Onera, France’s DARPA, bets on Espadon hypersonic fighter concept for 2050 flight
An Espandon model has already undergone wind tunnel testing, but the end goal of developing an aircraft capable of flying “beyond Mach 5” won’t happen for decades.
By TIM MARTINon June 19, 2023 at 11:51 AM
Onera’s Espadon hypersonic fighter jet model on display at the Paris Air Show (Breaking Defense)
PARIS — French state-backed defense research agency Onera, akin to the Pentagon’s DARPA, hopes that a cutting edge company project could lead to flight of a hypersonic fighter jet by 2050.
Dubbed Espadon, which translates to Swordfish, the nascent effort has been internally funded using more than €5 million ($5.4 million) to initially improve hypersonic aircraft “knowledge and competency” and decide what “building blocks” are required to develop a prototype, according to René Mathurin, director for defense studies at Onera. Research currently focuses on payloads, weapon systems, propulsion and aerodynamics.
“This new concept, at the end of the day, will be handed over to French industry in order to prepare for the future,” Mathurin told Breaking Defense at the Paris Air Show. “The timeline for this [aircraft to potentially fly] is 2050.”
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An Espandon model has already undergone wind tunnel testing, but the end goal of developing an aircraft capable of flying “beyond Mach 5,” the generally accepted definition of “hypersonic,” won’t happen for decades. A smaller model of the sleek aircraft was on display here at the Paris Air Show.
Plans could change, however, depending on French Ministry of Defense priorities, according to Mathurin.
“If they want to learn something, things can happen very quickly or maybe the need will be required in 10 years,” he said.
Though Espadon has not been funded at a procurement level by the French MoD, “expertise” from the project continues to be shared with those involved in delivering France’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program designed around a Next Generation Fighter, Remote Carriers and an Air Combat Cloud.
Onera also assists FCAS efforts directly in the fields of hypersonic technologies and directed energy weapons.
Separately, the agency is currently part of the ASN4G effort aimed at delivering a future missile for the airborne component of the French nuclear deterrent, set to replace the Medium Range Air-to-Surface Missile [ASMP] by 2035.
Onera, France's DARPA, bets on Espadon hypersonic fighter concept for 2050 flight - Breaking Defense
An Espandon model has already undergone wind tunnel testing, but the end goal of developing an aircraft capable of flying “beyond Mach 5” won’t happen for decades.
