Whats going on with the SHARC (Subsonic High Alpha Research Concept)

What can you guys tell me about the SHARC?

From what I can tell its a follow on from the YF-23 and is being tested in a wind-tunnel at Langley with a 55% model.



But I don't even know what alpha in the name means! Is it simply a research model or is it a prototype bomber or fighter? Information seems to be difficult to get on the web so basically what additional information can you guys tell me?

Sounds like it's a highly manueverable, slow, low observable to me.

Very interesting, it seems to sound familiar to me, but I can't pick up on it.

Shattered OUT...

found a link with a bit of info and a pic. In the info it states the picture to be from 1994 so its more so now of question of what was learned from this 55% mock up that is being used in other projects.
ails.arc.nasa.gov...

Found another link to the dreamland resort site that has even more nice pictures. I do recall seeing these pictures before. The attitude of the aircraft in the wind tunnel seems to make me think that this is a plane design that could preform the lowerspeed high angle work that the A-10 does nowadays. But i could be wrong.
www.dreamlandresort.com...

Iam sure of one thing though that its a northrup design that looks alot like the 23.

[edit on 16-5-2006 by Canada_EH]

[edit on 16-5-2006 by Canada_EH]

just found another link to a forum (first warning bell) that claims to have info on the SHARC (second warning bell). Ive provided the link can anyone shead some light on this subject? perhaps intelgurl, seekerof or waynos.

www.network54.com...

ps just noticed the lines on the first posted pic that reminded me of the high alpha F-18 that nasa has used for reasearch.
[edit on 16-5-2006 by Canada_EH]

[edit on 16-5-2006 by Canada_EH]

he SHARC is one of three 'likely candidates' to form ther basis of the YF-24 that is reported as having been flon by Col Joe Lanni, according to his own biography, (the other two being the X-36 and the Bird of Prey).

It was reportedly funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson and built at NASA Ames (where the Slew Wing AD-1 was built) under the 'Fighter Lift and Control' programme (FLAC).

It supposedly represents a generic 'advanced fighter' configuration and acts as a test bed for various lift and agility enhancement devices that might be applied to future designs, similar to the 1980's HiMAT but in a non flying model.

Alpha refers to the angle of attack and a picture illustrating this can be found on the link posted by Canada EH. The aim being to allow for the development of aircraft that remained controllable at alphas where conventional flight controls are rendered ineffective.

It also uses 'Continual Control Surface (CCS) technology providing for flexible seamless closure around the edges of wing flaps.

Apart from it being touted as a candidate for the mysterious YF-24 it is otherwise not thought to be an actual aircraft programme, merely a wind tunnel research project.

Does anyone actually believe that it is just a windtunnel testbed model? If they needed a testbed then surely they have hundreds of old fighter windtunnel models in a cupboard somewhere!!

Why would they do work to make it stealthy (sawteeth on intake)? This has clearly been developed from the YF-23.

But what new techniques and technologies can be proven by using old fighter models? Likewise, what if the theory behind these new technologies is flawed and a multi billion dollar fighter programme is screwed up as a result? So you see, this type of test model makes perfect sense, like I referenced before, rememebr the HiMAT.

There is no reason to suspect it is anything other than a wind tunnel model other than the reported fact that Joe Lanni flew a YF-24 and we would like to know what the YF-24 actually is. Even then the SHARC is only one of several possible candidates, all of which might eventually be shown to be nothing to do with the YF-24 at all.

its interesting that they claim the high alpha in the name. after seeing seekerofs linked videos of the raptor and the preformance of the SU's how much further are we going to get? flying backwards? Now increasing control in the realm? The 22 to me seems to do fine controlling its self in high alpha.

Do we have any good ideas on 'Continual Control Surface (CCS) technology and what it looks like. from the discription it sounds like the F-18 that was rebuild to change the control surfaces so they were covered by a membrane? that elminated some the of the radar return.

So my question is, is this membrane what is being tested or was tested on the SHARC and how effective is it?

The SHARC dates from 1996 and some of its results may have been incorporated in the F-22 re-design, hence the video's posted by seekerof, perhaps?

Interesting news... I ahve some problems with the back of the plane though... Why is it so "boxy"...??

Hmm, looks like they are looking at ways to re-create the effect of LERX's while maintaining low RCS values.

The F-22 uses the engine intakes as a form of LERX, but it won't produce as strong a vortex (=less lift) as its shape isn't 100% ideal.