General Dynamics F-16XL

The General Dynamics F-16XL is a derivative of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, with
F-16XL
a cranked-arrow delta wing. It was originally conceived as a technology
demonstrator, later entered in the United States Air Force's (USAF) Enhanced
Tactical Fighter (ETF) competition but lost to the F-15E Strike Eagle. Several years
after the prototypes were shelved, they were turned over to NASA for additional
aeronautical research. Both aircraft are currently stored at Edwards AFB.

Contents
Development
SCAMP
Enhanced Tactical Fighter competition

Design A NASA F-16XL conducting laminar flow

Operational history research
NASA testing Role Experimental fighter
Specifications (F-16XL number 2) Manufacturer General Dynamics
See also First flight 3 July 1982
References Primary users United States Air Force
Citations NASA
Bibliography
Number built 2
External links
Developed from General Dynamics F-16
Fighting Falcon

Development

SCAMP
In 1977, the F-16XL started out as the F-16 SCAMP (Supersonic Cruise and Maneuver
Prototype) at General Dynamics Fort Worth. Under the leadership of Harry Hillaker (father of
the original F-16), the original goal of the program was to be a quick project to demonstrate the
applicability of supersonic transport technologies to military aircraft.[1] The big wing generated
a lot of lift, and typical aerodynamic limitations of delta wings were overcome by the F-16's
relaxed static stability. The F-16's electronic flight control system was tweaked to allow control
at high angles of attack. The wing was also a big fuel tank which greatly increased range. The
study went on for two years. The goal of the cranked arrow was to have a high sweep inboard
panel for low drag at supersonic speeds, and a low sweep outboard panel to provide better
Model 400 design team, starting left:
handling and maneuverability at subsonic speeds.
Harry Hillaker, Andrew Lewis, Kenny
Barnes, Jim Gordon Working closely with NASA's Langley Research Center, the company invested significant
Internal Research and Development (IRAD) funds for wind tunnel testing and that led to the
Model 400. It featured all moving wing tips for roll control and an all moving vertical tail.
These surfaces were actually the horizontal tail surfaces from the F-16A. These surfaces were later dropped as they did not provide
adequate control at low speed, high angle of attack. Also, there would have been no provision for wing-tip mounted missiles. The main
wing incorporated forebody strakes to enhance vortex generation for high angle of attack maneuverability, negative stability for improved
subsonic lift and reduced supersonic drag. It was built around a 40-inch fuselage stretch. Both the large wing and fuselage stretch yielded
a dramatic increase in range at all speeds. In 1979, with a strong positive response by the USAF, GD released the Model 400 for a company
funded preliminary design effort.[2]

Enhanced Tactical Fighter competition

In 1980, the USAF signed on as a partner, providing the third and fifth production F-16
airframes for conversion. These two airframes became the only examples of the F-16XL.

In March 1981, the USAF announced the Enhanced Tactical Fighter program to procure a
replacement for the F-111 Aardvark. The concept envisioned an aircraft capable of launching
deep interdiction missions without requiring additional support in the form of fighter escort or
jamming support. Under the leadership of program director Randy Kent [1]
(http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dfw/obituary.aspx?n=david-randall-kent&
pid=171929552), General Dynamics submitted the F-16XL, while McDonnell Douglas
submitted a variant of the F-15 Eagle. Though the two aircraft were competing for the same F-16XL and a conventional F-16
role, they were fairly different in design approach. The F-15E is basically an F-15D two-seat
trainer with the back-seat station modified to support ground-attack instruments, while the
F-16XL has major structural and aerodynamic differences from the original F-16. As such, the XL would have required much more effort,
time and money to put into full production. Additionally, the Strike Eagle has two engines, which gives it more thrust and capacity to carry
more weapons and/or armor. Furthermore, engine redundancy can be very useful for an aircraft whose mission involves operating within
the reach of anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles, in addition to the standard threats of fighter aircraft and interceptors.

In February 1984, the USAF awarded the ETF contract to McDonnell Douglas. The two F-16XLs were returned to the Air Force and placed
in storage at Edwards Air Force Base, Mojave, California.

Design
The wing and rear horizontal control surfaces were replaced with a cranked-arrow delta wing
120% larger than the original wing. Extensive use of carbon fiber composites allowed the
savings of 600 lb (270 kg) of weight but the F-16XL was still 2,800 lb (1,300 kg) heavier than
the original F-16A.

Less noticeable is that the fuselage was lengthened by 56 in (1.4 m) by the addition of two
sections at the joints of the main fuselage sub-assemblies. With the new wing design, the tail
section had to be canted up 3°, and the ventral fins removed, to prevent them from striking the
pavement during takeoff and landing. However, as the F-16XL exhibits greater stability than
the native F-16, these changes were not detrimental to the handling of the aircraft.

These changes resulted in a 25% improvement in maximum lift-to-drag ratio in supersonic

flight and 11% in subsonic flight, and a plane that reportedly handled much more smoothly at An air-to-air left underside view of
an F-16XL aircraft. The aircraft is
high speeds and low altitudes. The enlargements increased fuel capacity by 82%. The F-16XL
armed with two wingtip-mounted
could carry twice the ordnance of the F-16 and deliver it 40% farther. The enlarged wing
AIM-9 Sidewinder and four
allowed a total of 27 hardpoints: fuselage-mounted AIM-120
AMRAAM missiles along with 12
16 wing stations of capacity 750 lb (340 kg) each
Mark 82 500-pound bombs.
4 semi-recessed AIM-120 AMRAAM stations under fuselage
2 wingtip stations
1 centerline station
2 wing "heavy/wet" stations
2 chin LANTIRN stations
However, the "heavy/wet" stations interfered with up to four wing stations.
Operational history

NASA testing
In 1988, the two aircraft were taken out of storage and turned over to NASA for research. The
first aircraft was fitted with an active suction titanium glove encasing the left wing and
delivered to the Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility at Edwards AFB. Designed and built by
North American Aviation (a division of Rockwell International), the glove had laser-cut holes
that were nominally 0.0025 in (0.0635 mm) diameter. Distance between holes varied between
0.010 and 0.055 in (0.25 and 1.40 mm) depending on the suction. The glove covered over 5 ft²
(0.5 m²) of the wing. It was intended to suck away turbulent airflow over the wing, restoring The F-16XL which competed with
laminar flow and reducing drag. The aircraft was also involved in testing sonic boom the F-15E for the USAF's Enhanced
characteristics, takeoff performance, and engine noise, for NASA's civil transport program. Tactical Fighter contract

The second aircraft (a two-seater) had its experimental engine replaced with a General Electric
F110-129. It accidentally achieved supercruise, a design goal of the F-16XL that was never attained in ETF testing, when it reached
Mach 1.1 at 20,000 ft (6,096 m) on full military power. It was mounted with a passive fiberglass and foam glove on the right wing to
examine supersonic flow, and an active glove on the left wing. This second glove was composed of fiberglass and foam over a titanium
skin, and covers 75% of the wing's surface and 60% of its leading edge. The active portion consists the middle two-thirds of the glove, with
laser-drilled holes leading to cavities beneath the wing. It was designed collaboratively by Langley research center, Dryden, Rockwell,
Boeing, and McDonnell Douglas. The glove is intended as a testbed for supersonic laminar flow.

The F-16XL flight project office was located at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards AFB, CA. The NASA Langley Research
Center, developed and coordinated F-16XL experiments.[3]

At the conclusion of their test programs in 1999, both F-16XLs were placed into storage at NASA Dryden. In 2007, NASA approached
Lockheed Martin to request a study into the feasibility and cost of returning F-16XL #1 to flight status and upgrading it with many of the
improvements found in the USAF's F-16 Block 40. This was studied while F-16XL #1 was taxi tested at Dryden and given systems checks.
However, both F-16XLs were retired in 2009 and stored at Edwards AFB.

Specifications (F-16XL number 2)

Data from Darling[4] F-16.net[5]

General characteristics

Crew: One (XL #1) or Two (XL #2)

Length: 54 ft 2 in (16.51 m)
Wingspan: 34 ft 3 in (10.44 m)
Height: 17 ft 7 in (5.36 m)
Wing area: 646 ft² (60.0 m²)
Empty weight: 22,000 lb (9,980 kg)
Loaded weight: 48,000 lb (21,800 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 48,000 lb (21,800 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × General Electric F110-GE-100 turbofan

Dry thrust: 17,100 lbf (76.3 kN)

Thrust with afterburner: 28,900 lbf (125 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2.05 (1,400 mph, 698 m/s)

Cruise speed: 600 mph (268 m/s)
Range: 2,480 nmi (2,850 mi, 4,590 km)
 Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
Rate of climb: 62,000 ft/min (320 m/s)

Armament

Guns: 1 × 20 mm (0.79 in) M61 Vulcan (Gatling) gun

Hardpoints: 17 pylons with a capacity of up to 15,000 lb (6,800 kg) of payload

See also
Related development

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

Lasers illuminate airflow
General Dynamics F-16 VISTA
over a model F-16XL in a
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era NASA wind tunnel

McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle

Saab 35 Draken
Lockheed Martin FB-22
Related lists

List of fighter aircraft

List of military aircraft of the United States

References

Citations
1. "SCAMP" (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_707.html). NASA. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
2. "F-16 Designer Harry Hillaker" (http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=37). Code One Magazine. Lockheed Martin.
1991..
3. "F-16XL" (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/history/pastprojects/F16XL2/index.html). NASA. Retrieved 2009-02-17.
4. Darling 2003, pp. 63, 64, 69.
5. "F-16 XL, Cranked-Arrow Wing" (http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article1.html), F-16, retrieved 18 April 2009.

Bibliography
Darling, Kev (2003), F-16 Fighting Falcon, Combat Legend, London: Airlife, ISBN 1-84037-399-7.
Jenkins, Dennis R; Landis, Tony R (2008), Experimental & Prototype US Air Force Jet Fighters, MN, US: Specialty,
ISBN 978-1-58007-111-6.

External links
"F-16XL", DFRC (https://web.archive.org/web/20050908024402/http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/F-16XL1/) (photo gallery), 1,
NASA, archived from the original (http://www1.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/F-16XL1/) on 2005-09-08, photo gallery number 2
(https://web.archive.org/web/20050317081312/http://www1.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/F-16XL2/)
F-16XL experiment report (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/pdf/88653main_H-2382.pdf) (PDF), Dryden: NASA, December 1999.
"The Revolutionary Evolution of the F-16XL" (http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/1983/November%201983
/1183f16xl.aspx), Air Force magazine, November 1983.
"NASA Could Put The F-16XL Back In The Air" (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/07/10/215385/nasa-could-put-f-16xl-back-
in-the-air.html), Flight International, Flight global, 2007.

"F-16 Designer Harry Hillaker" (http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=37), Code One Magazine, Lockheed Martin,
1991.
 "Harry Hillaker — Father of the F-16" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070202184707/http://www.codeonemagazine.com/archives
/1991/articles/jul_91/july2a_91.html), Code one, Jul 1991, archived from the original (http://www.codeonemagazine.com/archives
/1991/articles/jul_91/july2a_91.html) on February 2, 2007
Baugher, Joseph ‘Joe’, F-16XL (https://web.archive.org/web/20081006151517/http://home.att.net/~jbaugher4/f16_29.html), ATT,
archived from the original (http://home.att.net/~jbaugher4/f16_29.html) on 2008-10-06
F-16XL in flight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LofI4B1Z0FI

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=General_Dynamics_F-16XL&oldid=828189179"

This page was last edited on 1 March 2018, at 02:00 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to
the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.