Northrop Grumman FA-40 Golden Eagle by bagera3005 on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

The X-36 was built to 28% scale of a possible fighter aircraft, and controlled by a pilot in a ground station virtual cockpit with a view provided by a video camera mounted in the nose of the aircraft.

For control, a canard forward of the wing was used as well as split ailerons and an advanced thrust vectoring nozzle for directional control. The X-36 was unstable in both pitch and yaw axis, so an advanced digital fly-by-wire control system was put in place to stabilize the aircraft.

First flown on May 17, 1997, it made 31 successful research flights. It handled very well, and the program is reported to have met or exceeded all project goals. McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing in August 1997 while the test program was in progress; the aircraft is sometimes referred to as the Boeing X-36.

The X-36 possessed high maneuverability that would be ideal for use as a fighter. Despite its potential suitability, and highly successful test-program, there have been no reports regarding the X-36's development as of 2010.

General characteristics

Crew: none
Length: 18 ft 2.5 in (5.55 m)
Wingspan: 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m)
Height: 3 ft 1.5 in (0.95 m)
Max. takeoff weight: 1,250 lb (560 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Williams International F112 turbofan , 700 lbf (3.1 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: 234 mph (375 km/h)
Service ceiling: 20,500 ft (6,100 m)
Thrust/weight: 0.56

Armament

Guns: 1 × General Dynamics GAU-22/A Equalizer 25 mm (0.984 in) 4-barreled gatling cannon, internally mounted with 180 rounds[N 12][239]
Hardpoints: 6 × external pylons on wings with a capacity of 15,000 lb (6,800 kg)[235][239] and two internal bays with two pylons each[235] for a total weapons payload of 18,000 lb (8,100 kg)[220] and provisions to carry combinations of:
Missiles:
Air-to-air missiles:
AIM-120 AMRAAM
AIM-9X Sidewinder
IRIS-T
MBDA Meteor (pending further funding)[246]
Air-to-surface missiles:
AGM-88 AARGM[465]
AGM-158 JASSM[236]
Brimstone missile / MBDA SPEAR[466]
Joint Air-to-Ground Missile
Storm Shadow missile
SOM
Anti-ship missiles:
JSM
LRASM[467]
Bombs:
Mark 84, Mark 83 and Mark 82 GP bombs
Mk.20 Rockeye II cluster bomb
Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser capable
Paveway series laser-guided bombs
Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)
JDAM series
B61 nuclear bomb[468]
AGM-154 JSOW

Avionics

Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems AN/APG-81 AESA radar
Lockheed Martin AAQ-40 E/O Targeting System (EOTS)
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) missile warning system
BAE Systems AN/ASQ-239 (Barracuda) electronic warfare system
Harris Corporation Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) communication system