Cormorant (aircraft)
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The Cormorant is a project currently under development at Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works research facility. It is named after a species of bird.
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[edit] Development
After the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union came to a close, military strategists realized that surgical strikes were going to be more useful than nuclear weapons. With this in mind, the U.S. Navy's Ohio class submarines, which features large (44 ft (13.4 m) long and 7 ft (2.1 m) wide) tubes to launch Trident missiles, began to look less desirable. As a result, the researchers at Skunk Works had the idea of creating a drone aircraft that can be stored in those missile tubes.
[edit] Structure
While in the tube, the aircraft's wings would be folded around itself. The Cormorant, while floating to the surface, would unfold its wings and prepare itself for launch. Rockets would then assist the aircraft with lifting off from the water's surface.
A normal aircraft would never survive the pressures that are encountered at a launch depth of 150 ft (46 m). The Cormorant would be made from titanium, to prevent corrosion, with plastic foam, to resist crushing, taking up empty spaces. The interior of the craft will be filled with a pressurized inert gas. To keep the Cormorant watertight, the doors, inlets, and any covers will require inflatable seals.
[edit] Stealth
One principle means of defense for a submarine is the ability to remain hidden underwater. Thus having an aircraft lift off near the submarine or come directly back to the sub after its objective is complete would give away the sub's position. To combat this, the submarine will slip away while the Cormorant is floating to the surface. After its objective has been completed, the submarine will transmit rendezvous coordinates to the Cormorant. A robotic retrieval vehicle will then fetch the drone after it has landed on the surface of the water.
[edit] Funding
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is funding tests of models and some of the systems on board the Cormorant. The tests should be completed by September 2006. After the tests are complete, DARPA will determine whether it will fund a flying prototype.
