CASM-Aircrafthistories-Canadaircl
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THE CANADA AVIATION MUSEUM EXHIBIT THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF THE CANADAIR CL-227 REMOTELY PILOTED VEHICLES Introduction The Montreal-based Canadair Limited CL-227 was an advanced coaxial rotary winged Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) system, which was conceived, for real time surveillance and target acquisition purposes, principally for the military and some civil applications. Two proof of concept flight test vehicles were produced initially for the CL-227 Phase I programme (1977- 1981), and later, four technology demonstration air vehicles were constructed for Phase II (1980-1983). The Phase III programme employed a total of twelve vehicles (1983-1995). The small airframe is a vertically oriented axi-symmetric body with a counter-rotating rotor system mounted at the center. Shaped somewhat like a peanut, these vehicles were known affectionately by that name, even though the official name of Sentinel was chosen from a competition among Canadair employees in February 1984, near the end of the Phase II test programme. The minimal cross-sectional body shape, with the engine exhaust discharged upwards to screen it from ground-based infrared detectors, along with extensive use of composite materials utilized in the vehicle makeup, was among one of the early uses of reduced signature, or later termed “stealth”, design. This helped to provide a very low probability of detection during a mission. The upper sphere contains the engine, associated controls, gearbox and fuel tank(s). The center waist section has electromechanical control mechanisms for the rotors which provide the lift, thrust and attitude control, while the lower sphere is the control and payload module incorporating, in the Phase II programme, a gimbaled, real time vidicon camera imaging system. Operators remotely controlled the air vehicle in a mission planning and control station equipped with a TV monitor that displayed, in real time, what the onboard camera was seeing, when so equipped, as it flew or hovered. The Operator’s commands relied on an autopilot to control the vehicle in four degrees of freedom (pitch, roll, yaw, and height). The capability to hover out of ground effect was used to simplify target pursuit, sensor tracking and aiming requirements. The capability to takeoff and land using unprepared ground, or being launched from a small mobile vehicle-mounted pad, proved the RPV easy to operate, using very little manpower and a minimum of ground support equipment compared to other contemporary systems. This is simply a historical perspective of the background and events as seen and recorded by the author during his involvement with the programme. It is not meant to be a technically comprehensive history, but one that chronologically details the evolvement through flight-testing of these unique, stealthy vehicles. The full exploits of the Canadair CL-227 family of air vehicles, and its predecessors, have remained largely unchronicled until now. At the time of this writing, these vehicle types known by a multitude of titles and acronyms have really exploded in the use and lexicon of numerous military and civilian agencies. The CL-227 helped to pave the way for being one of the first such air vehicle to be certificated for use aboard US Navy (USN) vessels in the modern era. Cover Photo Caption: The sole time in the history of the Canadair CL-227 family of surveillance air vehicles that an example of each Phase appeared together was for the 50th anniversary celebration of Canadair Limited in June 1994. The orange Phase I RPV, vehicle #2 is at left, the Phase II vehicle #1 is at far right and the Phase III vehicle, known officially as the Sentinel, at center is a build combination of vehicle’s #1004 and #1011. (Bill Upton Photo) Genesis of Canadair’s CL-227 VTOL RPV Programme Throughout the history of the CL-227 programme, the nomenclature regarding the vehicle description changed in keeping with mission alterations (or even due to ‘political correctness’) in the field of these vehicle types. Most of these terms were used interchangeably with a large overlap before the subsequent adaptation was finally adopted for common use. For the purposes of this chronicle the following descriptions and abbreviations shall be used, as was the convention of these particular times: Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) - Remotely Piloted Helicopter (RPH) - Unmanned or Uninhabited Air Vehicle (UAV) - Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), “…a rose by any other name…” Canadair’s Missiles & Systems Division In 1947, a small group of Canadian scientists and engineers began studies towards the research and development of a Canadian guided missile programme. By 1950, the advent of a Defence Research Board (DRB) and Canadian Armament Research and Development Establishment (CARDE) project initially called the N-44 Ace Card, later known as the Velvet Glove, air-to-air guided missile programme for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was taking shape. The Velvet Glove was a conventional, solid rocket motor propelled air-to-air missile, equipped with a semi-active radar homing device. Starting in August 1951, Canadair’s Special Weapons Division, under the design authority of the CARDE at Valcartier, Quebec, became heavily engaged in the field of guided missile research and development. CARDE assigned Canadair as the prime contractor to build and test the Velvet Glove missile airframes, ancillary equipment, as well as the associated launch pylons for a Canadair-built RCAF F-86 Sabre Mk 2 and Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck test aircraft for the air launch phase of the test programme. Canadair designated this new project with their model number CL-20 and assigned John Kerr responsibility for the advanced design work. Westinghouse Electric was assigned as the prime electronics sub-contractor. Soon after, the Missiles & Systems Division was formed, an autonomous division of Canadair Limited that was to explore sophisticated technologies beyond the area of manned aircraft. Recruitment of highly skilled scientific and engineering personnel worldwide, specialized in missile and components miniaturization development, was undertaken in order to create a Canadian industrial capability in this particular field. Within a short period of time Canadair had established the only fully equipped guided missile fabrication and advanced test facility in Canada. The CL-20 Velvet Glove missile mockup on its launch One of the CL-54 Sparrow II missiles undergoes pylon beneath the wing of a Sabre in 1955. The Sabre telemetry tests at Canadair’s Plant 4 facility. A series of could carry only one missile under each wing while the specially modified CF-100s, designated as the CF-100 CF-100 was capable of carrying either four under the Mk 5M were used for the firing trials of the Sparrow II nacelles or two under each wing. missiles up to 1960. Rapid technical advancements in aviation and missile technology during the 1950s eventually led to the demise of the CL-20 Velvet Glove system in December 1956. However, new studies commenced in 1955 and, by 1957, work was soon started on the CL-54 Sparrow II model. Canadair Limited was the coordinating contractor for this Douglas-designed supersonic air-to-air missile, destined for initial use with the Douglas F5D-1 Skylancer fighter for the USN and as the main weapon system for the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow interceptor for the RCAF. Unfortunately, this programme was terminated with the cancellation of both the Skylancer and then the Arrow, leading to some uncertainty as to the future of this Division. Fortunately, perseverance paid off as Canadair proposed and participated in a few more projects that helped to retain the engineering personnel and advanced unmanned technology data base towards developing new missiles, targets and drone systems. A few of these are detailed briefly below: CL-36 Target Drone A 1953 proposal for a high performance ramjet powered target drone for the RCAF capable of being ground launched, or in a 1954 idea, air launched from a CF-100 aircraft, was designed to serve as a target for fighter gunnery practice and for surface- based anti-aircraft weapons firing. The latter design was for a remotely controlled and more powerful target model to use against the Velvet Glove missile. This was the first Canadair study of a drone system and marked the beginning of long- enduring and successful work on various unmanned flying vehicles other than missiles. Based on this drone, the later CL-89 was studied early on as a similar, but autonomous version of a target drone. CL-65 Air Launched Towed Target This 1957 initial study proposal was for a launch and recoverable fiberglass towed target system capable of being installed under the wing of RCAF T-33 Mk 3 or Sabre Mk 6 aircraft for air-to-air testing of the Sparrow II and other missile evaluation programmes. Although designated as a towed target, it was designed to be capable of effecting a pre-determined maneuver if released from the towline. The project was not accepted, with the RCAF deciding to employ Firebee drones obtained from the United States. Later, Delmar towed targets, bearing a striking similarity to the CL-65 design, were used by the RCAF T-33s until modern times. CL-85 Robot Dispatch Carrier In 1959, a small, short-range ballistic missile was designed to requirements by the Canadian Army as the Robot Dispatch Carrier. Proposed to be transported via a standard ¾ ton military truck, it had a tandem booster that fired for just 2.25 seconds to impart sufficient velocity to the vehicle to enable it to home onto a radar beacon in a designated landing zone. Pinpoint landing was to be accomplished by a combination of a recovery parachute to slow the descent and stabilize the vehicle along with a long, crushable ground-penetration nose spike, thus delivering the much needed supplies to the awaiting troops.