Sensor Craft is "an air breather that is a fully integrated ISR enterprise linked to space and ground assets as well as other air vehicles," says Ron Crumbacher
Typically, aircraft are built and the sensor added afterwards, he says. Systems such as foliage penetration radar can be difficult to integrate as they operate at low frequencies and require long antennas. It becomes sensible, therefore, to build the aircraft around the antennas, leading to the Sensor Craft's diamond-shaped joined-wing planform.
Crumbacher says AFRL started with a clean sheet of paper. Key considerations are engines that are cheaper to acquire as well as operate and maintain, but also capable of 80h missions and providing a twofold increase in power generation. Internal starter-generators -would provide significant power while a full life core and hot section are also being considered as they would reduce maintenance requirements and costs.
He stresses the Sensor Craft is a "notional image", but notes that integrated low-frequency RF apertures require the long leading and trailing edges provided by a diamond planform. Foliage penetration, a key requirement identified in the lessons from last year's Operation Allied Force, is a low frequency RF sensor. The joined wing provides 360¹ coverage.
The goal is to develop a reliable and affordable integrated sensor propulsion air vehicle design with a flyaway cost 10% that of an AWACS or a JSTARS.
Electronics will continue to produce heat, and high altitude operations limit the efficiency of air cooling, which will need addressing. Three airframe companies have study contracts to consider affordability and concepts of operation, says Crumbacher. Trade-offs include the link between endurance, altitude, engine endurance and power generation.
Source: Flight International
