3378. LEBOWSKI: Considerations of Weight and Structure in the Design of an Advanced Gunship
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Paper
Abstract
In response to the AIAA Undergraduate Team Aircraft Design Competition?s request for proposal (RFP) for an Advanced Gunship, Mad Hatter Aerospace proudly presents Lebowski. This Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) is a remotely?piloted aircraft designed to maximize mission effectiveness while simultaneously minimizing not only mission cost, but also the overall price of the aircraft. It is armed with a complement of guns and droppable ordnance that optimize the precision, persistence, and affordability of the aircraft. The weapons onboard are: two M230 30mm guns, a Bofors L70 40mm Cannon, two GBU-29 Joint Direct Attack Munitions, and four GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs. Lebowski is equipped with survivability features that have been optimized to meet specific RFP requirements while minimizing weight and maximizing performance. It can cruise at over 400 knots at 30,000 feet and loiter over the target area for four hours at 20,000 feet. The airfoil selection and wing layout are optimized for the RFP mission and feature a modified 6-series airfoil and a slightly blended wing body. Given the RFP requirements for minimum cost and a 400 knot initial cruise at 30,000 feet, a PW 6124 engine is featured on the Lebowski and is sized by taking conservative estimations of future engine technology advances. The structure of the gunship was designed with versatility, survivability, and cost in mind. Lebowski effectively and efficiently fills the niche between the aging AC-130 airframe and the A-10 attack aircraft.
