Editing Wave drag (section)

{{Short description|Aircraft aerodynamic drag at transonic and supersonic speeds due to the presence of shock waves}}
{{for|Wave drag related to watercraft|Wave making resistance}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2007}}

In [[aeronautics]], '''wave drag''' is a component of the [[aerodynamic drag]] on aircraft wings and fuselage, propeller blade tips and [[Shell (projectile)|projectiles]] moving at [[transonic]] and [[supersonic]] speeds, due to the presence of [[shock wave]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Anderson |first1=John D. Jr. |title=Fundamentals of aerodynamics |date=1991 |publisher=McGraw-Hill |location=New York |isbn=0-07-001679-8 |pages=492, 573 |edition=2nd}}</ref> Wave drag is independent of [[viscous effect]]s,<ref name=LJC11.7>Clancy, L.J. (1975), ''Aerodynamics'', Section 11.7</ref> and tends to present itself as a sudden and dramatic increase in drag as the vehicle increases speed to the [[critical Mach number]]. It is the sudden and dramatic rise of wave drag that leads to the concept of a [[sound barrier]].