The F-22 main internal weapons bay is selected to evaluate its effects on advanced munitions. The Low Cost Autonomous Attack System (LOCAAS) is selected as the "advanced munition", since it contains a seeker, warhead, autonomous target acquitision, antenna , transceiver, signal processor, turbojet engine, and commercial electronics. The Phase I program has three objectives: (1) obtain the F-22 internal weapons bay flow field and acoustic environments over a wide range of Mach/flight conditions, (2) identify LOCAAS critical components, compare to the F-22 acoustic spectra, and provide ROM costs to harden critical components that may fail in the F-22 environment, and (3) complete the conceptual design of a flexible composite flow field/acoustic supressor as an improvement over existing methods. In Phase II, critical LOCAAS components that fail F-22 environments will be tested to failure to understand their capability. Then, the evaluation of safely separating LOCAAS from the F-22 will begin. Advanced munitions, including LOCAAS, are becoming lighter and more complex. These weapons do not have the inertia to simply drop clear of the aircraft. Nor, can the weapons be ejected with more force because the weapon's electronics cannot with stand excessive accelerations. Flexible composites offer substantial volume, weight and cost savings over current designs. These advanced technologies are applicable to air-launched munitions as well unmanned aerial vehicles used for either millitary or civilian purposes, aircraft and underwater vehicles. Application of of flexible composites technology to commercial commuter or private civilian aircraft would provide significant range improvements because the smaller volume that the flexible composite control surfaces provides for a larger fuel tank within existing wing configurations. Race cars and the commercial trucking industry could also use the technology to reduce drag and increase the race car or truck's performance.
