The ramjet engine is an air-breathing engine that operates without the need of moving parts. This type of engine constitutes a simple and efficient way of propulsion. The use of a ramjet engine as a sustainer of a cruise missile can be feasible because of its ability to deliver high and constant thrust for long periods of time.
The present study deals with the external ballistics and flight performance and also with the internal ballistics (propulsion unit) of a supersonic cruise missile.
The first part involves the missile structure and aerodynamic properties, aerodynamic heating and it effect on the design parameters and a 3DOF trajectory simulation of the missile. The internal ballistics study includes the ramjet/solid booster engine performance analysis where thrust, specific impulse and flow mass are derived as a function of altitude and flight velocity.
