| Aequare | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Reconnaissance drone |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Missiles and Space Company |
| Built by | Windecker Industries |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
| Number built | 15-20 |
| History | |
| First flight | 1975 |
TheLockheed Aequare (Latin: "to equalize") was anunmanned aerial vehicle developed by theLockheed Missiles and Space Company for theUnited States Air Force. It was intended for launch from anF-4 Phantom II fighter-bomber, and would carry a remotesensor array andlaser designator for use by the launching aircraft. The system was evaluated in the mid 1970s, but did not enter operational service.
Development of the Aequare was initiated in 1973 with the awarding of a contract from theDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to theLockheed Missiles and Space Company for the development of an expendable miniature air-launched remotely piloted vehicle (later known as unmanned aerial vehicle) for use by the United States Air Force (USAF) to find and designate targets forstrike aircraft in high-threat environments.[1] The resulting aircraft, produced under subcontract byWindecker Industries,[1] was equipped with a folding 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) wing and a pusherducted fan powered by aMcCulloch MC-101 engine, and was intended to be launched from aSUU-42flare dispenser,[2] which would be released from aMcDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter-bomber at approximately 24,000 feet (7,300 m) and descend under parachute. Upon deployment of the main parachute, the Aequare would be released, starting its engine and flying underradio command guidance from a ground station,[3] with imagery and telemetry transmitted through adatalink,[1] with the launching aircraft acting as a relay using the CTU-2 datalink pod.[4] The Aequare was equipped with cameras foraerial reconnaissance and also was fitted with a laser designator to allow the launching F-4, or other aircraft, to attack targets found by the UAV.[2]
The Aequare first flew in mid-1975;[2] between 15 and 20 prototype aircraft were produced. Following the end of the system's flight trials in March 1976,[1] no production was undertaken.[2]
A development of the Aequare, SAVIOR (Small Aerial Vehicle for Observation, Intelligence, and Reconnaissance), jointly produced by LMSC and Windecker, used the fuselage and engine of Aequare mated to a new fixed wing and landing gear configuration; it was used to researchautopilot design and launch-and-recovery techniques for unmanned aerial vehicles.[5]
Data from Parsch 2004[2]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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