Naval Platform Aero-Optic Turbulence and Mitigation Methodology

MZA partnered with the University of Notre Dame proposes to transition the Navys HEFL Beam Director Subsystem (HBDS) for flight testing on the Airborne Aero-Optics Laboratory Transonic (AAOL-T) aircraft. We will reconfigure the HBDS integrating structure and aft beam control system to fit the cabin constraints of the AAOL-T aircraft with an aft beam control and scoring bench. Operational functionality of the HBDS will be preserved. Target aircraft scoring and aero-optics wavefront measurements will be enabled. An aero-effects mitigation flow control fairing will be designed and fabricated for flight testing with the HBDS turret, based on previous subscale designs and tests. Integration testing of the new hardware layout will be conducted at MZAs Albuquerque clean room facility. The hardware will be transitioned to the Notre Dame White Field wind tunnel facility for aero-loading tests. From there, the hardware will be transported to Grand Rapids for integration onto the AAOL-T aircraft. A Test Readiness Review will be conducted prior to flight testing.