The Defense Innovation Unit, in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Air Force Special Operations Command and the Air Force Operational Energy Office, has awarded multiple contracts to prototype technologies that could reduce drag on legacy logistics aircraft.
Reducing drag is expected to decrease the amount of fuel consumed by these aircraft and, consequently, lower the cost of airborne logistics missions, the DIU said Thursday.
One of the awardees is Vortex Control Technologies, which was selected to develop several drag reduction solutions, including the installation of “finlets” – small fins that enhance the aerodynamics of an aircraft’s fuselage – onto C-130J and KC-135 aircraft.
Another awardee is Metro Aerospace, which has been tapped to develop its commercially-available Microvane for use on the USAF’s C-130s. These 3D-printed structures are placed on an aircraft’s fuselage to reduce drag by altering airflow in the tail section.
The third contract winner is Australian company MicroTau, whose riblet film is set to be tested on a AFSOC C-130J within fiscal year 2024. Riblets are microscopic structures that boost aircraft efficiency by lowering drag. These films can be installed on an aircraft using adhesives.
DIU estimates that these technologies could result in up to 10 percent in fuel consumption as well as extended operational capability for these aircraft.