Re: Boeing's answer to the 4.5 gen aircraft market
Just to keep this updated. The programm seems to have earned some positive responses. This news is actually better then the headline implies. Boeing is exploring ways to implement potential customer wishes into the design.
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F-15 Silent Eagle Flight-test Dates Slip
Jun 24, 2009
By Amy Butler and Graham Warwick
Boeing is slipping the first flight-test for the F-15 Silent Eagle prototype about six months to allow time to add inputs over features desired by interested international customers.
First flight for a preproduction version of the Silent Eagle was slated for the first quarter of 2010 as of March, when the company unveiled the concept at its St. Louis facility (Aerospace DAILY, March 18, June 11). The early flight-tests were to focus on operation of the conformal fuel tanks, which are being redesigned to house weapons internally.
Other features designed to reduce the radar cross section, such as stealthy coatings for the leading edges and canted tail fins, would be flight-tested later. And, the new-build Silent Eagle was to include a digital electronic warfare system and digital fly-by-wire controls.
But the flight-test has now slipped to the third quarter of 2010. Boeing included the new flight date in an announcement at last week’s Paris Air Show as it reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the development project.
“We’ve identified some interest from some potential international co-development partners. These are opportunities we wanted to allow proper time to consider, and where appropriate integrate into the program,” Boeing officials said June 23 when asked to clarify the earlier statement.
The company embarked on the effort as an internal research and development project, but Boeing Military Aircraft President Chris Chadwick said before the air show that he intended to explore potential cooperative development funding options in Paris with other countries.
Israel, which already operates F-15s, has expressed interest. Others likely to be interested include Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. Air Force also could be a candidate, although the service maintains its official interest in focusing procurement on fifth-generation F-35s and F-22s, both led by Lockheed Martin.
Boeing’s discussions with potential overseas customers seem to have prompted some changes to the program’s focus and to the design of the Silent Eagle’s components. At a press briefing before the show, Brad Jones, F-15 future fighters program manager, said Boeing was conducting trade studies on the conformal bays, including how to actuate the doors and launch the weapons. “We’re looking at electric, hydraulic, pneumatic and a combination,” he said. “It’s a question of how fast you get the missiles out.” Prior to unveiling the project, Boeing’s design focused on using all-electrical actuators.
Potential international customers also have expressed interest in what other payloads — a side-looking radar or broadband electronic jammer, for example — could be suitable for carriage in the conformal fuel tank bay.
Jones said in March that Boeing was open to co-production of the conformal fuel tanks, which would carry weapons internally, with customer nations. Israel, for example, already produces conformal fuel tanks in its 10 configuration. A U.S. 3 tank configuration, made by Boeing and developed specifically for the F-15C/D models, is eyed for the flight-tests of the Silent Eagle.
Just to keep this updated. The programm seems to have earned some positive responses. This news is actually better then the headline implies. Boeing is exploring ways to implement potential customer wishes into the design.
============================================================================
F-15 Silent Eagle Flight-test Dates Slip
Jun 24, 2009
By Amy Butler and Graham Warwick
Boeing is slipping the first flight-test for the F-15 Silent Eagle prototype about six months to allow time to add inputs over features desired by interested international customers.
First flight for a preproduction version of the Silent Eagle was slated for the first quarter of 2010 as of March, when the company unveiled the concept at its St. Louis facility (Aerospace DAILY, March 18, June 11). The early flight-tests were to focus on operation of the conformal fuel tanks, which are being redesigned to house weapons internally.
Other features designed to reduce the radar cross section, such as stealthy coatings for the leading edges and canted tail fins, would be flight-tested later. And, the new-build Silent Eagle was to include a digital electronic warfare system and digital fly-by-wire controls.
But the flight-test has now slipped to the third quarter of 2010. Boeing included the new flight date in an announcement at last week’s Paris Air Show as it reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the development project.
“We’ve identified some interest from some potential international co-development partners. These are opportunities we wanted to allow proper time to consider, and where appropriate integrate into the program,” Boeing officials said June 23 when asked to clarify the earlier statement.
The company embarked on the effort as an internal research and development project, but Boeing Military Aircraft President Chris Chadwick said before the air show that he intended to explore potential cooperative development funding options in Paris with other countries.
Israel, which already operates F-15s, has expressed interest. Others likely to be interested include Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. Air Force also could be a candidate, although the service maintains its official interest in focusing procurement on fifth-generation F-35s and F-22s, both led by Lockheed Martin.
Boeing’s discussions with potential overseas customers seem to have prompted some changes to the program’s focus and to the design of the Silent Eagle’s components. At a press briefing before the show, Brad Jones, F-15 future fighters program manager, said Boeing was conducting trade studies on the conformal bays, including how to actuate the doors and launch the weapons. “We’re looking at electric, hydraulic, pneumatic and a combination,” he said. “It’s a question of how fast you get the missiles out.” Prior to unveiling the project, Boeing’s design focused on using all-electrical actuators.
Potential international customers also have expressed interest in what other payloads — a side-looking radar or broadband electronic jammer, for example — could be suitable for carriage in the conformal fuel tank bay.
Jones said in March that Boeing was open to co-production of the conformal fuel tanks, which would carry weapons internally, with customer nations. Israel, for example, already produces conformal fuel tanks in its 10 configuration. A U.S. 3 tank configuration, made by Boeing and developed specifically for the F-15C/D models, is eyed for the flight-tests of the Silent Eagle.
