On the role of a balancing load in the problem of aerodynamic drag minimization in the supersonic flight regime

The problem of reducing the aerodynamic losses through balancing in the supersonic flight regime is considered. An analysis and a comparison of the drag components due to the aerodynamic surface deformation and the balancing weigh distribution is made with reference to the examples of a zero-thickness airfoil and a three-dimensional configuration of an aircraft with a wing of complicated planform. It is shown that minimum values of the aerodynamic drag are achieved as a result of complex optimization including the dead load mass as a varied parameter.