Defense Technology International - July 2007 - (Page 19)

THINKING STEALTHY Exact stealth goals have not been revealed. However, Prunier says the goal is to “detect, classify and identify the target without being detected,” and Neuron’s ﬂying-wing shape is key to achieving all-asBILL SWEETMAN•PARIS pect, wideband stealth. Dassault will carry urope’s Neuron unmanned combat ate capabilities; each team member brings out tests of stealth components and models in its Proteus range at Istres. air vehicle (UCAV) project passed a its existing skills to the project. However, after the vehicle has completTechnologies will be shared at the end feasibility review on June 1, clearing the program for its next stage and to- of the program, but are not shared to a ed its ﬁrst set of ﬂight tests, it will be taken ward a ﬁrst ﬂight in 2011. Fifteen months greater extent than necessary as the project to the DGA’s massive indoor radar cross into the project—which formally started proceeds. Instead, each partner works to a section (RCS) range, operated near Rennes in early 2006 after Sweden resolved politi- requirement that supports the overall goals by the Celar military electronics research cal issues—the Neuron team is reporting of the program. “It’s not a university,” says center. Named Solange, the chamber is big Prunier, “it’s a way to cooperate with each enough to take the complete Neuron and progress. The team is close to freezing the inter- company retaining its knowledge.” is capable of covering the entire frequency nal and external conﬁguration band of interest to the project, of the flying-wing prototype over a full 360 deg. in azimuth aircraft. However, most activand a wide elevation range. ity is focused on risk reduction, After that, the vehicle will which is proceeding through a carry out ﬂight tests in France, dozen technology road maps. Sweden—where the remote, These demonstration programs electronically quiet Vidsel are due to wrap up during range may be used for tests 2008. against live radars—and Italy’s Seven of the road maps conranges around Sardinia, which cern low-observables, underlining are likely to host the capstone the fact that Neuron is the ﬁrst operational demonstration, including the release of guided known non-U.S. project to be weapons. aimed at wide-bandwidth, all-as- Neuron undergoes high-speed wind-tunnel tests. Prunier is philosophical pect stealth. They include work Powered by a Rolls-Royce Adour, Neuron weighs about the risks of carrying out on antennas, doors, sensor win- about the same as Boeing’s X-45A demonstrator. the program with one protodows, the inlet and exhaust system and the aircraft’s perimeters. Non-stealth Team members are also free to subcon- type. However, the aircraft is being designed technologies being investigated include auto- tract work. For example, Saab is responsible to the same airworthiness standards as small matic takeoff and landing, tailless control and for the stealth characteristics of the exhaust civil aircraft, and critical functions such as the aeroacoustics of the weapon bay. system and has retained Volvo as a second- navigation and localization are protected by Thierry Prunier, senior vice president tier subcontractor. “They are free to contract using backup systems with different hardware for UAV and UCAV programs at Dassault, with anyone, but preferably European,” says and software. “But that kind of mistake”— says progress to date conﬁrms the ground Prunier, because the team does not want to the errors that led to the loss of EADS’ sole rules under which the project started. Un- be subject to U.S. security restrictions. Barracuda UCAV last September—“could be like many European programs, in which a Other team members include Alenia, made in any program.” joint-venture contractor reports to a mul- responsible for the weapon-ﬁring system Where does Neuron lead? “It’s clear that if tinational government management ofﬁce, and integrating the Galileo Avionica elec- we fail in Neuron to demonstrate the value of Neuron is run by a single government agen- tro-optical system; EADS CASA, providing stealth, it won’t go further. If we succeed, the cy (France’s DGA) with Dassault as prime the wings and ground-control station; and option will stay open,” Prunier says. contractor. On the DGA side, says Prunier, Hellenic Aerospace Industry, which proNone of the sponsoring countries has a “there are ﬁve or six people in the program vides the ﬁnal exhaust nozzle. formal UCAV requirement or money for The U.K. is not part of Neuron. Prunier a new combat aircraft for many years to office” aided by part-time technical and contract experts. About 100 people from says there have been contacts between BAE come. But if the sponsoring countries deDassault and the other Neuron partners are Systems and European companies in the past cide that a stealth attack aircraft, manned or working in St. Cloud. that dealt with stealth, but not since BAE Sys- not, belongs in their future force, Neuron is Another basic goal of the program was to tems formally became involved in the systems intended to make it possible. I create a team capable of developing a UCAV development and demonstration (SDD) stage Read Sweetman’s posts on DTI’s or advanced UAV—but not, Prunier says, of the Joint Strike Fighter program. Prunier’s weblog, Ares, updated daily: “to create 10 companies capable of doing understanding is that the JSF memo of unaresblog.net the same thing.” Neither is the goal to cre- derstanding forbids such contacts. European UCAV is on the front line of stealth technology E DASSAULT www.aviationweek.com/dti JULY/AUGUST 2007 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 19 http://aresblog.net http://www.aviationweek.com/dti

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Defense Technology International - July 2007

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