Rapid Prototyping-Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV)/Sensorcraft

Abstract : To characterize and improve upon aircraft designs in an expedient and efficient manner, it is imperative to generate approaches for rapidly assessing new aircraft designs. Recent technological advancements have enabled faster and more accurate assessment in three specific areas: computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, rapid prototyping (RP), and experimental global measurements. The Air Force Research Laboratory Air Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RB) initiated a joint computational/experimental ground testing program to investigate and analyze the flow field of the unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) X45-A as well as a strike tanker configuration. The test program used various rapid prototyping manufacturing technologies to fabricate models for ground testing; implemented innovative, nonintrusive measurement techniques; and compared CFD results with experimental data acquired from ground tests.