With few new-start programs planned, Darpa’s fiscal 2017 budget request is focused on advancing several large demonstrations and transitioning technologies to their intended customers.
A new start for fiscal 2017 is the Advanced Full-Range Engine (AFRE) project to demonstrate the transition from turbojet to dual-mode ramjet for a turbine-base combined-cycle (TBCC) engine. Darpa is seeking $9 million to begin preliminary design.
TBCC propulsion is key to future hypersonic long-range strike, high-speed surveillance and reusable space-access vehicles, and AFRE will conduct a full-scale freejet ground demonstration of mode transition using an off-the-shelf turbine engine.
AFRE appears to pick up where Darpa’s Mode Transition (MoTr) project left off when it was stopped in fiscal 2011 before a turbojet/scramjet TBCC could be ground tested. MoTr was a follow-on to the Facet combined-cycle engine project, which tested a hydrocarbon-fueled Mach 3-6 ram/scramjet.
Under existing Darpa’s high-speed efforts, preliminary design reviews (PDR) for the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) project to develop an air-launched long-range strike missile were scheduled for first-quarter fiscal 2016, according to budget documents.
Darpa is seeking $49.5 million to complete the flight-demonstrator critical design review (CDR) in second quarter fiscal 2017 and begin full-scale freejet ground testing of a flight-like hydrocarbon scramjet engine.
With competitive PDRs scheduled for second quarter fiscal 2016, Darpa also is seeking $22.8 million in 2017 for the Tactical Boost Glide (TBG) project to flight test an air-launched, rocket-boosted hypersonic gliding weapon.
A CDR in the fourth quarter and start of assembly for the flight demonstrator is planned for fiscal 2017. TBG is intended for air launch from existing Air Force platforms, and compatibility with the Navy’s vertical launch system.
HAWC and TBG are joint Darpa/Air Force programs, follow-ons to the Air Force Research Laboratory-led Boeing X-51 WaveRider scramjet engine demonstrator. Boeing,Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are involved, although Darpa has never confined the competitors.
In other flight demonstrator efforts, the research agency is seeking $50.5 million in fiscal 2017 for the XS-1 experimental spaceplane project. The funding would complete the CDR and begin fabrication of a small reusable launch vehicle that can fly 10 times in 10 days.
Another $52 million is sought for the Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) X-Plane project to fly an aircraft capable of efficient hover and cruise, high speed and significant useful load. Source selection is scheduled this quarter, with the vehicle to be assembled by the end of fiscal 2017.
Another new start is the Counter Unmanned Air  Systems and Force Protection (CFP) project, for which $9 million is sought in fiscal 2017. CFP would examine detection, tracking and defeat capabilities to counter small UAS, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-tank munitions and other threats.
Under Darpa’s existing unmanned efforts, $12 million is sought in fiscal 2017 for the CDR and assembly of Northrop Grumman’s flying-wing VTOL UAS under the Tern program to demonstrate a Predator-class aircraft able to operate from the small flight decks of destroyers and other warships.
Another $36 million is sought for the Gremlins project to develop an airborne launch and recovery capability for reusable small UAVs that could be launched in volleys from transport aircraft. The 2017 funding would complete the PDR for a demonstration system.
Technologies slated for transition to customers include the Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trial Unmanned Vessel (Actuv), which is scheduled for unveiling in April, followed by sea trials and handover of the 132-ft.-long prototype to the Office of Naval Research at the end of 2017.
The Alias project to demonstrate rapid automation of selected aircrew functions across a range of in-service aircraft types is scheduled for flight testing beginning in fiscal 2016, with the transition of selected technologies to operation aircraft planned to begin late in 2017.