Theoretical fundamentals of airframe/propulsion integration for high-speed aircraft

Abstract

Fundamental features of aerodynamic interference and integration of airframes and air-breathing jet engines for high-speed flight vehicles are studied within the framework of supersonic small perturbation theory. Both the influence of airframe components on air intakes performance and influence of intakes on vehicle external aerodynamics are under consideration. Analytical relations and specific examples show that significant favorable interference between airframes and air intakes can be realized by using preliminary compression of the flow in front of intakes at flight Mach numbers exceeding approximately 3.