SAWE Report - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Standard ten degree fall clearance is maintained for all weapons
stowed and weapons bay doors were designed to rotate into the
bomb bay, shown in Figure 12.4, and not into the free stream.
Rotating the bomb bay doors into the fuselage has no detrimental
effects on lateral stability, allows for the usage of lighter bomb bay
doors, and lowers the radar cross section of the aircraft when the
bomb bay is open versus a door which opens into the free stream
such as those found on the F-117.
Figure 12.5 - 30in (76.2cm)
Ejector rack
Alternative
uses for the Vendetta is the main
reasoning behind the choice of the
MPRL. According to MIL-A-8861B a
fighter/attack aircraft must be capable of
withstanding, under “basic flight design
gross weight” +7.5, -3 g’s. under
“maximum design gross weight” +5.5,
-2 g’s. According to the RFP we must
Figure 12.4 - Bomb Bay
Door Retraction Scheme
In an effort to minimize undesirable underbody flow the entire
underside of the aircraft was kept as flat as possible. The MPRL
chosen allows the use of 30in (76.2cm) ejector racks shown in Figure
12.5. The rack has electrically fired impulse cartridges, a gas operated
mechanism, and is designed to forcibly eject conventional or nuclear
stores up to 4000 lb (1810 kg) weight class. The LAU-142A ejector
was used with the AIM-120C shown in Figure 12.6.
be able, with the design load, and 50% of fuel volume structurally be able to withstand +7 -3 g’s.
Thus it is conceivable to design the aircraft to structurally withstand the RFP’s mandated +7 -3 g
loading with the RFP design load of (4) 2000lb (905 kg) JDAMs and (2) AIM-120’s.
Alternatively the aircraft could then be loaded with (8) 2000 lb (905 kg) JDAM’s shown in
Figure 12.7, and still meet the military specification of +5.5 -2 g’s at “maximum design gross
weight”. This fully satisfies the RFP and military specifications.
This doubling of weapons load shortens mission radius by
150 miles (241 km) (see performance section). Alternative
mission configurations might also include eight 2000lb (905
kg) fuel tanks for increased ferry range or 8 JASSM next
generation cruise missiles specifically designed for the B-1’s
MPRL.
Weapons guidance is accomplished with the on board
INS/GPS system (all weapons), a AN/APG-77 radar system
(AIM-120 guidance) as well as an on-board second
generation tessa LANTIRN system (laser designated
weapons). More detailed information on weapons can be found in Foldout 2 of the Appendix.
Figure 12.7 - (8) 2000lb JDAM + MPRL
Figure 12.6 - LAU-142A Ejection Sequence
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