Lockheed Martin Corporation

Joseph Vadyak

Sergey Macheret

Ming Chang

Jerry J Rising

Systems and methods for enhancing operations of an aircraft may include a plasma generator, a sensor, and a controller. The plasma generator may be positioned on an exterior of the aircraft such that it can provide localized heating thereon. The sensor may be configured to sense and transmit information regarding a transonic flight condition such as speed to the controller. The controller may be configured to activate the plasma generator in response to information from the sensor, so as to mitigate a transonic shock wave through localized heating.

Mitigating transonic shock wave with plasma heating elements

The invention is a supersonic aircraft. In detail, the aircraft is in the form of a flying wing having a generally flat upper surface, a generally cosine shaped lower surface and a swept back leading edge. A propulsion system is mounted in the aircraft for providing forward thrust and is adapted to provide a source of pressurized air. A plenum is mounted under and behind the leading edge of the flying wing in a spaced relationship thereto, the plenum having a swept back leading edge and a length substantially equal to the length of the flying wing and a trailing edge in the form of an exhaust nozzle; the exhaust nozzle extending substantially over the entire length of the plenum. A duct system is coupled between the at least one engine and the plenum such that pressurized air from the engine can be provided to the plenum for ejection out the nozzle in the form of a sheet of pressurized air under the wing.

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Palmdale, CA, United States of America

Joseph Vadyak