Forum: X-planes

Can anyone here explain to me why I can see straight to where the engine face would be on the stealthy X-32 and proposed F-32?

F-16.net Sponsor

In one of Bill Sweetman's book, all shots of the front were blackened at the intake for security reasons (which he pointed out). I can't seem to find any decent pictures of the actual intake online so I think it's safe to assume they were doing something.

Presumably they wouldn't give that info to the artist and remove it for museum duty, whatever it was.

I tried to get a better look at one of the photos using digital enhancement techniques (sharpen, contrast and brightness). Even with that, it's pretty hard to tell what's in there. However, I could see that something was in there blocking the engine face.

If I'm straying too far on the side of OPSEC, feel free to lock this, mods.

I think it's some kind of intake blocker system... I've read that the Super Hornet has them fitted as well. How it works is most certainly classified.

I wonder why Boeing took the radar-blocker route instead of the curved inlet duct route? Placing a physical object inside the inlet would probably cause much more drag than S-ducting would.

Elite 1K Joined: May 26, 2005 - 08:39 PM Posts: 1496

I'm guessing it's because they had to keep the engine so far forward in the aircraft, since they were using a direct gas lift system. There just wasn't enough room ahead of the engine face for duct shenanigans. Same reason the Harrier looks so... rotund.

Forum: X-planes

Hmmm, X-32 design and stealth...