A BEM Adjoint-Based Differentiable Shape Optimization of a Stealth Aircraft
Modern fighter aircraft have an increasing need for at least a moderate level of stealth, and the shape design must bear a part of this constraint. However, the high frequency of close range radar makes high-fidelity radar cross-section computation methods such as the boundary element method too exp...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Eng |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4117/6/7/147 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849409083614953472 |
|---|---|
| author | Charles Thoulon Gilbert Roge Olivier Pironneau |
| author_facet | Charles Thoulon Gilbert Roge Olivier Pironneau |
| author_sort | Charles Thoulon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Modern fighter aircraft have an increasing need for at least a moderate level of stealth, and the shape design must bear a part of this constraint. However, the high frequency of close range radar makes high-fidelity radar cross-section computation methods such as the boundary element method too expensive to use in a gradient-free optimization process. On the other hand, asymptotic methods are not able to accurately predict the RCS of complex shapes such as intake cavities. Hence, the need arises for efficient and accurate methods to compute the gradient of high-fidelity radar cross-section computation methods with respect to shape parameters. In this paper, we propose an adjoint formulation for the boundary element method to efficiently compute these gradients. We present a novel approach to calculate the gradient of high-fidelity radar cross-section computations using the boundary element method. Our method employs an adjoint formulation that allows for the efficient computation of these gradients. This is particularly beneficial in shape optimization problems where accurate and efficient methods are crucial to designing modern fighter aircraft with stealth capabilities. By avoiding the need for solving the actual adjoint problem in certain cases, our formulation provides a more streamlined solution while still maintaining high accuracy. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method by performing shape optimization on various shapes, including simple geometries like spheres and ellipsoids, as well as complex aircraft shapes with multiple variables. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-03cc5243f26844229714cd6a95cc1bf8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-4117 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Eng |
| spelling | doaj-art-03cc5243f26844229714cd6a95cc1bf82025-08-20T03:35:37ZengMDPI AGEng2673-41172025-07-016714710.3390/eng6070147A BEM Adjoint-Based Differentiable Shape Optimization of a Stealth AircraftCharles Thoulon0Gilbert Roge1Olivier Pironneau2Dassault-Aviation, 92210 St. Cloud, FranceDassault-Aviation, 92210 St. Cloud, FranceLaboratoire Jacques-Louis Lions, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, FranceModern fighter aircraft have an increasing need for at least a moderate level of stealth, and the shape design must bear a part of this constraint. However, the high frequency of close range radar makes high-fidelity radar cross-section computation methods such as the boundary element method too expensive to use in a gradient-free optimization process. On the other hand, asymptotic methods are not able to accurately predict the RCS of complex shapes such as intake cavities. Hence, the need arises for efficient and accurate methods to compute the gradient of high-fidelity radar cross-section computation methods with respect to shape parameters. In this paper, we propose an adjoint formulation for the boundary element method to efficiently compute these gradients. We present a novel approach to calculate the gradient of high-fidelity radar cross-section computations using the boundary element method. Our method employs an adjoint formulation that allows for the efficient computation of these gradients. This is particularly beneficial in shape optimization problems where accurate and efficient methods are crucial to designing modern fighter aircraft with stealth capabilities. By avoiding the need for solving the actual adjoint problem in certain cases, our formulation provides a more streamlined solution while still maintaining high accuracy. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method by performing shape optimization on various shapes, including simple geometries like spheres and ellipsoids, as well as complex aircraft shapes with multiple variables.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4117/6/7/147shape optimizationgradient-basedCAD-basedmethod of momentsboundary elements methodhigh fidelity optimization |
| spellingShingle | Charles Thoulon Gilbert Roge Olivier Pironneau A BEM Adjoint-Based Differentiable Shape Optimization of a Stealth Aircraft Eng shape optimization gradient-based CAD-based method of moments boundary elements method high fidelity optimization |
| title | A BEM Adjoint-Based Differentiable Shape Optimization of a Stealth Aircraft |
| title_full | A BEM Adjoint-Based Differentiable Shape Optimization of a Stealth Aircraft |
| title_fullStr | A BEM Adjoint-Based Differentiable Shape Optimization of a Stealth Aircraft |
| title_full_unstemmed | A BEM Adjoint-Based Differentiable Shape Optimization of a Stealth Aircraft |
| title_short | A BEM Adjoint-Based Differentiable Shape Optimization of a Stealth Aircraft |
| title_sort | bem adjoint based differentiable shape optimization of a stealth aircraft |
| topic | shape optimization gradient-based CAD-based method of moments boundary elements method high fidelity optimization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4117/6/7/147 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT charlesthoulon abemadjointbaseddifferentiableshapeoptimizationofastealthaircraft AT gilbertroge abemadjointbaseddifferentiableshapeoptimizationofastealthaircraft AT olivierpironneau abemadjointbaseddifferentiableshapeoptimizationofastealthaircraft AT charlesthoulon bemadjointbaseddifferentiableshapeoptimizationofastealthaircraft AT gilbertroge bemadjointbaseddifferentiableshapeoptimizationofastealthaircraft AT olivierpironneau bemadjointbaseddifferentiableshapeoptimizationofastealthaircraft |