Hypersonic fighter. Russian hypersonic aircraft. From the history of aviation

It ended a long time ago, the world has not become safer. The dangers of this century come not only from terrorist groups; relations between the world's leading powers also leave much to be desired. Russia blackmails the United States with “radioactive ash,” and the Americans surround Russia with a missile defense system, lay down new strategic submarines and test missile defense. Increasingly, high-ranking officials and multi-star generals from both countries are announcing the creation of new types of strategic weapons and the modernization of old ones. One of the directions of the new arms race is the development of hypersonic aircraft, which can be used as an effective means of delivering nuclear charges.

Recently, information appeared about tests in Russia of a new hypersonic unmanned aerial vehicle Yu-71 with unique characteristics. The news was noticed in the foreign press, it is extremely scarce, and we learned practically nothing about the promising complex. In Russian sources, the information is even more scanty and contradictory, and in order to general outline To understand what the new Yu-71 weapon could be, you need to remember why the military used hypersound in the first place.

History of hypersonic vehicles

Hypersound is far from a new direction in the development of offensive weapons. The creation of aircraft with speeds several times higher than the speed of sound (more than Mach 5) began in Nazi Germany, at the very beginning of the rocket era. These works received a powerful impetus after the beginning of the nuclear age and went in several directions.

Various countries have sought to create devices capable of developing hypersonic speeds; there have been attempts to create hypersonic cruise missiles, as well as suborbital aircraft. Most of these projects ended without results.

In the 60s of the last century, the United States began developing a project for the North American X-15 hypersonic aircraft, which could make suborbital flights. Thirteen of his flights were classified as suborbital, their altitude exceeding 80 kilometers.

In the Soviet Union there was a similar project called “Spiral”, which, however, was never brought to life. According to the plan of Soviet designers, the booster jet was supposed to reach hypersonic speed (6 M), and then a suborbital vehicle equipped with rocket engines would take off from its back. This device was planned to be used mainly for military purposes.

Work in this direction is also being carried out today by private companies that plan to use similar devices for suborbital tourism. However, these developments are already taking place at the current level of technology development and, most likely, will end successfully. Today to ensure high speed Such devices often use ramjet engines, which will make the use of such aircraft or drones relatively cheap.

The creation of cruise missiles with hypersonic speed is also moving in the same direction. In the United States, the government program Global Prompt Strike (quick or lightning-fast global strike) is being developed, which is aimed at gaining the ability to deliver a powerful non-nuclear strike on any point on the planet within one hour. As part of this program, new hypersonic vehicles, capable of both carrying a nuclear charge and doing without it. As part of the Global Prompt Strike, several projects of cruise missiles with hypersonic speed are being promoted, but the Americans cannot yet boast of serious achievements in this direction.

Similar projects are being developed in Russia. The fastest cruise missile to enter service is the Brahmos anti-ship missile, developed jointly with India.

If we talk about spacecraft that develop hypersonic speed, we should remember reusable spacecraft, which during descent develop a speed many times greater than the speed of sound. Such ships include the American shuttles and the Soviet Buran, but their time has most likely passed.

If we are talking about unmanned hypersonic aerial vehicles, then we should note hypersonic warheads, which are the warhead of ballistic missiles. missile systems. Essentially, these are warheads capable of maneuvering at hypersonic speeds. They are also often called gliders for their ability to plan. Today, three countries are known to be working on similar projects: Russia, the USA and China. It is believed that China is the leader in this direction.

The American hypersonic warhead AHW (Advanced Hypersonic Weapon) passed two tests: the first was successful (2011), and during the second the rocket exploded. According to some sources, the AHW glider can reach speeds of up to Mach 8. The development of this device is carried out within the framework of the Global Prompt Strike program.

In 2014, China conducted the first successful tests of the new hypersonic glider WU-14. There is evidence that this warhead can reach a speed of about Mach 10. It can be installed on Various types Chinese ballistic missiles; in addition, there is information that Beijing is actively working on creating its own hypersonic ramjet engine, which can be used to create vehicles launched from aircraft.

The Russian response to the developments of strategic competitors should be the Yu-71 (Project 4202), which was tested at the beginning of this year.

Yu-71: what is known today

In mid-2019, an article in the American publication The Washington Free Beacon caused a great stir. According to journalists, in February 2019, Russia tested a new hypersonic aircraft, the Yu-71, for military purposes. The material reported that the Russian device can reach speeds of up to 11 thousand km/h, and also maneuver along the descent trajectory. Such characteristics make it virtually invulnerable to any modern missile defense systems.

Yu-71 is also called a glider. It was launched in low-Earth orbit, and was delivered there by the SS-19 Stiletto intercontinental ballistic missile (UR-100 N). It launched from the area of ​​deployment of the Dombarovsky Strategic Missile Forces formation. According to the same publication, it is this military unit that will be armed with similar glider combat units until 2025.

Experts believe that Yu-71 is part of a top-secret Russian project 4202, associated with the development of new strategic weapons, which started in 2009. There is very little information about the new warhead (which is quite understandable), only the speed and ability to maneuver at the final stage of the trajectory are mentioned. However, even with such characteristics, the Yu-71 is no longer afraid of any missile defense systems of our day.

The Russian General Staff stated back in 2004 that it had been tested aircraft, capable of developing hypersonic speed while performing maneuvers both in altitude and heading. This coincides with the launch of the UR-100N UTTH ICBM from the Baikonur test site against a target at the Kura test site.

In 2011, information appeared about the test launch of a ballistic missile with special equipment capable of overcoming modern and promising missile defense systems. Probably, one of the promising Russian ballistic missiles, most often called new rocket"Sarmat" (ICBM RS-28).

The fact is that such warheads have a relatively large mass, so it is better to install them on powerful carriers capable of carrying several Yu-71s at once.

According to scant information from Russian sources, the development of Project 4202 is being carried out by NPO Mashinostroeniya in the town of Reutov near Moscow. In addition, the press reported on the technical re-equipment of the Strela Production Association (Orenburg), undertaken with the aim of participating in the 4202 project.

The warheads of modern ballistic missiles develop hypersonic speeds during their descent trajectory and are capable of performing quite complex maneuvers. Experts consider the main difference between the Yu-71 to be an even more difficult flight, comparable to the flight of an airplane.

In any case, the adoption of such units into service will significantly increase the effectiveness of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces.

There is information about the active development of hypersonic cruise missiles, which could become a new weapon for Russian combat aircraft, in particular the promising strategic bomber PACK YES. Such missiles represent a very difficult target for interceptor missiles of missile defense systems.

Such projects could render the missile defense system as a whole useless. The fact is that objects flying from high speed, it is extremely difficult to intercept. To do this, interceptor missiles must have high speed and the ability to maneuver with huge overloads, and such missiles do not yet exist. It is very difficult to calculate the trajectories of maneuvering warheads.

Video about the Yu-71 hypersonic glider

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Not a single hypersonic vehicle has been created

Creation and development of combat hypersonic aircraft is one of the most big secrets not only in Russia, but also in the USA, China and other countries of the world. Information about them belongs to the category “top secret” - top secret. In an exclusive interview with Izvestia, the legendary designer of rocket and space technology, Herbert Efremov, who devoted more than 30 years to the creation of hypersonic technology, explained what hypersonic vehicles are and what difficulties are encountered in their development.

- Herbert Aleksandrovich, there is a lot of talk now about the creation of hypersonic aircraft, but most of the information about them is closed to the general public...

Let's start with the fact that products that develop hypersonic speed created a long time ago. For example, these are ordinary heads of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Entering the Earth's atmosphere, they develop hypersonic speed. But they are uncontrollable and fly along a certain trajectory. And their interceptions by missile defense (BMD) systems have been demonstrated more than once.

As another example, I will give our strategic cruise missile "Meteorite", which once flew at a crazy speed of Mach 3 - about 1000 m/s. Literally on the verge of hypersound (hypersonic speeds start at Mach 4.5 - Izvestia). But the main task modern hypersonic aircraft (HZLA) are not just able to fly somewhere quickly, but also carry out a combat mission with high efficiency in conditions of strong counteraction enemy. For example, the Americans alone have 65 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers with anti-missile defenses at sea. There are also 22 Ticonderoga-class anti-missile cruisers, 11 aircraft carriers- each of which is based on up to hundreds of aircraft capable of creating an almost impenetrable system missile defense.

- Do you want to say that speed in itself does not solve anything?

Roughly speaking, hypersonic speed is 2 km/s. To cover 30 km, you need to fly for 15 seconds. At the final part of the trajectory, when the hypersonic aircraft approaches the target, the enemy’s anti-missile and air defense systems will definitely be deployed, which the GZV will detect. And for modern air defense and missile defense systems to be ready, if they are deployed in positions, it takes a matter of seconds. Therefore, for effective combat use GZLA Speed ​​alone won't do in no way if you have not ensured electronic stealth and invincibility for air defense/missile defense systems on the final leg of the flight. Both speed and the capabilities of radio engineering protection of the device with its own radio jamming stations will play a role here. Everything is in a complex.

- You say that there must be not only speed - the product must be controllable in order to achieve the goal. Tell us about the possibility of controlling a vehicle in a hypersonic flow.

All hypersonic vehicles fly in plasma. And nuclear combat heads fly in plasma, and everything that went beyond Mach 4, especially 6. An ionized cloud forms around, and not just a flow with vortices: the molecules are still broken into charged particles. Ionization affects communication and the passage of radio waves. It is necessary for the control and navigation systems of the GZV to penetrate this plasma at these flight speeds.

On the "Meteorite" we had to be sure to see the earth's surface with radar. Navigation was provided by comparison location pictures from on board a rocket with a video reference embedded in the system. It was impossible otherwise. “Caliber” and other cruise missiles can fly like this: I used a radio altimeter to reconnaissance the terrain - here is a hill, here is a river, here is a valley. But this is possible when you fly at an altitude of hundreds of meters. And when you rise to a height of 25 km, you cannot distinguish any hillocks with a radio altimeter. Therefore, we found certain areas on the ground, compared them with what was recorded in the video reference, and determined the displacement of the rocket to the left or right, forward, backward and by how much.

- In many textbooks for dummies, hypersonic flight in the atmosphere is compared to sliding on sandpaper due to very high resistance. How true is this statement?

A little inaccurate. At hypersound, all sorts of turbulent flows, vortices and shaking of the vehicle begin. Thermal intensity regimes change depending on whether the flow on the surface is laminar (smooth) or with disruptions. There are a lot of difficulties. For example, the heat load increases sharply. If you fly at a speed of Mach 3, the heating of the GZLA skin is about 150 degrees in the atmosphere, depending on the altitude. The higher the flight altitude, the less heating. But at the same time, if you fly at twice the speed, the heating will be much greater. Therefore, new materials need to be used.

- What can be given as an example of such materials?

Various carbon materials. Even fiberglass. With hypersound, the temperature is many thousands of degrees. A steel holds only 1200 degrees Celcius. These are crumbs.

Hypersonic temperatures carry away the so-called “sacrificial layer” (the coating layer that is consumed during the flight of the aircraft. - Izvestia). Therefore, the shell of nuclear warheads is designed so that most of it will be “eaten up” by hypersound, while the internal filling will be preserved. But GZLA there cannot be a “sacrificial layer”. If you fly on a controlled product, you must maintain an aerodynamic shape. You cannot “blunt” the product so that the toe and edges of the wings, etc., burn. By the way, this was done in American "Shuttles", and on our "Buran". There, graphite materials were used as thermal protection.

- Is it correct when they write in popular science literature that a hypersonic atmospheric vehicle should have a structure as a single monolithic solid body?

Not necessary. They can consist of compartments and different elements.

- So, a classic rocket structure is possible?

Certainly. Select materials, order new developments, if necessary, check, work on benches, in flight, correct if something goes wrong. You also need to be able to measure this with hundreds of telemetric sensors of incredible complexity.

- Which engine is better - solid fuel or liquid for a hypersonic vehicle?

Solid fuel is not suitable here at all, because it can accelerate, but it is impossible to fly for a long time with it. Ballistic missiles have such engines missiles such as "Bulava", "Topol". In the case of GZLA, this is unacceptable. On our Yakhont missile (an anti-ship cruise missile, part of the Bastion complex. - Izvestia), only the starting accelerator is solid fuel. Then it flies on a liquid ramjet engine.

There are attempts to make a ramjet engine with internal contents solid fuel, which is spread throughout the combustion chamber. But it is also not enough for long ranges.

For liquid fuel, you can make the tank smaller, of any shape. One of the "Meteorites" flew with tanks in the wings. It was tested because we had to achieve a range of 4-4.5 thousand km. And he flew on an air-breathing engine running on liquid fuel.

- What is the difference between an air-breathing engine and a liquid-propellant jet engine?

A liquid jet engine contains oxidizer and fuel in separate tanks, which are mixed in the combustion chamber. The air-jet engine is powered by one fuel: kerosene, decillin or bicilin. The oxidizing agent is incoming air oxygen. Bicilin (fuel produced from vacuum gas oil using hydrogenation processes - Izvestia) was precisely developed according to our order for Meteorit. This liquid fuel has very high density, allowing you to make a tank of smaller volume.

- There are known photographs of hypersonic aircraft with a jet engine. They all have an interesting shape: not streamlined, but rather angular and square. Why?

You are probably talking about the X-90, or, as it is called in the West, AS-X-21 Koala(the first Soviet experimental GZLA. - Izvestia). Well yes, it's a clumsy bear. In front are the so-called “boards” and “wedges” (structural elements with sharp corners and protrusions. - Izvestia). Everything is done to make the air flow entering the engine acceptable for combustion and normal combustion of the fuel. To do this, we create so-called shock waves (a sharp increase in pressure, density, temperature of the gas and a decrease in its speed when a supersonic flow meets any obstacle. - Izvestia). Jumps are formed precisely on “boards” and “wedges” - those structural elements that dampen air speed.

On the way to the engine there may be a second shock wave, or a third. The whole nuance is that air should not enter the combustion chamber at the same speed, from which the GZLA flies. It definitely needs to be reduced. And very much so. Preferably to subsonic values, for which everything has been worked out, checked and tested. But this is exactly the problem that the creators of GZLA are trying to solve and haven't decided in 65 years.

As soon as you jump beyond Mach 4.5, in such high-speed movement air particles quickly slip into the engines. And you must “bring together” the atomized fuel and the oxidizer - atmospheric oxygen. This interaction must be with high combustion efficiency. Interaction should not be disrupted by some kind of hesitation or extra breath inside. No one has yet figured out how to do this.

- Is it possible to create a GZLA for civilian needs, for transporting passengers and cargo?

Maybe. At one of the Paris air shows, an aircraft developed by the French together with the British was shown. A turbojet engine lifts it to altitude, and then the car accelerates to approximately Mach 2. The ramjet engines then open, propelling the aircraft to Mach 3.5 or Mach 4. And then he flies at an altitude of about 30 kilometers somewhere from New York to Japan. Before landing, the reverse mode is activated: the machine descends, switches to a turbojet engine, like a regular airplane, enters the atmosphere and lands. Hydrogen is considered as a fuel as the most high-calorie substance.

- Currently, Russia and the United States are most actively developing hypersonic aircraft. Can you evaluate the success of our opponents?

As for grades, I can say - let the guys work. For 65 years they haven’t really done anything. At speeds from Mach 4.5 to 6, there is not a single actually made GZLA.

The newest hypersonic aircraft Yu-71 (Yu-71)

Hypersonic weapons and hyperspeed: how physics is preventing the military from making the rocket of their dreams

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The Cold War, which took place between the USA and the USSR from 1946 to 1991, is long over. At least that's what many experts think. However, the arms race did not stop for a minute, and even today it is in the stage of active development. Despite the fact that today the main threats to the country are terrorist groups, relations between world powers are also tense. All this creates conditions for the development of military technologies, one of which is a hypersonic aircraft.

Necessity

Relations between the United States and Russia are greatly strained. And although at the official level the United States in Russia is called a partner country, many political and military experts argue that there is an unspoken war between the countries not only on the political front, but also on the military one in the form of an arms race. In addition, the United States is actively using NATO to encircle Russia with its missile defense systems.

This cannot but worry the leadership of Russia, which has long ago begun developing unmanned aerial vehicles that exceed hypersonic speed. These drones can be equipped with a nuclear warhead, and they can easily deliver a bomb to anywhere in the world, and quite quickly. A similar hypersonic aircraft has already been created - this is the Yu-71 airliner, which is currently being tested in strict secrecy.

Development of hypersonic weapons

For the first time, testing aircraft that could fly at the speed of sound began in the 50s of the 20th century. Then it was still associated with the so-called Cold War, when two developed powers (USSR and the USA) sought to overtake each other in the arms race. The first project was the Spiral system, which was a compact orbital aircraft. It was supposed to compete with and even surpass the US hypersonic aircraft X-20 Dyna Soar. Also, the Soviet aircraft had to be able to reach speeds of up to 7000 km/h and not fall apart in the atmosphere under overloads.

And although Soviet scientists and designers tried to bring such an idea to life, they failed to even come close to the cherished characteristics. The prototype did not even take off, but the USSR government breathed a sigh of relief when the American plane also failed during testing. The technologies of that time, including in the aviation industry, were infinitely far from the current ones, so the creation of an aircraft that could exceed the speed of sound several times was doomed to failure.

However, in 1991, a test was carried out of an aircraft that could reach speeds exceeding the speed of sound. It was a flying laboratory "Cold", created on the basis of the 5B28 rocket. The test was successful, and then the plane was able to reach a speed of 1900 km/h. Despite progress, development was stopped after 1998 due to the economic crisis.

Technologies of the 21st century

There is no accurate and official information about the development of hypersonic aircraft. However, if we collect materials from open sources, we can conclude that such developments were carried out in several directions at once:

1. Creation of warheads for intercontinental ballistic missiles. Their mass exceeded the mass of standard missiles, but due to the ability to maneuver in the atmosphere, it is impossible or, at least, extremely difficult to intercept them with missile defense systems.
2. The development of the Zircon complex is another direction in the development of technology, which is based on the use of the Yakhont supersonic missile defense system.
3. Creation of a complex whose rockets can exceed the speed of sound 13 times.

If all these projects are united in one holding company, then by joint efforts an air-, ground- or ship-based missile can be created. If the Prompt Global Strike project, created in the United States, is successful, then the Americans will have the opportunity to hit anywhere in the world within one hour. Russia will be able to defend itself only with technologies of its own development.

American and British experts have recorded tests of supersonic missiles that can reach speeds of up to 11,200 km/h. Given such a high speed, it is almost impossible to shoot them down (not a single missile defense system in the world is capable of this). Moreover, they are even extremely difficult to spy on. There is very little information about the project, which sometimes appears under the name "Yu-71".

What is known about the Russian hypersonic aircraft "Yu-71"?

Considering that the project is classified, there is very little information about it. It is known that this glider is part of a supersonic rocket program, and in theory it is capable of flying to New York in 40 minutes. Of course, this information has no official confirmation and exists at the level of guesswork and rumors. But given that Russian supersonic missiles can reach speeds of 11,200 km/h, such conclusions seem quite logical.

According to various sources, the hypersonic aircraft "Yu-71":

1. Has high maneuverability.
2. Can plan.
3. Capable of reaching speeds of over 11,000 km/h.
4. Can go into space during a flight.

Statements

At the moment, tests of the Russian hypersonic aircraft "Yu-71" have not yet been completed. However, some experts argue that by 2025 Russia may receive this supersonic glider, and it could be equipped with nuclear weapons. Such an aircraft will be put into service, and in theory it will be capable of delivering a targeted nuclear strike anywhere on the planet within just one hour.

Russia's representative to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, said the USSR's once most developed and advanced industry had fallen behind the arms race in recent decades. However, more recently the army has begun to revive. Outdated Soviet equipment is being replaced by new models Russian developments. In addition, fifth-generation weapons, stuck in the 90s in the form of projects on papers, are taking on visible shape. According to the politician, new models of Russian weapons may surprise the world with their unpredictability. It is likely that Rogozin is referring to the new hypersonic aircraft Yu-71, which can carry a nuclear warhead.

It is believed that the development of this aircraft began in 2010, but in the United States they learned about it only in 2015. If information about it technical characteristics is true, then the Pentagon will have to solve a difficult problem, since the missile defense systems used in Europe and on their territory will not be able to counter such an aircraft. In addition, the United States and many other countries will simply be defenseless against such weapons.

Other functions

In addition to the ability to launch nuclear strikes on the enemy, the glider, thanks to powerful modern electronic warfare equipment, will be able to conduct reconnaissance and also disable devices equipped with electronic equipment.

If you believe NATO reports, then from approximately 2020 to 2025, up to 24 such aircraft may appear in the Russian army, which will be able to cross the border unnoticed and destroy an entire city with just a few shots.

Development plans

Of course, there is no data regarding the adoption of the promising Yu-71 aircraft, but it is known that it has been in development since 2009. In this case, the device will be able not only to fly in a straight path, but also to maneuver.

It is maneuverability at hypersonic speeds that will become a feature of the aircraft. Doctor of Military Sciences Konstantin Sivkov argues that intercontinental missiles can reach supersonic speeds, but at the same time they act like conventional ballistic warheads. Consequently, their flight path is easily calculated, which makes it possible for the missile defense system to shoot them down. But controlled aircraft pose a serious threat to the enemy, since their trajectory is unpredictable. Consequently, it is impossible to determine at what point the bomb will be released, and since the release point cannot be determined, the trajectory of the warhead’s fall is not calculated.

In Tula on September 19, 2012, at a meeting of the military-industrial commission, Dmitry Rogozin said that a new holding should soon be created, the task of which would be to develop hypersonic technologies. The enterprises that will be part of the holding were immediately named:

1. "Tactical missile weapons."
2. "NPO Mashinostroyenia" At the moment, the company is developing supersonic technologies, but at the moment the company is part of the Roscosmos structure.
3. The next member of the holding should be the Almaz-Antey concern, which is currently developing technologies for the aerospace and missile defense industries.

Rogozin believes that such a merger is necessary, but legal aspects do not allow it to take place. It is also noted that the creation of a holding does not imply the absorption of one company by another. This is precisely the merger and collaboration all enterprises, which will accelerate the development of hypersonic technologies.

Chairman of the Council under the Russian Ministry of Defense Igor Korotchenko also supports the idea of ​​creating a holding company that would develop hypersonic technologies. According to him, the new holding is really necessary, because it will allow all efforts to be directed towards creating a promising type of weapon. Both companies have great potential, but individually they will not be able to achieve the results that are possible by combining their efforts. Together they can contribute to the development defense complex Russian Federation and create the fastest aircraft in the world, the speed of which will exceed expectations.

Weapons as a tool of political struggle

If by 2025 not only hypersonic missiles with nuclear warheads are in service, but also Yu-71 gliders, this will seriously strengthen Russia’s political position in negotiations with the United States. And this is completely logical, because all countries during negotiations act from a position of strength, dictating favorable conditions to the opposite side. Equal negotiations between the two countries are possible only if both sides have powerful weapons.

Vladimir Putin, during a speech at the Army 2015 conference, said that nuclear forces are receiving 40 new intercontinental missiles. These turned out to be hypersonic missiles, and they can currently overcome existing missile defense systems. Member expert council Military-Industrial Commission Viktor Murakhovsky confirms that ICBMs are being improved every year.

Russia is also testing and developing new cruise missiles that can fly at hypersonic speeds. They can approach targets at ultra-low altitudes, making them virtually invisible to radar. Moreover, modern missile defense systems in service with NATO cannot hit such missiles due to their low flight altitude. In addition, in theory, they are capable of intercepting targets moving at speeds of up to 800 meters per second, and the speed of the Yu-71 aircraft and cruise missiles is much higher. This makes NATO missile defense systems almost useless.

Projects from other countries

It is known that China and the United States are also developing an analogue of the Russian hypersonic aircraft. The characteristics of the enemy models are still unclear, but we can already assume that the Chinese development is capable of competing with the Russian aircraft.

Known as the Wu-14, the Chinese aircraft was tested in 2012, and even then it was able to reach speeds of over 11,000 km/h. However, there is no mention anywhere about the weapons that this device is capable of carrying.

As for the American Falcon HTV-2 drone, it was tested several years ago, but 10 minutes into the flight it crashed. However, before it, the X-43A hypersonic aircraft was tested, which was carried out by NASA engineers. During tests, it showed a fantastic speed of 11,200 km/h, which is 9.6 times the speed of sound. The prototype was tested in 2001, but then during the tests it was destroyed due to the fact that it got out of control. But in 2004 the device was successfully tested.

Similar tests by Russia, China and the United States cast doubt on the effectiveness modern systems PRO. The introduction of hypersonic technologies in the military-industrial sector is already producing a real revolution in the military world.

Conclusion

Of course, the military-technical development of Russia cannot but rejoice, and the presence of such an aircraft in service with the army is a big step in improving the country’s defense capability, but it is foolish to believe that other world powers are not making attempts to develop similar technologies.

Even today, with free access to information via the Internet, we know very little about promising developments of domestic weapons, and the description of the Yu-71 is known only by rumors. Consequently, we have no way of knowing what technologies are being developed right now in other countries, including China and the United States. The active development of technology in the 21st century makes it possible to quickly invent new types of fuel and apply previously unfamiliar technical and technological techniques, so the development of aircraft, including military ones, is proceeding very quickly.

It is worth noting that the development of technologies that make it possible to achieve aircraft speeds exceeding 10 times the speed of sound will be reflected not only in the military, but also in the civilian sphere. In particular, such well-known aircraft manufacturers as Airbus or Boeing have already announced the possibility of creating hypersonic aircraft to carry out passenger air transportation. Of course, such projects are still only in plans, but the likelihood of developing such aircraft today is quite high.

A hypersonic aircraft is one whose speed can greatly exceed the speed of sound (1224 km/h), that is, approximately five to six thousand km/h. Similar devices are produced today in several countries around the world. Russia also did not stand aside.

It must be said that the creation of various hypersonic aircraft in the world began in the second half of the last century. But today, of course, aircraft are becoming more and more advanced and have unprecedented advantages and capabilities.

Russia's Yu-71 hypersonic aircraft quickly moved from the development stage, which lasted for several years, to the testing stage last year. We tested a new aircraft near Orenburg. The plane will take about fifty minutes to cover the distance from the test sites to the US capital, and twenty minutes to London.

What can the Yu-71 do?

The Yu-71 was created to be used for military purposes. For example, a hypersonic aircraft will be able to deliver ammunition and other necessary equipment to as soon as possible and over long distances (nuclear warheads).

In addition, the Yu-71 is capable of conducting territory control and also being used as an attack aircraft. The Russian hypersonic aircraft is capable of flying at speeds of more than eleven thousand km/hour. All this is complemented by its extraordinary maneuverability, which even allows it to go into near space.

How and for what do they plan to use the Yu-71?

According to some experts, in the next decade it is planned to introduce about twenty aircraft into the Missile Forces strategic purpose. They will be placed near the Dombarovsky village (Orenburg region). It should be noted that the Yu-71 was developed in two modifications: ordinary and strategic.

There are many different opinions about the Yu-71. Some experts believe that this aircraft is a warhead that is initially attached to the missile and then separated (at the end of its flight). The meaning of this is the ability of a hypersonic aircraft to overcome air defense systems.

There is also evidence that the Yu-71 is nothing more than one of the parts of Project 4202, which is secret. Russia allegedly intends to launch a hypersonic project in order to put pressure on the United States. Negotiations on arms control in this case can go very well.

What will be the fate Russian plane Yu-71 - unknown. We can only wait and monitor developments.

A military secret. Tests of Yu-71, Syria. Reportage.

Hypersonic is an aircraft capable of flying at hypersonic speeds.

What is hypersonic speed

In aerodynamics, a quantity is often used that shows the ratio of the speed of a flow or body to the speed of sound. This ratio is called the Mach number, named after the Austrian scientist Ernst Mach, who laid the foundations for supersonic aerodynamics.

Where M – Mach number;

u – air flow or body speed,

c s – speed of sound propagation.

In the atmosphere under normal conditions, the speed of sound is approximately 331 m/s. The speed of a body at Mach 1 corresponds to the speed of sound. Supersonic speed is called in the range from 1 to 5 Mach. If it exceeds 5 Mach, then this is already the hypersonic range. This division is conditional, since there is no clear boundary between supersonic and hypersonic speeds. This is how they agreed to count in the 70s of the twentieth century.

From the history of aviation

"Silbertvogel"

They first tried to create a hypersonic aircraft during World War II in Nazi Germany. The author of this project, which was called “ Silbertvogel"(silver bird) was the Austrian scientist Eugen Senger. The plane had other names: “ America Bomber», « Orbital Bomber», « Antipodal-Bomber», « Atmosphere Skipper», « Ural-Bomber" It was a rocket-propelled bomber that could carry up to 30 tons of bombs. It was intended to bomb the United States and industrial areas of Russia. Fortunately, in those days it was impossible to build such an aircraft in practice, and it remained only in drawings.

North American X-15

In the 60s of the twentieth century, the first ever rocket plane, the X-15, was created in the United States, the main task of which was to study flight conditions at hypersonic speeds. This device was able to overcome a height of 80 km. The record was considered to be the flight of Joe Walker, performed in 1963, when an altitude of 107.96 km and a speed of 5.58 M were achieved.

The X-15 was suspended under the wing of the B-52 strategic bomber. At an altitude of 15 km, it separated from the carrier aircraft. At that moment, his own liquid-propellant rocket engine started up. It worked for 85 seconds and turned off. By this time, the plane's speed had reached 39 m/s. At the highest point of the trajectory (apogee), the device was already outside the atmosphere and was in weightlessness for almost 4 minutes. The pilot carried out the planned research, used gas rudders to direct the plane into the atmosphere and soon landed. The altitude record achieved by the X-15 lasted almost 40 years, until 2004.

X-20 Dyna Soar

From 1957 to 1963 By order of the US Air Force, Boeing developed the X-20 manned space interceptor-reconnaissance bomber. The program was called X-20 Dyna-Soar. The X-20 was to be launched into orbit at an altitude of 160 km by a launch vehicle. The plane's speed was planned to be slightly lower than the first cosmic speed, so that it would not become a satellite of the Earth. From a height, the plane had to “dive” into the atmosphere, descending to 60-70 km, and carry out either photography or bombing. Then he rose again, but to a height less than the original one, and again “dive” even lower. And so on until he landed at the airfield.

In practice, several X-20 models were made, and astronaut pilots were trained. But for a number of reasons the program was cancelled.

Project "Spiral"

In response to the program X-20 Dyna-Soar in the 1960s The Spiral project was launched in the USSR. It was fundamental new system. It was assumed that a powerful booster aircraft with air-breathing engines, weighing 52 tons and 28 m long, accelerates to a speed of 6 M. A manned orbital aircraft weighing 10 tons and 8 m long will launch from its “back” at an altitude of 28-30 km Both aircraft taking off from the airfield together could each individually carry out an independent landing. In addition, the booster aircraft with its hypersonic speed was also planned to be used as a passenger airliner.

Since new technologies were required to create such a hypersonic booster aircraft, the project provided for the possibility of using not a hypersonic, but a supersonic aircraft.

The entire system was developed in 1966 at the OKB-155 design bureau by A.I. Mikoyan. Two versions of the model underwent a full cycle of aerodynamic research at the Central Aerodynamic Institute named after. Professor N.E. Zhukovsky in 1965 – 1975 But it still didn’t work out to create the plane. And this program, like the American one, was curtailed.

Hypersonic aviation

By the beginning of the 70s. In the 20th century, flights at supersonic speeds became commonplace for military aircraft. Supersonic ones also appeared passenger aircraft. Aerospace aircraft could pass through dense layers of the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds.

In the USSR, work on a hypersonic aircraft began at the Tupolev Design Bureau in the mid-70s. Research and design was carried out on an aircraft capable of reaching speeds of up to 6 M (TU-260) with a flight range of up to 12,000 km, as well as a hypersonic intercontinental aircraft TU-360. Its flight range was supposed to reach 16,000 km. A project for a passenger hypersonic aircraft was even prepared, designed to fly at an altitude of 28-32 km at a speed of 4.5 - 5 Mach.

But in order for airplanes to fly at supersonic speeds, their engines must have features of both aviation and space technology. Existing air-breathing engines (WRDs) that used atmospheric air had temperature restrictions and could be used at airplanes whose speeds did not exceed 3 M.A rocket engines had to carry a large supply of fuel on board and were not suitable for long flights in the atmosphere.

It turned out that the most rational for a hypersonic aircraft is a ramjet engine (ramjet engine), which has no rotating parts, in combination with a turbojet engine (TRE) for acceleration. It was assumed that liquid hydrogen ramjet engines were most suitable for flights at hypersonic speeds. And the booster engine is a turbojet engine running on kerosene or liquid hydrogen.

For the first time, a ramjet engine was equipped unmanned vehicle X-43A, which, in turn, was installed on the Pegasus cruise launch vehicle.

On March 29, 2004, a B-52 bomber took off in California. When it reached an altitude of 12 km, the X-43A took off from it. At an altitude of 29 km, it separated from the launch vehicle. At this moment, his own ramjet launched. It worked for only 10 seconds, but was able to reach a hypersonic speed of 7 Mach.

At the moment, the X-43A is the fastest aircraft in the world. It is capable of reaching speeds of up to 11,230 km/h and can rise to a height of up to 50 km. But this is still an unmanned aerial vehicle. But the hour is not far off when hypersonic aircraft will appear, on which ordinary passengers will be able to fly.

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