Defense Technology International - June 2008 - (Page 26)

DISPATCHES GLOBAL HYPER READY Russia’s scramjet engine reaches the testing stage MAXIM PYADUSHKIN•MOSCOW ussian scientists continue to work on the development of a supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) engine that is lighter and simpler in design than gas turbines and will achieve hypersonic speed (over Mach 4). The Central Institute of Aviation Motors (CIAM) in Moscow plans to start bench tests of a hypersonic vehicle in 2009, and begin ﬂight trials in 2011-12. At the Engines 2008 exhibition in Moscow in April, CIAM displayed a mockup of its GLL-AP-02 hypersonic R Testing is slated to begin next year on CIAM’s GLL-AP-02 scramjet. A mockup was on display at Engines 2008. vehicle that was unveiled last year at Russia’s MAKS air show. Vyacheslav Semenov, deputy chief of CIAM’s aerospace propulsion department, says the 3-meter-long (9.8-ft.) vehicle with takeo weight of 600 kg. (1,320 lb.) will have a scramjet engine with projected thrust of 300 kg. During the flight test, the GLL-AP-02 will accelerate to Mach 4 on an aircraft or other booster. The scramjet then will take the vehicle to Mach 6 for about 30 sec., at an altitude of 20-30 km. (65,000-98,000 ft.). The GLL-AP-02 vehicle is not CIAM’s first scramjet platform. The research program began in the late Engine intake is designed to maintain consistent air ﬂow to the hypersonic engine. 1970s. The ﬁrst hypersonic ﬂight-test vehicle CIAM developed was Kholod, or “cold,” which made its maiden ﬂight in 1991 at Sary Shagan test range in Kazakhstan. Kholod had an experimental E-57 axisymmetric scramjet engine that generated 160 kg. of thrust. It was mounted in place of a warhead on a 5B28 surface-to-air missile that served as a booster. The missile was launched from an S-200V (SA-5) air defense system. Kholod made seven test ﬂ ights, the last ﬁve with the scramjet in operation. During the ﬁnal ﬂight, in 1999, the engine ran for 77 sec., reaching Mach 6.5. But according to Semenov, Kholod was still propelled by the missile during the entire ﬂight. The GLL-AP-02 vehicle should ﬂy independently with its scramjet. Semenov says the Russian scramjet will have a cooling system, unlike NASA’s X-34A hypersonic prototype that ﬂew in 2004. The scramjet will be cooled by liquid hydrogen fuel that circulates through channels in the engine’s walls before being injected into the ramjet. Designers report a major difficulty involves adjusting the shock waves to control airﬂow inside the engine. The wedge-shaped air intake slows incoming air to Mach 3. The airﬂow then mixes with hydrogen and is burned for thrust. If the shock wave moves o the edge of the air intake, the engine loses thrust. Another obstacle is heating. At Mach 6 the nose of the vehicle is expected to reach 1,650K (1,377C). CIAM is considering several options for heat-resistant materials: ceramics, tantalum, molybdenum or metal alloys. Semenov says CIAM has received enough ﬁnancing during the past two years for scramjet development. It’s no secret, though, that the Kholod flight test became possible partly as a result of foreign funding. Some ﬂights are being financed by NASA and by Onera, France’s national aerospace research center, which will use the test data for its own programs. CIAM is also under contract to the Russian government for much of its scramjet work. The engine developed by CIAM has no application so far. Semenov says it can be used on missiles and aircraft. If the scramjet powers aircraft, it can be combined with a gas generator that will increase ﬂight speed until the scramjet takes over. I MAXIM PYADUSHKIN/DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL PHOTOS 26 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL JUNE 2008 AviationWeek.com/dti http://AviationWeek.com/dti

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Defense Technology International - June 2008

Defense Technology International - June 2008 Contents Around the World Science Watch Tech Watch Basic Black Self-Defense Fire-Resistant Perfezione Hyperspeed Trial Big Sky Cashing In Digital Links Hang Ten Sea Change Programs Update Two Steps Back Direct Hit Staying Power Potent Stinger Do No Harm Guard Duty The Net Cutting Edge First Person In Review Insight

Defense Technology International - June 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.