Fuselage-integrated tailplane with engine outlet for stealth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft tail regions with engine outlets and control surfaces pose a challenge in stealth design against radar reconnaissance due to their curved surfaces and multiple elements with edges at different angles, making it difficult to camouflage effectively.
Innovation Solution
The integration of engine outlets into a pivotable control element that functions as a tailplane, reducing the number of separate elements and surrounding the engine outlets with an outer wall to minimize radar reflections, combined with thrust vectoring capabilities to enhance control and reduce radar signature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If engine outlets and control surfaces are designed as separate elements in the tail region, then control functionality and thrust vectoring are achieved, but radar signature increases due to multiple edges and curved surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the engine outlet and control surface into a single integrated control element. The engine outlet is positioned within the control element structure, eliminating the need for separate control surfaces. This integration reduces the number of discrete edges and surfaces that can reflect radar signals, thereby reducing radar signature while maintaining both control functionality and thrust vectoring capabilities through the unified structure.
2Ease of operation
If traditional tailplane and engine outlets are used as separate components, then aerodynamic control is achieved, but the number of separate elements increases radar detectability
Solution Approach 1:
The control element integrates the engine outlet and tailplane functions into a single aerodynamic surface. The engine outlet is embedded within the control element, which serves as both the tailplane and nozzle structure. This merging eliminates multiple separate components that would create additional radar reflections, reducing detectability while preserving aerodynamic control through the integrated structure's ability to pivot and vector thrust.
3Adaptability or versatility
If engine outlets with adjustable nozzle mechanisms are installed, then thrust vectoring capability is improved, but curved surfaces and small elements increase radar reflections
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle adjustment mechanism is integrated within the control element structure rather than being a separate external component. The control element itself serves as the nozzle, with its geometry and orientation providing thrust vectoring. This integration eliminates exposed small edges and curved surfaces that would typically be present in separate nozzle mechanisms, reducing radar reflections while maintaining thrust vectoring capability through the control element's pivoting motion.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~4C
AI summary
A fuselage (3) for an aircraft (1) is described. The fuselage has a control element (20) with an integrated engine outlet (23). The control element (20) is integrated at a rear end (2) of the fuselage (3), so that the control element (20) terminates flush with an outer skin (4) of the fuselage in a circumferential direction of the fuselage (3). An outer wall (40) of the control element (20) surrounds the engine outlet (23) so that the engine outlet (23) is directed towards an open rear side (6) of the control element (20). The control element (20) is connected to the fuselage (3) such that the control element (20) jointly the engine outlet (23) is pivotable about a rotation axis (26) with respect to the fuselage (3). The rotation axis (26) runs transversely to a longitudinal direction (8) of the fuselage (3) and the control element (20) functions as a tailplane when pivoting about the rotation axis (26).