Final Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on V/STOL Aircraft
Abstract
The Task Force concludes that our priorities should be adjusted so that we no longer look for a V/STOL to replace CTOL, but rather we seek an optimum CTOL-V/STOL mix, beginning in the mid 1980s. Technology and strategy will probably dictate an evolution toward a higher V/STOL mix, including high performance supersonic types by the year 2000, and we should invest in being prepared to support that. Major conclusions include: (1) The ability of the military services to conduct their respective missions can be enhanced by the timely introduction of V/STOL aircraft. The number of potential mission improvements, coupled with the need for increased survivability and operational flexibility, provides a convincing case for the accelerated development of an enhanced V/STOL capability. (2) The technology will currently support significant improvements in those aircraft configurations that are not radical departures from existing classes of V/STOL aircraft notably variants of the helicopter and of the subsonic combat aircraft, the Harrier and (3) V/STOL combat aircraft of modest subsonic capability could also evolve; however, substantial technology investments must be made in order to permit a completely new high performance supersonic V/STOL combat aircraft.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA201049
Entities
Organizations
- Defense Science Board