NationStates Jolt Archive

Nu-38 Aeromancer
Manufacturer: Aizawa Avionics
Inspiration: MiG-29K/MiG-33
Designation: Single-seat interceptor/air superiority fighter
Dimensions(L*W*H): 17.8*15.6*4.8m
Weight(empty/combat): 10,000kg/15,158kg
Top Speed, Maximum: 2,816 km/h(Mach 2.6)
Top Speed, Cruising: 1,840 km/h(Mach 1.7)
Engines: Two TA-X4 turbofan jet engines, each rated at 12,800kg of thrust(17,451kg at afterburner)
Service Ceiling: 19,300m
Rate of Climb: 414 m/s
Range: 2,400km(combat), 5,000km(ferry); air refueling capable
Turning Radius, Instantaneous: 45 degrees/s
Turning Radius, Sustained: 36.4 degrees/s
Avionics: Sauron RADAR/LiDAR suite, Hawkeye integrated fire control system, Wayfinder inertial reference/navigation computer, HandsOff Combat Heads Up Display, SystemShock ECM package
Weapons: One Vagabond 30mm cannon, three hardpoints under each wing, four on and under fuselage
Ammunition: 150x30mm, 4xSeeker ALRAAM, 6xDementia AMRAAM, 18xFlares, 15xChaff
Price: $43,000,000 USD; $2.7b for bundle of production rights($1.5b for parts, $200m for airframe, $700m for avionics, $400m for missiles)

What Is It?

An agile and nimble fighter optimized for air-to-air combat for buyers who are frightened by the F-22's, EF-2000 Eurofighter/Typhoon’s, and later NS fighters’ exorbitant price tag.

Airframe

The Nu-38's airframe is little different that of the MiG-29K/MiG-33. Aesthetically, at least; a bit shorter, a bit bigger wingspan. With regards to its innards, almost the entire fighter was revamped, from the complete redesign of the nose, engine compartments, and wings to accomodate the new avionics, engines, and weapons to the fundamental reworking of the materials so as to include the incorporation of broadband RAMs into the leading and trailing edges of the aircraft to provide better protection in the modern skies. Whilst the plane certainly isn’t stealthy in the design sense, such protective measures were implemented wherever possible to increase survivability.

Engines and Performance

What makes the Nu-38 something special is its twin TA-X4 engines. While they are light and small, they constitute some of the best engineering that Juumanistran defense firms have brought to market in that they are both powerful(the TA-X4 produces roughly 50% more thrust than the RD-33 found on the MiG-29/33) and are capable of supercruising as well as omnidirectional thrust vectoring. This immense increase in raw power and technology on what is essentially the same airframe had led to equally immense leaps in performance; givens excellent rate-of-climb and tight incidental and sustained turn radiuses, the Nu-38 is capable of outflying almost all off-the-shelf air superiority systems and hanging tough against most of the more sophisticated NS-designed ones.

Avionics

The Nu-38 delivers pilots a fairly easy ride, thanks to fly-by-wire controls and perkiness of the TA-X4 engines that power the craft. The Sauron sensor suite is capable of providing LiDAR and RADAR scanning out to a range of one hundred kilometers, with fire-and-forget capability out to seventy-five kilometers(with the Seeker ALRAAM; range may increase by changing the weapons loadout). The Hawkeye targeting system boasts the ability to kill ten targets simultaneously, as well as actively track another dozen in addition to those being attacked.

Weapons

The standard Juumanistran loadout consists of four Seeker ALRAAMs and six Dementia AMRAAMs. Whilst there is no off-the-shelf analog to the Seeker, the Dementia is similar to the AIM-120 AMRAAM as far as determining weapons configurations. The fighter’s hardpoints were designed for maximum flexibility in weapon selection and can accomodate a large selection of off-the-shelf air-to-air missiles as well as NS-originated ones.

Why Should I Buy This?

The craft offers a definite step up in performance terms from off-the-shelf fighters(F-15, F-14, MiG-29) without the gratuitous rise in price that tends to accompany next-generation aircraft of either real states(F/A-22, EF-2000) or NS states(Tyrandis’s TSA-12 Kestrel, Canadian Union’s CF-24 Falcon). Thus, if you’re worried about the performance gap between the Nu-38 and some of the more sophisticated systems on NS, the lower unit cost also means that more can be fielded per dollar than some of the more expensive systems.

Aizawa Avionics is also offering the production rights for almost the entire aircraft for those looking to become their own supplier; only the TA-X4's rights aren’t for sale.

[OOC: Right. I suspect I've royally fudged the numbers as far as power, turning radius, and rate-of-climb to the point where if maneuvers were tried at those given rates, the pilot would turn into a mass of goo. But, given that this is NS, I don't think I've crossed too many lines. Also, given that I'm trying something a bit different with the marketing, I think it's forgivable. That also makes really, really bold assumptions of there being any interest in what is essentially a tricked out MiG-29(I dunno why, but I just the look of the plane).]

I assume that this looks like the MiG-29 too, right? I might be interested in purchasing some, but if it is just "a tricked out MiG-29," then what are its advantages over an aircraft similar to, say, an F-15 or a Saab JAS-39 (my personal favorite)?

Yes, it does look similar to the MiG-29. With regards to performance comparisons with the F-15, the craft can out-turn and outrun it, as well as see and kill it from farther away; given that, to my knowledge, the SAAB JAS-39 cannot outfly the F-15, the same applies(and, even if it can, the Nu-38 can still outfly, outrun, and outrange it).

"Tricked out" was probably a bad phrase. The craft is significantly improved over the MiG-29 and MiG-33 to the point that their relationship is akin to that of, say, modern humans and homo erectus. They're worlds apart in terms of capabilities, even though they look alike.

Okay, thanks for responding. I'll consider it.

Oh, and just out of curiousity, what does the Nu stand for?

Hello. I wish to purchase 10,000 of these for a total sum of $430,000,000,000. Money will be wired upon confirmation. Thanks.

-Generalissimo J.L.

Official Communique from the Resi Corporation:

You have impressed us. Congradulations.
We'd like to purchase the production rights for this model, and the $2.7 billion has been wired. Please notify us about further designs from Aizawa Avionics, their design appears to be a very sound one.

[signed]
CEO Tetragammaton
The Resi Corporation

Armany: It's an abbreviation of an ancient Juumanistran word meaning "frenzied warrior"; given that we were looking for a unique designation for our fightercraft, it sort of stuck. The same precedent of use of ancient Juumanistran applies throughout our Air Force with regards to designations(Ne- is F/A-, Mu- is B-, Re- is C-, etc.).

Roach-Busters: We had not expected such a massive order so quickly; we had batches of between a dozen to fifty ready to send to nations for evaluation. It will, therefore, take a while to fill your order. It shall take roughly eight years to complete this gargantuan order. We'll get cracking immediately.

[On the one RL day = one NS year, you can expect 1,250 Nu-38s delivered a day, RB]

Given the Resi Corporation's excellent standing with the government of Juumanistra, the Ministry of Defense has signed off on the license of the TA-X4 engine blueprints as well as the rest of the production rights. We'll have the blueprints sent immediately.

Bump for exposure.

Bump for GREAT JUSTICE!

In an attempt to decide on a suitable fighter type for front-line duty, the Department of Defense has agreed to purchase a small batch of 3 Nu-38's for the sum of $129,000,000 to undergo further evaluation. The Department of the Treasury has been instructed to wire the money to Juumanistran authorities upon transaction confirmation. Thank you.

Signed:
Larry Mitchell
Secretary of Defense, The Federative Commonwealth of Armany

OOC: Heh. I take it this fighter is basically a retrofitted Fulcrum, like the Japanese FX-3 (F-16 Fighting Falcon upgrade) project?

Just so you know, the problem with using vanilla conventional warplanes in NS are over-abundant air defense systems with accompanying RADARs... If I were you, I'd update this thing with broadband RAM panels on leading/trailing edges, to reduce its vulnerability to the aforementioned weapons.

...Purchase Order>Production Rights > Nu-38 Aeromancer Interceptor & Air Superiority Fighters @ 2.7 Billion>Required Urgently. Ministry of Defense, Federal Socialist Republic of Hrstrovokia<Confirm?>End.

Armany: We hope you find our product satisfactory; the craft are being transformed to you as we speak.

Hrstrovokia: We'll transfer the blueprints immediately. We are a bit concerned that Hrstrovokia does understand that the blueprints do not include those for the Nu-38's engines and that Hrstrovokia must provide her own or must buy TA-X4s from us on a per unit basis. Given that we do have previous relations with Hrstrovokia, we're sure we can come up with an amiable deal should it not have its own engines lined up.

Tyrandis: Done; still getting used to the aircraft (re)development cycle as opposed to ground systems. And for a more apt comparison than the FX-3, I'd think it'd be something akin to attempting to rebuild the P-51 with composites and modern electronics; at least that's how I envision it, at any rate.

Confirmed Juumanistra, thank you!

Up, for good measure.

The Arman Department of Defense notes the reception of the Nu-38's and looks forward to evaluating the aircraft, with the possibility of a larger transaction to occur pending our decision.

Nice doing business with you.

Signed:
Larry Mitchell
Arman SecDef