Fighter agility metrics, research and test

This paper presents the results of an analysis of proposed metrics to assess fighter aircraft agility. A novel framework for classifying these metrics is developed and applied. A set of transient metrics intended to quantify the axial and pitch agility of fighter aircraft is evaluated with a high fidelity, nonlinear generic simulation of the F-18 Hornet. Test techniques and data reduction methods are proposed, and sensitivities to pilot introduced errors during flight testing is investigated. Results indicate that the power onset and power loss parameters are promising candidates for quantifying axial agility, while maximum pitch-up and pitch-down rates are for quantifying pitch agility. agility metrics. Agility metrics are intended to quantify and influence the way fighters maneuver in conventional flight while engaged in air-to-air combat. This quantifying is ob- tained through comparative advantage studies of the transient capabilities of similar and dissimilar aircraft engaged in air- to-air combat. The work in this paper was obtained from the simulation of a single aircraft in order to illustrate metric behavior and evaluation techniques. The promise of lethal point-and-shoot weapons has also prompted interest in con- trolled flight at angles of attack well beyond that for maximum lift. Poststall maneuvering in the low-speed, high angle-of- attack portion of the flight envelope, popularly referred to as supermaneuverability2 is motivated by the same new weapons technology. While an agile airplane is also desirable in this flight regime, supermaneuverability is not addressed in this paper.