X-44 MANTA

The X-44 MANTA (Multi-Axis No-Tail Aircraft) is a conceptual Lockheed Martin aircraft design that has been studied by NASA and the U.S. Air Force. It is intended to test the feasibility of full yaw, pitch and roll control without any use of tailplanes (horizontal or vertical). Attitude manipulation relies purely on 3D thrust vectoring.cite web |url=http://history.nasa.gov/monograph31.pdf |title=American X-Vehicles: An Inventory, X-1 to X-50 |accessdate=2007-10-07 |author= |last=Jenkins |first=Dennis R. |authorlink= |coauthors=Landis, Tony, Miller, Jay |date= |year=2003 |month=June |format=PDF |work=Monographs in Aerospace History, No. 31 |publisher=NASA |pages=54 of 65 |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] Funding for the program was halted in 2000. [http://www.nasaexplores.com/show2_articlea.php?id=03-065 "X-Planes Explained", "NASAExplores"] ]

The aircraft itself is an F-22 Raptor-derived design featuring a stretched version of the delta wing and deleted tail surfaces.

References

* [http://www.codeonemagazine.com/archives/2001/articles/arp_01/xplanes/xplane_x44.html Artist's rendering in Lockheed's "Code One" Magazine]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/x-44.htm Global Security article]

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