To assess the advantages of vertical attitude takeoff and landing, the Aviation and Surface Effects Department at the David W. Taylor Naval Ship Research and Development Center (DTNSRDC) designed and constructed a 560-lb demonstration vehicle (designated the XBQM-108A). The design incorporates a close-coupled canard/delta wing configuration that utilizes components from the MQM-74A target drone as well as the Harpoon missile. During the summer of 1976 this vehicle was successfully flight tested to assess vertical hover capability in a tethered hover flight mode. Other Navy laboratories cooperated in support of engine installation design and test (Naval Weapons Center), and guidance and control (Naval Underwater Systems Center). Free-flight tests in hover and ship docking are planned. The need for vertical takeoff capability is due to the current threat imposed on the Fleet by the advent of high-speed cruise missiles. This has increased the importance of dispersing aircraft to nonaviation ships should the need arise. The launch and recovery of RPV's and V/STOL manned aircraft aboard nonaviation ships has been identified by the Navy as a major design impact area. Vertical attitude takeoff and landing (VATOL) offers attractive advantages in that ship/aircraft interface docking problems are alleviated. The VATOL airframe design is lighter and cheaper than other candidate concepts and has superior performance. (Author)
The XBQM-108A Vertical Attitude Takeoff and Landing Vehicle
1977
51 pages
Report
No indication
English
Aircraft , Vertical takeoff aircraft , Remotely piloted vehicles , Experimental design , Delta wings , Canard configuration , Test vehicles , Jet fighters , Attack aircraft , Naval aircraft , Shipboard , Cruise missiles , Threats , jet vanes , Flight testing , Hovering , Turbojet engines , XBQM-108A vehicles , MQM-74A drones , Vertical attitude takeoff and landing vehicles