Ultralightweight Airframe Concepts for Air-launched Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

The main goal of the ALERT Phase II program is the preliminary design of a robust air vehicle that can meet all the performance goals while using a structural design with a high content of dielectric skins. This includes determining the flight envelope required to complete the desired customer missions, and then sizing the flight surfaces and propulsion system for optimum performance. Since the ALERT is a reusable system, the turbofan engine will have to be similar to a commercial unit, having a FADEC and an oiling system, with health monitoring capability.