Page |1

Abstract 

Through this project, we intend to design and conceptualize a FIGHTER

AIRCRAFT that can cater to a wide range of needs. Fighter aircraft is a
term describing an aircraft, usually of smaller size, designed for military
purposes and combat. This new generation fighter aircraft requires
fantastic aerodynamics design, low wing loading (W/S), high thrust to
weight ratio (T/W) with super cruise ability. Conceptual design is the first
step to design an aircraft. In this paper conceptual design of an
Air Superiority Fighter Aircraft is proposed to carry 1 crew member
(pilot)that can fly at maximum Mach No of 2.3 covering a range of 1500
km with maximum ceiling of 61,000 ft. Payload capacity of this proposed
aircraft is 6000 lb. that covers two advanced missiles & one advanced gun.
The Air Superiority Fighter Aircraft was designed to undertake all the
following missions like: combat air petrol, air to air combat, maritime
attack, close air support, suppression, destruction of enemy air defence and
reconnaissance.
Air Superiority Fighters are designed with a view to entering and seizing
control of enemy airspace. Generally an air superiority fighter is blesses
with long range and beyond visual range (BVR). These dogfighters
generally require more time to make themselves prepared to go for
mission. These class of aircraft claims high maintenance cost. Being
expensive, the number of production of air superiority fighters is less.
 Page |2

LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

α -  Angle of attack
Β -  Climb angle
Ρ - Density factor
ϒ -  Dihedral angle
Ф -  Glide angle
Θ -  Turn angle
b  -  Wing span
c  -  Chord length
ĉ  -  Mean chord
CD   - Drag coefficient

CD0   -  Zero lift drag co-efficient

Cl  -  Rolling moment coefficient

Clf   -  Function of airfoil chord over which the flow in laminar

CLmax  -  Maximum Lift coefficient

CR   -  Root chord

CT  -  Tip chord

D  -  Drag force

d  -  Tire diameter

E  -  Endurance

E  -  Oswald efficiency factor

G  -  Acceleration due to gravity
 Page |3

L  -  Lift force

LE  -  Leading edge of wing

L f  - Length of fuselage
Q  -  Dynamic pressure
R  -  Turn radius
R/C  -  Rate of climb
R r  -  Rolling radius of tyre
t/c  -  Wing thickness ratio
T/W  -  Thrust loading
V  -  Velocity of air/aircraft
Vcruise  -  Velocity at cruise
Vf  -  Volume of fuel
Vstall  - Velocity at stall
W/S  -  Wing loading
W0  -  Gross weight of aircraft
W crew  -  Crew weight
W e  -  Empty weight of aircraft
W f  -  Weight of fuel
Wpayload -  Aircraft payload weight
λ  -  Taper ratio of wing
 Page |4

INTRODUCTION TO AIRCRAFT DESIGN

 
Modern aircraft are a complex combination of aerodynamic performance,
lightweight durable structures and advanced systems engineering. Air
passengers demand more comfort and more environmentally friendly
aircraft. Hence many technical challenges need to be balanced for an
aircraft to economically achieve its design specification. Aircraft design is
a complex and laborious undertaking with a number of factors and details
that are required to be checked to obtain optimum the final envisioned
product. The design process begins from scratch and involves a number of
calculations, logistic planning, design and real world considerations, and a
level head to meet any hurdle head on. Every airplane goes through many
changes in design before it is finally built in a factory. These steps between
the first ideas for an airplane and the time when it is actually flown make
up the design process. Along the way, engineers think about four main
areas of aeronautics: Aerodynamics, Propulsion, Structures and Materials,
and Stability and Control.

 Aerodynamics is the study of how air flows around an airplane. In order

for an airplane to fly at all, air must flow over and under its wings. The
more aerodynamic, or streamlined the airplane is, the less resistance it has
against the air. If air can move around the airplane easier, the airplane's
engines have less 2work to do. This means the engines do not have to be as
big or eat up as much fuel which makes the airplane more lightweight and
easier to fly. Engineers have to think about what type of airplane they are
designing because certain airplanes need to be aerodynamic in certain
ways. For example, fighter jets maneuver and turn quickly and fly faster
than sound (supersonic flight) over short distances. Most passenger
airplanes, on the other hand, fly below the speed of sound (subsonic flight)
for long periods of time fly below the speed of sound (subsonic
flight) for long periods of time.
 Page |5

 Propulsion is the study of what kind of engine and power an airplane

needs. An airplane needs to have the right kind of engine for the kind of
job that it has. A passenger jet carries many passengers and a lot of heavy
cargo over long distances so its engines need to use fuel very efficiently.
Engineers are also trying to make airplane engines quieter so they do not
bother the passengers onboard or the neighborhoods they are flying over.
Another important concern is making the exhaust cleaner and more
environmentally friendly. Just like automobiles, airplane exhaust contains
chemicals that can damage the earth's environment.

Structures and Materials is the study of how strong the airplane is and
what materials will beused to build it. It is really important for an airplane
to be as lightweight as possible. The less weight an airplane has, the less
work the engines have to do and the farther it can fly. It is tough designing
an airplane that is lightweight and strong at the same time. In the past,
airplanes were 3usually made out of lightweight metals like aluminum, but
today a lot of engineers are thinking about using composites in their
designs. Composites look and feel like plastic, butare stronger than most
metals. Engineers also need to make sure that airplanes not only flywell,
but are also easy to build and maintain.

Stability and Control is the study of how an airplane handles and

interacts to pilot input and feed. Pilots in the cockpit have a lot of data to
read from the airplane's computers or displays. Some of this information
could include the airplane's speed, altitude, direction, and fuel levels as
well as upcoming weather conditions and other instructions from ground
control. The pilot needs to be able to process the correct data quickly, to
think about what kind of action needs to be taken, and to react in an
appropriate way. Meanwhile, the airplane should display information to
the pilot in an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand way. The controls in
the cockpit should be within easy reach and just where the pilot expects
them to be. It is also important that the airplane responds quickly and
accurately to the pilot's instructions and maneuvers.

BASIC DESIGN PROCESS

 Page |6

An airplane design is both an art and a science. Airplane design is an

intellectual engineering process of creating on paper a flying machine to
 Meet specifications established by users
 Pioneer innovative, new ideas and technology.

The design process is an intellectual activity developed via experience, by

attention paid to successful airplane designs that have been used in the past
and by design procedures and databases that are a part of every airplane
manufacturer.

PHASES OF AIRPLANE DESIGN:-

From the time when an airplane materializes as a new thought to the time
the finished product is ready, the complete design undergoes three distinct
phases in perfect sequences which are
 Conceptual design
 Preliminary design
 Detail design

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

The design process starts with a set of specifications or much less

frequently to desire to implement pioneering. There is a concrete goal
where we designers are aiming at. The first step towards it is conceptual
design. Within a fuzzy latitude, overall shape, size, weight are determined
for the potential user.
The product of the conceptual design phase is layout of airplane
configuration on paper. This drawing has flexible lines, which can be
slightly changed. However we get a detailed account of the layout
configuration at the end of this phase. The major drivers during the
conceptual design process are aerodynamics, propulsion and flight
performance.
Structural and control system considerations are not dealt in detail but
however they are not dealt in detail but however they are not totally
 Page |7

absent. The designer is influenced by qualitative aspects. No part of the

design process is carried out in total vacuum unrelated to other parts.

PRELIMINARY DESIGN

This phase includes only minor changes to be made in the configuration

layout. There is serious control and structural system analysis and design
takes place. During this phase substantial wind tunnel testing will be
carried out and major computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations.
At the end of the phase, the airplane configuration is frozen and defined.
The drawing process is called lofting. This process makes precise shape of
outside skin of airplane making certain all sections fit together.
The end of the phase is the decision if the airplane is to be manufactured or
not. It is no longer a critical condition where “you – bet your company” on
full scale development of a new airplane.

DETAIL DESIGN

This phase is literally the ‘nuts and bolts’ phase of airplane design. The
aerodynamic, propulsion, structures, performance, flight control analysis
are over in the preliminary phase. The airplane is to be fabricated and
machined. The size, number and location of rivets, fasteners are
determined now. Flight simulators are developed. At the end of this phase,
the aircraft is ready to be fabricated.

THE SEVEN INTELLECTUAL PIVOT POINTS FOR

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
 Page |8

The overall conceptual design is anchored by seven intellectual “pivot

points” – seven factors that anchor the conceptual design thought process.
They allow different, detailed thinking to reach out in all directions from
each point.

REQUIREMENTS:-

The requirements are given by the people who are going to buy – the
customers. For other aircrafts, these requirements are usually set by the
manufacturer in full appreciation of needs of owner. Requirements of one
airplane are different from the other. There can be no stipulated specific
standard. There must be established requirements that serve as impinge off
point for design process. The requirements that are frequently stipulated
are:
 Range
 Takeoff distance
 Stalling velocity
 Endurance
 Maximum velocity
 Rate of climb

For dog fighting combat, maximum turn rate and minimum turn radius
 Maximum load factor
 Service ceiling
 Cost
 Reliability and maintainability
 Maximum size.

AIRCRAFT CONCEPTUAL DESIGN PROCESS

 Page |9

BETTER NEWCONCEPT
REQUIREMENTS IDEAS

REVISED LAYOUT

TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE
AERO

WEIGHT
INITIAL LAYOUT
CONCEPT SKETCH
PROPULSION

AERO COST

STRUCTURE
WEIGHTS

FIRST GUESS SIZING LANDING GEAR

PROPULSION

ETC

SIZING AND
REFORMED SIZE PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCES OPTIMIZATION
OPTIMIZATION

PRELIMNARY DESIGN
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CRITICAL PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS:-

Requirements stipulate the performance of the new aircraft. The critical

parameters are:
Maximum lift coefficient
Lift to drag ratio (L/D)
Thrust to weight ratio (T/W)
Therefore the next step is to make first estimates of W/S and T/W to
achieve the performance as stipulated by requirements.
 P a g e | 11

CONFIGURATION LAYOUT:-

The configuration layout is a drawing of the shape and size of the airplane
as evolved till stage. The critical performance parameters along with first
weight estimate helps to draw the configuration and approximate the size
of the aircraft.

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS:-

This is the point where the configuration is judged if it can meet all
original specifications. An interactive process is initiated where the
configuration is modified. The critical performance parameters are
adjusted for improving performance. In this stage, some mature decisions
should be made as the specifications or cost or unavailable technology.
Hence some specifications might be relaxed so that others might get higher
priority.

OPTIMIZATION:-

When iterative process is over, it has produced a viable airplane. This

leads to optimization. The optimization analysis is carried out may be
carried out by a systematic variation of different parameters T/W, W/S and
plotting the performance of graphs which can be found using a sizing
matrix or a carpet plot from which optimum design can be found.

WEIGHT OF AIRPLANCE – FIRST ESTIMATE:-

No airplane can take off the ground unless it produces a lift greater than its
weight. There should be a first estimate of gross takeoff weight. The
weight estimate is the next pivot point after the requirements. Lilienthal,
Langley and Wright brothers knew more weight means more drag. This
needed an engine with greater power and hence more weight
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CONSTRAINT DIAGRAM:-

A constraint diagram is constructed which identifies allowable solution

space for airplane design. A constraint diagram consists of plots of the sea
– level thrust to take off weight ratio versus wing loading at takeoff weight
ratio TO/WO versus wing loading at takeoff WO /S determined by
intellectual pivot point.

THE DESIGN WHEEL

SIZING AND TRADE

STUDIES

DESIGN
ANALYSIS
REQUIREMENT

DESIGN
CONCEPT
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CLASSIFICATION OF AIRPLANES

1. FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS

a. Civil Airplanes
b. Military Airplanes

Civil Airplanes Military Airplanes

Cargo transport Strategic fighters

Passenger travel Interceptors

Mail distribution Escort fighters

Agricultural Tactical bombers

Ambulance Strategic bombers

Executive transport Ground attack airplanes

Training Photo-reconnaissance airplanes

Sports Multipurpose airplanes

Air taxi & charter FIFTH Generation Fighter

Aircraft
Forestry

Fish and wildlife sanctuary

Construction

Aerial photography

Off-shore drilling
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2. CLASSIFICATION BY POWER PLANT

a. Types of engine
i. Piston Engines
ii. Turboprop Engines
iii. Turbojet Engines
iv. Ramjet Engines
v. Rockets

b. Number of engines
i. Single Engine
ii. Twin Engine
iii. Multi-Engine
c. Location of power plant
i. Engine (with propeller) located in fuselage nose
ii. Pusher Engine located in the rear fuselage
iii. Engines (jet) submerged in the wing
1. At the root
2. Along the span
iv. Engines (jet) in nacelles suspended under the wing
(pod mountings)
v. Engines (jet) located on the rear fuselage
vi. Engines (jet) located within the rear fuselage

3. CLASSIFICATION BY CONFIGURATION

a. Shape and position of wing

b. Type of fuselage
c. Location of horizontal tail surfaces
d. Types of Landing gear
 P a g e | 15

New design

The following are some basic areas where we should concentrate to

design a new aircraft
 Aerodynamics
 Propulsion
 Light weight structures
 Controls
The above areas involve some parameters like
 Size
 Shape
 Weight
 Performance
Of these parameters, we should use the optimized value for our new
design, and it should be selected on the basis that it would not affect the
other parameters.

Design aspects
For passenger aircraft
 High AR wings
 High wing loading, in order to minimize lift and induced drag for
efficient cruise.

For fighter aircraft

 Low AR wings
 Low wing loading

Structure factor
It is defined as the ratio between empty weight to the total take-off
weight.

Performance aspects
 Aircraft purpose
 Type of payload
 Cruise and maximum speeds
 Maximum cruise altitude
 Endurance
 Range
 Take off distance at maximum weight
 P a g e | 16

 Landing distance with 50% of maximum fuel weight

 Purchase cost
 Other requirements

Aircraft purpose

Our design of aircraft starts with deciding the purpose of the aircraft. There
are three
major purposes for use of aircrafts
 Military aircrafts [fighter & bomber]
 Passenger aircrafts
 Cargo aircrafts

Payload

The material, which is carried onboard and delivered as a part of the

mission, is called the payload.

There are two types of payloads

Non-Expendable payloads
Expendable payloads

Non-Expendable payloads are Expected to be transported during the

complete duration of flight plan. E.g. Passengers and cargo.

At some point in the flight plan, it permanently leaves the aircraft. E.g.
bombs, rockets, missiles.

For business jet aircrafts the payload includes the passengers, passenger
baggage and crew members.
 P a g e | 17

Cruise and maximum speeds

The mission of the aircraft is usually determined through the range of

speed of the aircraft.

The propeller driven aircrafts are usually designed to cruise at speeds of

150-300 knots.

The jet-powered aircraft has higher cruise speeds than that of propeller
driven aircrafts.

The speed of jet propelled aircraft is given in terms of mach no. for
business and commercial jet aircrafts 0.8<M<0.85

Take off distance

The total take off distance consists of length of the runway required to
accelerate the lift and climb to prescribed height. The obstacle height is 50
ft for military aircrafts and 35 ft for commercial aircrafts. The take off
distance depends upon various design parameters
such as
 Thrust to weight ratio
 Maximum lift to weight ratio
 Rolling friction of landing gear wheels
There are three types in take off, they are
CTOL- Commercial Take Off and Landing
STOL- Short Take Off and Landing
VTOL- Vertical Take Off and Landing
A CTOL aircraft has distances that are greater than 1000 ft.
For STOL aircraft the distance will be less than 100 ft.
Both CTOL and STOL aircrafts need a ground roll but a V TOL aircraft does
not need a ground roll.
 P a g e | 18

Fifth Generation Aircraft

We must define what a ‘fifth generation’ aircraft means in the context of

modern military operations. A fifth generation aircraft is capable of
operating effectively in highly contested combat environments, defined by
the presence of the most capable current air and ground threats, and those
reasonably expected to be operational in the foreseeable future. Currently
fielded fifth generation aircraft include Sukhoi Su-57, Lockheed Martin
F-22A Raptor, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and Chengdu J-20,
targeted to achieve initial operational capability later this year.

There are many characteristics of fifth generation aircraft that separate

them from older aircraft. These include, primarily, multi-spectral low
observable (LO) design features (such as radar, infrared sensors, and visual
situational awareness tools), along with self-protection and radar jamming
capabilities that delay or deny enemy systems the ability to detect, track,
and engage the aircraft. These aircraft also feature integrated avionics,
which autonomously fuse and prioritize the aircraft’s multi-spectral
sensors and off board data, providing an accurate real-time operations
picture for the pilot, and the ability to download data for post-mission
analysis. This is a present-day example of ‘man-machine teaming’.
Advanced on-board diagnostics help vital monitoring of the aircraft’s
health, accurately reporting faults as they occur, increasing overall system
performance and reliability.

An effective capability, such as fifth generation aircraft, is only a tool and

must be properly utilized with effective preparation to perform at its best
and empower joint operations fully. To achieve success with any fifth
generation aircraft requires all personnel associated with the generation
and employment of these capabilities, to include aircrew, maintenance, and
support personnel, to optimize their roles in ensuring effective combat
operations.
 P a g e | 19

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-

engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United
States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical
Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed as an air superiority
fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals
intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built
most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final
assembly,while provided the wing, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and
training systems.

The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally

entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite its protracted
development and operational difficulties, USAF considers the F-22 a
critical component of its tactical airpower. The fighter's combination of
stealth, aerodynamic performance, and mission systems enable
unprecedented air combat capabilities.

The USAF had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs. In 2009, the
program was cut to 187 operational aircraft due to high costs, a lack of real
air-to-air missions during the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan at the
time, a ban on exports, and development of the more versatile F-35, with
the last F-22 delivered in 2012.
In 1981, the U.S. Air Force identified a requirement for an Advanced
Tactical Fighter (ATF) to replace the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting
Falcon. Code-named "Senior Sky", this air-superiority fighter program was
influenced by emerging worldwide threats, including new developments in
Soviet air defense systems and the proliferation of the Sukhoi Su-
27 "Flanker"- and Mikoyan MiG-29 "Fulcrum"-class of fighter aircraft.
[5] It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on
the horizon, including composite materials, lightweight alloys, advanced
flight control systems, more powerful propulsion systems, and most
importantly, stealth technology. In 1983, the ATF concept development
team became the System Program Office (SPO) and managed the program
at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
 P a g e | 20

Sukhoi Su-57

The Sukhoi Su-57 is a single-seat, twin-engine stealth multirole

fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi. The aircraft is the product of
the PAK FA (Russian: ''prospective aeronautical complex of front-line air
forces'') fighter programme, which is intended to be the basis for a family
of stealth combat aircraft. Sukhoi's internal designation for the aircraft
is T-50. The Su-57 is the first aircraft in Russian military service designed
with stealth technology.
A multirole fighter capable of aerial combat as well as ground and
maritime strike, the Su-57 incorporates stealth, super
maneuverability, super cruise, integrated avionics, and substantial internal
payload capacity. The aircraft is expected to succeed the MiG-29 and Su-
27 in the Russian military aviation arms. In addition to serving the Russian
armed forces, the aircraft has also been marketed for export. After a
protracted development due to various issues that emerged during trials,
including the destruction of the first production aircraft in a crash before
its delivery, the first aircraft entered service with the Russian Aerospace
Forces (VKS) in December 2020. The fighter is expected to have a service
life of up to 35 years.
Sukhoi's approach to the PAK FA competition differed fundamentally
from Mikoyan's; whereas Mikoyan proposed for the three design bureaus
to cooperate as a consortium with the winning team leading the design
effort, Sukhoi's proposal had itself as the lead designer from the beginning
and included a joint work agreement that covered the entire development
and production cycle, from propulsion and avionics suppliers to research
facilities. Mikoyan's E-721 was smaller and more affordable, with normal
takeoff weight of 16–17 tonnes (35,000–37,000 lb) and powered by a pair
of Klimov VK-10M engines with 10–11 tonnes (98.1–108 kN)
 P a g e | 21

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II 

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of
single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that
is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions.  It is also
able to provide electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance capabilities. Lockheed Martin is the prime F-35 contractor,
with principal partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. The aircraft
has three main variants: the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL)
F-35A, the short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35B, and
the carrier-based (CV/CATOBAR) F-35C.
The aircraft descends from the Lockheed Martin X-35, which in 2001 beat
the Boeing X-32 to win the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Its
development is principally funded by the United States, with additional
funding from program partner countries from NATO and close U.S. allies,
including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Italy, Norway,
Denmark, the Netherlands, and formerly Turkey. Several other countries
have ordered, or are considering ordering, the aircraft. The program has
drawn much scrutiny and criticism for its unprecedented size, complexity,
ballooning costs, and much-delayed deliveries, with numerous technical
flaws still being corrected. The acquisition strategy of concurrent
production of the aircraft while it was still in development and testing led
to expensive design changes and retrofits. The F-35B entered service with
the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2015, followed by the U.S. Air Force F-35A
in August 2016 and the U.S. Navy F-35C in February 2019. The F-35 was
first used in combat in 2018 by the Israeli Air Force, which also shot down
the first enemy aircraft in combat, in 2021. The U.S. plans to buy 2,456 F-
35s through 2044, which will represent the bulk of the crewed tactical
airpower of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps for several
decades. The aircraft is projected to operate until 2070.
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Chengdu J-20

The Chengdu J-20 also known as  Mighty Dragon  is a  twinjet

allweather stealth fighter aircraft developed by China's Chengdu
Aerospace Corporation for the People's Liberation Army Air
Force (PLAAF). The J-20 is designed as an air superiority fighter with
precision strike capability; it descends from the J-XX program of the
1990s.
The aircraft made its maiden flight on 11 January 2011, and was officially
revealed at the 2016 China International Aviation & Aerospace
Exhibition. The aircraft entered service in March 2017, and began its
combat training phase in September 2017. The first J-20 combat unit was
formed in February 2018. The J-20 is the world's third operational fifth-
generation stealth fighter aircraft after the F-22 and F-35.
The J-20 emerged from the late-1990s J-XX program. In 2008, the PLAAF
endorsed Chengdu Aerospace Corporation's proposal, Project 718;
Shenyang's proposed aircraft was larger than the J-20. Chengdu had
previously used the double-canard configuration in the J-9, its first design
and cancelled in the 1970s, and the J-10.

In 2009, a senior PLAAF official revealed that the first flight was expected
in 2010–11, with a service entry date by 2019. On 22 December 2010, the
first J-20 prototype underwent high speed taxiing tests outside
the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute. Three months later, the first J-20
prototype made its maiden flight in Chengdu.

Several changes were made to J-20 prototypes, including new low-

observable intake and stealth coating, as well as redesigned vertical
stabilizers in 2014. Analysts noted new equipment and devices for multi-
role operations such as integrated targeting pods for precision-guided
munition, and six additional passive infrared sensors can also be spotted
around the aircraft.
 P a g e | 23

GENERAL INFORMATION

Type Chengdu Sukhoi Lockheed Lockheed Lockheed Lockheed

J-20 Su-57 Martin Martin Martin Martin
F-22 F-35A F-35B F-35C
Raptor
Country China Russia United United United United
of Origin states states of states of states of
of America America America
Americ
a
Year of 2011 2010 1997 2006 2008 2010
Origin

Number 150 10 195 354 108 38

of
Aircraft
built
Origin 2017 2020 2005 2016 2015 2019
year
Of
Service
Current In In In In In In
Status service service service service service service
Cost 110 34 150 77.9 101.3 94.4
(USD)
(in
Millions)
 P a g e | 24

COMPARATIVE STUDY

Physical Measurements
Type Chengdu Sukhoi Lockheed Lockheed Lockheed Lockheed My
J-20 Su-57 Martin Martin Martin Martin Aircraft
F-22 F-35A F-35B F-35C
Raptor
Length 21.2 22 18.92 15.67 15.61 20.10 21.5
(meter)
Height 4.45 6 5.08 4.4 4.36 4.48 5.2
(meter)
Wing span 13.01 14.10 13.56 10.70 10.70 13.10 13.5
(meter)
Wing area 73.00 78.80 78.04 42.70 42.70 62.10 78.35
(m²)
Empty 17,000 18,500 19,700 13,300 14,700 15,800 16500
Weight
(kilogram)
Loaded 25,000 29,270 29,410 22,470 21,770 25,000 28000
Weight
(kilogram)

Maximum 37,000 31,800 38,000 27,300 31,800 35,000 35800

Take-off
weight
(kilogram)
Seating 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
Capacity

Type of CTOL CTOL CTOL CTOL STOVL CATOB CTOL

take-off and AR
Landing
 P a g e | 25

Performance

Type Chengdu Sukhoi Lockheed Lockheed Lockheed Lockheed My

J-20 Su-57 Martin Martin Martin Martin Aircraft
F-22 F-35A F-35B F-35C
Raptor
Maximum 2.0 2.0 2.25 1.6 1.6 1.6 2.0
Speed
Mach
Range
(km) 5,500 3,500 3,220 2,220 1,670 2,520 34000
Ceiling 20,000 20,000 20,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 20000
(m)
Number of 2 2 2 1 1 1 2
Engine
Total dry 172 176.6 232 125 125 125 226
Thrust
(kN)
Total 294 294.2 312 191 191 191 314
Thrust
With
After
Burner
Ratio of 1.00 1.02 1.08 0.87 0.90 0.75 1.03
Thrust and
Weight
Landing 200 300 200 183 270 200 200
Distance
(m)
 P a g e | 26

Armament and avionics

Type Chengdu Sukhoi Lockheed Lockheed Lockheed Lockheed My

J-20 Su-57 Martin Martin Martin Martin Aircraft
F-22 F-35A F-35B F-35C
Raptor
Internal - 30mm 25mmM61 25mmM61 25mmM6 25mmM6 30mm
Guns GSh A2 A2 1A2 1A2 GSh
30-1 Vulcan Vulcan Vulcan Vulcan 30-1
In Internal 8 6 8 6 4 6 8
Hard points
External 4 6 4 6 6 6 4
Hard points
Front X-band Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Radar
RearX-band Unknown Yes - - - - Yes
Radar
L-band Radar UnknownYes - - - - -
Radar >240 Unknow 240 150 150 150 >300
Detection n
range1m2
target(km)
Infrared Full Forward Missile Full(DAS) Full(DAS)Full(DAS)Full
search and (DAS) arc Warning (DAS)
Track
 P a g e | 27

SIZING OF AIRCRAFT

The purpose of the part 1 is to present a rapid method for the preliminary
sizing of an airplane to a given mission specification. It is defined as the
process which will be resulted I n the numerical definition of the following
airplane design parameters

 Gross takeoff weight, WTO

 Empty weight, WE
 Mission fuel weight, WFE
 Take off power, PTO
 lift coefficient (clean), CL MAX
 Maximum required lift coefficient for takeoff, CL MAX TO
 Maximum required lift coefficient for landing, CL MAX L/G
 Wing area, S
 Wing aspect ratio, A

WEIGHT ESTIMATION
Following are the weight which constitute to total weight of an aircraft.
 Gross takeoff weight, WTO
 Empty weight, WE
 Mission fuel weight, WFE
 P a g e | 28

The following are the step involve in estimating the value of WTO, WE and
WF:
Payload

Guess takeoff weight

Mission fuel weight

Calculate WOEtent value then WEtent then WE

Follow the above step till WE tent and WE become same

The major factor that determines the whole design of aircraft especially the
selection of overall weight, airfoil and power plant of the aircraft.
Total weight of an airplane is given by,

WTO =WC+WPL+WF+WE

Where,
WTO = Design takeoff weight of the aircraft
WC = crew weight
WPL = weight of the payload
WF = weight of the fuel
WE = empty weight

To simplify the calculation, both fuel and empty weights can be expressed
as fractions of the total takeoff weight, i.e., WF /WO.

Equation

WO = WC+WPL+ ( ) WTO+ ( ) WTO

 P a g e | 29

This can be solved for WTO as follows:

WTO ─ ( ) WTO ─ ( ) WTO = WC+WPL

WTO =

Now WTO can be determined if (WF/WTO) and (WE/WTO) can be estimated.

These are described below.

WPL=WPASSENGERS+WBAGGAGE
Assuming that each passenger with baggage weight is 90kg then the
payload weight is,
W Pay Load = 3000 kg
Assuming that each crew with baggage weight is 90kg then,
W Crew =(1*90 ) = 90kg

So,
Wpl+Wc
WTO = ---------------------------------
1-(W f/WTO) – (WE / WTO )

(90+3000)
= --------------------------------
1-(0.287)-(0.6)

= 27988.98 kg
 P a g e | 30

MISSION PROFILE:-

From the figure the various stages of aircraft during mission is as follows,

1. Start &warm up
2. Taxiing in the runway
3. Takeoff
4. Climb
5. Cruising
6. Loiter
7. Descent
8. Dush out
9. Drop bombs
10. Strafe
11. Dash in
12. Climb
13. Crusing
14. Decent
15. Landing.

For subsonic jet transport aircraft weight fuel fraction is,

(W15/W0)= (W1/W0) * (W2/W1) * (W3/W2) * (W4/W3) * (W5/W4) * (W6/W5)

* ( W7/W6) * (W8/W7) * (W9/W8) * (W10/W9) * (W11/W10) *
(W12/W11) * (W13/W12) * (W14/W13) * (W15/W14)
 P a g e | 31

APPROXIMATE WEIGHT ESTIMATION:

Weight fraction for each profile in mission segment,

For Warm up,

(W1/W0) =0.990

For Taxy,
(W2/W1) =0.990

For Takeoff,
(W3/W2) =0.990

For Climb,
(W4/W3) =0.971

For Cruising,
(W5/W4) = 0.954

For loiter,
(W6/W5) =0.967

For descent,
(W7/W6) = 0.990

For Dush Out,

(W8/W7) = 0.951
For Drop Bombs,
(W9/W8) = 0.990

For Strafe,
(W10/W9) = 0.967

For Dash in,

(W11/W10) = 0.954

For Climb,
(W12/W11) = 0.971
 P a g e | 32

For Cruise in,

(W13/W12) = 0.990

For Decent,
(W14/W13) = 0.990

For landing,
(W15/W14) =0.990

Then,
(WF/WTO) = (1-W15/W0))
=0.287

Assume Empty Weight fraction,

So, overall weight,

WPL + WC
WTO = ------------------------------------------------
1 – (WF/WTO) – (WE / WTO)

Approximate Overall weight = 27988.97 kg

 P a g e | 33

ENGINE SELECTION

Thrust to weight ratio:

T/W directly affects the performance of the aircraft. An aircraft with a
higher T/W will accelerate more quickly, climb more rapidly, reach a
higher maximum speed, and sustain higher turn rates. On the other hand,
the larger engines will consume more fuel throughout the mission, which
will drive up the aircraft up the aircraft’s takeoff gross weight to perform
the design mission.
T/W is not a constant. The weight of the aircraft varies during the flight as
fuel is burned. Also, the engine’s thrust varies with altitude and velocity
(as does the horsepower and propeller efficiency, (ηp).When the designers
speak of an aircraft’s thrust-to-weight ratio they generally refer to the T/W
during sea-level static (zero velocity), standard-day conditions.
T/WTO Ratio for General Aviation- single engine is 0.60
Overall weight of aircraft WTO =27345.13 kg =268.25 kN.
Then,
T=0.9×268.255
=225.95 KN
So, the thrust needed=225.95 KN
From the literature survey the nearest value of the thrust corresponding
aircraft is Jet engine
The Jet engine has the following characteristics,
• Thrust per engine =225.95 KN

• Number of engine = 2

• Type of engine = RAMJET

• Total thrust =225.95 kN

 P a g e | 34

AIRFOIL SELECTION

Wing design:

This chapter focuses on the detail design of the wing. The wing may be
considered as the most important component of an aircraft, since a fixed-
wing aircraft is not able to fly without it. Since the wing geometry and its
features are influencing all other aircraft components, we begin the detail
design process by wing design. The primary function of the wing is to
generate sufficient lift force or simply lift (L). However, the wing has two
other productions, namely drag force or drag (D) and nose-down pitching
moment (M). While a wing designer is looking to maximize the lift, the
other two (drag and pitching moment) must be minimized. In fact, wing is
assumed ad a lifting surface that lift is produced due to the pressure
difference between lower and upper surfaces.

During the wing design process, eighteen parameters must be determined.

They are as follows:
1. Wing reference (or planform) area (SW or Sref or S)
2. Number of the wings
3. Vertical position relative to the fuselage (high, mid, or low wing)
4. Horizontal position relative to the fuselage
5. Cross section (or airfoil)
6. Aspect ratio (AR)
7. Taper ratio
8. Tip chord (Ct)
9. Root chord (Cr)
10. Mean Aerodynamic Chord (MAC or C)
11. Span (b)
12. Twist angle
13. Sweep angle
14. Dihedral angle
15. Incidence (iw)
16. High lifting devices such as flap
17. Aileron
18. Other wing accessories
 P a g e | 35

The airfoil, in many respects, is the heart of the airplane. The airfoil affects
the cruise speed, take-off and landing distances, stall speed, handling
qualities, and overall aerodynamic efficiency during all phases of flight.
The design of the airfoil is a complex and time consuming process.

Much of the Wright brothers success can be traced to their development of

airfoils using a wind tunnel of their own design, and the in-flight
validation of those airfoils in their glider experiments if 1901-1902. More
recently, the low speed airfoils develop by peter Lissaman contributed
much to the success of the man-powered Gosssmer Condor, and the
airfoils designed by John Rontz were instrumental to the success of Burt
Rutan’s radical designs.
 P a g e | 36

Cruising Reynolds number (Re) as follows,

Density*Vcr*C
Recr = --------------------------
Viscosityalt
=282.98*106
=Velocity at altitude
= Density at altitude

C = (s/b)
= 5.07m

S = wing surface area

b = wing span

And, from standard air table at altitude 18000 m,

Temp = 216.16 k.

Density = 0.819 kg/m2

= 1.79*10-5

VCR = M * a

a = (1.4*287*216.16)0.5
=294.71 m/s

Aspect ratio of our aircraft=3.0

 P a g e | 37

From the literature survey for that aspect ratio,

Area=77.03 m2
Span=15.2 m
And, c =s/b =5.07m

WING SELECTION

Low wing with dihedral

Low wing

A low wing is one which is located on or near the base of the fuselage.
Placing the wing low down allows good visibility upwards and frees up the
central fuselage from the wing spar carry-through. By reducing pendulum
stability, it makes the aircraft more manoeuvrable, as on the Spitfire;
but aircraft that value stability over manoeuvrability may then need some
dihedral. A low wing allows a lighter structure because the fuselage sides
carry no additional loads, and the main undercarriage legs can be made
shorter.

A feature of the low wing position is its significant ground effect, giving
the plane a tendency to float further before landing. Conversely, this very
ground effect permits shorter takeoffs.

The low wing configuration has proved particularly suitable for passenger

jetliners.
 P a g e | 38

Dihedral angle and dihedral effect

 
Dihedral Angle is the upward angle from horizontal of the wings of
a fixed-wing aircraft, or of any paired nominally-horizontal surfaces on
any aircraft. The term can also apply to the wings of a bird. Dihedral
Angle is also used in some types of kites such as box kites. Wings with
more than one Angle change along the full span are said to be polyhedral.

Dihedral Angle has important stabilizing effects on flying bodies because

it has a strong influence on the dihedral effect.

Dihedral effect of an aircraft is a rolling moment resulting from the vehicle

having a non-zero angle of sideslip. Increasing the dihedral angle of an
aircraft increases the dihedral effect on it. However, many other aircraft
parameters also have a strong influence on dihedral effect. Some of these
important factors are: wing sweep, vertical center of gravity, and the
height and size of anything on an aircraft that changes it’s sidewards
force as sideslip changes.

Aspect ratio, AR = b*b

s

= 2.64

Taper ratio, λ = Ctrip

Croot

For rectangle wing, λ = 1
 
 P a g e | 39

For elliptical wing, λ = 0.9
 
For tapered wing, λ = 0.5

Croot =  2S
b(1+ λ)

=5.79 m

Ctrip = λ(Croot)

=  0.5 *5.79
= 2.89 m

Sweep angle (from graph) = 31.8º

Mean aerodynamic centre

Ĉ = (2/3) Croot 1+λ+ λ+ λ

1+ λ

= 4.503m
 P a g e | 40

TAIL PLANE SELECTION

A tail plane, also known as a horizontal stabiliser, is a small lifting surface

located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-
wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters
and gyroplanes. Not all fixed-wing aircraft have tail planes. Canards,
tailless and flying wing aircraft have no separate tail plane, while in v-tail
aircraft the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and the tail-plane and elevator are
combined to form two diagonal surfaces in a V layout. The function of the
tail plane is to provide stability and control. In particular, the tail plane
helps adjust for changes in the centre of pressure or centre of gravity
caused by changes in speed and attitude, fuel consumption, or dropping
cargo or payload.
.

Conventional tail:
The vertical stabilizer is mounted exactly vertically, and the horizontal
stabilizer is directly mounted to the empennage (the rear fuselage). This is
the most common vertical stabilizer configuration.
 P a g e | 41

T-tail:
A T-tail has the horizontal stabilizer mounted at the top of the vertical
stabilizer. It is commonly seen on rear-engine aircraft, such
as the Bombardier CRJ200, the Fokker 70,the Boeing 727, the
Vickers VC10 and Douglas DC-9, and most high-performance gliders. T-
tails are often incorporated on configurations with fuselage mounted
engines to keep the horizontal stabilizer away from the engine exhaust
plume. T-tail aircraft are more susceptible to pitch-up at high angles of
attack. This pitch-up results from a reduction in the horizontal stabilizer's
lifting capability as it passes through the wake of the wing at moderate
angles of attack. This can also result in a deep stall condition. T-tails
present structural challenges since loads on the horizontal stabilizer must
be transmitted through the vertical tail.

Cruciform tail:
The cruciform tail is arranged like a cross, the most common configuration
having the horizontal stabilizer intersecting the vertical tail somewhere
near the middle. The PBY Catalina uses this configuration. The "push-
pull" twin engine Dornier Do 335 World War II German fighter used a
cruciform tail consisting of four separate surfaces, arranged in dorsal,
ventral, and both horizontal locations, to form its cruciform tail, just
forward of the rear propeller. Falcon jets from Dassault always have
cruciform tail.

Twin tail:
Rather than a single vertical stabilizer, a twin tail has two. These are
vertically arranged, and intersect or are mounted to the ends of the
horizontal stabilizer. The Beech craft
Model18 and many modernmilitaryaircraft such as the American F-14,F-15,
and F/A-18 use this configuration. The F/A-18,F-22 Raptor, andF-35
Lightning II have tailfins that are canted outward, to the point that they
have some authority as horizontal control surfaces; both aircraft are
designed to deflect their rudders inward during takeoff to increase pitching
moment. A twin tail may be either H-tail, twin fin/rudder construction
attached to a single fuselage such as North AmericanB-25 Mitchell or
Avro Lancaster, or twin boom tail, the rear airframe consisting of two
separate fuselages each sporting one single fin/rudder, such asLockheedP-
38 Lightning orC-119 Boxcar.
 P a g e | 42

Triple tail:
A variation on the twin tail, it has three vertical stabilizers. An example of
this configuration is the Lockheed Constellation. On the Constellation it
was done to give the airplane maximum vertical stabilizer area while
keeping the overall height low enough so that it could fit into maintenance
hangars.
V-tail:
A V-tail has no distinct vertical or horizontal stabilizers. Rather, they are
merged into control surfaces known as rudd evators which control both
pitch and yaw. The arrangement looks like the letter V, and is also known
as a butterfly tail. The Beech craft Bonanza Model35 uses this
configuration, as does theF-117 Night hawk , and many of Richard
Schreder's HP series of home built gliders.

TWIN TAIL
A twin tail is a specific type of vertical stabilizer arrangement found on
the empennage of some aircraft. Two vertical stabilizers often smaller on
their own than a single conventional tail would be are mounted at the
outside of the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer. This arrangement is also known
as an H-tail as it resembles a capital "H" when viewed from rear - these
were used on a wide variety of World War II multi-engine designs that
saw mass production, especially on the AmericanB-24 LiberatorandB-25
Mitchell bombers, the British Avro Lancaster and Handley-Page Halifax
heavy bombers, and on the Soviet Union's Petlyakov Pe-2attack bomber. A
special case of twin tail is twin boom tail or double tail where the aft
airframe consists of two separate fuselages, "tail booms", which each have
a rudder but are usually connected by a single horizontal stabilizer.
Examples of this construction are the twin-engined Lockheed P-38
Lightning; Northrop P-61 Black Widow; Focke-Wulf Fw 189; the single
jet-engined de Havilland Vampire; cargo-carrying Fairchild C-119 Flying
Box carandthe little known Transavia PL-12 Air truk
 P a g e | 43

DESIGN
Separating the control surfaces allows for additional rudderarea or vertical
surface without requiring a massive single tail. On multi-engine propeller
designs twin fin and rudders operating in the propeller slip stream give
greater rudder authority and improved control at low airspeeds, and
when taxiing. A twin tail can also simplify hangar requirements, give
dorsal gunners enhanced firing area, and in some cases reduce the aircraft's
weight. It also affords a degree of  redundancy if one tail is damaged, the
other may remain functional. Most often, the twin vertical surfaces are
attached to the ends of the horizontal stabilizer, but a few aircraft in
aviation history like the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Mitsubishi G3M
and Dornier Do 19bombers, had their twin vertical surfaces mounted to the
upper surface of the fixed stabilizer instead, at some distance inwards from
the horizontal stabilizer's tips. Many canard aircraft designs incorporate
twin tails on the tips of the main wing. Very occasionally, three or more
tails are used, as on the Breguet Deux-Ponts, Lockheed Constellation.
 P a g e | 44

LANDING GEAR SELECTION

The landing gear supports the aircraft when it is not flying, allowing it to
take off, land and usually to taxi without damage. Landing gear placement
is essential for ground stability and controllability. A good landing gear
position must provide superior handling characteristics and must not allow
overbalancing during take-off or landing. Landing gear arrangement:
Landing gears normally come in two types: conventional or "tail dragger"
landing gear, where there are two main wheels towards the front of the
aircraft and a single, much smaller, wheel or skid at the rear; or tricycle
landing gear, where there are two main wheels (or wheel assemblies)
under the wings and a third smaller wheel in the nose. To decrease drag in
flight some undercarriages retract into the wings and/or fuselage with
wheels flush against the surface or concealed behind doors; this is called
retractable gear. With a tricycle landing gear, the c.g is ahead of the main
wheels, so the aircraft is stable on the ground. It improves forward
visibility on the ground and permits a flat cabin floor for passengers
and cargo loading.
Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or landing gear, arranged
in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in
the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of
gravity. Tricycle gear aircraft are the easiest to take-off, land and taxi, and
consequently the configuration is the most widely used on aircraft. Several
early aircraft had primitive tricycle gear, notably very early Antoinette
planes and the Curtiss Pushers of the pre-World War I Pioneer Era of
aviation. Waldo Waterman's 1929 tailless Whatsit was one of the first to
have a steerable nose wheel.
 P a g e | 45

THREE VIEW DIAGRAM

 P a g e | 46

CONCLUSION

The preliminary design of a modern efficient fighter jet is done and the
various design considerations and performance parameters required are
calculated and found out. The obtained design values are not necessarily a
definite reflection of the airplane's true and conceptualized design, but
the basic outlay of development has been obtained.

The final design stays true to the desired considerations of a long range
aircraft that can provide high fuel efficiency as well. There is no ideal
design as such and continuous changes, improvements and innovations
serve to make the design as ideal as possible, while always looking to
achieve optimum performance.

The challenges we faced at various phases of the project made clear the
fact that experience plays a vital role in successful design of any aircraft
or aircraft component. A lot of effort has been put into this project and as
much as we have worked, we have learnt in turn.
 P a g e | 47

REFERENCES

1. Anderson, John D. Jr., (1999) Aircraft Performance and Design, McGraw-Hill,

New York
2. Anderson, John D. Jr., (2001) Introduction to Flight, McGraw-Hill, New York
3. Perkins, C. and Hage, R. (1949) Airplane Performance, Stability and Control,
Wiley, New York
4. Raymer, Daniel P. (1992) Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach, AIAA
Education series, Washington, DC
5. Roskam, J. (1985) Airplane Design, Roskam Aviation and Engineering Corp.,
Ottawa, Kansas
6. Taylor, J. (2004) Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft , Jane’s, London, UK
7. Boeing technical characteristics, viewed 2 March 2014
http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/737family/specs.page
8. Engine selection and technical Information,
www.purepowerengine.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_PW1000G
9. Java Foil Analysis of airfoil,
http://www.mhaerotools.de/aerofoils/javafoil.htm
10.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
11.https://booksite.elsevier.com 
12.www.airfoiltools.com