Upgrading the Transonic Wind Tunnel at the Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory

Over the last decade attempts to acquire a new transonic wind tunnel with a 1.5 m square test section have not been successful due to insufficient funding. To meet Defence needs for transonic aerodynamic data it was decided to upgrade one of the two existing Defence Science and Technology's transonic tunnels. Detailed studies showed that it was most cost-effective to upgrade the tunnel located in Melbourne. In conjunction with an external consultant, three upgrade options were developed with a range of costs and capabilities. The option with the maximum test capability that could be achieved while retaining the existing shell was selected as the most appropriate. This paper briefly describes the options and gives the technical specifications of the improvements that are to be implemented which will lead to a major increase in transonic wind tunnel research capability.