Aerial Targets Modernization and Integration

"The Air Force seeks innovative concepts to improve the fidelity, performance, refurbishment cycle, storability and endurance of aerial targets. Because of limited fuel capacity of the target vehicle, increased efficiency of the engine becomes critical toflight endurance.Mohawk Innovative Technology, Inc. (MiTir), proposes to incorporate our oil-free, non-contact, hydrodynamic air bearing technology into a 1,000-1,500 pound thrust class turbojet engine, eliminating the fuel cooled, grease packed bearings and all of theassociated hardware, reducing weight and complexity as well as reducing bearing power loss, thereby improving thrust to weight ratio of the system and Thrust Specific Fuel Consumption. MiTi's bearing technology also permits storage for months or evenyears without any special preparations either prior to storage or prior to next flight. MiTi's air bearings can be reused even after exposure to salt water. In Phase I, MiTi will work with the engine OEM to define bearing system requirements. MiTi willconduct preliminary design evaluations and show the feasibility of integrating the compliant foil bearing into the selected engine. In Phase II, MiTi will work with a major OEM to incorporate a non-contact air bearing into the selected engine for enginedemonstration testing. Incorporation of oil-free air bearings into a turbine engine will eliminate weight, cost and complexity of both commercial and military aircraft turbin