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6/27/2016

AdvancedFullRangeEngine(AFRE)ProgramEnvisionsHybridPropulsionSystemPavingtheWaytoRoutine,ReusableHypersonicFlight

DefenseAdvancedResearchProjectsAgency NewsAndEvents AdvancedFullRangeEngine(AFRE)ProgramEnvisions


HybridPropulsionSystemPavingtheWaytoRoutine,ReusableHypersonicFlight

Advanced Full Range Engine (AFRE) Program Envisions Hybrid Propulsion


System Paving the Way to Routine, Reusable Hypersonic Flight
Reliable, affordable system would combine turbine and hypersonic engine technologies for seamless
transition from low-speed takeoff to Mach 5+ and back
OUTREACH@DARPA.MIL
6/24/2016

InthedecadeslongquesttodevelopreusableaircraftthatcanreachhypersonicspeedsMach5
(approximately3,300milesperhour/5,300kilometersperhour)andaboveengineershavegrappledwithtwo
intertwined,seeminglyintractablechallenges:Thetopspeedoftraditionaljetturbineenginesmaxesoutat
roughlyMach2.5,whilehypersonicenginessuchasscramjetscannotprovideeffectivethrustatspeedsmuch
belowMach3.5.Thisgapincapabilitymeansthatanyairbreathinghypersonicvehiclesdevelopedtoday
wouldusedisposablerocketsforonetimeboostsuptooperatingspeed,limitingthevehiclesusefulness.
Tohelpremovetheseconstraintsandlaytheframeworkforroutinehypersonicflightwithreusablevehicles,
DARPAhaslauncheditsAdvancedFullRangeEngine(AFRE)program.AFREseekstodevelopand
demonstrateanewaircraftpropulsionsystemthatcouldoperateoverthefullrangeofspeedsrequiredfrom
lowspeedtakeoffthroughhypersonicflight.
Insteadofdesigninganentirelynewkindofengine,wereenvisioninganinventivehybridsystemthatwould
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AdvancedFullRangeEngine(AFRE)ProgramEnvisionsHybridPropulsionSystemPavingtheWaytoRoutine,ReusableHypersonicFlight

combineandimproveuponthebestofofftheshelfturbineandramjet/scramjettechnologies,said
ChristopherClay,DARPAprogrammanager.Thiswontbethefirsttimethatambitiousengineerswillattempt
tocombineturbineandramjettechnologies.Butwithrecentadvancesinmanufacturingmethods,modeling,
andotherdisciplines,webelievethispotentiallygroundbreakingachievementmayfinallybewithinreach.
AFREaimstoexploreaturbinebasedcombinedcycle(TBCC)engineconcept,whichwoulduseaturbine
engineforlowspeedoperationsandadualmoderamjetwhichwouldworkefficientlywhethertheairflowing
throughitissubsonic(asinaramjet)orsupersonic(asinascramjet)forhighspeedoperations.Thetwo
componentsofthehybridenginewouldshareacommonforwardfacingairintakeandrearfacingexhaust
nozzletoreleasethrust.
AFREaimstodevelopcriticaltechnologiesandculminateingroundbasedtestingofafullscale,integrated
technologydemonstrationsystem.Ifthattestingissuccessful,furtherdevelopmentoftheAFREtechnology
wouldrequireflighttestinginapotentialfollowondemonstrationprogram.
Systemsthatoperateathypersonicspeedsofferthepotentialformilitaryoperationsfromlongerrangeswith
shorterresponsetimesandenhancedeffectivenesscomparedtocurrentmilitarysystems.Suchsystems
couldprovidesignificantpayoffforfutureU.S.operations,particularlyasadversariescapabilitiesadvance.
TofamiliarizepotentialparticipantswiththetechnicalobjectivesofAFRE,DARPAhasscheduledaProposers
DayinadvanceofaplannedBroadAgencyAnnouncement(BAA).TheProposersDaywillbeheldon
WednesdayandThursday,July13and14,2016attheDARPAConferenceCenterinArlington,Va.Theevent
willrunfrom1:00PMto5:00PMEasternonJuly13andfrom9:00AMto12:00PMEasternonJuly14.
TheSpecialNoticeannouncingtheeventisavailableathttp://go.usa.gov/chjzj.Advanceregistrationis
requiredthroughtheregistrationwebsite:http://ow.ly/Qm7a3016sgG.RegistrationclosesWednesday,July6,
2016at2:00PMEasternorwhencapacityisreached,whichevercomesfirst.Thereisnofeeforregistration.
Duetospacelimitationsoftheconferencefacility,attendanceislimitedtothefirst150registrantsandnomore
thanfourrepresentativesperorganization(parentcompany).QuestionsabouttheAFRESpecialNoticeand
ProposersDaymaybedirectedtoDARPASN1643@darpa.mil.
ImageCaption:DARPAsnewAdvancedFullRangeEngine(AFRE)programseekstodevelopand
demonstrateanewaircraftpropulsionsystemthatcouldoperateatsubsonicthroughhypersonicspeedsand
laytheframeworkforroutine,reusablehypersonicflight.Clickbelowforhighresolutionimage.
###
MediawithinquiriesshouldcontactDARPAPublicAffairsatoutreach@darpa.mil
Associatedimagespostedonwww.darpa.milandvideopostedatwww.youtube.com/darpatvmaybereused
accordingtothetermsoftheDARPAUserAgreement,availablehere:http://go.usa.gov/cuTXR..

TAGS
| Air |

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AdvancedFullRangeEngine(AFRE)ProgramEnvisionsHybridPropulsionSystemPavingtheWaytoRoutine,ReusableHypersonicFlight

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