Stop and Go

The Air Force Research Laboratory says it has plans to test by 2012 an adaptive engine that would enable aircraft to switch from high speed combat manuevers to long-range persitence "mode." The use of the word "mode" seems interesting given the Air Force's heavy focus now on developing a long-range bomber. But the press release doesn't use the word bomber as DTI founding editor-in-chief Sharon Weinberger points out over in the Danger Room. AFRL issued a broad agency announcement in January to demonstrate this revolutionary engine under the program name Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology, or ADVENT.

Jeff Stricker, chief engineer of AFRL's Propulsion Directorate turbine engine division, says today's fixed engines are constrained by their ability to provide fuel efficiency or high performance, but not both. ADVENT Program Manager Matthew Meininger said the new engine would use adaptive fans and cores to generate thrust on demand, and return to fuel efficiency mode while cruising and loitering. The vision, and one that is hardly new for the Defense Department, is to someday have aircraft that can loiter and then take off in a supersonic dash, and takeoff on short runways and stay airborne for long missions all the while being highly combat manueverable. The program management will select two contractor teams to compete in August, and then select a single contractor to in late 2009.

--Catherine MacRae Hockmuth