Tip of the Sword Aerospace, of California Polytechnic State University, was presented with the challenge to conceptually design an advanced military gunship. Tip of the Sword Aerospace has responded with Paragon, a highly survivable gunship that has the capability to provide precise and persistent firepower in high threat combat environments. Paragon is in response to the 2004-2005 AIAA Undergraduate Team Design RFP, which calls for an advanced military gunship that can destroy personnel, light armored vehicles, and buildings at low cost.

Paragon is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) that employs a conventional configuration with a high wing, H-tail, and tricycle style landing gear. It is equipped with 15,526 pounds of weapons, including two M230 30mm chain guns, 16 HELLFIRE II?s, and 8 GBU-12 Paveway II bombs. Since the Paragon is a UCAV, it can persist in extremely high risk daytime and night-time environments, without risking the lives of a pilot or crew members.

This report presents the conceptual approach used to design the Paragon, focusing on the preliminary sizing, weight estimation, and structural layout processes. Initial sizing was primarily driven by the weapons payload requirement of at least 15,000 lbs, a minimum mission radius of 500 n.m., and a four hour time-on-station without refueling. The structural layout was designed to maximize survivability by implementing robust and redundant design features.