PRATT & WHITNEY'S multi-directional thrust-vectoring nozzle is due to be flown on a modified McDonnell Douglas (MDC) F-15 at Edwards AFB, California, in September.
The thrust-vectoring pitch yaw balanced beam nozzle (PYBBN), will be flight tested at NASA Dryden on the modified F100-229-powered F-15 short take-off and landing/manoeuvre technology demonstrator. The tests are part of the joint NASA/US Air Force/MDC/ P&W programme known as ACTIVE (advanced control technology for integrated vehicles).
P&W, which is demonstrating a working PYBBN at the Paris show, is also expected to reveal more details of development work on its fourth-generation nozzle, the spherical convergent flap nozzle. Although it shares the axisymmetric, 360¡ vectoring capability of the PYBBN, the newer nozzle will be more responsive and have improved thrust-reversing capability.
Source: Flight International