The Zoogie People
17-04-2004, 19:56
ZaS-42'Gecko'
Mark I classification, last edit 2005-01-24. I am amazed at how much utter crap I was capable of typing out eight months ago. O_o This'll go under some major, major re-working.
http://home.ripway.com/2004-1/54396/astovl.jpg
The ZaS-42 'Gecko' is designed to be Zoogiedom's next generation strike fighter, with unprecedented manueverability, capability, and range. With numerous systems to ensure its safety and its stealth, the ZaS-42 'Gecko' can fly close air support, air superiority, strike, SEAD, interdiction, or any number of other various roles. Two variants, the CTOL and ASTOVL variants, are available for purchase.
Airframe
http://www.strange-mecha.com/aircraft/x/x35pm.JPG
The airframe of the LCS is marked by a high-rise cockpit, defined nose cone, sleek body shape with swept-back wings, and moveable canard foreplanes not just there to look pretty. The single large engine is enclosed by horizontal stabilizers, and two leaning vertical stabilizers are in the rear. Typical of Zoogie aircraft design tradition, the design of the aircraft is extremely streamlined for maximum efficiency and reliability. The surface is made up of strong yet lightweight materials, making the fighter both capable and, well, lightweight. The canard foreplanes serve to enhance manueverability even further - making this 'strike' fighter an excellent dogfighter that is able to quickly scramble up in the event of an attack, and take care of the enemy. Indeed, this airframe has taken an award (hard fought, we assure you) of the Prettiest Design Fighter Zoogiedom has ever made.
Powerplant
The LCS required different variants of its engine - an effective conventional take-off/landing (CTOL) engine for the air force, and an excellent advanced short take-off/ vertical landing (ASTOVL) engine for the navy. Esmier developed the Es-143 for use on the LCS, with the -4600-C and -4800-V suffixes attatched to the air and marinal versions, respectively.
As usual, fuel efficiency was a concern: range, power, and thrust vectoring were all major issues in the design of the Es-143. More on these three issues will be discussed shortly after.
The Es-143 is a powerful engine in the 40,000-lb range. The basic -4600 model is for CTOL, with no need for extra thrust required to lift the plane and its heavy payload vertically. Automated and manual 60-degree 3D thrust vectoring is incorporated, although export variants have it downsized to 30 degrees - in part to reduce price, and in part to ensure that our own aircraft are not going to be recklessly proliferated. Exports to trusted nations will be a different case. The -4600 model has thrust power of 41,200-lbs.
The -4800 model is for the ASTOVL variant for the Navy and Marine Corps, and features lift-fan ASTOVL design. The nozzle can swivel 90 degrees downwards for vertical or very short takeoffs, and 90 degrees upward for vertical landing. Inflight it can automatically 3D-thrust vector 45 degrees, although the complexity of maintaining this led to the exclusion of this feat in export version. The -4800 model has 46,200-lbs thrust to accomodate VTOL capabilities, with +/- 100 degrees thrust; and as aforementioned, 45 degrees automated inflight.
Avionics
Quite simply, avionics are the most complex and most important facet of a modern fighter. They are the first to be upgraded in upgrade programs, and make the difference between the excellent fighters that make the cut, and the good fighters that crash and burn. In the middle of an intense dogfight, it truly does suck to be he whose plane has inferior avionics.
First, the LCS's detection systems. The LCS uses a powerful, look-down shoot-down all-aspect radar with ranges of up to 180 miles. This radar has been in development for quite a long time, and is designed to integrate into the rest of LCS's systems and avionics, and be particularly useful in navigation and ground attack for infiltration missions. And just for kicks - well, actually, to fulfill one of the requirements - this radar is significantly harder to detect via passive radar, and harder to disrupt via electronic countermeasures ('jamming').
Speaking of which, the passive radar and radar warning system. However many methods one uses to mask an active radar's transmissions, powerful passive radar and RWR will be able to intercept it. Using active radar any more than necessary is the first cardinal sin of flying stealth combat aircraft - for then you aren't so stealth anymore. Our active radar masking is a superb system, but the passive radar is able to detect it. The LCS's passive radar and integrated RWR is able to detect incoming radar signals and warn you who's tracking you, and where. Any missile locked on the aircraft would be detected, and the pilot alerted immediately - in addition, up to ten incoming missiles can be kept track of at a time, and the chaff/flare countermeasures will kick in automatically.
The LCS also uses an internal infrared tracking system, a powerful IR detection system able to detect heat emissions on the air and on the ground (or sea) with great range and accuracy, and little disturbance. With all aspect tracking and a range of over ten miles, this is one of the best IR detecting systems in Zoogiedom. Furthermore, the system seeks to cancel out flares or electronic countermeasures from disturbing the tracking, and effectively guides aircraft when active radar is not an option. This is a passive system, and is always active.
Further, in the integrated multi-function displays and avionics suite are internal GPS and laser-designation systems, guiding the LCS's JDAM and laser guided munitions as well as pinpointing targets in all kinds of weather.
Systems
The LCS often will have the goal of flying infiltration into enemy airspace and taking out high priority targets with precision strikes. Therefore, all of its systems are required to be flawless and astounding.
LCS redefines the term 'autopilot.' Targets in close proximity to the LCS are always tracked, as well as the ground and terrain (determined by the radar systems by comparing the altitudes of ground targets and generating a sort of rough computerized terrain map) to prevent the LCS from getting into a midair or crashing accidentally in poor weather. Warnings will alert the pilot when he becomes too close to crashing, and the powerful 'Emergency Manuever Control System' will engage all control surfaces of the aircraft, including thrust vectoring, to vector out of the close strike. Even if there are multiple points of impending collision, this system will automatically attempt to manuever out of them all. A subordinate to this system, the 'Incoming Missile Manuever Control System,' tracks incoming missile trajectory, distance, speed, and makes a ton of calculations...based on these calculations, it will use the EMCS to perform extreme manuevers to dodge the missile at the last second, even as the pilot is manuevering the plane himself or herself. It also control the countermeasures suite, and releases flare and chaff as appropriate.
The countermeasures suite is also top of the line. It will automatically engage chaff and flare, launching them in the approximate direction of the missile in select time intervals, all based on the calculations of the IMMCS. Various electronic countermeasures system will engage powerful jamming, passive electronic countermeasures, and bombard incoming missiles with signals that intend to throw it off, no matter what the designation.
The LCS uses an enhanced fly-by-optics system. Fly-by-wire, made famous by the venerable F-16 fighter, is an advanced control system that allows the aircraft unprecedented manueverability, and the pilot unprecedented control. Fly by optics is a few steps up. Fly-by-wire is now a thing of the past - optical fibers allow for faster, more reliable responses, much better control, and much better exploitation of the flight envelope. Both automated and manual, and able to be controlled by the various manuever systems such as EMCS and IMMCS, the LCS-FBO system allows this fighter to be easily one of the most manueverable in the world. Combined with the effective, consolidated control surfaces and thrust vectoring, the LCS is feature an extreme turn radius, incredible manuevers, and almost unmatched performance. It is able to come to a complete stop in mid air and hover, in both versions of the aircraft. It is also able to fly virtually sideways.
As for control surfaces, the LCS doesn't use traditional flaps or aerilons; indeed, these are steadily being phased out in Zoogiedom combat aircraft. Rather, various systems in its wings, moving canard foreplanes, and rear horizontal stabilizers ('tail fins') have fluid motion, allowing such extreme manueverability such as almost sideways flight and hovering. This also makes it an excellent dogfighter, and is part of the reason why it beat out a very specialized and updated unmanned F-35 in dogfight trials...
The final system worthy of note is the D3CS, or Dual Cannon Combat Control System. The LCS features twin embedded 20-mm six-barrel cannons, able to be fired both automatically and manually. When the detection systems of the LCS lock onto an enemy fighter - let's say, an Su-37 - several systems kick in. The Air Combat Manuever System (another which controls the control surfaces) makes adjustments in the control surfaces to aid the pilot in manuevering towards the aircraft, or to help swing the aircraft out of the way as the enemy aircraft gains a favorable position on it. The aforementioned D3CS, meanwhile, calculates the speed, position, distance, trajectory, and other statistics of its own plane and the enemy(ies) in question. The D3CS gun system then makes a calculation of the hit percentage that its cannons would get on the enemy fighter if it fired at any given time...when the hit percentage reaches a certain point, the cannon system propels a certain number of cannon rounds towards the enemy fighter...this evolutionary dogfighting system leaves the pilot free to manuever (and even this is aided) while letting the machine destroy on its own, with stunning accuracy. And if surrounded by two Su-37s, the LCS can even concentrate on splashing one while letting its IMMCS/EMCS and ACMS system save its tail on the other end. This is the next generation in dogfighting.
The LCS also features tiny pods on each of its wings that emit our first endeavor into an active ECM system, codenamed Taurus. Taurus uses two very tiny, barely noticeable pods on the wings to emit signals that basically cancel all active radar emissions...for all intensive purposes, nothing but the very, very, very, very best and expensive radar systems will be able to track the LCS via active radar, even if the LCS has its wingtip pylons mounted.
Armament
The LCS carries in standard configuration two 2000-lb munitions and two medium ranged missiles in its main bays and two heatseeking missiles in its side bays. The main bays can also hold (in place of the bombs) four medium ranged missiles, or six heatseeking missiles, if necessary, with two medium ranged or three short ranged AAMs replaced by the 2000-lb munitions. Various other ground stores can accomodated.
Four wingtip pylons are mounted if necessary, but degrade its aerodynamics somewhat.
Export - Important; buyers please read before buying
Cn. Hansien has brought in new export policy of combat aircraft; all export versions are to be eliminated and combat aircraft strictly sold in private deals to the most trusted allies.
ZaS-42 (Full) A: $36 million M: $42 million
Engine type: 3D-TV Es-143 turbofan type with 41,000-lb thrust.
Performance: Max speed Mach 2.43; cruise speed Mach 1.68; service ceiling 61,000 feet
Armament: Main bays housing two 2000-lb JDAM munitions and two AIM-120; side bays housing two AIM-132; four wing pylons for further arms;
Cannon: (Air force: dual 20-mm cannons with 360 rounds each) (Marines: 25-mm cannon with 620 rounds)
Range: 1450 Miles (1300 Marinal Version)
http://www.simlabs.arc.nasa.gov/photos/images/aircraft/astovl.jpeg
Mark I classification, last edit 2005-01-24. I am amazed at how much utter crap I was capable of typing out eight months ago. O_o This'll go under some major, major re-working.
http://home.ripway.com/2004-1/54396/astovl.jpg
The ZaS-42 'Gecko' is designed to be Zoogiedom's next generation strike fighter, with unprecedented manueverability, capability, and range. With numerous systems to ensure its safety and its stealth, the ZaS-42 'Gecko' can fly close air support, air superiority, strike, SEAD, interdiction, or any number of other various roles. Two variants, the CTOL and ASTOVL variants, are available for purchase.
Airframe
http://www.strange-mecha.com/aircraft/x/x35pm.JPG
The airframe of the LCS is marked by a high-rise cockpit, defined nose cone, sleek body shape with swept-back wings, and moveable canard foreplanes not just there to look pretty. The single large engine is enclosed by horizontal stabilizers, and two leaning vertical stabilizers are in the rear. Typical of Zoogie aircraft design tradition, the design of the aircraft is extremely streamlined for maximum efficiency and reliability. The surface is made up of strong yet lightweight materials, making the fighter both capable and, well, lightweight. The canard foreplanes serve to enhance manueverability even further - making this 'strike' fighter an excellent dogfighter that is able to quickly scramble up in the event of an attack, and take care of the enemy. Indeed, this airframe has taken an award (hard fought, we assure you) of the Prettiest Design Fighter Zoogiedom has ever made.
Powerplant
The LCS required different variants of its engine - an effective conventional take-off/landing (CTOL) engine for the air force, and an excellent advanced short take-off/ vertical landing (ASTOVL) engine for the navy. Esmier developed the Es-143 for use on the LCS, with the -4600-C and -4800-V suffixes attatched to the air and marinal versions, respectively.
As usual, fuel efficiency was a concern: range, power, and thrust vectoring were all major issues in the design of the Es-143. More on these three issues will be discussed shortly after.
The Es-143 is a powerful engine in the 40,000-lb range. The basic -4600 model is for CTOL, with no need for extra thrust required to lift the plane and its heavy payload vertically. Automated and manual 60-degree 3D thrust vectoring is incorporated, although export variants have it downsized to 30 degrees - in part to reduce price, and in part to ensure that our own aircraft are not going to be recklessly proliferated. Exports to trusted nations will be a different case. The -4600 model has thrust power of 41,200-lbs.
The -4800 model is for the ASTOVL variant for the Navy and Marine Corps, and features lift-fan ASTOVL design. The nozzle can swivel 90 degrees downwards for vertical or very short takeoffs, and 90 degrees upward for vertical landing. Inflight it can automatically 3D-thrust vector 45 degrees, although the complexity of maintaining this led to the exclusion of this feat in export version. The -4800 model has 46,200-lbs thrust to accomodate VTOL capabilities, with +/- 100 degrees thrust; and as aforementioned, 45 degrees automated inflight.
Avionics
Quite simply, avionics are the most complex and most important facet of a modern fighter. They are the first to be upgraded in upgrade programs, and make the difference between the excellent fighters that make the cut, and the good fighters that crash and burn. In the middle of an intense dogfight, it truly does suck to be he whose plane has inferior avionics.
First, the LCS's detection systems. The LCS uses a powerful, look-down shoot-down all-aspect radar with ranges of up to 180 miles. This radar has been in development for quite a long time, and is designed to integrate into the rest of LCS's systems and avionics, and be particularly useful in navigation and ground attack for infiltration missions. And just for kicks - well, actually, to fulfill one of the requirements - this radar is significantly harder to detect via passive radar, and harder to disrupt via electronic countermeasures ('jamming').
Speaking of which, the passive radar and radar warning system. However many methods one uses to mask an active radar's transmissions, powerful passive radar and RWR will be able to intercept it. Using active radar any more than necessary is the first cardinal sin of flying stealth combat aircraft - for then you aren't so stealth anymore. Our active radar masking is a superb system, but the passive radar is able to detect it. The LCS's passive radar and integrated RWR is able to detect incoming radar signals and warn you who's tracking you, and where. Any missile locked on the aircraft would be detected, and the pilot alerted immediately - in addition, up to ten incoming missiles can be kept track of at a time, and the chaff/flare countermeasures will kick in automatically.
The LCS also uses an internal infrared tracking system, a powerful IR detection system able to detect heat emissions on the air and on the ground (or sea) with great range and accuracy, and little disturbance. With all aspect tracking and a range of over ten miles, this is one of the best IR detecting systems in Zoogiedom. Furthermore, the system seeks to cancel out flares or electronic countermeasures from disturbing the tracking, and effectively guides aircraft when active radar is not an option. This is a passive system, and is always active.
Further, in the integrated multi-function displays and avionics suite are internal GPS and laser-designation systems, guiding the LCS's JDAM and laser guided munitions as well as pinpointing targets in all kinds of weather.
Systems
The LCS often will have the goal of flying infiltration into enemy airspace and taking out high priority targets with precision strikes. Therefore, all of its systems are required to be flawless and astounding.
LCS redefines the term 'autopilot.' Targets in close proximity to the LCS are always tracked, as well as the ground and terrain (determined by the radar systems by comparing the altitudes of ground targets and generating a sort of rough computerized terrain map) to prevent the LCS from getting into a midair or crashing accidentally in poor weather. Warnings will alert the pilot when he becomes too close to crashing, and the powerful 'Emergency Manuever Control System' will engage all control surfaces of the aircraft, including thrust vectoring, to vector out of the close strike. Even if there are multiple points of impending collision, this system will automatically attempt to manuever out of them all. A subordinate to this system, the 'Incoming Missile Manuever Control System,' tracks incoming missile trajectory, distance, speed, and makes a ton of calculations...based on these calculations, it will use the EMCS to perform extreme manuevers to dodge the missile at the last second, even as the pilot is manuevering the plane himself or herself. It also control the countermeasures suite, and releases flare and chaff as appropriate.
The countermeasures suite is also top of the line. It will automatically engage chaff and flare, launching them in the approximate direction of the missile in select time intervals, all based on the calculations of the IMMCS. Various electronic countermeasures system will engage powerful jamming, passive electronic countermeasures, and bombard incoming missiles with signals that intend to throw it off, no matter what the designation.
The LCS uses an enhanced fly-by-optics system. Fly-by-wire, made famous by the venerable F-16 fighter, is an advanced control system that allows the aircraft unprecedented manueverability, and the pilot unprecedented control. Fly by optics is a few steps up. Fly-by-wire is now a thing of the past - optical fibers allow for faster, more reliable responses, much better control, and much better exploitation of the flight envelope. Both automated and manual, and able to be controlled by the various manuever systems such as EMCS and IMMCS, the LCS-FBO system allows this fighter to be easily one of the most manueverable in the world. Combined with the effective, consolidated control surfaces and thrust vectoring, the LCS is feature an extreme turn radius, incredible manuevers, and almost unmatched performance. It is able to come to a complete stop in mid air and hover, in both versions of the aircraft. It is also able to fly virtually sideways.
As for control surfaces, the LCS doesn't use traditional flaps or aerilons; indeed, these are steadily being phased out in Zoogiedom combat aircraft. Rather, various systems in its wings, moving canard foreplanes, and rear horizontal stabilizers ('tail fins') have fluid motion, allowing such extreme manueverability such as almost sideways flight and hovering. This also makes it an excellent dogfighter, and is part of the reason why it beat out a very specialized and updated unmanned F-35 in dogfight trials...
The final system worthy of note is the D3CS, or Dual Cannon Combat Control System. The LCS features twin embedded 20-mm six-barrel cannons, able to be fired both automatically and manually. When the detection systems of the LCS lock onto an enemy fighter - let's say, an Su-37 - several systems kick in. The Air Combat Manuever System (another which controls the control surfaces) makes adjustments in the control surfaces to aid the pilot in manuevering towards the aircraft, or to help swing the aircraft out of the way as the enemy aircraft gains a favorable position on it. The aforementioned D3CS, meanwhile, calculates the speed, position, distance, trajectory, and other statistics of its own plane and the enemy(ies) in question. The D3CS gun system then makes a calculation of the hit percentage that its cannons would get on the enemy fighter if it fired at any given time...when the hit percentage reaches a certain point, the cannon system propels a certain number of cannon rounds towards the enemy fighter...this evolutionary dogfighting system leaves the pilot free to manuever (and even this is aided) while letting the machine destroy on its own, with stunning accuracy. And if surrounded by two Su-37s, the LCS can even concentrate on splashing one while letting its IMMCS/EMCS and ACMS system save its tail on the other end. This is the next generation in dogfighting.
The LCS also features tiny pods on each of its wings that emit our first endeavor into an active ECM system, codenamed Taurus. Taurus uses two very tiny, barely noticeable pods on the wings to emit signals that basically cancel all active radar emissions...for all intensive purposes, nothing but the very, very, very, very best and expensive radar systems will be able to track the LCS via active radar, even if the LCS has its wingtip pylons mounted.
Armament
The LCS carries in standard configuration two 2000-lb munitions and two medium ranged missiles in its main bays and two heatseeking missiles in its side bays. The main bays can also hold (in place of the bombs) four medium ranged missiles, or six heatseeking missiles, if necessary, with two medium ranged or three short ranged AAMs replaced by the 2000-lb munitions. Various other ground stores can accomodated.
Four wingtip pylons are mounted if necessary, but degrade its aerodynamics somewhat.
Export - Important; buyers please read before buying
Cn. Hansien has brought in new export policy of combat aircraft; all export versions are to be eliminated and combat aircraft strictly sold in private deals to the most trusted allies.
ZaS-42 (Full) A: $36 million M: $42 million
Engine type: 3D-TV Es-143 turbofan type with 41,000-lb thrust.
Performance: Max speed Mach 2.43; cruise speed Mach 1.68; service ceiling 61,000 feet
Armament: Main bays housing two 2000-lb JDAM munitions and two AIM-120; side bays housing two AIM-132; four wing pylons for further arms;
Cannon: (Air force: dual 20-mm cannons with 360 rounds each) (Marines: 25-mm cannon with 620 rounds)
Range: 1450 Miles (1300 Marinal Version)
http://www.simlabs.arc.nasa.gov/photos/images/aircraft/astovl.jpeg