Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Grumman Aerospace Corporation

Richard F Nastasi

Walter S Soeder

Walter R Burhans, Jr

Glenn L Spacht

Nathan Kirchbaum

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a pair of opposing wings for providing aircraft directional stability of a delta-shaped aircraft having a longitudinal axis. Each wing is provided with a substantially straight swept-back leading edge. Each wing is further provided with a lower surface which extends aft from the leading edge. A lower airflow channeling portion is formed into the lower surface. The lower airflow channeling portion is generally elongate and concave and is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft for channeling airflow substantially parallel thereto.

Swept-back wings with airflow channeling

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a variable camber delta-shaped aircraft. The aircraft is provided with an integrated fuselage/wing generally defining the aircraft and having longitudinal and lateral axes. The fuselage/wing has a forward section which is rotably attached to an aft section about the lateral axis. The aircraft is further provided with an aerodynamic lifting surface which is disposed about the fuselage/wing and defined by a camber. The forward section has a downwardly deflected position when rotated relative to the aft section. The forward and aft sections are cooperatively formed to increase the camber of the lifting surface when the forward section is in the deflected position.

Delta-shaped aircraft with variable camber fuselage and wing

A vehicle, lacking an empennage, has a gull wing with ailerons movably mounted at the trailing edges of the wing for controlling pitch, yaw and roll, or has a wing and a gull tail with flaps movably mounted at the trailing edges of the tail surface for controlling pitch, yaw and roll.

Gull wing aircraft

A survivability enhancement air vehicle adapted to be air launched from a launching aircraft has a fuselage with a top half and a bottom half separable from the top half. A first stage rocket constitutes the bottom half of the fuselage and a second stage rocket and associated avionics constitute the top half of the fuselage. Gull wings are rotatably mounted on the top half of the fuselage for rotation from a stowed position next adjacent the top half to an extended position substantially 90 degrees toward the bottom half upon being air launched. A separation device in the fuselage separates and drops the bottom half of the fuselage from the top half upon burnout of the first stage rocket. A control system in the top half of the fuselage controls the air vehicle in flight either from the launching aircraft or autonomously, whereby the air vehicle may be used to protect the launching aircraft in a hostile environment.

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Commack, NY, United States of America

Richard F Nastasi