NationStates Jolt Archive


F-71A Fighter Bomber Released

Soviet Bloc
26-08-2004, 04:47
F-71A 'Shkara' Fighter Bomber


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/Chlevenkov/mig-294.gif


F-71A Fighter-Bomber



Purpose
The F-71A was originally built as a competitor to the F-57A Molniya air superiority fighter. The F-57A won the trials only because it fit the air superiority role best. The F-71A, however, could carry more and still maintain very high speeds (on par with the F-57A with nearly double the capacity). It was decided, by the ARSB Air Force, that the F-71A would be reconfigured into the air to ground attack role, of which it superbly handles.
Sharing some design features with the F-57A, the F-71A shares the same pulse-detonation/turbofan hybrid engines which provide it with unimaginable speed. Three dimensional thrust vectoring gives it maneuverability on par with most air superiority fighters.


Engines

The F-71A utilizes twin ARSB-developed advanced SB-APDE-ATF-375XA pulse-detonation/turbofan hybrid engines which give the F-71A unmatched speed and maneuverability. The massive engines, coupled with the ARSB's advanced turbine system and the ARSB's Advanced Three-Dimensional AQT-80 Vectored Thrust system which can vector the engine's massive amount of thrust at angles up to 80 degrees and using enough speed to complete a full 160 degree conversion in about three seconds, meaning this aircraft can do full S-maneuvers without losing speed, control, or stability. Each engine can put out an amazing 44,000 pounds of thrust which can propel this aircraft to speeds of Mach 3.4 although the normal cruising speed is between Mach 2.4 and Mach 2.7.


Systems (Avionics and Weapons)

The ARC/MSR-71 is the central targetting, tracking, and firing solution computer and branches out into the following other subsystems:

SB-AIRCST-15S which is the ARSB-developed Infrared Search and Track system. This system scans the entire area and at ranges up to 120 km for any heat signature. When a signature is found, the system tracks the target and provides the weapons computer a firing solution, then a missile can be fired and that missile's own guidance system can take over and steer the missile to its target or it can receive updates from the aircraft's computer.

SB-AMRQ/R72 This system is the F-71A's advanced medium range radar.

SB-MMRQ/R90 This system is the F-71A's millimetric radar.

ARC-71 computer system is the F-71As tracking portion of the ARC/MSR-71 computer package. Using the IRST and the AMRQ/R72 radar, this system can track nearly three-hundred (300) targets at ranges of nearly 350 km. This powerful system can also bring firing solutions on up to 50 targets in a 100km range depending on the range of the missile and can also identify up to 20 of those targets. The ARC-71 can also identify target headings and trajectories at the farthest range and display them inside the pilot's helmet or on the advanced deep HUD.

MSR-71: This portion of the package is the main targetting computer. It can actively target nearly one hundred of the tracked objects that the ARC-71 is tracking and can bring up firing solutions on 60 of them at once and fire on up to six simultaneously. This system also relies on the IRST and the radar to provide up to date target information for it to process and turn into firing solutions.

AHVDS- The Advanced Helmet-mounted Visual Display system is a three-visor system mounted on the pilot and weapon officer's helmets. One visor folds over the left eye and displays target information as well has current speed, heading, weapons selected, a small forward-facing radar screen cut, and altitude. The second visor folds over the right eye and displays weapon information, fuel, ammunition, lock-on variables, displays arrows to show where enemy fighters are and display a chevron over an enemy fighter when its locked on. The third visor covers the entire face and can track targets across the visor, it displays other information the two smaller visors don't. A fourth visor is the basic sun-visor. But, when the sun-visor is down, the three information-displaing visors change brightness to where the information is easy to read in the darker conditions. Any of these visors can be changed to show different information by using voice commands. To enter the command, just say 'Command' then say what you want on the different screens. Or it can be manually cycled using two buttons and a scrolling-type wheel on the side of the joystick.

ACST-30 uses the computer to utilize information from the aircraft's radar and other sensors to track an aircraft in front of the F-71 in a small cone that radiates outwards. The ACST-30 is mounted in a semi-sealed 'bubble' underneath the aircraft and can maneuver inside this bubble to fire on enemy aircraft. This means that the F-57 only has to point its nose in a general direction while its cannon moves and locks onto the aircraft then opens fire either on its own or by the pilot's control. the firing solution computer for the ACST-30 is a small version of the ALMRS/TTAC-03Mk II.

AMS/MC-MS3 (Fly by light): This system links together the motor controls in the wings, aileroins, tail, canards, and the thrust vectoring into one system. Combined, these control surfaces make the F-71A so maneuverable it's almost hard to believe. This system also links them with fiber optic cable technology and advanced servo systems to provide smooth, precise handling and quick response to commands, making this fighter so smooth and agile to operate, a trainee who's flown a trainer jet could hop in one of these and seem like he's been flying it for years.


GTS/SC-71: This system is a dedicated air-to-ground targetting and tracking system. It can effectively track an unlimited amount of targets in its 80 mile range. Each target is then profiled and those with a higher threat level are relayed to commander. This system allows for the deployment and firing of air-to-ground missiles with unrivaled accuracy. It can either utilize radar tracking, infrared/heat-seeking tracking, or laser/GPS guided to fire its complement of missiles. A feature of this system, when engaged, would use GPS data/computer provided data provided by a ground-based commander (that would be downloaded into the system) to engage targets automatically, meaning that the pilot would just have to fly to the target and at a certain point, with the activation by the pilot, the missile would release and engage the target (either by relying on GPS coordinates or using GPS data to find general location of target then using a ground-based laser targetter to hit the target).

AN/APX-71D: IFF (Friend or Foe Identification) interrogator.
ARS/PR-P9: Passive radar and radar warning receiver.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/Chlevenkov/mig29.jpg


Weaponry

Being chiefly designed to fulfill the ground attack and fighter bomber roles of the Future Air Force, the F-71A was primarily developed to maintain and use air to ground munitions of all ranges. It has numerous hardpoints for weapons to be mounted on including wingtips, four hardpoints underneath each wing, and three hardpoints underneath the fuselage. Over all, the F-71A can carry a massive 22,600 pounds of disposable stores including ammunition, bombs, missiles, fuel tanks, electronics pods, etc. Armament options include air to air munitions, air to ground (bombs and missiles), external fuel tanks for enhanced range, etc. These hardpoints are compatible with all wester and Soviet designs.

The F-71A also maintains a single 30mm advanced chain gun which uses a small ALMRS/TTAC-03Mk II firing solution computer to track targets in a small cone in front of the weapon. This cannon system, the ACST-30 System, uses the computer to utilize information from the aircraft's radar and other sensors to track an aircraft in front of the F-71A in a small cone that radiates outwards. The ACST-30 is mounted in a semi-sealed 'bubble' underneath the aircraft and can maneuver inside this bubble to fire on enemy aircraft. This means that the F-71 only has to point its nose in a general direction while its cannon moves and locks onto the aircraft then opens fire either on its own or by the pilot's control.


Crew Safety
The F-71A is outfitted with twin ejection seats, one for the pilot and one for the WSO. When in an emergency situation, both crew members can eject or one can eject. The system automatically ejects when a critical damage occurs (such as both engines are out, massive fire, no wing, etc) in case the crew can not pull the ejection handles (located by each seat and large handles behind the pilots seat for WSO and another handle located along the pilots left side). In the event that an explosion is about to occur, or if the computer detects a missile hit that cannot be avoided and will hit the crew area, it will automatically eject.
The F-71A is also fitted with extensive armor, armor that can stop 12.7mm and slow the 20mm to where it does little damage. The armor consists of lightweight, but strong alloys that make up the frame and an inside skin over the main components with the auxilary armor consisting of a kevlar base covered in epoxy-resin framework/honeycomb. The outerarmor is an aluminum base layer with a 3/1 inch layer of epoxy resin.
Another feature is its automatic countermeasures deployment system. The system automatically detects a missile threat and decides when to release chaff/flares for the optimal effect. Of course the countermeasures system can also be operated manually.


Stealth Features

Visual
----------
The F-71A was designed in such away that, when combined with a wavy-type paint that somewhat matches the surrounding sky, is hard to see. This is accomplished by designing the aircraft to defeat the human eye. The human eye (and brain) tends to focus on the center of objects. This 'flaw' was used and the aircraft was built in such away that it is hard for the eye/brain to notice it, let alone focus on it. To further confuse the brain, if used, a wavy pattern can cause the brain to only notice the area around it. The aircraft's engines and exhaust 'ports' are constructed in such a way that no light or illumination is emitted from them. No active lights are on the exterior of the aircraft. The aircraft's paint is of a dark blue with a wavy pattern that makes it impossible to see at night and significantly reduces vision in daylight. It also has no reflective surfaces.


Radar
----------
The F-71A was designed to be stealthy from the front, top, and bottom, in order to negate any enemy aircraft radar. From the sides and rear it is only marginally stealthy, yet stealthier than many conventional fighters. Added to this is the fact it is covered in radar absorbant materials and the main skin is a ferrous/carbon composite, which absorbs even more radar waves. Enough stealth features are present on this aircraft to make it hard to notice for many ground-based receivers, especially at medium to long ranges.

Heat
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Another stealth feature of the F-71, is reducing its heat signature. The F-71 uses an advanced heat dampening system to reduce the heat signature of its twin engines and the actual jet exhaust ports are located farther into the fuselage, making it 'invisible' to infrared detectors. Friction is reduced in all moving parts by using an advanced lubricant. The leading edges of the wings and fuselage are composed of a material that actually dissipates heat across a larger part of the wing and has small tubes inside that pump coolant across the leading edge, significantly reducing its heat signature to fool the higher end, advanced infrared systems. With these heat dampening systems it makes it nearly impossible for ADVANCED (not low quality or vehicle-based receivers) mid-infrared receivers to locate the aircraft at ranges over 50 km and high-infrared receivers at 12 km. Of course a heat-seeking missile can still lock onto the F-71 (well, either advanced ground launched ones or ones launched at close proximity) but they won't be able to hold that lock because the total heat output of the entire aircraft is slightly mor than that of a car's engine (some 150 or so degrees). It'll also be much, much more easier to distract the missile with flares.

Turbulence
-----------
A third feature, again, the way it was designed. With its wings set like they are, its entire body built this way, it reduces wake left by the aircraft. Meaning doppler-type radar will not pick up the wake/turbulence left by the aircraft unless the F-71 is within 15 km of the doppler radar station. This type of 'stealth' is acheived by designing the wings in a way that air, after passing over the wings (creating pressure imbalances, bla, bla, bla, etc. how aircraft fly) and converging with the air from the underside, combine effortlessly in such a way that turbulence/wake is hardly detected unless the doppler radar is at close range or of extremely high power.

Electromagnetic
------------
The F-71 has a system on it that prevents the detection of the change of electromagnetic radiation when an aircraft passes through varying areas of electromagnetic radiation. This system would fool a detection system that knows the electromagnetic radiation gradient of a certain area and can detect the change or disturbance of it when metal or an aircraft travels through it. The F-71 also has a continuously changing electromagnetic jammer, which prevents it from being detected in this way as well.



Countermeasures

The F-71 maintains a single electronic countermeasures system (the AFFC/SIRR-12) which uses a small radar dome underneath the aircraft to locate the incoming radar pulses of a radar-guided missile, it then fires its own radar pulses at a set frequency and size (determined from the missile's radar pulses). This confuses the enemy radar and usually causes it to believe that the target has disappeared (due to limitations in radar technology) and therefore the missile either detonates or continues on, not tracking the F-71A... The secondary portion of this countermeasures suite is its medium range (40km for this jamming) computer jamming system which can jam radars at their computer core and infrared systems. This usually proves very effective.


The F-71A has three types of disposable countermeasures, numbers listed in ( ) :

Flares- infrared countermeasure (50)

Chaff pods- radar countermeasure (40)

Electrical Disturbance pods- creates a surge of electricity in an area and can mess up a missile's computer (8)



Other
The F-71A is outfitted with an air refueling receptacle for the boom-style refueling. With slight modifications it can accept the drouge-style refueling nozzle.

The F-71A, with 6000lbs of munitions removed, is capable of STOL operations.



Specifications-
Length:
59 feet (17.98 meters)

Height:
15 feet (4.57 meters)

Wingspan:
53 feet (16.15 meters)



Unit Cost:
$68 million

Power Plant:
Two SB-APDE-ATF-375XA Pulse Detonation/Turbofan hydbrid engines
Thrust:
44,000 pounds per engine

Range:
3,850 miles ferry range with conformal fuel tanks and two external fuel tanks. (Can be refueled in-flight)
1,000 nautical mile max combat radius


Ceiling:
68,000 feet


Empty Operating Weight: 33,670 lbs
Maximum Take-off Weight (including fuel and munitions): 81,500 lbs



Speed:
Maximum speed- Mach 3.4

Maximum high level cruise speed- Mach 2.4-Mach 2.7

Crew:
Two (pilot, WSO)




Armament:
1x 30mm cannon
22,600lbs disposable stores (fuel tanks, missiles, bombs, etc.)

8 Total wing hard points (4 on each side, three under each wing, one on each wing tip)
3 Total fuselage hard points (on the underside of fuselage)
TOTAL HARDPOINTS: 11




COST: $68 Million USD per aircraft




OOC- Questions? Comments? Criticism?
The Burnsian Desert
26-08-2004, 04:49
I'll take four hundred.

$13,600,000,000
Soviet Bloc
26-08-2004, 04:57
Alright, confirmed. The order will take approximately 5-6 years to fill. Thank you for the order.
Soviets Unions
26-08-2004, 04:57
100 F-71A 'Shkara' Fighter Bomber
$6.8 Billion USD per aircraft
Soviet Bloc
26-08-2004, 05:00
Confirmed. The order will take approximately 2 years to fulfill. Thank you for the order and we hope you enjoy the aircraft.
_Taiwan
26-08-2004, 05:35
Electrical Disturbance pods- creates a surge of electricity in an area and can mess up a missile's computer (8)

How exactly do these work?
Chellis
26-08-2004, 06:21
How did you solve the Vibration, Sound, and integrity issues with PDE? Or do you prefer flying a veritable V-1?
Soviet Bloc
26-08-2004, 15:27
Well, this will serve as a 'bump' for the time being as I don't have the time right now to answer those questions, I will later though.
Soviet Bloc
27-08-2004, 04:36
Alright, here we go...

First off, this is not a pure pulse detonation engine... It is instead a hybrid between a PDE and a conventional turbofan. This gives it significant performance gains compared to the conventional afterburning turbofan engine. In particular, it has been demonstrated that for a pulse detonation bypass duct operating at a frequency of 100 Hz and higher, the thrust and specific thrust of a pulse-detonation turbofan engine can nearly be twice as much as those of the conventional afterburning turbofan engine. SFC has also been shown to be reduced.



As for the electrical disturbance pods, they are basically small missiles with a small continuous frequency EM pulse generator. They are launched from the tail of the aircraft and the aircraft's radar/IRST/etc. guides it towards its target (it has little propulsion besides a short-burst rocket motor with little fuel), within a set distance from the missile, the generator ignites and effectively deactivates the missile causing it to harmlessly fall to earth. This is a countermeasure against all types of missiles (including ones guided by an aircraft's radar as the EMP effectively shuts down communication between the two).
Hells fallen ones
27-08-2004, 11:26
The armed republic of hells fallen ones would like to purchase
100 of the F-71A 'Shkara' Fighter Bomber for $6.8billion
Intelligent Neighbors
27-08-2004, 13:02
Please may we order 400 of these excellently designed planes?

Total of $13,600,000,000 wired.

Thanks.
Soviet Bloc
27-08-2004, 15:28
Both orders confirmed. They will be built and shipped immediately. Thank you for the purchase.
Soviet Bloc
28-08-2004, 04:26
Bump.
Soviet Bloc
29-08-2004, 03:31
Bump.
New Englands Glory
11-09-2004, 12:24
Our AirForce would like to purchase 50 of the F-71A 'Shkara' Fighter Bomber = $3.4 billion .

The funds shall be released and wired upon confirmation.

Kind Regards
Arnold J Rimmer.
Dept. of Defence
Soviet Bloc
13-09-2004, 23:36
Your order has been accepted. Expect the aircraft to be delivered over a two year period. Thank you for the order.
Warta Endor
14-09-2004, 18:42
The People's Republic of Warta Endor wants to place the following order:
-50 F71A worth 3.4 Billion

Department of Defence, Air Force secretary
Soviet Bloc
14-09-2004, 23:26
Your order has been confirmed. The aircraft will be built and shipped over a two year span. Thank you for the order and enjoy the products.
Jimbobway Islands
15-09-2004, 00:08
I would like to purchase 25 of these craft. The total will come to 1.7 Billion and the money will be wired as soon as the order is confirmed.
Thank You
JI
Urrah
15-09-2004, 00:42
The people of the Democratic States of Urrah wish to purchase 25 of these aircraft. The total comes to 1.7 billion USD and the finds will be transferred when the order is confirmed.
Soviet Bloc
15-09-2004, 03:36
Both orders confirmed. Each order will be completed and shipped within a one year period. Thank you for the orders.
Forlindor
27-11-2004, 13:01
TPROF would like to purchase:

400: worth $13,6 billion
Zimbergia
27-11-2004, 13:23
Zimbergia would like to purchase as much of these Bomber Fighters as possibly purchased with the amount of $1.5 Billion
Soviet Bloc
27-11-2004, 19:54
Forlindor- Confirmed. The aircraft will be built and deliverd as soon as possible. Thank you for the order, enjoy the aircraft.


Zimbergia- Confirmed. The 40 aircraft will be built and delivered as soon as possible. Thank you for the order, enjoy the aircraft.
Intelligent Neighbors
30-11-2004, 20:05
Please may we order 600 more of these planes, for $40,800,000,000.

Thanks.
Soviet Bloc
30-11-2004, 22:09
Yes you may, your order has been confirmed and the aircraft will be built and delivered over a period of 8-9 years. Thank you for the order, enjoy the aircraft.