APPLICATION OF NAVIER-STOKES AEROELASTIC METHODS TO IMPROVE FIGHTER WING MANEUVER PERFORMANCE

An aeroelastic analysis method, based on three-dimensional Navier-Stok es aerodynamics, has been applied to improve the performance of fighte r wings operating at sustained maneuver flight conditions. The scheme reduces the trimmed pressure drag of wings performing high-g maneuvers through a simultaneous application of control surface deflection and aeroelastic twist. The aerodynamic and structural interactions are dec oupled by assuming an aeroelastic twist mode shape and optimizing the aerodynamic performance based on this aeroelastic mode. The wing struc tural stiffness properties are then determined through an inverse sche me based on the aerodynamic loads and desired twist at the maneuver ni ght condition. The decoupled technique is verified by performing a ful ly coupled aeroelastic analysis. One of the more important features of this application, over and above improved maneuver flight performance , is that the wing performance at cruise conditions is not compromised . Thus, this method represents a multiple-point wing design capability utilizing computational aerodynamics methods and aeroelastic tailorin g.