Wind Tunnel Testing for Drag Reduction of an Aircraft Laser Turret

The study focuses on aerodynamic improvements for a half-scale aircraft laser turret by exploring aft-mounted fairings and splitter plates to minimize drag. Conducted in a wind tunnel, it measured various aerodynamic forces and pressure distributions at specific Reynolds numbers. Observations included flow characteristics, with dominant vortices and trailing wakes identified. While splitter plates proved ineffective, a small fairing significantly reduced drag by 49%, although it failed to maintain attached flow near the turret, highlighting the complexities of aerodynamic design.