Complementaru Flush Air Data System for Subsonic/Transonic Bomber Operations and Weapon Platforms

The DAF26BZ03-DV023 project seeks to develop and validate a modular, complementary Flush Air Data System (FADS) to augment existing pitot-static air data architectures on AFGSC platforms like bombers, weapon platforms, and UAS. The objective is to provide redundant, jam-resistant, and stealth-compatible air data sensing to enhance flight safety and mission resilience in contested environments. Current legacy pitot-static systems are single points of failure, increasing drag and radar cross-section, making them vulnerable to icing and damage. This effort aims to mature FADS technology from TRL 3-4 to TRL 6-7, integrating it into an Agile Pod or fuselage for non-intrusive flight validation. The system will ensure accurate air data measurement in dynamic flight conditions, including icing and electromagnetic interference. Phase II involves fabricating flight-ready sensor modules, ground testing, and in-flight testing on a B-52, aiming for performance parity or improvement over legacy systems. Phase III will transition the FADS to an operational, production-ready system for fleet integration across AFGSC and other Air Force platforms, with dual-use potential for commercial aerospace.