Aerodynamic Characteristics and Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Cruise Missiles

Abstract

Cruise missiles operate over a wide range of flight conditions, and their aerodynamic characteristics have a decisive influence on range, maneuverability, and stability. In this paper, a three-dimensional model of a cruise missile with a slender body, a pointed nose, mid-mounted wings, and tail fins is established, and the external flow field is simulated by computational fluid dynamics. The computational domain and mesh distribution are described, and the velocity field around the missile is analyzed. The simulation results show that the flow accelerates near the nose and the wing leading edges, and a low-velocity wake region appears behind the tail section. A high-velocity region is observed above and below the wing surfaces, which indicates the generation of lift. The velocity magnitude in the far field remains close to the free-stream value, while the near-wall region is strongly affected by the missile geometry. A table of key aerodynamic parameters is provided, and several governing equations are used to describe the flow behavior. The results can provide reference for the aerodynamic design and performance evaluation of cruise missiles.