In early February of 2006, French defense procurement agency DGA, the program executive agency, named Dassault Aviation as prime contractor in charge of developing nEUROn, a European combat aircraft that is an unmanned air combat vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator.
As of this writing, 85 percent of the total budget has now been awarded to industry by DGA, which acts on behalf of the six Partner States (France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Greece and Switzerland). During the first half of 2008, all major nEUROn systems underwent design reviews with their industrial partners, thus ensuring overall program consistency. Interface design is almost complete, paving the way for more detailed work on the systems and airframe.
Ruag, the Swiss partner in this program, carried out two specific wind tunnel tests in 2008. The first helped to identify the conditions which could affect aerodynamics when the vehicle is near the ground (ground effect). The second analyzed the consequences of a bird strike on the leading edge of the wing. Results of these tests were positive, enabling engineers to freeze the final shape of the vehicle. Simultaneously, the AVE-C drone carried out a demonstration flight on June 30, 2008. As this drone features a general design similar to nEUROn, this test helped confirm the likelihood of the new UCAV performing a successful automatic takeoff and landing right as of its first flight. On October 10, 2008, as part of tests of new control surfaces, the AVE-C drone flight tested yaw control using thrust vectoring.
As a stealth configuration is one of the primary technological goals of this program, nEUROn requires the development and integration of new structural technologies to reduce both radar and infrared signature. The most critical subassemblies have now been produced, to support the development and validation of manufacturing and assembly processes. A complete nozzle, which could be considered a trial run for the program, has now been assembled by the Greek partner Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI), which also makes the aft fuselage section. Once mated to the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour jet engine, this exhaust assembly was to undergo mechanical and integration tests in January 2009. The experimental development center at Dassault Aviation’s Argenteuil plant has produced an inlet demonstrator, while the Biarritz plant is making a complete leading edge section, about two meters long. Similar solutions have been applied throughout the production and design process to meet the stealth requirement, in particular very tight tolerances on final shapes, and the use of special devices. The maiden flight of nEUROn is scheduled for the end of 2011. Test flights will be carried out over a period of about 18 months, in France (Istres), then Sweden and Italy.
(Source: defpro.news)
