F-15 S/MTD

Infobox Aircraft
name = F-15 S/MTD and F-15 ACTIVE
type = Technology Demonstrator and Research Aircraft
national origin=United States
manufacturer = McDonnell Douglas



caption =
designer =
first flight = September 7 1988
introduced =
retired =August 12 1991
status =
primary user = United States Air Force
more users = NASA
produced =
number built =1
unit cost =
developed from = F-15 Eagle
variants with their own articles =

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 S/MTD (Short Takeoff and Landing/Maneuver Technology Demonstrator) is a modified F-15 Eagle. Developed as a technology demonstrator, the F-15 S/MTD carried out research for studying the effects of vectored thrust and enhanced maneuverability. The aircraft used for the project was pre-production TF-15A (F-15B) #1 (USAF S/N 71-0290), the first delivered F-15 airframe, which is on loan to NASA from the United States Air Force.

This same aircraft would later be used in the F-15 ACTIVE (Advanced Control Technology for Integrated Vehicles) from 1993–1999, and later in the Intelligent Flight Control System programs from 1999 on. With the help of thrust vectoring nozzles, this aircraft can perform the famous Pugachev's Cobra maneuver.

History

The aircraft used in the S/MTD program has flown several times since the successful S/MTD program completion in 1991 that used vectored thrust and canard foreplanes to improve low-speed performance. This aircraft tested high-tech methods for operating from a short runway—important during wartime, when airfields are likely to be attacked and cratered by enemy fire. This F-15 was part of an effort to improve ABO (Air Base Operability), the survival of warplanes and fighting capability at airfields under attack. A variety of measures—point defenses, construction decoys (such as ones used during World War II), and other deceptions—give airfields high likelihood of remaining in use in the midst of a shooting war.

The F-15 S/MTD tested ways to improve the situation by demonstrating the ability to land and take off from wet, bomb-damaged runways. The aircraft used a combination of reversible engine thrust, jet nozzles that could be deflected by 20 degrees, and canard foreplanes. Pitch vectoring/reversing nozzles and canard foreplanes were fitted to the F-15 in 1988. NASA acquired the plane in 1993 and replaced the engines with Pratt & Whitney F100-229 engines with Pitch/Yaw vectoring nozzles. [ [http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/graphics/F-15ACTIVE/ NASA Dryden F-15 ACTIVE Graphics Collection] ] The canard foreplanes were derived from the F/A-18's stabilator.

Prior to the 1991, when McDonnell Douglas ended its program after accomplishing their flight objectives, the F-15 STOL/MTD plane achieved some impressive performance results: [ [http://oea.larc.nasa.gov/PAIS/Partners/F_15.html Contributions of the Langley Research Center to U.S. Military Aircraft of the 1990s] ]
* vectored takeoffs with rotation demonstrated at speeds as low as convert|42|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on
* a 25-percent reduction in takeoff roll
* landing on just convert|1650|ft|m|abbr=on of runway compared to convert|7500|ft|m|abbr=on for the standard F-15
* thrust reversal in flight to produce rapid decelerations
* controlled flight at angles of attack up to about 85 deg without vertical-tail surfaces

Special features of the F-15 S/MTD

* Canards Foreplanes: The canards fitted to the front of the aircraft improve maneuverability in the vertical plane (pitching) by "lifting up the front of the plane", rather than "pushing down the rear". Also, at large angles of attack, they act as airbrakes.
* Thrust-Vectoring Nozzles: By using a combination of the movable nozzles and vanes in the jet pipe, the S/MTD can direct exhaust forward, outward or at an angle of up to 20 degrees to the axis of the aircraft.
* Combined Canard, Elevator and Nozzle effect: With its highly advanced flight control software, the S/MTD coordinates the movement of the forward canards to give up-force, and the tailplanes and nozzles produce a down-force when maneuvering. This produces a pitching moment larger than that possible with the conventional elevator-only configuration. As a result, maneuverability is far improved.
* Fast Stop-Start: By vectoring engine exhaust from above and below the nozzles and turning the canard foreplanes to act as giant airbrakes, the S/MTD could decelerate very rapidly and then accelerate fast using its powerful F100 engines. This kind of maneuver might be useful in a dogfight.

Further modifications

This same aircraft would later be used in the F-15 ACTIVE (Advanced Control Technology for Integrated Vehicles) program from 1993–1999.

The aircraft would later be used in the F-15 IFCS (Intelligent Flight Control System) program from 1999.

pecifications (F-15 S/MTD)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet
ref=
crew=Two
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 64 ft
length alt= 19.7 m
span main= 42.8 ft
span alt= 13 m
height main= 18 ft 6 in
height alt= 5.64 m
area main= 626 ft²
area alt= 58.2 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 26,966 lb
empty weight alt= 12,232 kg
loaded weight main= 44,442 lb
loaded weight alt= 20,159 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 70,400 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 31,930 kg
more general=
engine (jet)=Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200
type of jet=turbofan engines, equipped with Pratt & Whitney 20 Degree two-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles, reverse thrust capable
number of jets=2
thrust main= 14,360 lbf
thrust alt= 63.88 kN
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=23,780 lbf
afterburning thrust alt= 105.78 kN
max speed main=Mach 2.1 at convert|37650|ft|m|abbr=on
max speed alt= 1,650 mph / 2,650 km/h at 11,500 m
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 2,737 mi
range alt=4,405 km
ceiling main= 58,220 ft
ceiling alt= 17,750 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

pecifications (F-15 ACTIVE)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet
ref=
crew= two
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 63.7 ft excluding flight test nose boom
length alt= 19.42 m
span main= 42.8 ft
span alt= 13 m
height main= 18 ft 6 in
height alt= 5.64 m
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main= 35,000 lb
empty weight alt= 15,876 kg
loaded weight main= 47,000 lb
loaded weight alt= 21,319 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
* Fuel capacity: 11,520 lb (5,225 kg) (approx. 1,700 gal)
* Horizontal tail span: 28.2 ft (8.60 m)
* Canard span: 25.6 ft (7.80 m)
engine (jet)=Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-299
type of jet=turbofan engines, equipped with Pratt & Whitney P/YBBN 20 Degree three-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles
number of jets=2
thrust main= 23,450 lbf
thrust alt= 104 kN
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=29,000 lb
afterburning thrust alt= 129 kN
max speed main=Mach 2.0
max speed alt= 1,316 mph / 2,120 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 60,000 ft
ceiling alt= 18,288 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
* F-15 Eagle
* F-15E Strike Eagle
similar aircraft=
* Sukhoi Su-30
* Sukhoi Su-35
* Sukhoi Su-37
* Mikoyan MiG-35
lists=
* List of fighter aircraft
* List of military aircraft of the United States
see also=
* Intelligent Flight Control System

References

* "Aircraft of the World: The Complete Guide".

External links

* [http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-048-DFRC.html NASA Dryden Fact Sheet - F-15 ACTIVE]