PAO "Tupolev" has patented a hypersonic aircraft with an unusual combined power plant, where fuel is simultaneously used both to create thrust and to cool the airframe, which heats up to extreme temperatures at hypersonic speeds.
The main task of the new scheme is to solve the key problem of hypersonic aviation: the monstrous heating of the airframe at speeds above Mach 5. "Pervyy Tekhnicheskiy" details this unusual project.
How the new power plant works
The main feature of the power plant is the use of cryogenic fuel not only for thrust but also for cooling the aircraft. Liquid hydrogen or LNG flows through pipelines along the most heated parts of the airframe and engine, absorbing excess heat.
During this process, the fuel heats up and turns into gas, after which it is fed into the combustion chamber. This creates a dual effect: the system simultaneously cools the structure and creates thrust.
Why the technology is important for future fighters
The patent mentions heat-resistant aviation fuels T-6 and T-8V, and as a cryogenic base - liquefied natural gas or liquid hydrogen with a temperature of up to -259 °C.
Such solutions are increasingly associated with promising programs like the MiG-41 (PAK DP), which is expected to operate at enormous speeds and altitudes.
In fact, we are no longer talking about a classic jet aircraft, but about a transition to aviation where the engine becomes part of the thermal regulation system of the entire airframe.
When to expect real hypersonic aircraft
Despite the loud headlines, the patent does not mean the appearance of a ready-made aircraft in the coming years. Currently, it is about confirming the concept's viability at the level of engineering calculations and laboratory solutions.
The main difficulty lies not even in the engine, but in the materials. At hypersonic speeds, the airframe faces extreme temperatures and loads that require a completely new level of composites, thermal protection, and electronics.
