Tvärteknikprojektet: Aeroelastic investigation of a missile configuration

The objective of the present work is to determine static and dynamic aeroelastic properties for a heavy supersonic attack missile. This work is a part of the project Tvärteknikprojektet at FFA/FOI. The missile configuration analysed is denoted U60 and has a very low aspect ratio wing. A presentation of the MSC/NASTRAN aeroelastic model of the missile is given. The model used, consists of a structural shell and beam Finite Element model and a corresponding aerodynamic model with control surfaces enabling the simulation of different steady state flight conditions, i.e. pitch and roll motions. The objective with the static aeroelastic analysis is to quantify aeroelastic coefficients, such as the elevon aeroelastic effectiveness etc. Finally flutter analyses are performed for subsonic and supersonic speeds at sea level. The deformations due to the elasticity of the missile has an influence on the flight conditions of the missile. This effect is found to be weak at a Mach number of M = 0.5, where the aeroelastic coefficients, ?????, ????? and ????? are around 0.9, respectively. However, a decrease of the effectiveness, to about 0.6-0.7 in the transonic range might be critical. Hence, aeroelastic properties in this speed range needs a further analytical or experimental study. The missile have good flutter qualities in the subsonic speed range and in the low supersonic range M < 1.5, while in the transonic range M = 0.7 to 1.0, the flutter velocity is reduced. However it is not critical.