Wednesday, November 15, 2006
SonicBlue's "Fussion" UAV
Here's a little something that has me intrigued. It's the beginning stages of a next generation UAV.
Introducing the Sonic Blue Fusion:
Fusion is designated as an Unmanned Combat Hybrd Armed Vehicle (UCHAV) currently entertaining proposals for funding by the DOD and the Air Force in 2007. The Fusion is considered the first fully integrated deep strike supersonic VTOL UAV with integrated solid state laser weapon technology and the ability to take off and land on unprepared surfaces, ship helipads or the back of an army truck.
Sonic Blue has plans to show off a halfscale "Fusion" at the Unmanned Vehicle Systems International 2007 Convention in June 2007. A flying full scale advanced tech demonstrator in underway and could fly as early as July 2009. The Fusion weighs in at 12,000 lbs and under fully autonomous flight and operations should have a range of 750 miles initially, and the ability to fly at supersonic speeds.
The Aircraft:
The aircraft itself is a triangular shape, stealthy due to both shape and coatings, with lift fans for vertical lift that can close rotating like camera shutters to help with Mach + aerodynamics. The craft also touts vectored thrust to provide additional lift when taking off or landing in vertical fashion.
Word is payload can be either ISR, conventional weapons, ie: missiles and small diameter bombs or a solid state laser.We know from disussions on the F-35 potentially getting a solid state laser as the cooling issues are remedied, that an engine such as the F-135 and F-136 can easily generate over 27,000 horsepower to power lasers and electric fans without disturbing the overall performance of the aircraft by much.
The Engine:
Apparently the engine is a Rolls Royce JSF F-136, 40,000+ lb thrust turbofan to be redesigned with electomagnetic polar opposites keeping certain parts from contacting other parts in the aircraft thus eliminating wear and tear on parts as well as solving cooling issues due to friction. The company fully anticipates licensing and/or distributing the HILAPS (hybrid, integrated, lift and propulsion system) turbofan to other aircraft companies.
The company plans to develop the HILAPS engine into a integrated dual cycle combustion powerplant, designed to provide a single vehicle the ability to do a single-stage, horizontal takeoff to low earth orbit flight with a military only cruising speed of Mach 12.
Will it Happen?
In this wacky world of defense aerospace there are so many variables, some political in nature, others in corporate competition and still other variables including the finances to do the research.I beielve a worst case scenario for the Sonic Blue effort will be the development of an oiless jet turbine that rotates free of friction thanks to electromagnetic polar opposites being manipulated within the engine itself. Marketing of such an engine, what with the savings in maintnenance and operational weight could bode well for the young company whether the Fusion actually takes off or not.
Professional History of Team:
Although little is known about aerospace startup Sonic Blue headquartered in Portland, Maine, it's team includes illustrious names in aerospace research like, Richard Lugg, CEO who was co-program manager on the NASA X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle as well as the NASA X-43 hypersonic research vehicle that attained a speed of Mach 10. Some of Richard's other credentials include assistant Technology Director on the Lockheed JASSM cruise missile prototype, developing 3D advanced composite upgrades for the Eurofighter Typhoon as well as having been a member of the Rocketdyne/Boeing hypersonic scamjet engine design build team.
Also on the Sonic Blue team is Dr. Paul Lagace, the Chief Technical Advisor for Sonic Blue's programs. His credentials include being the Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He serves as Director of the Technology Laboratory for Advanced Composites which is closely linked to among other government entities, the FAA.
Another team member is Dr. Kassakian, Professor of Electrical Engineering at MIT and Director of the MIT Laboratory for Electrmagnetic and Electronic Systems. Considered an expert in power electronics and electromagnetic systems, he will no doubt have some resposibility in developing the HILAPS.
Industry Partners Lend Resources and Validity to Sonic Blue's Efforts:
Perhaps the most crucial to Sonic Blue's success will be their partnership with Rolls Royce of North America. RR is also a partner on the JSF as well as the alternative gas turbine F-136 for the F-35. Rolls has thus far provided critical preliminary design and engineering support.
Other industry supporting roles:
SatCon a cutting edge company leading the way on high density electric motors and and generator technologies. Bihrle Applied Research who provides aerodynamic design and flight sim software. Avid LLC has provided lift fan design.QinetiQ for the STOVL automated control software and hardware modules.
Final Thoughts:
At any rate, the Fusion's team is quickly becoming very familiar with NASA's Langley Research Center and best of luck to them in their endeavor!
Anyone have any comments on this one?
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Interesting, but the concept is leaning a bit far forward and no doubt has many equals in the black world. A bit ambitious. Land on a ship helopad/army truck is pushing it since UAVs current TLE isn't quite there yet from a practical standpoint (it is done but wouldn't bet a multi-million dollar UAV on it occuring all the time).
There is an increasing number of high tech UAVs that cost $$$ making claims when the "less sexy" UAVs seem to be doing the job pretty well and for the money you can buy a lot more. In addition the concept of a UAV seems to defeat itself if it is too costly to loose.
UAVs are going to grow and be a demand based on the concepts of range/endurance and capabilities (smaller, faster, deadlier, etc). This one will probably be beat in both respects by 2010.
Actually I have caught a lot of flak about posting information regarding the Fussion UCHAV in other forums.
I suppose what has me intrigued about this is that Richard Lugg is heading up the effort and I have met the man on a couple of occassions and he has quite a resume' including work on the X-43.
Lugg is anything but a snake oil salesman and I just cannot fathom him being involved in something that is just a fairytale, a farse or a bunch of fertilizer.
That said, the Fusion sounds a lot like the "BattleHog" UCAV, and frankly both seem to be far reaching.
Perhaps I put too much stock in people I have grown to respect (Lugg).