Graham Warwick/ATLANTA
A LOW-OBSERVABLE nozzle under development by General Electric for its F110 engine is being installed on a US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16 for ground runs in June. Changes include triangular trailing-edges added to the petals of the variable-area convergent/divergent nozzle. Tests to measure the signature reduction achieved were conducted in April, using a nozzle mounted on an F-16 pole model. GE says that the axisymmetric nozzle provides reductions in radar and infra-red signature similar to those achievable with a two-dimensional nozzle. The engine company is proposing a low-observable, axisymmetric thrust-vectoring nozzle for the existing F110 and for McDonnell Douglas' contender for the US/UK Joint Strike Fighter.
Source: Flight International
