French Flight Test Program LEA Status

Abstract : The present lecture of the RTO-AVT-VKI course HIGH SPEED PROPULSION: ENGINE DESIGN INTEGRATION AND THERMAL MANAGEMENT is focused on the French flight experiment program called LEA. French R&T effort for hypersonic airbreathing propulsion is focusing on needed technologies for the propulsion system and acquisition of aero-propulsive balance prediction capability. A large part of technology development effort can be led on ground and is currently dedicated to combustion chamber to ensure its performance and thermo-mechanical strength. On the contrary, it is mandatory to flight demonstrate capability to predict the aero-propulsive balance. In that view, MBDA and ONERA are leading the flight testing LEA program. Started in January 2003, the program will end in 2015 after 4 autonomous flight tests of an experimental vehicle in Mach number range 4 to 8. Guidelines for LEA vehicle and its propulsion system design have been validated in 2006 by a Preliminary Design Review. The running Phase 2 aims at getting a detailed design while validating the aero-propulsive configuration by a first free jet test series to be performed early in 2011. It led to a Critical Design Review performed in June/July 2009.

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