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Rapid Dragon’s First Live Fire Test of a Palletized Weapon System Deployed from a Cargo Aircraft Destroys Target

Friday, December 17th, 2021

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA (AFRL) – The Air Force Rapid Dragon Program, a fast-paced experimentation campaign led by the Air Force Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (SDPE) office, successfully completed its final flight test December 16 at the Eglin AFB Overwater Test Range.

The flight test capstoned a 2-year series and culminated in a live fire of a current inventory cruise missile armed with a live warhead. Rapid Dragon demonstrates the ability to employ weapons using standard airdrop procedures from cargo aircraft using the Rapid Dragon Palletized Weapon System.

The program name is derived from a thousand-year-old Chinese military designed crossbow catapult that launched multiple crossbow bolts with the pull of a single trigger, raining destruction down on armies from tremendous ranges. These lethal devices were called Ji Long Che—Rapid Dragon Carts. Today, the Rapid Dragon concept is changing the game again, this time as an airborne delivery system for U.S. Air Force weapons. And like its namesake, these palletized munitions promise to unleash mighty salvos en masse on distant adversaries.

During the December test, an MC-130J flown by an Air Force Special Operations Command operational flight crew, received new targeting data while in flight which was then routed to the cruise missile flight test vehicle (FTV). The aircraft agnostic Battle Management System’s inflight receipt and upload of the new targeting data into the FTV was a first-time achievement with a live cruise missile.

Once inside the drop zone over the Gulf of Mexico, the MC-130J aircrew airdropped a four-cell Rapid Dragon deployment system containing the FTV and three mass simulants, which were sequentially released from the palletized deployment box while under parachute. Safe separation from the deployment box and weapon deconfliction was demonstrated using an unconventional deployment method (nose-down vertical orientation). Immediately after the vertical release, the FTV deployed its wings and tail, achieved aerodynamic control, ignited its engine, performed a powered pull-up maneuver, and proceeded toward its newly assigned target. The cruise missile successfully destroyed its target upon impact.

The next step for the Rapid Dragon Program will be a live-fire test with a cruise missile from a C-17 in Spring 2022, demonstrating the aircraft agnostic capabilities of the Palletized Weapon System. Of note, the new retargeting methodology developed by the Rapid Dragon team is designed to be transferrable to other strike and cargo platforms, potentially increasing the lethality of those aircraft. Lastly, a follow-on program will look at expanding the Rapid Dragon carriage portfolio to include additional weapon systems and multiple effects capabilities, as well as continuing the maturation of the system, taking it from a developmental prototype to an operational prototype over the next two years.

“This type of experimentation campaign, that address capability gaps and demonstrates transformative efforts, helps us shape future requirements and reduces timeline to fielding,” said Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle, Air Force Research Laboratory commander, adding “This approach ultimately enables a rapid fielding alternative to traditional lengthy acquisition timelines.”

In addition to SDPE and AFSOC, demonstration participants included the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Dahlgren; Standoff Munitions Application Center; Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control; Systima Technologies; Safran Electronics & Defense, Parachutes USA, and R4 Integration, Inc.

Agility and collaboration enabled this government/industry team to go from a design to a system level flight test in 10 months, followed by a live fire five months later. During those last five months, Rapid Dragon has conducted five system level flight tests using three different aircraft (MC-130J, EC-130SJ, and C-17A).

“Rapid Dragon is a prime example of a government/industry partnership that embraces this acceleration mindset, building a community of subject matter experts and executing an aggressive, but well-thought-out, experimentation campaign,” said Dr. Dean Evans, SDPE’s Rapid Dragon Program Manager. This sentiment was echoed by Aaron Klosterman, SDPE’s Experimentation & Prototyping Division Chief when he said, “This accomplishment is a testament to what an agile U.S. Air Force and industry team can do when it is empowered to do business differently.”

The successful Rapid Dragon experiments pave the way for U.S. and allied mobility platforms to dramatically increase fires available for a combatant commander to place more adversary targets at risk.

“Rapid Dragon was able to accelerate development by building a broad and strong team. We were committed to a ’test often/learn-fast’ culture, dedicated to experimenting frequently and taking calculated risks. In addition to the MAJCOMs and Air Staff, the Rapid Dragon team included the Developmental Test (DT) and Operational Test (OT) communities, the aircraft and weapons Program Offices, and the mission planners. This collaboration from the onset streamlined the process and accelerated development, involving groups from the program inception that are not normally included at the very early stages, and that has made all the difference,” Evans added.

By Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post, SOF, weapons | 7 Comments »

Air Force to Field New Bladder Relief Device, Works Toward ‘Suite of Options’

Saturday, December 11th, 2021

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. (AFNS) —

The Air Force is scheduled to receive the first shipment of the Omni Gen. 3 Skydrate, an improved in-flight bladder relief device, in early December.

The Air Force recognized that current devices were not optimized for long-duration sorties, and as a result, aircrew were routinely dehydrating themselves to delay the need for bladder relief. Dehydration can lead to reduced endurance and G-force tolerance while in the aircraft, as well as other negative health issues.

Air Combat Command was the lead command in determining the new bladder relief device requirements for pilots across the Air Force.

“Gen. (Mark) Kelly is focused on reducing predictable barriers to readiness for Airmen,” said Scott Cota, aircrew flight equipment program analyst, ACC Plans, Programs and Requirements directorate, Joint Base Langley-Eustis. “This is just one of the programs we are working on here that will make it easier for Airmen to train and execute their missions.”

ACC worked closely with Air Force Materiel Command and other Air Force units to develop and test Skydrate within a year. Thirty female aircrew were on site at the Omni facility to conduct multi-hour wear tests; nine pilots, at three installations, participated in the flight testing.

“This is a good example of using a ‘fly, fix, fly’ model to prioritize female aircrew feedback and speed up the testing process to field the device quicker,” said Sharon Rogers, lead test engineer, 46th Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

Skydrate is available for men and women, but there was an emphasis on engineering solutions for female aircrew. Improvements include a larger collection bag, improved flow rate, multiple hose lengths, one-hand operation for on/off functionality, and more interface, or pad, sizes to account for anatomical differences in the wearer.

For Maj. Nikki Yogi, an F-35A Lightning II pilot who participated in the Omni device tests, readiness is at the heart of the issue. Yogi is assigned to the 356th Fighter Squadron at Eielson AFB, Alaska, under Pacific Air Forces Command. Pilots responding to threats in that region must be prepared for long sorties. A routine flight to Guam is approximately 10 hours.

“A pilot should be focused on taking the fight to the enemy, not on whether their bladder relief device is going to work or be comfortable to use,” she said.

Yogi had a poor experience with her device while deployed as an A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot in 2017. As a junior pilot, she did not immediately raise the issue – something she wants to spare future female pilots. She has volunteered for a variety of equipment tests since returning from that deployment.

“It’s important to provide feedback because it’s that feedback that drives change,” she said.

Aircrew will have access to Skydrate by Spring of 2022. The Human Systems Program Office, a subdivision of the Agile Combat Support Directorate, at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is currently reviewing proposals from multiple companies for alternative bladder relief devices with new pumps and innovative human interfaces, which are expected to field within the next year to users. A suite of bladder relief devices will give Airmen the opportunity to choose the most comfortable human interface option while allowing them to focus on executing the mission.

By Jennifer Kennemer, Air Combat Command Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post | Comments Off on Air Force to Field New Bladder Relief Device, Works Toward ‘Suite of Options’

USAF Orders 15 Silent Arrow Precision Guided Cargo Delivery Drones

Monday, December 6th, 2021

World’s First Production 1-Ton Cargo Delivery Drone to be Scaled Down and Flown to Address New Humanitarian and Tactical Markets

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2021 — Silent Arrow today announced the United States Air Force, through the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), has awarded the company a contract entitled “Guided Bundle Derivative of Silent Arrow® for Side Door and Palletized Swarm Deployment at High Speeds and Altitudes” effective November 12, 2021.

Under this Small Business Innovation Research (“SBIR”) Phase II contract, the commercially successful Silent Arrow® GD-2000 (Glider, Disposable, 2000 pounds) platform will be scaled down and redesigned as a new product line called the Silent Arrow® Precision Guided Bundle (SA-PGB), which will initially be developed as an autonomous cargo delivery glider. The SA-PGB is specifically designed for side door and multi-unit (swarm) ramp deployment, compatible with a much-expanded fleet of delivery aircraft ranging from the civilian Cessna Caravan to the military C-17.

The SA-PGB will be designed and built at Silent Arrow’s headquarters in Irvine, California and 15 aircraft will be shipped to the company’s flight test center in Pendleton, Oregon for operational evaluations at the Pendleton UAS Test Range. Initial specifications include 500-pound max weight, 350-pound cargo capacity, 39 inches long and deployable from high altitudes and airspeeds.

“We’d like to thank the U.S. Special Operations community, the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army and various other organizations who signed on to support this award for a new life-saving cargo delivery drone,” said Chip Yates, Silent Arrow’s founder and CEO. “We look forward to an exciting flight test program in 2022 and quickly getting this new capability into the hands of the warfighter and disaster relief organizations alike.”

Silent Arrow’s tightly integrated packaging with its patented spring-deployed wing system, industry-leading payload capacity, 40-mile standoff distance and low unit cost, has received enthusiastic reception from U.S. and foreign customers and is currently being delivered and operated to directly serve heavy-payload, autonomous cargo resupply needs throughout the world.

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Contracts, Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on USAF Orders 15 Silent Arrow Precision Guided Cargo Delivery Drones

Schübeler Technologies Supports Visionary Project of ETH Zurich

Friday, November 26th, 2021

Students realize bionic inspired morphing concept for the aircraft of tomorrow.Rome, NY- A control concept inspired by nature and combined with morphing technology has now been realized by engineering students of ETH Zurich together with aviation experts. The eight-member student team is testing novel control concepts and construction methods in aviation. The aim is to reduce energy consumption and noise generation through reduced drag and to improve the maneuverability of the aircraft.

Schübeler Technologies actively supported this innovative project and provided both engines and technical expertise in an advisory capacity. “By participating in this project, we would like to contribute to the further development of aviation,” explains Daniel Schübeler, Managing Director of Schübeler Technologies. “The visionary approach of Bionic Flying Wing as well as the enthusiasm and creativity of the team excited us.”

The project aims to prove the feasibility of bionic inspired morphing concepts in the air. To this end, a deformable morphing wing structure with a three-meter wingspan was developed to be used in place of discrete flaps. A top speed of up to 100 km/h can be achieved with it. The wing structures are specifically deformed to replace conventional control surfaces. In this way, new design potential for the aircraft of tomorrow is opened up The main challenge of this approach is that the wing must be stiff – i.e., it must not flap – but still be able to be deflected. To achieve both, a healthy compromise had to be found. Because of its high strength and low weight, the team therefore opted for CFRP (carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer) as the construction material.

The requirements for the drive system used were also high. In the search for an efficient impeller that delivers the greatest possible thrust in combination with low power consumption, the team quickly came across EDF market leader Schübeler. On Schübeler’s recommendation, the team decided on the DS-51-AXI HDS model with an 1125kv motor and 12 lipo cells. This drive offers a thrust of 5.5 kg (about 55N) with a current consumption of 85 amps, which was perfectly suited for an aircraft of this speed, size and weight. Two fans are used and provide a total thrust of approximately 11kg (110N)

The HDS fan is a quality product designed for durability. The lightweight and highly shortened rotor assembly provides efficient operation through high smoothness. The blades are made of high-temperature, fiber-reinforced polymer, operate highly efficiently, broadband, and quietly. Strength is provided by the carbon shroud.

In a successful first test flight in June of this year, the team proved that bionic inspired morphing concepts can be used to safely control a flying wing aircraft. This was the product of countless hours of engineering and manufacturing, paired with the support of strong sponsors such as Schübeler Technologies.

To learn more about Schübeler Technologies, visit www.schuebeler-technologies.de.

Posted in Aviation, Design, International, Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on Schübeler Technologies Supports Visionary Project of ETH Zurich

Next Generation Fixed Wing Flight Helmet by Lift Airborne Technologies

Thursday, November 18th, 2021

Hasard Lee gives us a look at the Next Generation Fixed Wing Flight Helmet by Lift Airborne Technologies currently under evaluation by the Air Force.

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post, Helmets | 3 Comments »

DARPA’s Gremlins Program Demonstrates Airborne Recovery

Friday, November 12th, 2021

Successful Fourth Deployment Results in Airborne Recovery of Gremlins Air Vehicle to C-130

An unmanned air vehicle demonstrated successful airborne recovery during the DARPA Gremlins program’s latest flight test deployment last month. During the deployment, two X-61 Gremlin Air Vehicles (GAV) successfully validated all autonomous formation flying positions and safety features before one GAV ultimately demonstrated airborne recovery to a C-130.

“This recovery was the culmination of years of hard work and demonstrates the feasibility of safe, reliable airborne recovery,” said Lt. Col. Paul Calhoun, program manager for Gremlins in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. “Such a capability will likely prove to be critical for future distributed air operations.”

During the final experiment, the team refurbished an X-61 vehicle and conducted a second flight within 24 working-hours. In addition, many hours of data were collected over four flights including air vehicle performance, aerodynamic interactions between the recovery bullet and GAV, and contact dynamics for airborne retrieval. Unfortunately, one GAV was destroyed during the flight tests.

“Airborne recovery is complex,” said Calhoun. “We will take some time to enjoy the success of this deployment, then get back to work further analyzing the data and determining next steps for the Gremlins technology.”

Safe, effective, and reliable air recoveries promise to dramatically expand the range and potential uses of unmanned air vehicles in conflict situations. The GAVs can be equipped with a variety of sensors and other mission-specific payloads. They can also be launched from various types of military aircraft, keeping manned platforms safely beyond the range of adversary defenses. After air retrieval, the GAVs can be refurbished by ground crews to prepare them for another mission within 24 hours.

Dynetics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leidos, is developing the Gremlin vehicles.

– DARPA

Posted in Aviation, Guest Post, Research, UAS | Comments Off on DARPA’s Gremlins Program Demonstrates Airborne Recovery

Schübeler Technologies And Vita Inclinata Partner To Improve Crane Load And Helicopter Rescue Litter Basket Maneuverability With Enhanced Thruster Systems

Friday, October 29th, 2021

Fan Systems Customized To Adapt To Harsh Operating ConditionsRome, NY—October 28, 2021—Schübeler Technologies, a high-performance Electric Ducted Fan (EDF) innovator and manufacturer, and Vita Inclinata (Vita), developer and producer of helicopter and crane load stabilization and precision hardware, today announced a partnership to adapt Schübeler’s highly efficient and robust electric ducted fan (EDF) propulsion system to the Vita Rescue System Litter Attachment and lifting system. The exclusive production agreement allows for the rapid scaling of Schübeler Technology’s solutions to meet Vita’s demand for rugged and reliable thrusters.

Witness the system’s real-world capabilities in the Black Hawk helicopter rescue ops training race, legacy hoist vs. the Vita Rescue System video.

“The need for precision control technology to stabilize crane loads and helicopter rescue litter baskets cannot be underestimated,” said Caleb Carr, president, and CEO, Vita. “To help us further limit the swing and oscillation associated with lifting and transporting loads, we needed a bigger EDF. Schübeler Technologies has agreed to customize their EDF’s so that now we have robust fan solutions that fulfill the stabilization needs for both aerospace and industrial load stabilization applications—notably improving safety and maneuverability.”

Rather than simply delivering a product to spec, the partnership is essentially an extension of Schübeler Technologys’ R&D work. As needs arise, systems can be built for Vita to address countless real-world challenges. For instance, a helicopter operating in a desert environment needs an EDF propulsion system that manages huge quantities of dirt and dust, while a rescue mission conducted at sea must have EDFs attached that will need to function after being submerged in saltwater. These products must remain reliable after repeated use in harsh environments, under the most intense operational scenarios. Achieving this high level of sustainability involves significant real-world testing—something Schübeler addresses within its R&D function. The Schübeler Technology and Vita partnership will produce custom-built systems tough enough to perform in any challenging conditions.

“Vita has a very smart and unique approach to load stabilization,” said Daniel Schübeler, founder and chief technology officer of Schübeler Technologies. “We provide the aerospace know-how—at the same time we work on these very special propulsion systems which deliver very efficient and robust thrust, fulfilling a very wide variety of requirements to meet the needs of Vita Inclinata.”

Vita was founded in 2009 by Caleb Carr, a former high school search and rescue volunteer who watched a friend die in the mountains partly due to difficult weather conditions rendering a rescue helicopter’s basket hoist unusable. What resulted was an ongoing quest to find specific solutions to problems of stability and load management in high-pressure environments. Vita has built a team of engineers and field experts that gives them inroads into various sectors—including the military and search and rescue operations. Schübeler Technologies, with its own 25-year history of developing some of the world’s best aerospace and industrial propulsion systems, is a natural fit to help Vita fulfill their mission.

“Our reputation in the field of electric ducted fans brings clients to us,” said Schübeler. “And then we don’t disappoint the people. We deliver.”

Posted in Aviation, Press Release | 4 Comments »

Air Force Refines Pilot Candidate Selection Process in Support of Rated Diversity

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas — Several Air Education and Training Command initiatives to remove barriers for qualified candidates in the pilot candidate selection process were highlighted in the Air Force’s six-month assessment of its initial Racial Disparity Report Sept. 9.

Pilot Candidates may now:

– Use their highest composite scores from any Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) rather than the most current score.

– Complete the Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS) up to three times, with the third requiring a waiver from the applicant’s wing commander or equivalent.

– Re-take the AFOQT and TBAS after 90 days compared to the previous 150-day requirement for the AFOQT and 180 days for the TBAS.

– Participate in study sessions with other individuals who have not yet taken the test if the examinee has also never taken the AFOQT.

These changes came after extensive research conducted by the pilot selection process working group responsible for identifying potential barriers while upholding the standards of excellence in the Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) used since 1993.

“Our studies concluded that these changes will result in more qualified candidates of underrepresented groups being selected for training,” said Lt. Col. Brandi King, the working group’s Air Education and Training Command lead.

Prior flying experience a barrier to qualification

Prior flying experience, the second largest component of an applicant’s PCSM score, particularly poses a socioeconomic barrier to candidates without access to or financial means to pay for flying lessons. To address this barrier, the Air Force now considers only a candidate’s initial 60 flight hours when scoring a candidate.

“There is no evidence that more than 61 hours of flight experience poses a significant benefit to pilot training success,” said Dr. Katie Gunther, chief of strategic research and assessment at the Air Force Personnel Center. “The probability of success in flight training increases substantially from 0 hours to 60 hours, then relatively plateaus.”

The working group also found that removing the higher ranges of flight hours as part of the PCSM score would result in a more-diverse applicant pool. According to the Validation of the Pilot Candidate Selection Method 2020 report prepared by the AFPC Strategic Research and Assessment branch, removing the four highest ranges of flight hour codes would have resulted in 69 more Hispanic, 47 more female, and 26 more Black/African-American qualified applicants over a 12-year period.

“Flying lessons are expensive and could potentially exclude qualified candidates from becoming pilots in the Air Force due to limited income or lack of opportunities,” said Brig. Gen. Brenda Cartier, AETC’s Director of Operations and Communications and the pilot selection process working group’s overall lead. “In order to ensure we do not eliminate otherwise qualified candidates, flight programs have been implemented at both The United States Air Force Academy and the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. Cadets receive free ground and flight training, and an opportunity to gain critical skills and directly improve their competiveness for pilot selection boards.”

Pilot selection process

A PCSM score quantifies a pilot candidate’s predicted aptitude for success at undergraduate pilot training. This score is comprised of the AFOQT and TBAS scores, previous flying experience, and other “whole-person concept” merits such as grade point average, physical fitness assessment scores and class ranking.

“Data supports that the PCSM is the best single predictor of pilot training completion. However, it is imperative that we continue re-evaluating our selection methods and remove barriers that hinder rated diversity without compromising test integrity or lowering standards,” King said.

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Press Release | 16 Comments »