Browse Topic: Military aircraft
This SAE Aerospace Standard (AS) will specify what type of NVGs are required and minimum requirements for compatible crew station lighting, aircraft exterior lighting such as anti-collision lights, and position/navigation lights that are “NVG compatible.” Also, this document is intended to set standards for NVG utilization for aircraft so that special use aircraft such as the Coast Guard, Border Patrol, Air Rescue, Police Department, Medivacs, etc., will be better equipped to chase drug smugglers and catch illegal immigrants, rescue people in distress, reduce high-speed chases through city streets by police, etc. Test programs and pilot operator programs are required. For those people designing or modifying civil aircraft to be NVG compatible, the documents listed in 2.1.3 are essential.
Consider this: A new groundbreaking technology has just been developed that needs to be integrated into multiple types of aircraft as soon as possible. This could take years to accomplish, since each aircraft implements a different method of communicating with it, using different data transport protocols. Even worse, this new technology likely has proprietary information that needs to be transmitted to the aircraft in some format. All of these issues would require a different version of the technology for each aircraft.
This Aerospace Standard (AS) provides the general requirements for hydraulic components that are used in military aircraft and missile hydraulic systems. NOTE: AS8775 is intended for use on aircraft that utilize military hydraulic fluids (typically MIL-PRF-83282 and MIL-PRF-87257). AS4941 should be used for those military aircraft that utilize AS1241 hydraulic fluid (for example, military derivatives of civil aircraft or some new design military cargo aircraft) instead of AS8775.
Between the 1920s and 1930s, aluminum started replacing wood as the primary material in aircraft construction and soon became the backbone of modern aviation. Its popularity stemmed from a combination of properties, high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and ease of forming that made it ideal for demanding aerospace applications. Throughout much of the 20th century, high-strength aluminum alloys dominated aircraft design, accounting for 70-80 percent of commercial airframes and more than half of many military aircraft. Even after the introduction of fiber-polymer composites in the early 2000s, aluminum has remained a critical material because it continues to offer the strength, lightness, and versatility needed for modern aviation. Industry forecasts predict that commercial air travel will double in the next 25 years, which means more pollution will be released into the atmosphere. One way to help reduce these emissions is by building airplane fuselages and wings with
Without reliability and signal integrity, aerospace communications risk severe signal degradation and reduced security, posing risks to both personnel and mission-critical data. These challenges are particularly critical for applications that depend on military aircraft, satellite communications, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). As global demand for real-time data continues to surge, communication infrastructure requires regular maintenance and upgrades to maintain secure and reliable performance.
Raytheon East Hartford, CT corporatepr@rtx.com
Helsing Munich, Germany communications@helsing.ai
The wing-in-ground effect (WIG) vehicle represents a significant advancement in aerodynamics and vehicle design, leveraging the ground effect phenomenon to enhance lift and reduce drag when flying close to the surface. This unique capability allows WIG vehicles to achieve higher payloads, longer range, and greater fuel efficiency compared to traditional aircraft, making them an attractive option for modern military and global disaster response applications. Wing-in-Ground Effect Vehicles: From Modern Military and Commercial Development to Global Disaster Response discusses future disaster response, logistics, and military applications for WIG vehicles, including the ongoing development of aerospace and transportation technology. Relavant advancements in materials and propulsion systems holds promise for further enhancing WIG performance and operational range. Additionally, cost-effective and powerful flight computers with various types of mission-enabling sensor suites from the
There is a significant shift toward the electrification of military systems as defense chiefs worldwide look to secure operational advantage across land, sea, and air. From ground vehicles to naval vessels, fighter jets to autonomous drones, senior officials, and planners are eager to accelerate the adoption of batteries, hybrid electric systems, and other sustainable technologies — thereby improving the performance of major platforms.
In aerospace applications, high-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMAs) — materials capable of remembering and returning to their original shapes after heating — are often constrained by high costs since they rely on expensive elements to function at elevated temperatures.
New research studying shape memory alloys with AI may allow fighter jets to transform into the future with the help of new materials. Texas A&M University, College Station, TX In aerospace applications, high-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMAs) - materials capable of remembering and returning to their original shapes after heating - are often constrained by high costs since they rely on expensive elements to function at elevated temperatures. Fighter jets like the F/A-18 need to fold their wings to fit on crowded aircraft carriers. The system that folds the wings relies on heavy mechanical parts. But with new lighter, smarter alloys, those movements could be done with less weight and more efficiency. That means more jets can be ready to fly, faster and with less energy wasted.
Manufacturers of fans/propellers using hydraulically-actuated pitch control claim energy efficiency gains up to 75% over fixed-pitch solutions. Unfortunately, the added cost, weight, reliability and maintenance considerations of hydraulic solutions has limited the introduction of pitch control for small-to-medium fans and propellers leaving a large market unserved by the efficiency gains associated with changing the pitch of a blade when the blade shaft’s speed changes. Pilot Systems International and Cool Mechatronics are developing an electromagnetically controlled pitch (EMCP) fan/propeller that will produce a new pareto optimal in size, weight, power, cost and cooling (SWaP-C2). The technology will substantially improve the efficiency of military ground vehicle cooling fans which is typically the third greatest power draw (~20kW)1 in the entire vehicle and provide critical performance improvements during silent watch. It will be a key enabler for the electrification of aircraft.
Imagine Tony Stark soaring through the skies in his iconic Iron Man suit, each command answered with a seamless blend of futuristic technology.
Modern military aircraft represent some of the most complex electronic environments ever engineered. These platforms integrate advanced avionics, radar systems, data links, and communication networks that must function seamlessly in hostile, high-frequency environments. In these mission-critical contexts, electromagnetic interference (EMI) poses a silent but serious threat that can degrade signal integrity, cause crosstalk between systems, or even lead to mission failure. The combination of increasing data rates, higher frequencies, and more complex electromagnetic environments demands shielding solutions that can deliver superior performance while contributing to overall system weight reduction. This challenge has driven innovation toward advanced materials that maintain electrical effectiveness while dramatically reducing mass.
The multinational EPIIC programme, involving Airbus Defence and Space, is exploring multiple exciting innovations to strengthen Europe's defense capabilities and technological sovereignty. Airbus, Toulouse, France Imagine Tony Stark soaring through the skies in his iconic Iron Man suit, each command answered with a seamless blend of futuristic technology. Now imagine the cockpit of tomorrow's fighter jet.
Advancements in embedded processing, software, new product introductions, partnerships and recent demonstration flights reflect the growth in development of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for military aircraft avionics systems occurring in the aerospace industry. This article highlights trends across several industry partnerships, demonstration flights and the enabling elements that are providing opportunities to integrate AI and ML into military avionics systems. In a June press release, Helsing, the Munich, Germany-based native software company and Saab, the Swedish defense manufacturer, announced their completion of a series of test flights where Helsing's “Centaur” AI agent controlled the aerial movements of a Gripen E fighter jet. AI agents are growing in popularity across many different industries for a variety of use cases. In a November 2024 blog about the topic, Microsoft described them as taking “the power of generative AI a step further, because
This SAE Aerospace Information Report (AIR) discusses the sources of copper in aviation jet fuels, the impact of copper on thermal stability of jet fuels and the resultant impact on aircraft turbine engine performance, and potential methods for measurement of copper contamination and reduction of the catalytic activity of copper contamination in jet fuels. This document is an information report and does not provide recommendations or stipulate limits for copper concentrations in jet fuels.
ABSTRACT The Sikorsky BLACK HAWK® is the primary medium lift helicopter for the U.S. Army performing a wide range of missions that encompass Air Assault, MEDEVAC, CSAR, Command and Control, and VIP transport. The Multimission UH-60M is one of the latest in the BLACK HAWK helicopter product family, more capable, more survivable, more maintainable, more powerful, and more effective than its predecessors. In previous efforts, a high-fidelity CFDCSD based full-aircraft trim and maneuvering simulation methodology was developed and applied to model both coaxial aircraft and single main/tail rotor configurations (Refs. 1-4). The CFD solver is based on the CREATE™-AV HELIOS toolset (Ref. 5) and the CSD solver is based on Rotorcraft Comprehensive Analysis System (RCAS) (Ref. 6). The current paper further enhances the previously developed 6-DOF CFD-CSD full-aircraft trim methodology to robustly handle the trim solution for the single main/tail rotor configurations. The enhanced methodology was
ABSTRACT The H-60 Black Hawk remains a cornerstone of U.S. Army Aviation, but its legacy avionics architecture presents modernization challenges. To ensure long-term operational relevance and interoperability with future platforms like the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), the Army is implementing a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA). This strategy facilitates rapid technology integration, enhances sustainment efficiency, and mitigates obsolescence. The Army's MOSA adoption aligns with regulatory mandates such as the National Defense Authorization Act and Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition policies, ensuring modularity, scalability, and interoperability across aviation systems. The application of modern open standards, such as the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE®), within the Black Hawk supports software reuse and hardware commonality, reducing lifecycle costs and vendor lock. A phased modernization approach, including a Digital Backbone architecture
ABSTRACT New forms of highly automated Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft, such as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, could transform transportation, cargo delivery, and a variety of public services. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted a series of flight demonstrations in collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Sikorsky Aircraft (a Lockheed Martin company) to progressively evaluate autonomous technologies. The autoland flight test research is a first in series for investigating the world’s first procedural descending-decelerating automated landing with vertical guidance Instrument Flight Procedures (IFP). The Sikorsky Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) experimental UH-60 Black Hawk was used to evaluate a flight path’s four-dimensional trajectory (4DT) management into primitive commands and then follow those commands to a Point-in-Space (PinS) landing to the ground. All flight procedures were
ABSTRACT This paper demonstrates the training, optimisation, and predictive capabilities of Machine Learning (ML) for helicopter-ship certification. The work focuses on the development of a Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) model, trained specifically on pilot control activity data recorded during the hover phase of a recovery to a ship, to determine an operational boundary driven by pilot workload. The certification process currently relies heavily on embarked trials and the subjective workload assessment of test pilots. Modelling and Simulation (M&S), however, offers a potentially more efficient approach to addressing the high costs, resource-intensive nature, and inherent dangers associated with traditional clearance methods. By providing a relatively large amount of data for analysis, this approach creates an opportunity to bridge the gap between subjective and objective measures, enabling the prediction of workload limitations. An LDA model was trained using cross-validation on
ABSTRACT This study presents the design, modeling, and simulation of an Adaptive Speed Gearbox (ASG) with integrated electric variator for the UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter. The proposed drivetrain architecture enables main rotor speed variation independently of turbine speed, addressing operational demands for enhanced efficiency, noise reduction, and performance flexibility. A comprehensive aero-thermal model of the turboshaft engine, a dynamic drivetrain model, and a variable-speed control strategy were developed and validated. The control approach employs a two-degree-of-freedom structure combining nullspace-based feedforward torque allocation and modal-weighted LQR feedback for vibration suppression. A similarity theory-based scaling method was employed to design a demonstrator gearbox, facilitating experimental validation under representative conditions. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the ASG concept and establish a foundation for future experimental investigations and
ABSTRACT Piloted evaluations form a critical part of Handling Qualities (HQ) testing. Military rotorcraft standard ADS-33 outlines the widely accepted approach to perform HQ testing, including both methods to determine predicted and assigned HQs (Ref. 1). Recently, ADS-33 has been replaced with MIL-DTL-32742, which includes updates to previously defined criteria and tasks (Ref. 2). Assigned HQs are awarded using short-look tasks, so-called Mission Task Elements (MTEs), stylized to represent mission requirements. Test courses focus on external visual cues, used by the pilot to judge position. Setting up external courses is usually expensive and may not be feasibly possible. The MCRUER (Means of Compliance Requirements for UAM Evaluations and Ratings) system intends to support HQ evaluations, replacing physical test courses using virtual displays. Four MTEs were successfully demonstrated in flight by three pilots using a variable stability rotorcraft. HQ evaluations were performed both
ABSTRACT This paper describes the development process of a comprehensive pilot-in-the-loop simulation framework suitable for preliminary feasibility, and on-deck handling qualities assessment of the Leonardo AW609 civil tiltrotor, when operating with the Italian Navy aircraft carrier Cavour. A pilot-in-the-loop engineering simulator was used for simulations in which steady, quasi-unsteady, and fully unsteady ship airwakes were created using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and experimental data. A dedicated analysis of the simulation environment provided a strong agreement with various pilot inputs and aircraft response parameters when compared with flight data. Snapshot CFD simulations taken from a simulated lateral entry on ship deck allowed a comparison of airframe loads predicted by the aeromechanical model. While there are some good agreements and matched trends, development is ongoing to improve these aspects. Back-to-back piloted simulator approaches found a relatively good
ABSTRACT In this paper, we develop a new feature-based algorithm using stereo cameras to estimate stochastic ship-deck motion at high sea states. Unlike our previous algorithms, this algorithm is able to estimate the motion of arbitrary ship structures without prior information on the ship's visual appearance or geometry. The algorithm requires an initial pose and suffers from drift over time, which was resolved by fusing it with our previous 2D feature-based vision algorithm. The combined vision algorithm is validated using a simulated ship featuring 3D ship structures and 2D flight deck markings representative of a DDG-51 ship. The results indicate that the algorithm can accurately estimate the pose of a simulated ship undergoing Sea-State 6 motion. The vision algorithm was further validated in a simple free-flight test.
ABSTRACT Low-level flight, defined by high-speed operations near terrain, represents a significant challenge in military rotorcraft missions while providing strategic advantages, such as radar evasion and heightened surprise. Recent conflicts highlight the urgent need for advanced low-level flight capabilities in the design of new rotorcraft. The close proximity to ground obstacles, combined with the complexities of piloting, necessitates precise control and robust handling qualities to prevent accidents. However, existing handling quality standards, such as MIL-DTL-32742, reveal limitations in assessing low-level maneuvers. Given the diverse array of new rotorcraft designs, driven by initiatives like the U.S. Army's Future Vertical Lift and NATO's Next Generation Rotorcraft Capabilities, a customized handling qualities evaluation for each design is impractical. In response, a performance-driven strategy has been implemented, scaling Mission Task Elements to align with aircraft
ABSTRACT Civil and military rotorcraft operators desire enhanced capabilities from their vehicles in terms of mission efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, and availability. A critical element of this challenge is associated with providing cold weather availability. Currently, cold weather operations are enabled by regulatory actions leading to Limited Approvals, Qualifications, Clearances, and Restrictions. Cold weather certification (clearance of a new aircraft) and continuing airworthiness (maintaining effectiveness of fielded aircraft) are data driven processes. This work provides guidance on an Icing Encounters Survey (IES) based data gathering method supporting continuing airworthiness organizations in improving fleet safety and capabilities during cold weather operations.
ABSTRACT Maintaining the operational readiness of military helicopters demands repair solutions that are fast, reliable, and adaptable. This paper presents the integration of Gamma Alloys' advanced metal matrix composites (MMCs) into additive manufacturing (AM) techniques - specifically Cold Spray and Friction Stir Additive Manufacturing (FSAM) - as a transformative approach to helicopter repair and replace for the US Army.
IEEE-1394b, Interface Requirements for Military and Aerospace Vehicle Applications, establishes the requirements for the use of IEEE Std 1394™-2008 as a data bus network in military and aerospace vehicles. The portion of IEEE Std 1394™-2008 standard used by AS5643 is referred to as IEEE-1394 Beta (formerly referred to as IEEE-1394b.) It defines the concept of operations and information flow on the network. As discussed in 1.4, this specification contains extensions/restrictions to “off-the-shelf” IEEE-1394 standards and assumes the reader already has a working knowledge of IEEE-1394. This document is referred to as the “base” specification, containing the generic requirements that specify data bus characteristics, data formats, and node operation. It is important to note that this specification is not designed to be stand-alone; several requirements leave the details to the implementations and delegate the actual implementation to be specified by the network architect/integrator for a
This Handbook is intended to accompany or incorporate AS5643, AS5643/1, AS5657, AS5706, and ARD5708. In addition, full understanding of this Handbook also requires knowledge of IEEE-1394-1995, IEEE-1394a, and IEEE-1394b standards. This Handbook contains detailed explanations and architecture analysis on AS5643, bus timing and scheduling considerations, system redundancy design considerations, suggestions on AS5643-based system configurations, cable selection guidance, and lessons learned on failure modes.
Naval Air Systems Command Patuxent, MD navairpao@us.navy.mil
State-of-the-art fighter aircraft have a large number of support systems that operate in multiple areas. These systems are continuously optimized to achieve maximum efficiency and performance. Countless sensors monitor the environment and generate important data that helps to understand the areas overflown. But even in life-threatening combat situations, target acquisition systems support pilots and provide additional information that can be decisive with the help of augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI). Military aviation is an arena with great potential for the use of technical aids that have transformed the original fighter aircraft into a technological masterpiece. In addition to the high level of complexity, the upcoming generation change from fifth- to sixth-generation fighter jets poses major challenges for component suppliers and accelerates the pace of technological competition. A military fighter jet is already an extremely demanding environment for
This specification covers the design and installation requirements for Type I and II military aircraft hydraulic systems.
Deliberate RF jamming of drones has become one of the most common battlefield tactics in Ukraine. But what is jamming, how does it work and how can it be countered by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the field? Radio frequency (RF) jamming of drones involves deliberate interference with the radio signals used for communication between drones and their operators.
Hypersonic propulsion would allow for air travel at speeds of Mach 6 to 17, or more than 4,600 to 13,000 miles per hour, and has applications in commercial and space travel.
This SAE Aerospace Standard (AS) defines the requirements for air cycle air conditioning systems used on military air vehicles for cooling, heating, ventilation, and moisture and contamination control. General recommendations for an air conditioning system, which may include an air cycle system as a cooling source, are included in MIL-E-18927E and JSSG-2009. Air cycle air conditioning systems include those components which condition high temperature and high pressure air for delivery to occupied and equipment compartments and to electrical and electronic equipment. This document is applicable to open and closed loop air cycle systems. Definitions are contained in Section 5 of this document.
This ARP provides the definition of terms commonly used in aircraft environmental control system (ECS) design and analysis. Many of the terms may be used as guidelines for establishing standard ECS nomenclature. Some general thermodynamic terms are included that are frequently used in ECS analysis, but this document is not meant to be an inclusive list of such terms.
This SAE Aerospace Information Report (AIR) contains information on the thermal design requirements of airborne avionic systems used in military airborne applications. Methods are explored which are commonly used to provide thermal control of avionic systems. Both air and liquid cooled systems are discussed.
ABSTRACT No Abstract
ABSTRACT Previous work documented the use of IVHMS data on the U.S. Army's fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to update the fatigue lives of six specific components on the A/L and M models. This paper documents a significant expansion of the level of data applied to the usage spectrum, as well as applying it to all components on the aircraft. As a design spectrum for the yet to be fielded Improved Turbine Engine (ITE) equipped UH-60M, changes due to new engine capability needed to be addressed. The new spectrum has been developed and is being used for planning of flight testing. The spectrum along with flight test loads will be used to generate fatigue lives for the new aircraft. Once deployed for several years the spectrum will be reviewed to determine if any changes are needed. This work highlights what the Army considers to be the most significant issues when applying monitored usage to critical fatigue components, and rationale for dealing with issues such as insufficient data
ABSTRACT Corrosion occurs in diverse environments mainly on metallic parts. Helicopters are made of a huge percentage of metallic parts and need to have several maintenance steps to guarantee its functioning and its durability. The military helicopters are flying in different kinds of environment, which cover large spectrum of severity of the atmospheric corrosion [1]. In maritime conditions, the most influencing factor is the Time of Wetness, which is a direct result Relative Humidity and Salt loading. The main material used for aircraft and that is suffering from corrosion is aluminium. There are plenty of data to follow the corrosion as a function of the environmental conditions, mainly on the sensitivity with sodium chloride, Relative Humidity, film thickness, etc... [2][3]. The maintenance efficiency on helicopters is dependent on the environmental severity. The U.S. armed forces estimate $10.2 billion in corrosion costs for their aviation and missile fleets during 2016 [4] [5] [6
ABSTRACT Sikorsky has successfully planned and executed several significant aircraft structural certification programs for military aircraft in the past few decades. These certifications included the CH-53K® with NAVAIR, the HH-60W with the Air Force and the Raider X® Competitive Prototype Aircraft with the Army. The methodologies for these certifications addressed the different requirements of each of these branches of the military as well as satisfying emerging techniques for structural life management ("Sikorsky Airframe Full Spectrum Customer/Supplier Collaboration", Reference 1). Safe Life Crack Initiation, Flaw Tolerant (Enhanced) Safe Life Crack Initiation and Fail Safe Life Limit Crack Propagation analysis had been rigorously pursued and demonstrated in these programs. This paper takes a retrospective look at what turns out to be many similarities in these methodologies that previously have been the subject of significant debate in the industry. The combined knowledge of these
ABSTRACT The Advanced Helicopter Seating System (AHSS) was started as an effort to evaluate and improve the current state of military rotorcraft seating. The overall goal of the program has been to improve pilot ergonomics and safety through the integration of advanced energy absorption and vibration reduction mechanisms as well as a broad approach to system integration based around updated occupant anthropometrics. An entirely new seating solution has been developed, with intent to integrate with the AH-64 Apache platform for demonstration purposes. The AH-64 development culminated with a series of static tests and dynamic test events to measure the effectiveness of the safety systems integrated on the seat as compared to the legacy AH-64 seating system. While lumbar load data and seat stroke data was obtained, issues with the anthropomorphic test device (ATD) configuration at the 95th male configuration caused some data to be suspect, and premature failure of several components also
Defense Innovation Unit Washington D.C. info@DIU.mil
This SAE Aerospace Information Report (AIR) provides the hydraulic and flight-control system designer with the various design options and techniques that are currently available to enhance the survivability of military aircraft. The AIR addresses the following major topics: a Design concepts and architecture (see 3.2, 3.5, and 3.6) b Design implementation (see 3.3, 3.6, and 3.7) c Means to control external leakage (see 3.4) d Component design (see 3.8)
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