Thrust Vectoring: Explained & Applications

[EngTechno]

What is Thrust Vectoring and its applications? Does anyone who can explain it ?

 

[cronxeh]

Thrust vectoring is directing output stream using nozzles.

Applications? SU-37 has the best thrust vectoring example
http://altnet.ru/~military/avia/istrib/Su-37/Su-37(9).jpg

Those nozzles can move around and direct the exhaust and therefore make sharper and faster turns on an airplane

Another example of thrust vectoring is on F/A-22, and F/A 18 (I think)

 

[FredGarvin]

The buzz words used around thrust vectoring is "super maneuverability." The joint strike fighter also uses an extreme version of thrust vectoring (90°) to accomplish vertical takeoffs.

 

[physicsCU]

Thrust vectoring is directing output stream using nozzles.

Applications? SU-37 has the best thrust vectoring example
http://altnet.ru/~military/avia/istrib/Su-37/Su-37(9).jpg

Those nozzles can move around and direct the exhaust and therefore make sharper and faster turns on an airplane

Another example of thrust vectoring is on F/A-22, and F/A 18 (I think)

The F/A 18 doesn't have thrust vectoring. All the F-14/15/16/18 have nozzles that narrow as the throttle pushes to afterburner, but they don't vector.

Only the F-35 and the F/A-22 have thrust vectoring. And the SU-37, which is sweet with the vectoring. I saw a tape of it do a loop with thrust vectoring, the plane was actually moving backwards, exhaust first, at one point in the loop. It can also rotate about the axis that is parallel to the wings, perpendicular to the engines.

 

[cronxeh]

I stand corrected. However, NASA did modify it to make an experimental F-18 HARV
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/research/HARV/rd.html I'm not sure where I've seen the thrust vectoring F18 but this could be it..

 

[Nenad]

I keep forgeting how an after burner works. Does it just mix all of the inake air with the fuel mixture or what? I remeber hearing about it but I keep forgetting.

Regards,

Nenad

 

[FredGarvin]

They mix bypass air with additional fuel added downstream of the turbines.

 

[Nenad]

so the after burners do not increase the turbofan rpm, or the turbine rpm. It just combusts and uses the extra exhaust gas as a thrust force, kind of like on a rocket.
Is this correct?

Regards,

Nenad

 

[physicsCU]

I stand corrected. However, NASA did modify it to make an experimental F-18 HARV
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/research/HARV/rd.html I'm not sure where I've seen the thrust vectoring F18 but this could be it..

That looks like a test aircraft to test thrust vectoring. It seems like NASA does a lot of tests like that.

For sure not a production aircraft though.

Interesting article though.

 

[FredGarvin]

so the after burners do not increase the turbofan rpm, or the turbine rpm. It just combusts and uses the extra exhaust gas as a thrust force, kind of like on a rocket.
Is this correct?

That is correct. To be more precise it is like adding a ramjet to the back end of a turbofan.

 

[Nenad]

thanks fred. You've been really helpfull.

Regards,

Nenad

 

[dhanyaprakash]

info required in detail about thrust vectoring

HI! Iam a masters student in aeronautical engg. would anyone please send me some detailed information about thrust vectoring.
I need it for my seminar purpose
thnx

 

[physicsCU]

I think the F-35 only thrust vectors at like an 80 degree angle, not sure what it is, but it isn't 90. It is pretty cool though.

I would recommend google to find detailed info on thrust vectoring.

I have seen that SU-37 video as well. It does indeed rotate about the axis parallel to the wings, and flies backwards at one point. I think if you were going to dogfight it, you better ripple a missle off fast, cause you can't keep up with it. I hope the USA has an aircraft that can keep pace soon.

 

[Kenneth Mann]

What is Thrust Vectoring and its applications? Does anyone who can explain it ?

Suggest that you might want to look at launch vehicles and missiles. Most of these, not having wings or other airfoil surfaces, depend upon thrust vectoring. This can be done by either swing-ing the whole engine (many liquid-fueled types do it this way), by deflecting just the nozzle chamber (many solids) or by putting movable deflector baffles in the output flow stream.

KM

 

[pabloga]

hi all,
currently completing BSc Physics and have been reading the replies on thrust vectoring and have found plenty of info on google for my research project( particularly the X-31 and f-18 test A/C). My question is about the origins of thrust vectoring. did it come from some one looking at VSTOL (harrier) or from need to out maneuvering in a dog-fight?

 

[FredGarvin]

Here's a pretty good historical link:
http://www.harrier.org.uk/history/history_farley.htm

Also, an interesting tid bit I came across here:

Initial US involvement with the Harrier began in 1957 when Hawker’s revolutionary design was met with disinterest by the British government and a lack of government funding to proceed into development. By that time, the US had conducted extensive research on numerous competitive concepts for V/STOL flight, including aircraft-tilting (tail sitters), thrust-tilting (tilt rotors), thrust-deflection (deflected slipstream), and dual-propulsion (lift-cruise engines) concepts. The simplicity and elegance of the rotatable nozzle vectored-thrust concept of the P.1127 so impressed NASA Langley management and researchers that a formal agreement for cooperative testing was initiated with Hawker under the Mutual Weapons Development Program of NATO.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/av-8-history.htm