Oblique Flying Wing: UAV Demonstrator to fly around 2010

The OFW UAV would sweep to 65 deg. for Mach 1.2 cruise speeds, and reduce the wing to lesser angles for long-endurance loiter.



Northrop Grumman will apparently build their OFW flight demonstrator sometime around 2010, the X-plane will have a 56-ft. wing span, tricycle gear with an aft-mounted undercarriage leg, twin General Electric J85 afterburning turbojets and a sophisticated flight control system (FCS).

In order to keep the flying wing controlled, the Northrop Grumman OFW sports eight flight control surfaces, 6 on the trailing edge and 2 tip-mounted inlaid surfaces that are evolved from the X-47 Pegasus unmanned air vehicle's FCS.

The effect of the inlaid surfaces varies with angle relative to oncoming flow,it is drag-producing, but with the side forces the remaining surfaces act as ailerons while those in the center control pitch.


SOURCE:

Tailless Oblique Flying Wing Study’s Wind Tunnel Results: Aviation Week & Space Technology
10/08/2007, page 34


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Aircraft Projects » Supersonic Flying Wing?

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