Northrop-Grumman, DARPA and NASA Start Sonic Boom Tests

Released on Thursday, August 28, 2003

The Northrop-Grumman Corporation in cooperation with DARPA and NASA started flight tests of a modified F-5E aircraft to reduce the bone-jarring impact of sonic booms associated with supersonic speed.

The new technology developed under the Sonic Boom program could be applied to achieve sustained and quieter supersonic flights. The Sonic Boom program is part of DARPA's Quiet Supersonic Platform (QSP) program, which eventually could lead to an unrestricted supersonic global attack aircraft.

The Sonic Boom intensity reduction theory was only demonstrated in laboratories and wind tunnels. The data collected during the test at the NASA Dryden Flight Research at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Center show that Sonic Boom reduction is possible changing the aircraft's shape.

The F-5E modified for the Sonic Boom test featured a new nose section, some internal substructure modifications and built-in sensors. A F-5E without these modifications also flew the same day demonstrating the sonic boom intensity reduction.