1. Examine again Figure 5. The high L/D values for the viscous-optimized.waveridersare too good to ignore-these are exciting results. These results were mainly responsible for a rejuvenationof interestin thewaveriderconcept since 1986.(Note:The authors are not privy to any "black program that may be responsiblefor an advanced hypersonic vehicle that may be flying today-if rumors and suppositions in recent newspapers and Jane's Defense Weekly are to be believed- and which may embody some waverider characteristics if it exists. The comments made in this paper are based solely on theauthors' knowledgeand experiencein the unclassifiedworld.)
2. The work described in References 10-14 assumed a calorically perfect gas (constant specific heats). Question: For the waveriders optimized for high Mach numbers, what is the effect of including chemical reactions in the flowfield? A major characteristic of the flowfieldsover hypersonic flight vehicles is the high enthalpy levels encountered in such flows, with attendant chemically reacting air effects which are frequently important in such hypersonic flows. Isthistrue forthe waveriders discussed above,and treated in Refs.10-14?