Air vehicle

An air vehicle comprising:

• a fuselage and a wing arrangement in fixed-wing configuration, said air vehicle having a longitudinal axis, and said fuselage having a fuselage length in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis, a fuselage width in a direction parallel to a pitch axis of the air vehicle, and a fuselage height in a direction parallel to a yaw axis of the air vehicle, the air vehicle further defining at least one azimuthal reference plane that intersects said fuselage;
• a sensor/emitter arrangement configured for at least one of sensing and emitting energy in directions associated with a plurality of different lines of sight (LOS) with respect to said fuselage;
• said fuselage being configured for integrating said sensor/emitter arrangement therein for enabling optimizing operation of said sensor/emitter arrangement, and said fuselage comprising a fuselage fineness ratio including at least one of:
• a first fineness ratio, taken as a ratio of said fuselage length to said fuselage height, wherein said first fineness ratio is less than about 5;
• a second fineness ratio, taken as a ratio of said fuselage length to said fuselage width, wherein said first fineness ratio is less than about 6;
• an inverse oblateness ratio, taken as a ratio of said fuselage width to said fuselage height, wherein said inverse oblateness ratio is greater than 1.5.

An air vehicle comprising:

• a fuselage and a wing arrangement in fixed-wing configuration, said air vehicle having a longitudinal axis, and said fuselage having a fuselage length in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis, a fuselage width in a direction parallel to a pitch axis of the air vehicle, and a fuselage height in a direction parallel to a yaw axis of the air vehicle, the air vehicle further defining at least one azimuthal reference plane that intersects said fuselage;
• a sensor/emitter arrangement configured for at least one of sensing and emitting energy in directions associated with a plurality of different lines of sight (LOS) with respect to said fuselage;
• the fuselage being configured for integrating said sensor/emitter arrangement therein for enabling optimizing operation of said sensor/emitter arrangement;
• the air vehicle being free of additional tail arrangement.

An airborne radar system configured for providing surveillance coverage throughout at least a portion of a 360 degree azimuth volume, comprising:

• a fuselage and a wing arrangement in fixed-wing configuration, said air vehicle having a longitudinal axis, and said fuselage having a fuselage length in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis, a fuselage width in a direction parallel to a pitch axis of the air vehicle, and a fuselage height in a direction parallel to a yaw axis of the air vehicle, the air vehicle further defining at least one azimuthal reference plane that intersects said fuselage;
• a radar system comprising a plurality of antenna structures, each having a respective field of view;
• the fuselage comprising a plurality of internal compartments peripherally disposed with respect thereto and each compartment configured for enabling integrating therein a respective said antenna structure;
• wherein at least one said antenna structure comprises a respective sensing/emitting face that is elongated along an elongation axis and is arranged with the respective sensing/emitting face thereof at least partially facing one of a forward direction and an aft direction along said longitudinal axis, and at least partially facing at least one side direction along said pitch axis.

An air vehicle, comprising:

• a fuselage and a wing arrangement in fixed-wing configuration, said air vehicle having a longitudinal axis, and said fuselage having a fuselage length in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis, a fuselage width in a direction parallel to a pitch axis of the air vehicle, and a fuselage height in a direction parallel to a yaw axis of the air vehicle, the air vehicle further defining at least one azimuthal reference plane that intersects said fuselage;
• the fuselage comprising a blunt aft end;
• and
• the air vehicle being free of additional tail arrangement.

An air vehicle, comprising:

• a fuselage and a wing arrangement in fixed-wing configuration, said air vehicle having a longitudinal axis, and said fuselage having a fuselage length in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis, a fuselage width in a direction parallel to a pitch axis of the air vehicle, and a fuselage height in a direction parallel to a yaw axis of the air vehicle, the air vehicle further defining at least one azimuthal reference plane that intersects said fuselage;
• said fuselage comprising a blunt aft end;
• and
• said fuselage comprising a fuselage fineness ratio including at least one of:
• a first fineness ratio, taken as a ratio of said fuselage length to said fuselage height, wherein said first fineness ratio is less than about 5;
• a second fineness ratio, taken as a ratio of said fuselage length to said fuselage width, wherein said first fineness ratio is less than about 6;
• an inverse oblateness ratio, taken as a ratio of said fuselage width to said fuselage height, wherein said inverse oblateness ratio is greater than 1.5.

An air vehicle, comprising:

• a fuselage and a wing arrangement in fixed-wing configuration, said air vehicle having a longitudinal axis, and said fuselage having a fuselage length in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis, a fuselage width in a direction parallel to a pitch axis of the air vehicle, and a fuselage height in a direction parallel to a yaw axis of the air vehicle, the air vehicle further defining at least one azimuthal reference plane that intersects said fuselage;
• the fuselage comprising a plurality of internal compartments peripherally disposed with respect thereto and configured for enabling integrating therein a sensor/emitter arrangement that is configured for at least one of sensing and emitting energy in directions associated with a plurality of different lines of sight (LOS) with respect to said fuselage;
• said fuselage comprising a fuselage fineness ratio including at least one of:
• a first fineness ratio, taken as a ratio of said fuselage length to said fuselage height, wherein said first fineness ratio is less than about 5;
• a second fineness ratio, taken as a ratio of said fuselage length to said fuselage width, wherein said first fineness ratio is less than about 6;
• an inverse oblateness ratio, taken as a ratio of said fuselage width to said fuselage height, wherein said inverse oblateness ratio is greater than 1.5.

A method for generating an air vehicle configuration, comprising:

• (a) providing geometrical specifications of a plurality of sensors/emitters;
• (b) providing desired relative spatial relationships between said sensors/emitters;
• (c) providing a fairing configuration for each sensor/emitter, the respective fairing configuration being configured for minimizing interference with sensor/emitter operation of the respective sensor/emitter via the respective fairing;
• (d) generating a fuselage configuration including an outer fuselage skin enclosing a fuselage volume, wherein said sensors/emitters are integrated within said fuselage volume in said desired relative spatial relationships, wherein said fairing configurations form part of said fuselage skin, and optimizing said fuselage configuration to provide optimal aerodynamic performance according to predetermined criteria, while substantially maintaining minimal interference of said fairing configuration with said sensor/emitter operation;
• (e) providing a wing arrangement in fixed-wing relationship to said fuselage.