Sarzonia
11-11-2005, 18:57
SZ-23 'Aurora' patrol/scout aircraft
Background In response to Space Union's development of the SuF-5 Lion single-engined, multi-role fighter aircraft, the Avalon Aerospace Corporation and Windham & Green Defence Industries met with the Incorporated Sarzonian Department of Defence to determine Sarzonian needs with respect to single engine aircraft. While dual-engined aircraft provide the mainstay for Sarzonia's newest generation of aircraft, the ISAF saw a need for a combat fighter that is agile, maneuverable, and readily available for rapid deployment. It also saw a need for scout aircraft that could serve as a viable aerial combatant should it be called into duty against any conceivable threat. The result of this research is the SZ-23 'Aurora' patrol/scout aircraft.
Avionics While the new generation of Sarzonian-built aircraft leans heavily on technology adapted from the lessons of Inkana, the Aurora attempts to employ some of those lessons without the attendant sacrifices in stealth or maneuverability. With the establishment of the new Home Guard under former Air Force Chief Bill Lighton and the Air Guard component looking for aircraft specially tailored to its role defending Sarzonian air space, the Avalon Aerospace Corporation chose to adopt a lightweight airframe that was sturdy enough to be used on aircraft carriers or limited runways should the need arise. The Aurora employs a titanium/aluminum alloy airframe and uses a combination of a titanium/aluminum alloy and composite materials to make the aircraft lightweight and more easily maneuverable with its single engine construction.
Sensors The need for excellent scouting ability influenced the design of the 'Aurora' and as such, it employs Windham & Green's Improved Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System, a next-generation version of the ASARS-2A previously employed on the U-2 High Altitude Reconnaissance Aircraft. ISARS is designed for high resolution all hours operation, including adverse weather conditions and can be employed in search and spot modes against both stationary or moving targets. Other systems employed include a millimetric wave radar for shorter range operation, an active electronically scanned array, Forward Looking Infared (FLIR) sensor, long range, multipurpose pulse radar. Another of the Aurora's features includes a GPS guidance system and target acquisition software for its on board weapons outlay.
Flight Control As a competitor to the SUF-5 Lion, an advanced Fly-by-Optics flight control system provides the Aurora with excellent reaction times vital in its conceived role as both scout aircraft and defensive fighter. The single Avalon Aerospace T-9000 turbofan engine provides the aircraft with a maximum of 50,000 pounds of thrust, enabling the Aurora to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 3 in the event it needs to use its speed to get away from large aerial forces. However, a limited fuel capacity requires judicious use of this speed and gives it a limited combat range of 500 nautical miles. As a result, the recommended maximum thrust for the Aurora is 35,000 lbs., which allows it to travel at Mach 2.75 with a supercruise velocity of Mach 2.3. For its usual mission profile as a patrol fighter and a short-range defensive fighter, it serves its role more than capably.
Weapons/Countermeasures With its secondary role as a quick to the air interceptor in mind, the Avalon Aerospace Corporation trialled the 32 mm ETC chain gun employed by the three most recent aircraft designed by Avalon Aerospace. However, the company determined that the chain gun presented challenges with respect to recoil and considered a smaller weapon to reduce recoil. However, Home Guard officials rejected the proposal to shift to a smaller weapon citing logistics issues of supplying more than one calibre of shell to aircraft. The result was to adopt a 32 mm internally mounted high energy conventional chain gun for dogfighting. While this sacrifices some of the effectiveness other next-generation aircraft in Sarzonian service have against stationary targets, the reduction in recoil and its effectiveness against aerial targets proved to be worth the sacrifice to Avalon's engineers.
Other armaments include two external hardpoints capable of firing the Warp ELRAAM and four internal hardpoints. The Aurora also includes two weapons bays with a maximum payload of 1,000 kg. Thus, the aircraft can only be used for offensive strike purposes in a dire emergency, as it is not designed for this purpose. An electronics warfare suite integrates radar warning, electronic support measures, radar jamming, and chaff and flare decoy dispensers.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 13.7 m
Wingspan: 12.9 m
Height: 4.1 m
Propulsion: 1 x Avalon Aerospace T-9000 turbofan engine (50,000 lbs maximum thrust)
Empty Weight: 7,800 kg
Maximum Weight: 15,900 kg
Normal Payload: 500 kg
Range: 500 nm
Maximum Payload: 1,000 kg (including four Robin small diametre bombs)
Supercruise: Mach 2.3
Maximum Speed: Mach 3.2
Maximum Altitude: 35,000 m
Crew: One
Price: $80 million
Background In response to Space Union's development of the SuF-5 Lion single-engined, multi-role fighter aircraft, the Avalon Aerospace Corporation and Windham & Green Defence Industries met with the Incorporated Sarzonian Department of Defence to determine Sarzonian needs with respect to single engine aircraft. While dual-engined aircraft provide the mainstay for Sarzonia's newest generation of aircraft, the ISAF saw a need for a combat fighter that is agile, maneuverable, and readily available for rapid deployment. It also saw a need for scout aircraft that could serve as a viable aerial combatant should it be called into duty against any conceivable threat. The result of this research is the SZ-23 'Aurora' patrol/scout aircraft.
Avionics While the new generation of Sarzonian-built aircraft leans heavily on technology adapted from the lessons of Inkana, the Aurora attempts to employ some of those lessons without the attendant sacrifices in stealth or maneuverability. With the establishment of the new Home Guard under former Air Force Chief Bill Lighton and the Air Guard component looking for aircraft specially tailored to its role defending Sarzonian air space, the Avalon Aerospace Corporation chose to adopt a lightweight airframe that was sturdy enough to be used on aircraft carriers or limited runways should the need arise. The Aurora employs a titanium/aluminum alloy airframe and uses a combination of a titanium/aluminum alloy and composite materials to make the aircraft lightweight and more easily maneuverable with its single engine construction.
Sensors The need for excellent scouting ability influenced the design of the 'Aurora' and as such, it employs Windham & Green's Improved Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System, a next-generation version of the ASARS-2A previously employed on the U-2 High Altitude Reconnaissance Aircraft. ISARS is designed for high resolution all hours operation, including adverse weather conditions and can be employed in search and spot modes against both stationary or moving targets. Other systems employed include a millimetric wave radar for shorter range operation, an active electronically scanned array, Forward Looking Infared (FLIR) sensor, long range, multipurpose pulse radar. Another of the Aurora's features includes a GPS guidance system and target acquisition software for its on board weapons outlay.
Flight Control As a competitor to the SUF-5 Lion, an advanced Fly-by-Optics flight control system provides the Aurora with excellent reaction times vital in its conceived role as both scout aircraft and defensive fighter. The single Avalon Aerospace T-9000 turbofan engine provides the aircraft with a maximum of 50,000 pounds of thrust, enabling the Aurora to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 3 in the event it needs to use its speed to get away from large aerial forces. However, a limited fuel capacity requires judicious use of this speed and gives it a limited combat range of 500 nautical miles. As a result, the recommended maximum thrust for the Aurora is 35,000 lbs., which allows it to travel at Mach 2.75 with a supercruise velocity of Mach 2.3. For its usual mission profile as a patrol fighter and a short-range defensive fighter, it serves its role more than capably.
Weapons/Countermeasures With its secondary role as a quick to the air interceptor in mind, the Avalon Aerospace Corporation trialled the 32 mm ETC chain gun employed by the three most recent aircraft designed by Avalon Aerospace. However, the company determined that the chain gun presented challenges with respect to recoil and considered a smaller weapon to reduce recoil. However, Home Guard officials rejected the proposal to shift to a smaller weapon citing logistics issues of supplying more than one calibre of shell to aircraft. The result was to adopt a 32 mm internally mounted high energy conventional chain gun for dogfighting. While this sacrifices some of the effectiveness other next-generation aircraft in Sarzonian service have against stationary targets, the reduction in recoil and its effectiveness against aerial targets proved to be worth the sacrifice to Avalon's engineers.
Other armaments include two external hardpoints capable of firing the Warp ELRAAM and four internal hardpoints. The Aurora also includes two weapons bays with a maximum payload of 1,000 kg. Thus, the aircraft can only be used for offensive strike purposes in a dire emergency, as it is not designed for this purpose. An electronics warfare suite integrates radar warning, electronic support measures, radar jamming, and chaff and flare decoy dispensers.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 13.7 m
Wingspan: 12.9 m
Height: 4.1 m
Propulsion: 1 x Avalon Aerospace T-9000 turbofan engine (50,000 lbs maximum thrust)
Empty Weight: 7,800 kg
Maximum Weight: 15,900 kg
Normal Payload: 500 kg
Range: 500 nm
Maximum Payload: 1,000 kg (including four Robin small diametre bombs)
Supercruise: Mach 2.3
Maximum Speed: Mach 3.2
Maximum Altitude: 35,000 m
Crew: One
Price: $80 million