scholarly journals Aircraft-sized anechoic chambers for electronic warfare, radar and other electromagnetic engineering evaluation

2017 ◽  
Vol 121 (1244) ◽  
pp. 1393-1443
Author(s):  
M. Pywell ◽  
M. Midgley-Davies
Keyword(s):  
Flight Test ◽  
Experiential Knowledge ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Flight Testing ◽  
Electronic Warfare ◽  
Test And Evaluation ◽  
Operation And Maintenance ◽  
Optimal Balance ◽  
Anechoic Chambers ◽  
Radar Frequency

ABSTRACTThis paper considers capabilities and benefits of aircraft-sized radio/radar frequency anechoic chambers for Test and Evaluation (T&E) of Electronic Warfare (EW), radar and other electromagnetics aspects of air and ground platforms. There are few such chambers worldwide. Initially developed to reduce costs, timescales and risks associated with open-air range flight testing of EW systems, their utility has expanded to most areas of platforms’ electromagnetics’ T&E. A key feature is the ability to conduct T&E of nationally sensitive equipment and systems, fully installed on platforms, in absolute privacy. Chambers’ capabilities and uses are described, with emphasis on key infrastructure and instrumentation. Non-EW uses are identified and selected topics elaborated. Operation and maintenance are discussed, based on experiential knowledge from international use and the authors’ 30 years’ involvement with BAE Systems’ EW Test Facility. A view is provided of trends and challenges whose resolution could further increase chamber utility. National affordability challenges also suggest utility expansion to support continuing moves, from expensive and difficult to repeat flight test and operational evaluation trials, towards an affordability-driven optimal balance between modelling and simulation, and real-world testing of platforms.

Developments in RF simulator technology – approaching the affordable fidelity limit

2007 ◽  
Vol 111 (1123) ◽  
pp. 545-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Pywell
Keyword(s):  
Flight Test ◽  
Anechoic Chamber ◽  
Perfect Simulation ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Electronic Warfare ◽  
Computing Power ◽  
Mission Success ◽  
Major Shift ◽  
Simulator Technology ◽  
Radar Frequency

Abstract Technology developments in radar frequency simulators of the type used to verify the performance of complex electronic warfare systems are described. The successful verification of this performance prior to combat use is a necessary pre-requisite of military platform survivability and mission success. These simulators and associated modelling and analysis tools have enabled a major shift during the last 15 years from expensive and limited flight trials to repeatable laboratory and anechoic chamber tests, although they will never totally supplant those trials. Most limitations of the early days of many-channel simulators, 25 years ago, have been resolved or adequately and – as importantly – affordably mitigated, largely enabled by computing power increases. Limitations remain that will, within affordability constraints driven by Defence Ministries worldwide, prevent perfect simulation (‘emulation’) and the attendant, tantalising but utopian goal of laboratory and chamber test results that precisely match those from flight test and combat.

scholarly journals In-flight wing deformation measurements on a glider

2016 ◽  
Vol 120 (1234) ◽  
pp. 1917-1931 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Bakunowicz ◽  
R. Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Flight Test ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Correlation Technique ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Flight Testing ◽  
Flight Operations ◽  
Flight Measurement ◽  
Industrial Level ◽  
Deformation Measurements

ABSTRACTFlight testing is both vital for collecting data for aeronautic research and at the same time fascinating for its contributors. Taking a glider as a versatile test bed example, this paper presents a transnational measurement campaign within the framework of a collaborative project funded by the European Commission. This project Advanced In-Flight Measurement Techniques 2 (AIM²) is a follow-up of Advanced In-Flight Measurement Techniques (AIM) and dedicated to developing and enhancing promising optical metrology for various flight test applications up to an industrial level.The Image Pattern Correlation Technique (IPCT) and infrared thermography (IRT) are two of these modern non-intrusive measurement methods that were further developed and applied to the glider test bed within the scope of AIM². Focusing on optical deformation measurements with IPCT the experimental setup, the flight testing and results are summarily discussed. Gliders are not commonly used flight test platforms, which is why this contribution concludes with some lessons learned in general and especially related to the presented application. The experience to be shared with the flight testing community addresses equipment preparation, data collection and processing as well as how to meet official requirements and perform test flight operations in a dense controlled airspace.

A Flight Simulation Vision for Aeropropulsion Altitude Ground Test Facilities

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milt Davis ◽  
Peter Montgomery
Keyword(s):  
System Performance ◽  
Engine Performance ◽  
Aircraft Engine ◽  
Flight Simulation ◽  
Propulsion System ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Flight Testing ◽  
Test Environment ◽  
Ground Test ◽  
Aircraft System

Testing of a gas turbine engine for aircraft propulsion applications may be conducted in the actual aircraft or in a ground-test environment. Ground test facilities simulate flight conditions by providing airflow at pressures and temperatures experienced during flight. Flight-testing of the full aircraft system provides the best means of obtaining the exact environment that the propulsion system must operate in but must deal with limitations in the amount and type of instrumentation that can be put on-board the aircraft. Due to this limitation, engine performance may not be fully characterized. On the other hand, ground-test simulation provides the ability to enhance the instrumentation set such that engine performance can be fully quantified. However, the current ground-test methodology only simulates the flight environment thus placing limitations on obtaining system performance in the real environment. Generally, a combination of ground and flight tests is necessary to quantify the propulsion system performance over the entire envelop of aircraft operation. To alleviate some of the dependence on flight-testing to obtain engine performance during maneuvers or transients that are not currently done during ground testing, a planned enhancement to ground-test facilities was investigated and reported in this paper that will allow certain categories of flight maneuvers to be conducted. Ground-test facility performance is simulated via a numerical model that duplicates the current facility capabilities and with proper modifications represents planned improvements that allow certain aircraft maneuvers. The vision presented in this paper includes using an aircraft simulator that uses pilot inputs to maneuver the aircraft engine. The aircraft simulator then drives the facility to provide the correct engine environmental conditions represented by the flight maneuver.

Component Test Facility (ComTest) Phase 1 Engineering for 760C (1400F) Advanced Ultra-Supercritical (A-USC) Steam Generator Development

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul S. Weitzel
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Steam Generator ◽  
The United States ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Plant Design ◽  
Front End ◽  
Operation And Maintenance ◽  
Component Test

Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc. (B&W) has received a competitively bid award from the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy to perform the preliminary front-end engineering design of an advanced ultra-supercritical (A-USC) steam superheater for a future A-USC component test program (ComTest) achieving 760C (1400F) steam temperature. The current award will provide the engineering data necessary for proceeding to detail engineering, manufacturing, construction and operation of a ComTest. The steam generator superheater would subsequently supply the steam to an A-USC intermediate pressure steam turbine. For this study the ComTest facility site is being considered at the Youngstown Thermal heating plant facility in Youngstown, Ohio. The ComTest program is important because it would place functioning A-USC components in operation and in coordinated boiler and turbine service. It is also important to introduce the power plant operation and maintenance personnel to the level of skills required and provide initial hands-on training experience. Preliminary fabrication, construction and commissioning plans are to be developed in the study. A follow-on project would eventually provide a means to exercise the complete supply chain events required to practice and refine the process for A-USC power plant design, supply, manufacture, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance. Representative participants would then be able to transfer knowledge and recommendations to the industry. ComTest is conceived as firing natural gas in a separate standalone facility that will not jeopardize the host facility or suffer from conflicting requirements in the host plant’s mission that could sacrifice the nickel alloy components and not achieve the testing goals. ComTest will utilize smaller quantities of the expensive materials and reduce the risk in the first operational practice for A-USC technology in the U.S. Components at suitable scale in ComTest provide more assurance before applying them to a full size A-USC demonstration plant. The description of the pre-front-end engineering design study and current results will be presented.

Parafoil Flight Mechanics: A Novel Flight Test Facility

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiaan Redelinghuys ◽  
Arthur Grunwald ◽  
Steven Rhodes ◽  
Jordan L. Adams ◽  
Tracy D. Booysen
Keyword(s):  
Flight Test ◽  
Flight Mechanics ◽  
Test Facility
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