Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA
X-44 MANTA | |
---|---|
Artist's concept of the X-44 in flight | |
Role | Experimental tailless aircraft |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
Status | Proposed design, canceled |
Developed from | Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor |
The Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA (Multi-Axis No-Tail Aircraft) was an American conceptual aircraft design by
History
NASA and the U.S. Air Force had begun preliminary work on the aircraft by May 1999. Plans called for MANTA technologies to be demonstrated on either an
Initial feasibility work was funded by government and two contractors.[2] NASA approved the program to start in June 1999, giving the aircraft the designation "X-44A".[3]
Funding for the X-44 program was ended in 2000.[4]
Design and development
Planning documents called for an aircraft that "leapfrogs state-of-the-art." The X-44 was designed by Lockheed Martin to demonstrate the feasibility of an aircraft controlled by vectored thrust alone. The X-44 design had a reduced radar signature (due to lack of tail and vertical stabilizers) and was made more efficient by eliminating the tail and rudder surfaces, and instead using thrust vectors to provide yaw, pitch and roll control.[1]
The X-44 MANTA design was based on the F-22. The engine and fuselage would be carried over to the X-44. Major differences included the
See also
Related development
- Lockheed YF-22 – Prototype fighter aircraft for the US Air Force Advanced Tactical Fighter program
- Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor – American stealth air superiority fighter
- Lockheed Martin FB-22 – Proposed bomber aircraft for the US Air Force derived from the F-22 Raptor
References
- ^ a b c d Jenkins, Dennis R.; Tony Landis; Jay Miller (June 2003). "SP-2003-4531: American X-Vehicles: An Inventory, X-1 to X-50" (PDF). Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 31. NASA. p. 54. Archived from the original on 2020-04-25. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b c Dupont, Daniel G. (1999). "X-44 MANTA promises to 'leapfrog state-of-the-art': NASA, USAF, F-22 Makers Begin 'Revolutionary' Tailless Aircraft Studies". Inside the Pentagon. Inside Washington Publishers. pp. 1–17. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Dupont, Daniel G. (1999). "F-22A deemed an X-series aerospace vehicle: AIR FORCE, NASA APPROVE START OF X-44A 'TAILLESS' AIRCRAFT STUDIES". Inside the Air Force. Inside Washington Publishers. pp. 1–21. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "X-Planes Explained". NASAExplores.com, 9 October 2003.
- Miller, Jay (2001) [First published 1988]. The X-Planes: X-1 to X-45 (3rd ed.). OCLC 47726721.
External links
- Day, Dwayne A. "Delta Wings". centennialofflight.net