Conceptual design and RCS performance research of shipborne early warning aircraft

In order to improve the survivability of the aircraft,conceptual design and radar cross section（RCS） performance research are done. The CATIA software is used to design the 3D digital model of the shipborne early warning aircraft, and some measures are taken to reduce the RCS characteristics of the early warning aircraft at the same time. Based on the physical optics method and the equivalent electromagnetic flow method,the aircraft＇s RCS characteristics and strength distribution characteristics are simulated numerically, and compared with the foreign advanced shipborne early warning aircraft. The simulation results show that under the X radar band, when the incident wave pitching angle is 0？, compared with the foreign advanced shipborne early warning aircraft, the forward RCS average value of the conceptual shipborne early warning aircraft is reduced to 24.49%, the lateral RCS average value is reduced to 5.04%, and the backward RCS average value is reduced to 39.26%. The research results of this paper are expected to provide theoretical basis and technical support for the conceptual design and the stealth design of the shipborne early warning aircraft.

Flight strategy optimization for high-altitude long-endurance solar-powered aircraft based on Gauss pseudo-spectral method

Solar-powered aircraft have attracted great attention owing to their potential for longendurance flight and wide application prospects.Due to the particularity of energy system,flight strategy optimization is a significant way to enhance the flight performance for solar-powered aircraft.In this study,a flight strategy optimization model for high-altitude long-endurance solar-powered aircraft was proposed.This model consists of three-dimensional kinematic model,aerodynamic model,energy collection model,energy store model and energy loss model.To solve the nonlinear optimal control problem with process constraints and terminal constraints,Gauss pseudo-spectral method was employed to discretize the state equations and constraint equations.Then a typical mission flying from given initial point to given final point within a time interval was considered.Results indicate that proper changes of the attitude angle contribute to increasing the energy gained by photovoltaic cells.Utilization of gravitational potential energy can partly take the role of battery pack.Integrating these two measures,the optimized flight strategy can improve the final state of charge compared with current constant-altitude constant-velocity strategy.The optimized strategy brings more profits on condition of lower sunlight intensity and shorter daytime.