................................................................................... 70 Chapter 10 Materials and Structure ............................................................................................. 79 10.1 Materials............................................................................................................................ 79 10.2 Structures .......................................................................................................................... 81 10.3 Landing Gear .................................................................................................................... 83 Chapter 11 Avionics....................................................................................................................... 85 11.1 Tactical System ................................................................................................................. 85 11.2 Navigation.......................................................................................................................... 87 11.3 Flight and Tactical Control.............................................................................................. 89 Chapter 12 Cost.............................................................................................................................. 93 Chapter 13 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 96 References............................................................................................................................................ 97 5 List of Figures Figure 2.1 Configuration
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