Lockheed Morphing UAV
High-fliers for reconnaissance missions or low-fliers for attacks.
High-fliers for reconnaissance missions or low-fliers for attacks.
High performance jet fighters have used a variety of morphing mechanisms in the past such as variable-sweep wings and fowler flaps to expand the flight envelope and enhance mission capability. The Morphing Aircraft Structures Program takes this concept to a higher level. Radical shape changes such as a significant increases or decreases in wetted area could allow a single platform to conduct two or more diverse missions. The ability to perform both high altitude persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and also rapidly respond to Time Sensitive Targets could provide the warplanner with options not previously available. Seamless skins, smart actuators and adaptive flight control technologies are key to this revolutionary approach to flexible combat aircraft design. Integration of network centric interoperability and tailored survivability could produce a weapon system that compliments state-of-the-art systems including the F-22A and F-35
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