Patent ID: 7762077

Claim:
A single-stage hypersonic vehicle having a low-speed propulsion system and a high-speed propulsion system, the single-stage vehicle comprising: a low-speed propulsion system for propelling the single-stage vehicle to a threshold velocity to allow takeover by the high-speed propulsion system; the low-speed propulsion system including: a low-speed variable inlet duct; a combined-cycle turbo-ramjet engine having a gas turbine engine and a ramjet engine downstream of said low-speed variable inlet duct; a swirl generator to promote rapid mixing and combustion for the combined-cycle turbo-ramjet engine, said swirl generator including: a centerbody; a vane pack with a multiple of swirl vanes which support said centerbody, said swirl vanes variable between an aligned position and a skewed position; and a fuel injector within said centerbody; and a low-speed variable exit nozzle downstream of said swirl generator; and a high-speed propulsion system including a hypersonic engine operable at the threshold velocity or above.