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The primary focus of the TX program will be the development and demonstration of an integrated suite of critical technologies that enable dual-mode transportation, VTOL capability, efficient flight performance, and a combat range comparable to present day rotorcraft. It is envisioned that this program will, at a minimum, demonstrate the ability to build a ground vehicle that is capable of configuring into a VTOL air vehicle that provides sufficient flight performance and range, while carrying a payload that is representative of four troops with gear. Key performance parameters have been specified to show specific operational utility. The program will be divided into two separate tasks. Task A will develop and integrate a full vehicle and Task B will develop individual critical technologies components for the full vehicle.
The primary focus of the TX program will be the development and demonstration of an integrated suite of critical technologies that enable dual-mode transportation, VTOL capability, efficient flight performance, and a combat range comparable to present day rotorcraft. It is envisioned that this program will, at a minimum, demonstrate the ability to build a ground vehicle that is capable of configuring into a VTOL air vehicle that provides sufficient flight performance and range, while carrying a payload that is representative of four troops with gear. Key performance parameters have been specified to show specific operational utility. The program will be divided into two separate tasks. Task A will develop and integrate a full vehicle and Task B will develop individual critical technologies components for the full vehicle.

Russia will develop a similar vehicle for the [[Russian Airborne Troops]]. The vehicle will be a hybrid of a light combat vehicle and an attack helicopter with a crew of three-four people, and be developed by 2030.<ref>[http://www.armyrecognition.com/august_2013_defense_industry_military_army_news_uk/russia_will_develop_an_hybrid_vehicle_that_combines_features_of_armoured_and_helicopter_0208132.html Russia will develop a hybrid vehicle that combines features of armoured vehicle and helicopter] - Armyrecognition.com, 2 August 2013</ref>


==Function==
==Function==

Revision as of 15:53, 2 August 2013

DARPA TX (Transformer)
TypeFlying car
Place of origin United States
Specifications
Length>30 ft (910 cm)[1]
Width>8.5 ft (260 cm)[1]
Height>9 ft (270 cm)[1]
Crew4[1]
Payload capacity1,000 lb (450 kg)[1]
Operational
range
250 NM (460 km)[1]

The DARPA TX, or Transformer is a 5-year, 3-phase[2] flying car effort coordinated by DARPA for the United States Military.

The objective of the Transformer (TX) program is to demonstrate a four person vehicle that provides enhanced logistics and mobility though hybrid flyable/roadable capabilities. This presents unprecedented capability to avoid traditional and asymmetrical threats while avoiding road obstructions. TX will enable enhanced company operations of future missions with applicable use in strike and raid, intervention, interdiction, insurgency/counterinsurgency, reconnaissance, medical evacuation and logistical supply. The TX vehicle will have Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) capability with a minimum combat range of 250 nautical miles on a single tank of fuel.

The primary focus of the TX program will be the development and demonstration of an integrated suite of critical technologies that enable dual-mode transportation, VTOL capability, efficient flight performance, and a combat range comparable to present day rotorcraft. It is envisioned that this program will, at a minimum, demonstrate the ability to build a ground vehicle that is capable of configuring into a VTOL air vehicle that provides sufficient flight performance and range, while carrying a payload that is representative of four troops with gear. Key performance parameters have been specified to show specific operational utility. The program will be divided into two separate tasks. Task A will develop and integrate a full vehicle and Task B will develop individual critical technologies components for the full vehicle.

Russia will develop a similar vehicle for the Russian Airborne Troops. The vehicle will be a hybrid of a light combat vehicle and an attack helicopter with a crew of three-four people, and be developed by 2030.[3]

Function

The Marines, Air Force, special forces[4] and National Guard[5] have stated an interest in the vehicle. Marines may use the Transformer as a tool for the Enhanced Company Operations concept.[6]

The Marines would use the vehicle for amphibious assault and potentially eliminate the need for amphibious vehicles which are vulnerable to shore defenses and limited by their low speeds.[4] Special ops would like to send vehicles unmanned to resupply special operators and then allow them to use that vehicle.[4]

Design

Requirements
Mobility

Its VTOL capability gives it the ability to avoid threats and obstacles. The TX is required to have a range of 250 nmi (460 km) on a single tank of fuel which may be attained through flight, land, or a combination of both.[1]

Offensive capabilities
Countermeasures

The vehicle is to be lightly armored, required only to handle small arms fire. Its VTOL capability gives it the ability to avoid threats.[1]

Development

External image
image icon AAI/Textron's Transformer proposal
Conception

DARPA was at first not interested in traditional rotary-wing aircraft, but shrouded rotor concepts might be considered.[7]

Phase I

The first phase consists of trade studies to evaluate future technologies[8] as well as conceptual design of both a prototype and a production vehicle.[2]

No more than 2 contracts were to be awarded in the $65m Phase I.[9][1] In September however only AAI's proposal was selected,[10] for $3m.[11] This proposal builds on the CarterCopter slowed rotor technology,[12][13][14] and incorporates deployable surfaces technology from Terrafugia.[15][16] The United States Army Research Laboratory (Vehicle Technology Directorate) was contracted to conduct rotor analysis. Other partners are Bell Helicopter and Textron Marine & Land Systems, sister companies of AAI and subsidiaries of Textron. Lockheed Martin, Piasecki Aircraft, Ricardo Inc., Carnegie Mellon University, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Aurora Flight Sciences, ThinGap, Terrafugia and Metis Design are also connected to the project.[9]

In October 2010, Lockheed Martin and its partners were also connected to Phase 1 of the program.[8]

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has received a US$1 million contract[11] to develop a Diesel engine called Enduro Core to power the Transformer.[17]

Phase II — Design

In 2011, AAI and Lockheed were chosen to proceed with Phase II of the project.

The 7,500 lb AAI vehicle is proposed to be equipped with a 1,200 shp Honeywell HTS900 turboshaft engine to power four electric wheel motors or the 56-inch ducted fan, and spin up the 50-foot rotor. Ground speed is up to 80 mph; flight speed range is 50 to 155 kt; maximum altitude is 10,000 ft.

The 7,000lb Lockheed vehicle has two turboshaft engines in a 41 ft wing with tilting 8.5 ft ducted fans, giving a flight speed of 130 kt, while a Pratt & Whitney EnduroCore heavy-fuel rotary engine powers the four electric wheel motors for ground motion.

At AUVSI 2012, Lockheed Martin spoke openly about their status on the project. AAI Corporation was silent about their involvement details, but comfirmed they were still in the competition. At the time of expo, neither company had prototype vehicles, but had designs and scale models of their concept vehicles. Previously, both passed DARPA's preliminary design review, which involved computer modeling. Lockheed's vehicle relies on two huge turbo-shaft fans and folding wings fixed to a turret above the cab to provide lift and thrust during flight. A key component is computerized flight. Because it will be used by soldiers rather than trained pilots, vehicle operation will be mostly automated. One idea is to have a computer screen to simply plot GPS points to chart a flight path. The fans will rotate 90 degrees on the turret from their stowed positions just in front of and behind the cab to their in-flight positions on both sides of it. Control of takeoff, landing, and flight is controlled by the computer, although soldiers onboard would be able to alter their course or perform an emergency landing. The automated flight technology will be similar to the kind used by the F-35 Lightning II. The lift fans of Lockheed's vehicle provide hover while AAI's does not. AAI's vehicle can be made lighter, which gives greater ability to up-armor.[18]

Phase III — Manufacture of the prototype.[2]

The winning team from Phase II will produce a Prototype Vehicle (PV) with limited features, ready to fly in 2015. DARPA aims for a full-featured Field Vehicle (FV) to cost around $1 million, compared to $400,000 for a Humvee and $4 million for a light helicopter.[19]

Previous concepts

AVX concept

AVX Aircraft Company proposed a concept with coaxial rotors. Ducted fans were intended as propulsion in air as well as on ground.[20]

Logi and Trek offered the Tyrannos, a tilt-fan vehicle.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Transformer (TX) Vertical Takeoff and Landing Roadable Air Vehicle" (PDF). DARPA. 12. Retrieved 13 August 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c New DARPA project focuses on future vehicles, armor Composites World, 6 December 2010. Accessed: 31 December 2010.
  3. ^ Russia will develop a hybrid vehicle that combines features of armoured vehicle and helicopter - Armyrecognition.com, 2 August 2013
  4. ^ a b c James K. Sanborn (20). "DARPA works to develop a flying Humvee". Army Times Publishing Company. Retrieved 20 September 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  5. ^ Martin, Bob. Transformer: If Humvees could only fly KRQE, 3 December 2010. Accessed: 31 December 2010.
  6. ^ Page, Lewis. DARPA, US Marines team on proper flying car project The Register, 14 April 2010. Accessed: 31 December 2010.
  7. ^ Weinberger, Sharon. "Pentagon Chooses Two Companies to Build Flying Humvee" Popular Mechanics, 27 August 2010. Retrieved: 21 December 2010.
  8. ^ a b "DARPA selects AAI, Lockheed Martin for Transformer (TX) program" Defense Update, 13 October 2010. Accessed: 31 December 2010.
  9. ^ a b Baratti, L. "Flying car company tagged for Transformer tactical vehicle team" Exec Digital, 18 December 2010. Accessed: 27 December 2010.
  10. ^ Spencer Ackerman (29). "Darpa Moves a step Closer to Its Flying Humvee". Condé Nast Digital. Retrieved 30 September 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  11. ^ a b Dillow, Clay. "The unexpected rebirth of the Flying Car" Popular Science, 29 October 2010. Accessed: 31 December 2010.
  12. ^ Skinner, Tony. "Textron pursues 'flying Humvee' programme" Shephard, 22 July 2010. Retrieved: 26 November 2010.
  13. ^ Weinberger, Sharon. "The U.S. Military wants a battlefield-ready flying car" Popular Mechanics, 15 July 2010. Retrieved: 26 November 2010.
  14. ^ "DARPA kicks off Transformer (TX) program" DARPA, 12 October 2010. Retrieved: 26 November 2010.
  15. ^ Huang, Gregory T. "Terrafugia, Aurora Flight Sciences, Metis Design take wing in $65M DARPA program to design Flying Humvee" Xconomy, 2 December 2010. Accessed: 16 December 2010.
  16. ^ McKeegan, Noel. "Terrafugia to contribute DARPA flying car program" GizMag, 30 November 2010. Accessed: 16 December 2010.
  17. ^ Ackerman, Spencer. "Darpa’s flying Humvee goes Diesel" Wired, 20 October 2010. Accessed: 31 December 2010.
  18. ^ Dillow, Clay. "Concept Gets a Lift from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter" Popular Science, 10 August 2012. Accessed: 11 August 2012.
  19. ^ Warwick, Graham. "Transformer - Coming to a Theater Near You?", Aviation Week 24 October 2011. Accessed: 5 November 2011.
  20. ^ Quick, Darren. "AVX flying-car concept – the Vertical Takeoff and Landing SUV" GizMag, 19 July 2010. Accessed: 11 August 2012.
  21. ^ "Armada International - Compendium - Special Operations Equipment - 6-2010" p10, Armada International, 2010. Accessed: 11 August 2012.

Source

This article incorporates work from https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=9b745d803c1d206f16fd6f64542eadd6&tab=core&tabmode=list&print_preview=1, which is in the public domain as it is a work of the United States Army.

External links

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