Lockheed Martin X-56
| X-56 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The X-56A on its first flight | |
| Role | Experimental aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin Skunk Works |
| First flight | July 26, 2013 |
| Primary users | NASA Air Force Research Laboratory |
| Number built | 2 |
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| |
The Lockheed Martin X-56 is a modular unmanned aerial vehicle designed to explore High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) flight technologies for use in future military unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, as well as contributing knowledge to the future X-54 low-boom supersonic research programme, and future low emissions transport aircraft.
Design and development
Designed by Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs, known informally as the Skunk Works,[1] the aircraft was first revealed by Aviation Week,[2] and is intended to research active flutter suppression and gust-load alleviation technologies. The X-56A is based on Lockheed's earlier UAV work, showing influence from the Polecat, Sentinel and DarkStar UAVs. The programme calls for the construction of two 7.5 feet (2.3 m)-long fuselages and a wingspan of 27.5 ft,[3] with four sets of wings being constructed for flight testing.[4]
Operational history
The X-56A made its first flight on July 26, 2013,[5] flying from Edwards Air Force Base; twenty flights were to be flown on behalf of the Air Force Research Laboratory before the aircraft would be handed over to NASA for further testing.[6]
The first X-56A unmanned aircraft was severely damaged in a crash shortly after takeoff from the dry lakebed at Edwards AFB, California, on 19 November 2015, on its first flexible-wing flight to test active flutter suppression. The aircraft, known as Fido and one of two X-56As built for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) by Lockheed’s Skunk Works, had previously made 16 flights to prove its operating envelope.[7]
Specifications (X-56A)
Data from [5]
General characteristics
- Crew: None
- Length: 7.5 ft (2.3 m)
- Wingspan: 27.5 ft (8.4 m)
- Powerplant: 2 × JetCat P400 turbojets, 88.7 lbf (0.395 kN) thrust each
- Maximum speed: 138.1 mph (222 km/h; 120 kn)
- Maximum speed: Mach 0.17
See also
- Related lists
References
- ↑ "Introducing the X-56A MUTT: Who Let the Dog Out?". NASA. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ↑ Norris, Guy. "USAF Reveals Skunk Works-Designed X-56A As Latest X-Plane". aviationweek. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ↑ "Lockheed Martin X-56A Multi-utility Aeroelastic Demonstrator". www.hitechweb.genezis.eu. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- ↑ "X-56A Testbed Arrives At NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center" April 17, 2014. Accessed: .
- 1 2 Jordan, Holly (July 31, 2013). "X-56A technology demonstrator achieves first flight". Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Air Force Research Laboratory. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- ↑ Warwick, Graham (August 6, 2013). "Skunk Works' X-56A - Taming Flutter". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- ↑ The Week In Technology 23-27 November, Aviation Week & Space Technology
External links
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