Patent ID: 8082727

Claim:
A variable cycle gas turbine engine comprising: a turbofan engine comprising: a low pressure spool for generating a stream of bypass air and a stream of pressurized air; a high pressure spool for further pressurizing the stream of pressurized air to generate a stream of combustion air; an engine case surrounding the low pressure spool and the high pressure spool; and a flow divider positioned within the engine case to form a bypass passage; a peripheral case surrounding the engine case to form a peripheral passage, the peripheral case configured to selectively receive a stream of peripheral inlet air; a rear propulsor connected to an aft end of the low pressure spool within the peripheral case, the auxiliary propulsor configured to receive airflow from the bypass passage and the peripheral passage; and a rotatable rear frame positioned between the low pressure spool and the rear propulsor, wherein the rear frame is configured to alternatively direct airflow through the engine in a first mode and a second mode; wherein the first mode comprises: directing bypass air from the bypass passage to the auxiliary propulsor; and wherein the second mode comprises: directing the bypass air from the bypass passage to the peripheral passage before the bypass air is passed to the auxiliary propulsor.