The HVX ("Hypersonic air Vehicle, Experimental") is a proposed, unmanned hypersonic-minded demonstrator aircraft intended for the British Royal Air Force (RAF) as a reusable Mach 5 performer for the purposes of air defense. Hypersonic flight occurs under altitudes of 300,000 feet while reaching speeds just over 3,800 miles-per-hour (around Mach 5) or greater. This gives the aircraft considerable survivability against intercepting missile threats and notably cuts down on flying-time-to-target by traversing the higher reaches of the atmosphere before coming back down to earth.
The concept aircraft was debuted at Farnborough 2022 and this presented form is a sleek offering with a blended wing-body design. Under the nose is seen a rectangular intake for the air-breathing portion of the propulsion scheme while an elegantly-shaped rudder is affixed to the rear of the airframe for the needed control. Beyond this, very few details can be noted about the overall design.
The propulsion scheme will be developed jointly by Reaction Engines and longtime engine-maker Rolls-Royce, mating the Reaction Engines advanced "precooler" system with a gas turbine supplied by Rolls-Royce. Once airborne with the aid of the turbine, a ramjet system will be activated to propel the aircraft to greater speeds towards the desired waypoint.
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July 2022 - The HVX design form was unveiled at Farnborough 2022.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.
HIGH-SPEED PERFORMANCE
Can accelerate to higher speeds than average aircraft of its time.
HIGH-ALTITUDE PERFORMANCE
Can reach and operate at higher altitudes than average aircraft of its time.
EXTENDED RANGE PERFORMANCE
Capability to travel considerable distances through onboard fuel stores.
SUPER PERFORMANCE
Design covers the three all-important performance categories of speed, altitude, and range.
MARITIME OPERATION
Ability to operate over ocean in addition to surviving the special rigors of the maritime environment.
RETRACTABLE UNDERCARRIAGE
Features retracting / retractable undercarriage to preserve aerodynamic efficiency.
UNMANNED OPERATION
Design features ability to fly sans pilot, actions controlled onboard through programming and / or ground-based operator.
AUTONOMOUS OPERATION
Design features autonomous flight operations made possible through onboard artificial intelligence or pre-programming.
CAMERA EQUIPMENT
Payload supports photographic equipment providing still and / or real-time image / video results.
Length
29.5 ft (9.00 m)
Width/Span
13.1 ft (4.00 m)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the HVX production variant)
monoplane / mid-mounted / swept-back
Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represent the most popular mainplane arrangement.
Mid-Mounted
Mainplanes are mounted along the midway point of the sides of the fuselage.
Swept-Back
The planform features wing sweep back along the leading edges of the mainplane, promoting higher operating speeds.
(Structural descriptors pertain to the HVX production variant)
Installed:
1 x Air-breathing turbine engine for take-off and 1 x Ramjet engine for sustained high-speed flight.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the HVX production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
Proposed with future weapons support. Assumed air-to-air missiles.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
HVX ("Hypersonic air Vehicle, Experimental") - Base Project Designation.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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United Kingdom (planned)
