Kotterdam
02-08-2004, 00:24
Look! I'm a picture of the Retaliator! Click me! (http://www.faf.jp/fafar/01/img/f1.gif)
A/F-19A Retaliator Multirole Fighter
Intended as a replacement for the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-37 Shalakh derivatives currently in service with the Dominion Air Force, the A/F-19A Retaliator is a single-engine, single-seat multi-role fighter incorporating a number of technologies purchased from and developed in tandem with the United City-States of New Empire. Built around a new Kielly-Caesar Rapier PDE/Turbofan hybrid, and capable of supercruising at speeds greater than Mach 2, the Retaliator is both fast and fuel efficient, allowing it significant loiter-time once it has arrived at its patrol station. Additionally, the Retaliator is maneuverable in ways that previous Dominion fighters could only dream of. Using a combination of all-moving control surfaces, full three-dimensional thrust vectoring, and forward swept wings, the Retaliator can perform maneuvers unheard of in earlier aircraft.
This is further augmented by the use of all-moving lift surfaces. In other words, at low speeds, the Retaliator's wings can rotate about their horizontal axis to provide for even further improved maneuverability. Additionally, the Retaliator is the first Dominion-produced aircraft to use Mission Adaptive and Active Aeroelastic wing technology. What this all means in practical terms is that at supersonic speeds right through to her stall limit, and even in a post-stall situation, the Retaliator is a superbly maneuverable, exceptionally lethal close-range dogfighter. As well, much like the F-125 Gyrafalcon designed by The UCSNE, her wings encorporate rotating hardpoints to allow them to carry ordinance while still varying their sweep to fit the situation at hand. This degree of control is maintained through a combination of the new TARGETS Tactical Altered Reality - Generic Enhanced Targeting System and a quadruple-layered advanced Fly-by-Light control system.
As noted above, the A/F-19A employs the new TARGETS Brain Direct Imaging system, allowing the pilot to view a great deal of information by stimulating the sensory centers of the brain, thus uncluttering the pilot's displays and giving him near-instant access to a wide range of essential information. TARGETS integrates with all the various sensory systems at the aircraft's disposal, routes them through the Pallas Athena's coldframe superconducting computer, and overlays the essential information onto the pilot's senses. Prime amongst these sensors is the new SPR112 Solid-State Pulse Doppler Radar. Similar to the APG-77 fielded on the Raptor and the SAPG-91 used in the Gyrafalcon, the SPR112 features a 170nm-range, and an aft-looking component with a range of 90nm. Furthermore, in place of the conventional PASS-12 All-Aspect system, the A/F-19A uses the newly developed Have Mojo/Have Magic five-point LIDAR system as its secondary sensor, with fore and aft detection ranges of 80nm, and a lateral range of 50nm.
As the primary fixture of the fighter's armament, the Retaliator includes the M97A1 Thunderstroke 30mm coilgun, a weapon that has proven equally effective in air-to-air and anti-armour roles. Four hardpoints per wing, and three along the fuselage give the Retaliator no fewer than eleven hardpoints, three of them wet. Furthermore, the centerline hardpoint has all the neccesary connections and control leads to mount the E19A3 Gunpod version of the Dominion's Practical Airborne Laser, an energy weapon capable of striking and destroying targets from a range of up to 150nm. Equally as capable in an air-to-ground role, on a standard air-superiority mission, for instance, under the auspices of the Dominion the Retaliator would be equipped with the following loadout. It would carry the E19A3 along its centerline, two 1,040 gallon tanks, one on each of the other fuselage hardpoints, four AIM-95K Phoenix Slayer AAMs, one on each of the two inboard pylons on either wing, three AIM-112A Spearhawk missiles on both the Number 10 and Number 2 pylons for six in total, and a pair of SERAAM missiles, one on either outboard pylon.
Additionally, the Retaliator includes a number of advanced stealth features, not the least of which is the use of radar-transparent carbon fibre composites in the construction of the tail surfaces, and the forward canards. Additionally, strategic use of radar absorbant materials is employed to lower the fighter's cross-section even further. As well, the Retaliator is treated with a special application of Dominion-developed alligned-crystal low-observability coating. Similar to many of the low-observability coatings used in other modern aircraft, ACLOC uses special artificially grown crystals to trap inbound radar waves and prevent them from returning to the reciever. Although not as stealthy as some aircraft, these measures render the Retaliator difficult to detect at ranges greater than seventy to sixty nautical miles.
To further augment these stealth measures, the A/F-19A employs the Pallas Athena Tactical Sensor Countermeasure System. Designed in cooperation with the UCSNE, Pallas Athena operates through the principle of phase canceling. While the aircraft is being painted by hostile radars, the Pallas Athena transmits an inverse wave back to the reciever with just enough error to simulate passage through the atmospheric conditions through which the aircraft is currently traveling. Direction-finding is not a danger, since the aircraft is simply canceling out the inbound returns, and only transmits when there is an inbound signal to nullify. Any signals that may escape from an operating Pallas Athena unit would be literally indistinguishable from background atmospheric noise. Finally, in a measure intended to aid the aircraft's visual stealth, the Retaliator employs the UCSNE's photocell system to somewhat distort its visual signature, making it harder to detect with the naked eye.
General Characteristics
Primary Function: Multirole Fighter
Contractors:
Vega Aerospace Consortium
Power Plant:
One Kielly-Caesar LP27-KC-001 Rapier Pulse-Detonation/Turbofan Hybrid Engine
Speed:
3,618 kph (2,248 mph/Mach 3.4+) - May supercruise at Mach 2.2
Range:
2,700 miles ferry range with three external fuel tanks
Armament:
1x M97A1 Thunderstroke 30mm Coilgun with 210 rounds of ammunition
11x External Hardpoints
Combat Systems:
Longfield Electronics SPR122 Solid-State Pulse Doppler Radar
Ericsson Multifunction Integrated Defensive Information Systems (MIDIS)
Longfield/UCSNE Pallas Athena Tactical Sensor Countermeasure System (TSCS)
Paradigm Airborne Sensors and Systems Have Mojo/Have Magic Five-Point LIDAR System
Paradigm/UCSNE TARGETS Tactical Altered Reality - Generic Enhanced Targeting System
USCNE Photocell Visual Distortion System
Crew: One
Unit Cost: $71.1 million
A/F-19A Retaliator Multirole Fighter
Intended as a replacement for the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-37 Shalakh derivatives currently in service with the Dominion Air Force, the A/F-19A Retaliator is a single-engine, single-seat multi-role fighter incorporating a number of technologies purchased from and developed in tandem with the United City-States of New Empire. Built around a new Kielly-Caesar Rapier PDE/Turbofan hybrid, and capable of supercruising at speeds greater than Mach 2, the Retaliator is both fast and fuel efficient, allowing it significant loiter-time once it has arrived at its patrol station. Additionally, the Retaliator is maneuverable in ways that previous Dominion fighters could only dream of. Using a combination of all-moving control surfaces, full three-dimensional thrust vectoring, and forward swept wings, the Retaliator can perform maneuvers unheard of in earlier aircraft.
This is further augmented by the use of all-moving lift surfaces. In other words, at low speeds, the Retaliator's wings can rotate about their horizontal axis to provide for even further improved maneuverability. Additionally, the Retaliator is the first Dominion-produced aircraft to use Mission Adaptive and Active Aeroelastic wing technology. What this all means in practical terms is that at supersonic speeds right through to her stall limit, and even in a post-stall situation, the Retaliator is a superbly maneuverable, exceptionally lethal close-range dogfighter. As well, much like the F-125 Gyrafalcon designed by The UCSNE, her wings encorporate rotating hardpoints to allow them to carry ordinance while still varying their sweep to fit the situation at hand. This degree of control is maintained through a combination of the new TARGETS Tactical Altered Reality - Generic Enhanced Targeting System and a quadruple-layered advanced Fly-by-Light control system.
As noted above, the A/F-19A employs the new TARGETS Brain Direct Imaging system, allowing the pilot to view a great deal of information by stimulating the sensory centers of the brain, thus uncluttering the pilot's displays and giving him near-instant access to a wide range of essential information. TARGETS integrates with all the various sensory systems at the aircraft's disposal, routes them through the Pallas Athena's coldframe superconducting computer, and overlays the essential information onto the pilot's senses. Prime amongst these sensors is the new SPR112 Solid-State Pulse Doppler Radar. Similar to the APG-77 fielded on the Raptor and the SAPG-91 used in the Gyrafalcon, the SPR112 features a 170nm-range, and an aft-looking component with a range of 90nm. Furthermore, in place of the conventional PASS-12 All-Aspect system, the A/F-19A uses the newly developed Have Mojo/Have Magic five-point LIDAR system as its secondary sensor, with fore and aft detection ranges of 80nm, and a lateral range of 50nm.
As the primary fixture of the fighter's armament, the Retaliator includes the M97A1 Thunderstroke 30mm coilgun, a weapon that has proven equally effective in air-to-air and anti-armour roles. Four hardpoints per wing, and three along the fuselage give the Retaliator no fewer than eleven hardpoints, three of them wet. Furthermore, the centerline hardpoint has all the neccesary connections and control leads to mount the E19A3 Gunpod version of the Dominion's Practical Airborne Laser, an energy weapon capable of striking and destroying targets from a range of up to 150nm. Equally as capable in an air-to-ground role, on a standard air-superiority mission, for instance, under the auspices of the Dominion the Retaliator would be equipped with the following loadout. It would carry the E19A3 along its centerline, two 1,040 gallon tanks, one on each of the other fuselage hardpoints, four AIM-95K Phoenix Slayer AAMs, one on each of the two inboard pylons on either wing, three AIM-112A Spearhawk missiles on both the Number 10 and Number 2 pylons for six in total, and a pair of SERAAM missiles, one on either outboard pylon.
Additionally, the Retaliator includes a number of advanced stealth features, not the least of which is the use of radar-transparent carbon fibre composites in the construction of the tail surfaces, and the forward canards. Additionally, strategic use of radar absorbant materials is employed to lower the fighter's cross-section even further. As well, the Retaliator is treated with a special application of Dominion-developed alligned-crystal low-observability coating. Similar to many of the low-observability coatings used in other modern aircraft, ACLOC uses special artificially grown crystals to trap inbound radar waves and prevent them from returning to the reciever. Although not as stealthy as some aircraft, these measures render the Retaliator difficult to detect at ranges greater than seventy to sixty nautical miles.
To further augment these stealth measures, the A/F-19A employs the Pallas Athena Tactical Sensor Countermeasure System. Designed in cooperation with the UCSNE, Pallas Athena operates through the principle of phase canceling. While the aircraft is being painted by hostile radars, the Pallas Athena transmits an inverse wave back to the reciever with just enough error to simulate passage through the atmospheric conditions through which the aircraft is currently traveling. Direction-finding is not a danger, since the aircraft is simply canceling out the inbound returns, and only transmits when there is an inbound signal to nullify. Any signals that may escape from an operating Pallas Athena unit would be literally indistinguishable from background atmospheric noise. Finally, in a measure intended to aid the aircraft's visual stealth, the Retaliator employs the UCSNE's photocell system to somewhat distort its visual signature, making it harder to detect with the naked eye.
General Characteristics
Primary Function: Multirole Fighter
Contractors:
Vega Aerospace Consortium
Power Plant:
One Kielly-Caesar LP27-KC-001 Rapier Pulse-Detonation/Turbofan Hybrid Engine
Speed:
3,618 kph (2,248 mph/Mach 3.4+) - May supercruise at Mach 2.2
Range:
2,700 miles ferry range with three external fuel tanks
Armament:
1x M97A1 Thunderstroke 30mm Coilgun with 210 rounds of ammunition
11x External Hardpoints
Combat Systems:
Longfield Electronics SPR122 Solid-State Pulse Doppler Radar
Ericsson Multifunction Integrated Defensive Information Systems (MIDIS)
Longfield/UCSNE Pallas Athena Tactical Sensor Countermeasure System (TSCS)
Paradigm Airborne Sensors and Systems Have Mojo/Have Magic Five-Point LIDAR System
Paradigm/UCSNE TARGETS Tactical Altered Reality - Generic Enhanced Targeting System
USCNE Photocell Visual Distortion System
Crew: One
Unit Cost: $71.1 million