ADAPTIVE AIRCRAFT
DARPA is researching a plane that can change its shape in-flight, Business Week reports.
Relying on adaptive materials that alter their form when exposed to heat or an electromagnetic charge, these planes would "morph -- or twist -- (their) wings into the most aerodynamic shape for take-off, cruising, or landing, just as a bird manipulates its wings to lift itself into flight and soar."
It's an old idea. "The Wright Brothers used a primitive version of 'wing warping' to steer their 1903 biplane after observing birds soaring above the North Carolina dunes," BW observes in a special report on military technology.
And it's one you won't see on the battlefield tomorrow. "Even the most advanced (adaptive materials) aren't yet as powerful as the human bicep."
© Copyright 2024 Military.com. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Military.com, please submit your request here.
