A Variable-Fidelity, Hierarchical Toolset for Integrated Electro-Optic/Infrared Plume And Signature Analysis Of Rotorcraft Navy SBIR FY2018.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2018.1 Topic No.: N181-010 Topic Title: A Variable-Fidelity, Hierarchical Toolset for Integrated Electro-Optic/Infrared Plume And Signature Analysis Of Rotorcraft Proposal No.: N181-010-0125 Firm: ATA Engineering, Inc 13290 Evening Creek Drive South Suite 250 San Diego, California 92128 Contact: Nicolas Reveles Phone: (256) 258-8406 Web Site: http://www.ata-e.com Abstract: ATA Engineering, Inc., in collaboration with IERUS Technologies, Inc., proposes to develop an integrated framework for rotorcraft signature prediction through a modular, variable-fidelity approach that combines a widely used EO/IR toolset and an unstructured CFD solver with native rotorcraft modeling capabilities. Specifically, the project team will integrate the NASA FUN3D unstructured CFD solver with the JANNAF Standard Plume Ultraviolet Radiation (SPURC) EO/IR signature modeling tool. FUN3D is used extensively for rotorcraft aeromechanics analysis and has undergone extensive validation for rotorcraft applications. SPURC is widely used in the EO/IR signature modeling community and is well validated for the prediction of UV-LWIR emissions from a low-altitude plume and thus ideally suited to rotorcraft applications. The Phase I effort will focus on developing an optimal integration approach, demonstrating the coupled CFD-EO/IR capability for rotorcraft signature prediction, and investigating modeling fidelity tradeoffs. The effort will establish a variable-fidelity approach where modeling of complex physics�?"such as aeroelastic blades and the inclusion of combustion byproducts�?"may be switched on and off in a hierarchical approach to understand their relative influence on the resulting signature. This approach also directly supports situations where advanced modeling parameters may not be known and lower-fidelity models are preferred. Benefits: Current state-of-the-art rotorcraft EO/IR signature analyses do not account for the combined effects of the fuselage body, asymmetric plume, downwash, and rotor wake. The technology resulting from the proposed effort will correctly account for these effects and provide an improved capability for EO/IR signature analyses of rotorcraft. Potential applications include use of the framework in the development of new rotorcraft platforms, signature mitigation modification kits, weapon system targeting and countermeasure systems, and classified systems engineering. Additionally, this technology will provide novel thermal modeling capabilities for rotorcraft that may be of interest from both an airframe and component-level perspective, presenting a number of secondary applications beyond signature analysis. Return