Combined cycle propulsion system for hypersonic flight

A combined cycle propulsion system for a flight vehicle, the combined cycle propulsion system comprising:

• a compressor-fed combustion engine;
• and
• a multi-mode supersonic engine including, in a serial flow relationship defining a supersonic engine gas flowpath:
• an adjustable inlet section having an inlet at an upstream end of the adjustable inlet section;
• a combustion section arranged downstream of, and in fluid communication with, the adjustable inlet section and including a first combustor portion having at least one rotating detonation combustor and a second combustor portion having a supersonic combustion type combustor;
• and
• an adjustable exhaust nozzle section arranged downstream of, and in fluid communication with, the combustion section,
• wherein the at least one rotating detonation combustor functions as an ignition source for the supersonic combustion type combustor,
• wherein the compressor-fed combustion engine includes an outer casing extending circumferentially about a centerline axis of the compressor-fed combustion engine, and the multi-mode supersonic engine extends circumferentially about the centerline axis and is arranged radially outward of the outer casing,
• the outer casing extending from the inlet of the adjustable inlet section to the adjustable exhaust nozzle section and having an outer casing inner wall and an outer casing outer wall, the outer casing outer wall being an inner wall of the multi-mode supersonic engine extending from the inlet of the adjustable inlet section to the adjustable exhaust nozzle section, and
• a cooling airflow passage is defined between the outer casing inner wall and the outer casing outer wall from the inlet of the adjustable inlet section to the adjustable exhaust nozzle section to provide a flow of cooling air therethrough to provide cooling to the inner wall of the multi-mode supersonic engine.