Flow Control Research and Applications at the AFRL's Air Vehicles Directorate

Abstract

This paper summarizes many of the Air Vehicles Directorate’s activities in flow control. Recent and current projects are reviewed, and an attempt is made to forecast future activities and air vehicle applications for flow control. Our ultimate objective is to identify and develop flow control sub-systems that can effectively and efficiently improve the performance of air vehicle systems. These schemes must not only buy their way onto the aircraft by improving performance, but must do so in an uncomplicated, maintainable, and dependable manner. While this emphasis on matchmaking between methods, devices, and applications will be maintained, research in promising higher risk methods of flow control is often warranted, given that they may provide revolutionary performance improvements for future air vehicles. There are several hubs of flow control activity in the Air Vehicles Directorate, and this paper attempts to capture the essence of the research and development pursuits in each of these groups. The projects described are being accomplished through a combination of in-house, contracted, and cooperative efforts, with team members from the airframers, small businesses, and academia.