Patent ID: 6845606

Claim:
A variable cycle propulsion system for a supersonic airplane, the system comprising: at least one engine comprising means for producing exhaust gas and a gas exhaust nozzle configured to generate thrust for supersonic flight speeds; a propulsion assembly dissociated from said engine, having no gas generator, and configured to generate thrust for takeoff, landing, and subsonic flight speeds; and gas flow tapping means movable between a position in which the gas flow tapping means taps off at least a portion of the exhaust gas and feeds the tapped off exhaust gas to said propulsion assembly for generating thrust for takeoff, landing, and subsonic cruising flight, and a position in which the exhaust gas is directed solely to the engine nozzle for supersonic cruising flight, wherein the propulsion assembly comprises a turbine and a fan configured to be rotated by the turbine, and wherein the propulsion assembly is integrated within a fuselage of the airplane and configured to reduce drag and to improve sound insulation, and wherein the at least one engine comprises at least two engines configured to feed the propulsion assembly with gas.