Enhanced Acoustical Environment for Modern Weapons Bays

The JSF weapons bay experiences severe acoustic loading when exposed to the freestream. The severity and attenuation of this loading is exacerbated by the flight envelope of the JSF aircraft, as well as the requirement to carry and release “smart” weapons over an extended envelope. This extremely harsh environment impacts components that are mounted within the bay, including carriage stores that contain sensitive electronics and control surfaces. Implementation of a suitable noise suppression solution is complicated by its non-rectangular bay shape bay and multiple-sweep leading edge that challenge aircraft integration. CRAFT Tech proposes development and demonstration of a robust flow control strategy that effectively lowers the dynamic loading of the JSF weapons bay, while minimizing additional aircraft weight. This strategy will selectively employ flow control techniques applied to both the forward and/or aft portions of the bay, producing attenuation over the entire flight envelope. Phase I will involve technology maturation through high-resolution Large Eddy Simulation (LES), complemented by comprehensive wind tunnel testing with advanced optical diagnostics. The flow control will be fully integrated with JSF’s highly non-rectangular weapons bay and its multiple-sweep leading edge. Acoustic benefits of the system will be traded against weight, cost, and/or aircraft/mission penalties.