NASA F-15 First Flight of Laminar Flow Scaled Wing Design
NASA completed the first flight test of a scale-model wing designed to improve laminar flow, reducing drag and lowering fuel costs for future commercial aircraft.
The flight took place Jan. 29 at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, using one of the agency’s F-15B research jets. The NASA-designed, 40-inch Crossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) wing model was attached to the aircraft’s underside vertically, like a fin.
The flight lasted about 75 minutes, during which the team ensured the aircraft could maneuver safely in flight with the additional wing model.
“It was incredible to see CATNLF fly after all of the hard work the team has put into preparing,” said Michelle Banchy, research principal investigator for CATNLF, in a NASA news release. “Finally seeing that F-15 take off and get CATNLF into the air made all that hard work worth it.”
NASA designed the CATNLF technology to improve the smooth flow of air, known as laminar flow, over swept-back wings, used in everything from airliners to fighter jets, by reducing disruptions that lead to drag. Maintaining laminar flow could help lower fuel burn and costs.
This flight was the first of up to 15 planned for the CATNLF series, which will test the design across a range of speeds, altitudes, and flight conditions.
“First flight was primarily focused on envelope expansion,” Banchy said. “We needed to ensure safe dynamic behavior of the wing model during flight before we can proceed to research maneuvers.”
Potential for future commercial aircraft designs
During the flight, the team performed several maneuvers, such as turns, steady holds, and gentle pitch changes, at altitudes ranging from about 20,000 to nearly 34,000 feet, providing the first look at the aerodynamic characteristics of the wing model and confirming that it is working as expected.
The team measured laminar flow using several tools, including an infrared camera mounted on the aircraft and aimed at the wing model to collect thermal data during flight tests. They will use this data to confirm key aspects of the design and evaluate how effectively the model maintains smooth airflow.
“CATNLF technology opens the door to a practical approach to getting laminar flow on large, swept components, such as a wing or tail, which offer the greatest fuel burn reduction potential,” Banchy said.
Photos: NASA’s Crossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) scale-model wing flies for the first time on a NASA F-15 research jet during a test flight from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The 75-minute flight confirmed the aircraft could maneuver safely with the approximately 3-foot-tall test article mounted beneath it.
Early results showed airflow over the aircraft closely matched predictions made using computer models, she said.
The first flight builds on earlier work accomplished through computer modeling, wind tunnel testing, ground tests, and high-speed taxi tests. NASA plans to continue flight tests to gather research data that will help further validate the CATNLF test article and its potential for future commercial aircraft designs.
The CATNLF testing is a collaboration under NASA’s Flight Demonstrations and Capabilities project and Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools project. The CATNLF concept has been supported through the combined efforts of NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program and Integrated Aviation Systems Program under the agency’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
NASA’s new F-15s
As already reported, two retired US Air Force (USAF) F-15 jets recently joined the flight research fleet at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, transitioning from military service to a new role enabling breakthrough advancements in aerospace.
The F-15s will support supersonic flight research for NASA’s Flight Demonstrations and Capabilities project, including testing for the Quesst mission’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft. One of the aircraft will return to the air as an active NASA research aircraft. The second will be used for parts to support long-term fleet sustainment.
The aircraft are two F-15Ds and came from the Oregon Air National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field. After completing their final flights with the Air Force, the two aircraft arrived at NASA Armstrong Dec. 22, 2025.
The F-15s allow NASA to operate in high-speed, high-altitude flight-testing environments. The aircraft can carry experimental hardware externally – under its wings or slung under the center – and can be modified to support flight research.
Now that these aircraft have joined NASA’s fleet, the team at Armstrong can modify their software, systems, and flight controls to suit mission needs. The F-15’s ground clearance allows researchers to install instruments and experiments that would not fit beneath many other aircraft.
NASA has already been operating two F-15s modified so their pilots can operate safely at up to 60,000 feet, the top of the flight envelop for the X-59, which will cruise at 55,000 feet. The new F-15 that will fly for NASA will receive the same modification, allowing for operations at altitudes most standard aircraft cannot reach. The combination of capability, capacity, and adaptability makes the F-15s uniquely suited for flight research at NASA Armstrong.
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Photo credit: NASA/Carla Thomas