Posted on 01/16/2010 7:51:40 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
With radar-cross-section (RCS) trials for Boeing’s Silent Eagle semi-stealthy F-15 prototype complete, company officials are now focusing on South Korea as a possible first customer.
The RCS testing took place during a two-week period last August and September, although Boeing has only just acknowledged it because of proprietary issues, says Mark Bass, vice president of F-15 programs.
The company is eyeing South Korea’s forthcoming F-X3 competition for 60 fighters as the first sales opportunity for the Silent Eagle. The South Korean parliament’s recent hesitancy about investing in all-stealth aircraft “validates our approach” with the aircraft, says Bass. The company is considering potential international co-development partners for a Silent Eagle conformal fuel tank, although no announcements have been made.
Boeing is developing the variant for international customers that already operate F-15s and are seeking additional aircraft. The system is a possible alternative for nations interested in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Silent Eagle is not as stealthy as the JSF, but it could provide flexibility for countries trying to stretch their defense dollars.
In the early days of an air campaign, the Silent Eagle can be outfitted with weapon bays suitable for carrying air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons that would be tucked inside conformal fuel tanks, thus reducing the aircraft’s front-quadrant RCS. The aircraft could then be reconfigured in hours to handle the F-15’s characteristic heavy load of weapons once early threats are removed and sustainment operations begin.
The RCS tests on F-15E1, an Air Force test asset leased to Boeing, took place at the company’s anechoic chamber in St. Louis. Various coatings were evaluated and a final candidate has been selected and applied to the appropriate portions of the airframe. Testing produced the desired results, he said. Bass declined to provide details on the coating or the precise
(Excerpt) Read more at aviationnow.com ...
And yet the F-22 line has been canceled. The Eagle is 40 years old from the drawing board.
Just brilliant.
Pingaroo.
BTTT
Secret paint
yitbos
That plane looks fast just sitting there. Nice looking bird.
And, the F-15 doesn’t have thrust vectoring either.
Aaaaand the F-22 was already in low-rate production, and just starting to pay off development costs. Plus, our closest allies wanted to buy F22s, rather than spend their money on home-grown designs. That says people saw it as a ready-to-fly winner. Now the few we have become "magic bullet" items, and the engines aren't even cranked over without presidential approval.
Iam curious to know how much of a RCS reduction they achieved. Two of the biggest radar reflectors on any aircraft are the cockpit and the turbofan blades.
The cockpit RCS can be reduced by using a radar absorbing canopy. But they are extremely expensive.
The turbofan blades can be hidden using radar absorbing panels inside the engine inlets like on the B1-B. But that would reduce top speed to just above Mach 1 like the B1-B.
Interesting problem, isn’t it?
tradergem
the engines aren’t even cranked over without presidential approval. “”
Is this true?
I would to take a ride in one of these birds...
I would love to take a ride in one of these birds...
They wish to remain as US customer, primarily to ensure they stay under US umbrella.
Willing to use somewhat dated technlogy due to their potential adversary using stone-age weaponry.
In the early days of an air campaign, the Silent Eagle can be outfitted with weapon bays suitable for carrying air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons that would be tucked inside conformal fuel tanks, thus reducing the aircraft’s front-quadrant RCS. The aircraft could then be reconfigured in hours to handle the F-15’s characteristic heavy load of weapons once early threats are removed and sustainment operations begin.
Thats a really nifty idea...But I seriously doubt the “bolt on/bolt off” stealthy attachments would be manipulated that easily...
There has got to be testing and calibration to those attachments that has got to be made before it flies, and to just take them off, just because you think your done with all the “dangerous” missions done is a pipe dream...
Nope, these conformal weapons bays are on for good...And you’d be better off to have a small squadron of these handy for those “special” missions you need flown, and let the other squadrons work issues the traditional way...
Groovy.
Just being sarcastic (I hope). But with this bunch, you can never know.
Did any of you see the National Geographic t.v. show about how they tested the stealthiness of the WWII Horten fighter?
National Geographic got Northrop/Grumman to test the RCS of the Horten fighter in the Smithsonian Instution’s warehouse and then build and test a full scale RCS model at Northrop/Grumman’s RCS test facility.
They showed stuff that up until recently was top secret.
I was very suprised at what they showed.
tradergem
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