of mobile satellite
- From: Satya Prasad Popuri <sppopuri@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2007 18:59:07 -0700
The following is an introduction to a process of data collection to
diversify the efforts of the Geosynchronous satellite within the
Himalayan subcontinent. The tool to mention is the Switchblade. As
is the satellite a semirobotic tool so is the Switchblade a mobile
semirobotic tool for data collection for the acculturation and
ontology of those who are of our community and a foreign one.
Northrop Switchblade
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For another Northrop concept aircraft called Switchblade see
Switchblade (airplane).
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Northrop "Switchblade"
Type Concept jet fighter
Manufacturer Northrop Corporation
Maiden flight Never flown
Primary user U.S. Air Force
Number built Never built
Variants F/A-37 Talon (fictional)
The Northrop "Switchblade" is a concept fighter jet which continues
classified to this day. Patent was officially deposited in 1999 (U.S.
Patent 5,984,231 ).
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Description and function
* 2 Disadvantages
* 3 Images
* 4 Legacy
* 5 See also
* 6 External links
o 6.1 Switchblade
o 6.2 F/A-37 Talon
[edit] Description and function
As far back as 1989 the buzz inside aviation circles was that The
Pentagon was developing a variable swing-wing aircraft to replace the
aging fleet of F-111s which were retired by the USAF in 1998. The
F-111 was a medium sized bomber also capable of defending itself as a
fighter and then speeding away at over 1600 MPH. In the mid-90s
reports began to surface concerning a new swing-wing aircraft sighted
near Cannon Air Force Base, NM and at Langley Air Force Base in
Virginia. In September of 1994, that aircraft was observed circling
high over Amarillo, TX for several minutes at midday. The plane was
not a standard variable swing-wing aircraft as first reported, rather
employing a unique forward sweeping-wing mechanism that enables the
jet to become an advanced attack aircraft capable of precision weapons
delivery, super maneuverability (for air combat) and MACH 3 "dash"
capability. It is a bomber, fighter and high-speed aircraft all-in-
one. Like the FB-111A, it too has been nicknamed the "Switchblade".
For a time it was concluded that this top-secret project by Northrop
was officially named Bird of Prey on account of the squadron patch
worn by pilots involved in the covert BoP project, though it is now
known that the Bird of Prey was in fact another Black project stealth
aircraft altogether, by Boeing. It is possible that this ATF/B -type
"Switchblade" craft is a stealth concept plane from back in the Multi-
Role Fighter [MRF] competition days, given its aptitude. Multi-mission
aircraft of the past have invariably had to make design sacrifices in
one area or another, never really coming close to becoming true flying
Swiss Army knives. The Northrop design seems to meets all the design
criteria for an advanced multi-regime tactical bomber/fighter
aircraft. Northrop Grumman have considerable expertise in designing
advanced aircraft. Northrop was the chief contractor on the stealth
B-2 Spirit, the YF-23 Black Widow II and the Tacit Blue. Grumman has
considerable experience in forward swept wing aircraft design as well
as having built & designed the Navy's premier variable-swept winged
aircraft, the F-14 Tomcat.
The wings are attached to the fuselage (body) at a pivot point toward
the rear of the aircraft. With the wings fully swept aft the aircraft
can slow to drop precision weapons or land on short unimproved
runways. Swept forward twenty degrees and the aircraft takes advantage
of the maneuverability that forward-swept wings offer becoming a
highly agile air combat platform. Sweep the wings fully forward and
they become flush with the aircraft with the trailing edge becoming
the leading edge, forming a highly swept 75 degree stealthy delta
ideal for high-speed Mach 3 exits. Or as it is understated in the U.S.
Patent 5,984231 abstract, "the aforementioned apparatus may be used in
a method to configure the aircraft for the desire flight regime" thus
becoming the aircraft for every mission.
Geometry Function
Wings fully extended
Long wingspan increases lift, enabling slower flight speeds for
precision bombing and
landing on short runways.
Wings swept forward
Forward sweep provides a good balance of lift and drag; efficient
airflow over the wings
and control surfaces enhances the fighter's maneuverability for air-to-
air combat.
Wings fully swept
Low aspect ratio provides the least drag, enabling the aircraft to
speed up to Mach 3. In
this configuration the trailing edge becomes the leading edge, a
section of the wing root
becomes the new trailing edge.
[edit] Disadvantages
Though the concept of the "Switchblade" is extremely good for
different combat situations, the mechanism that would be used to
operate the wings would be quite heavy and bulky, and would have to be
placed very close to the middle of the plane in order to aid balance
of center of gravity. Fly-by-wire may compensate for these problems
but the aircraft must still keep from being too unstable because
computers are unable to compensate for too radical a problem.
Additionally, when the wings are at their fully swept angle, the wing
shape presented to the oncoming air will not be a proper airfoil
[aerofoil] shape, creating an inconsistent one which increases drag
with negative effects on speed and control. The shape presented would
be an airfoil (from the canard) plus the side cross section of the
wing. This would encourage very small wings. Flat plate airfoils are
one possible solution, but they are not a perfect solution. Wings with
adaptable surfaces are one possible way of resolving problems.
[edit] Images
The patent of the "Switchblade", showing its swing-wing mechanism
[edit] Legacy
The fictional F/A-37 Talon from the film Stealth.
The fictional F/A-37 Talon from the film Stealth.
Although the aircraft was officially never built, its legacy lives on.
The fictional F/A-37 Talon (shown), which starred in the 2005 film
Stealth, had the "Switchblade's" swing-wing design. The Talon was
capable of at least Mach 4, and used a pair of scramjets/pulse
detonation engines for all flight speeds from subsonic to hypersonic.
In 1994 Hasbro released a robotic action figure as part of their
Transformers: Generation 2 toy line called Smokescreen , which
converts into a Northrop MRF "Switchblade" developmental concept; that
is to say, the design for this toy is likely based on an early-stage
mockup of what would become the final\current "Switchblade" stealth
jet. Interestingly this robot\plane toy was packaged with another
Transformer which converted into a variant Northrop Grumman B-2. Over
the years since, the proto-"Switchblade" jet mould has been reused for
further characters such as Starscream.
The X-02 featured in the video games Ace Combat 4, Ace Combat 5, Ace
Combat Zero, and Ace Combat X uses a similar switchblade-wing
configuration.
A single-engine Switchblade is also featured in the movie I-Spy. It
also has a cloaking device.
[edit] See also
* Grumman X-29
* Northrop YF-23 Black Widow II
* General Dynamics F-111
* Northrop Grumman Switchblade, the latest project to use this
name.
The fictitious F/A-37 Talon from Stealth would be capable of at least
Mach 5, as it is stated in "Stealth" to be a hypersonic aircraft.
"Hypersonic" refers to velocities equal to or exceeding five times the
speed of sound.
[edit] External links
[edit] Switchblade
* Switchblade at Area51ZONE.com
* Switchblade at Air-Attack.com
[edit] F/A-37 Talon
* Image of an F/A-37 Talon at Gares Designs & Creations
* Stealth homevideo at SonyPictures.com
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Switchblade";
Categories: Articles lacking sources from November 2006 | All articles
lacking sources | Swing-wing aircraft
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