Rockwell HiMAT
Rockwell International · United States · first flew 1979 · fighter
The Rockwell HiMAT was an experimental remotely piloted aircraft built for a NASA programme on technologies for future fighter aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.86 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Close-coupled canards ahead of the wing
- Winglets at the wingtips
- Small remotely piloted vehicle launched from a B-52 carrier aircraft
It is a small unmanned research aircraft with canards, winglets and one General Electric J85 turbojet, built mainly of graphite-epoxy composites.
Specifications
- The Rockwell HiMAT has a length of 6.86 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 4.75 m (16 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1960 km/h (1218 mph).
- Typical crew: 0.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology explored close-coupled canards, digital flight control, composite materials, remote piloting, synthetic vision and winglets. The first flights took place in 1979, with the first on 27 July 1979.
Variants
Two aircraft were produced by Rockwell International.
Where you'll see it
It was flown 26 times from the Armstrong Flight Research Center and testing was completed in 1983. The aircraft were launched from a B-52 and a TF-104G chase aircraft carried backup controls.
Related aircraft
- Rockwell Sabreliner 65
- Rockwell B-1 Lancer
- Rockwell-MBB X-31
- Rockwell Aero Commander 500S Shrike Commander
- Daher-SOCATA TB 30 Epsilon
- Dassault Mirage 4000
- Dassault Mirage 50
- General Dynamics F-16A Block 5 Fighting Falcon
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 8,606 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.