Supersonic experimental airplane program in NAL (NEXST) and its CFD-design research demand

In order to upgrade Japan's technological base and then to increase the chance of participation of Japanese aerospace players in collaboration for the development of the next-generation supersonic transport, being anticipated within 20 years. R&D (Research and Development) program for the Next generation Supersonic Transport (NEXST), being initiated in NAL of Japan in 1997 and to be completed in 2005, is aiming at establishing the advanced and emerging technologies. The program contains two types of the unmanned experimental airplanes to be developed, a non-powered and a twin-jet airplanes. The computational design system introducing NAL's original CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) code is the main technology to be proved by the experimental airplane. Inverse method, optimization and integration including multidisciplinary treatment are studied and the results from those are applied to the aerodynamic design of the experimental airplanes and tested for technological poof. The program is managed by NAL's program office in cooperation with in-house collaboration and Japanese aerospace industries. Research cooperation is also encouraged with domestic and international institutions.