Tyrandis
20-11-2005, 02:50
http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02.16.jpg
'Twas noontide of summer,
And mid-time of night;
And stars, in their orbits,
Shone pale, thro' the light
Of the brighter, cold moon,
'Mid planets her slaves,
Herself in the Heavens,
Her beam on the waves.
I gazed awhile
On her cold smile;
Too cold- too cold for me-
There pass'd, as a shroud,
A fleecy cloud,
And I turned away to thee,
Proud Evening Star,
In thy glory afar,
And dearer thy beam shall be;
For joy to my heart
Is the proud part
Thou bearest in Heaven at night,
And more I admire
Thy distant fire,
Than that colder, lowly light.
- Edgar Allan Poe, Evening Star
TSF-620 "Xeon" Air Superiority Fighter
Abstract:
With the development and subsequent release of the TSF-616 Eidolon on May 1, 2005, the Militant Imperium found herself in possession of one of the finest fighter aircraft ever developed. Swift, stealthy, and absolutely perfect in her intended role of air superiority, the Eidolon was a smashing success, giving Tyrandis a superior aircraft to virtually all of her enemies. However, within several years, a number of challengers arose from a variety of nations, threatening the absolute supremacy of Tyrandisan aerial power.
As a result, the aerospace engineers at Tyrandis Precision Machine Import/Export Corporation, formerly known as Kotoko Aircraft Corp., were forced to develop a successor aircraft to the TSF-616 within a third of its estimated operational lifespan. With lavish funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration, TPMI/EC began Project: Evening Star, whose final product was the TSF-620, code-named "Xeon".
TSF-620 represents the absolute bleeding-edge in aerial warfare technology today. Incorporating a refined avionics suite, an airframe capable of executing the most extreme of manuvers, and a superior weapons payload, Xeon is a quantum leap in performance from the previous-generation Eidolon fighters.
General Data:
Contractor: TPMI/EC
Function: Advanced Air Superiority Fighter
Personnel: 1 (Pilot)
Systems/Avionics:
The TSF-620 Xeon is the first Tyrandisan aircraft to use the advanced Peregrine-II avionics architecture. The package can be split up into three parts: The MMS-8 Mission Management Suite, the SMS-3 Sensor Management Suite, and the VMS-11 Vehicle Management Suite, which are connected by a 2.5 GHz high-speed fiber optic bus, although the VMS-11 has its own bus for aircraft control.
The Peregrine-II architecture is manufactured in a full-custom ASIC design, utilizing Quasi-Delay Insensitive integrated circuits, which is a robust, asynchronous circuit that provides several major benefits as compared to traditional versions (circuits governed by an internal clock); these include early completion of circuits when it is known that the inputs which have not yet arrived are irrelevant, lower power consumption because transistors do not work unless performing useful computations, superior modularity and composability, adaptable circuit speed based on temperature and voltage conditions (synchronous chips are locked in at optimal clock speed for worst-case conditions), easier manufacturing processes due to lack of transistor-to-transistor variability, and less produced Electro-Magnetic Interference (Synchronous circuits create enormous amounts of EMI at frequency bands near clock frequencies). The entire avionics suite is driven by a Central Integrated Processor [CIP], which is a supercomputer built into the airframe. Because the integrated circuits operate under Quasi-Delay Insensitive logic, signals and instructions are processed near-instantaeneously, without consideration for the restraints of a clock circuit.
MMS-8 - This subsystem of the Peregrine-II is composed of the terrain/navigation suite, fire-control, munitions management and Electronic Warfare equipment.
NGTRS-2 - Terrain Reference System, which relies on careful measurement of the terrain profile passing beneath the aircraft with a RADAR altimeter and comparison with digitally-stored geographic data. The primary advantage to using a TR system is that a standard TF (terrain-following) navigation scheme will alert enemy Electronic Survelliance Measures far sooner, due to the RADAR beam's direction. On the other hand, the TSF-620's TRN's altimeter has an extremely narrow beam width whose energy is directed downwards, rendering virtually all ESM measures impotent.
NTTC-92 - Target track component of the MMS-8. Capable of hunting in excess of 200 independent signatures, the system identifies the target's headings based on data transferred from the Peregrine-II's SMS, then relays the information to the MMS-8.
NPRC-4 - Target attack component of the MMS-8. The NTTC's datastream is relayed to the NPRC, which then relays the information to the Xeon's weapons systems for firing solutions. Capable of marking fifty-six different targets at one time, and simultaeneously attacking up to eight, the NPRC-4 is the heart of the fighter's extensive fire control systems.
ASPIS-4 - Integrated Electronic Warfare System of the Xeon series, which consists of the NLR-41 threat warning system, NRV-27 RF jammer, and XC-80 chaff/flare dispenser. The system provides a fully integrated solution to the active and passive electronic warfare (EW) suite requirements of the Xeon and has flexibility for future development. The ASPIS is comprised of two major subsystems: a passive receiver, capable of detecting Low Probability of Interception signals, and an active jammer. Also, an autonomous processor in ASPIS governs the operations of Xeon's various active stealth systems. The XC-80 dispenser is programmed to deploy multi-spectral expendable chaff/flares only in the direction of the threat, improving Xeon's ability to defend against both RADAR and IR guided weapons.
---
SMS-3 - This subsystem of the Peregrine-II combines the TSF-620 Xeon's RADAR, IRST, integrated signal processing, encrypted data, communications, and the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System interface, allocating the fighter's processor power to the sensor subsystems as required.
AN/PSI-6 - RADAR for the TSF-620, which is an Active Electronically Scanned Array system, mounted in the aircraft's nose and a tail housing, with sufficient Moving Target Indicator capability to burn through 5th Generation stealth (F-22 level) at up to 280 kilometers. The AN/PSI-6's transmitter and receiver functions are composed of 3,250 individual transmit/receive (T/R) modules that each scan a small fixed area, negating the need for a moving antenna, which further decreases ESM detection probabilities as well as aircraft volume issues. Each of the T/R modules is composed of four MMIC chips - a drive amplifier, digital phase shifter, and low-noise amplifier, and a RF power amplifier. To protect the antenna from detection by hostile ESM systems, it is mounted in a bandpass radome, transparent only to the band of frequencies used by the AN/PSI-6. When it is not in use, suitable electrical impulses turn the bandpass characteristic off, making it totally opaque. The RADAR's elimination of hydraulics for antenna movements and distribution of transmission functions into the T/R modules alleiviates logistical concerns. The AN/PSI-6 is a No Probability of Interception system, meaning that the waveforms of the RADAR have a much longer pulse and lower amplitude, as well as a narrower beam and virtually no sidelobe radiation. The result of this waveform modification is that the AN/PSI-6 is virtually undetectable by enemy ESM receivers.
AN/RSI-1 - Inverse Synthetic Apeture RADAR of the TSF-620 Xeon, which processes the Doppler shift resulting from target motion as a means of improving RADAR resolution. Thanks to shared components with the AN/PSI-6, the AN/RSI-1 is highly compact, and adds less than 30 lbs to the fighter's weight. By measuring the much larger Doppler shifts created by the Xeon's own movement and the target's changes in attitudes, the AN/RSI-1 is able to extract the Doppler effects due to pitch, yaw, and roll of the different parts of the target aircraft, processing these to obtain a clear physical profile.
NISTC-66 - Infared Search and Track System, which scans for any and all heat signatures within a 100 km radius from the aircraft, and is mounted in a small pod in front of the aircraft canopy. When a target is discovered, the data is fed to the SMS-3, which then relays the information to the MMS-8's IR guided weapons (generally the TSM-1 "Falcon" XSRAAM). Also, cueing signals are relayed to the pilot's helmet. From there, the munition is guided to the missile based on its own seeker or the pilot can initiate a Command Datalink manual update.
NSRE-5 - Laser-Optical sensor, mounted underneath the aircraft's nose in a small pod. The NSRE-5 is a full EO package that uses a ytterbium-doped fiber optic laser to scan a 8x8 degree sector in front of the aircraft. Capability-wise, it can find a one centimeter cable at a range of two kilometers, even in poor weather conditions, increasing onboard weapons accuracy.
ICNIA - Integrated Communication Navigation Identification Avionics suite, which combines the functions of current communications equipment, such as HF SSB (High Frequency-Single Side Band), VHF/UHF, SINCGARS, Have Quick, EJS, JTIDS, various navigational aids and transponder/interrogator facilities compatible with NATO-standard IFF systems. Based on common digital and RF processing modules built up from asynchronous logic circuits, the system allows for all these functions to be seamlessly built into just one package. It also takes up half the volume and weight of the aforementioned equipment. The Central Integrated Processor filters much of the information being passed to the pilot, presenting him with only data necessary for the phase for the mission currently being flown, to prevent information overload (optional manual override).
---
VMS-10 - The Vehicle Management Suite is responsible for cockpit controls and displays, flight and manuver control, and engine/power control.
NACS Mk. II - Aircraft control system, composed of an advanced Fly-By-Light scheme that is made up of fiber-optic cables just nanometers thick. The NACS gives the TSF-620 far superior agility and manuverability to any legacy fly-by-wire system, thanks to the improved signal transfer speed that light offers. Furthermore, the NACS Mk. II renders the aircraft virtually immune to electro-magnetic interference, a problem that plagued FBW aircraft such as the GR.Mk.1 Tornado in service with Great Britain. The system binds all of the aeroelastic control surfaces and canards together, giving the Kestrel's pilot an aircraft capable of outmanuvering virtually any aircraft in the world.
AVLO "Chameleon" Smart Skin - This is a visual camouflage system that is meshed with the exterior skin. Through use of a number of minature photo-receptors that are mounted throughout the aircraft, the AVLO first takes in the overall color that surrounds the aircraft and processes it. It then transfers this data to the fiber-optics that are embedded in the aircraft's skin, which is manipulated by a separate computer. The AVLO then changes the color of these light-sensitive diodes to match the TSF-620's surroundings, rendering the aircraft virtually invisible against any neutral background (sky, ocean), in a similar manner to the WWII-era Yehudi light system.
---
Stealth:
The TSF-620 Xeon employs technologies to significantly reduce RADAR Cross Section (RCS), infrared signature, electromagnetic signature, visual signature and aural signature. RCS reduction represents the paramount feature considered in TPMI/EC's design. To reduce RCS, the TSF-620 employs a geometrically based radar dispersing configuration. Developed utilizing computational RCS modeling using Brewster's Angle, this configuration uses facets approximated by curvelinear, polynomial sections intended to reflect RF energy away from hostile receiver sets. Ultimate RCS reduction for the Xeon, however, is dependent upon a combination of bandpass external skins, internal shaping and the implementation of the NCPCAS-12 Active Stealth System.
NCPCAS-12 Active Stealth System
Between the external bandpass skins and the internal graphite hull backed by an alloy geodetic structure is a cavity. Within this cavity a low temperature plasma is achieved. This plasma, as manipulated by the TSF-620’s ASPIS integrated electronic warfare system, provides an unparalleled level of active stealth technology whereby incoming RADAR energy is substantially disrupted such that return signal is reduced to undetectable levels or chaotic, undecipherable signals. Rather than rely solely upon external shaping, the TSF-620's stealth technology adapts to frequency and bandwidth, allowing maximum low observance performance against all air-to-air and ground based RADAR types alike. However, one should be warned that the NCPCAS-12 releases a considerable quantity of electromagnetic discharge - thereby rendering it extremely vulnerable to passively guided weapons.
Reduction of IR emissions is achieved through the use of a dedicated engine bay cooling/IR signature reduction system, integrated in the twin TC-250-PW-60 hybrid turbofan engines. This contains a liquid nitrogen coolant, which is injected into a cavity between the internal and external walls of the Xeon's powerplant.
Aural signature is reduced in part through the NCPCAS-12. For enhanced aural signature reduction, the TSF-620 Xeon Air Superiority Fighter features Active Frequency Damping (AFD) and comparable active noise control systems. Visual signature is reduced through a chloro-flurosulphonic acid that is injected into the exhaust gases of the Xeon's powerplant, eliminating engine vapor contrails.
Cockpit:
Purchased from the Luftkrieg Aerospace Industries, the TSF-620's cockpit electronics/systems are an adapted version of the one used by the MMA-A3 Falcon Air Superiority Fighter.
http://img18.exs.cx/img18/6537/cockpit0016ox.gif
The GEC-built Head-Up Display (HUD) offers a wide field of view (30 degrees horizontally by 25 degrees vertically) and serves as a primary flight instrument for the pilot.
There are six liquid crystal display (LCD) panels in the cockpit. These present information in full color and are fully readable in direct sunlight. LCDs offer lower weight and less size than the cathode ray tube (CRT) displays used in most current aircraft. The lower power requirements also provide a reliability improvement over CRTs. The two Up-Front Displays (UFDs) measure 3"x4" in size and are located to the left and right of the control panel.
The Integrated Control Panel (ICP) is the primary means for manual pilot data entry for communications, navigation, and autopilot data. Located under the glareshield and HUD in center top of the instrument panel, this keypad entry system also has some double click functions, much like a computer mouse for rapid pilot access/use.
The Primary Multi-Function Display (PMFD) is a 8"x8" color display that is located in the middle of the instrument panel, under the ICP. It is the pilot’s principal display for aircraft navigation (including showing waypoints and route of flight) and Situation Assessment (SA) or a "God's-eye view" of the entire environment around (above, below, both sides, front and back) the aircraft.
Three Secondary Multi-Function Displays (SMFDs) are all 6.25" x 6.25" and two of them are located on either side of the PMFD on the instrument panel with the third underneath the PMFD between the pilot's knees. These are used for displaying tactical (both offensive and defensive) information as well as non-tactical information (such as checklists, subsystem status, engine thrust output, and stores management).
Features:
2 task-switching MFDs
Multi-node RADAR indication panel
Octo-functional HUD synchronized with MFD and helmet targeting
GPS synchronization panel
Topographic orientation TRV systems
Autopilot TRV/NRT based systems
JTIDs/A50 airborne intelligence/global targeting, guidance systems.
APEX 345 ejection seat, synchronized with primary turbine failures.
Canopy:
The canopy is manufactured of an advanced polycarbonate, backed by a rubber insulation layer and a thin strip of an indium-tin alloy. It is designed to provide pilots maximum protection against birdstrike and hostile fire. Traditionally, the cockpit has been the most problematic area for advanced stealth designers; because RADAR waves passes through the canopy as if it were transparent, an especially strong signal will bounce back to its receiver because any aircraft interior contains angles and shape that generate a substantial return. The InSn coating allows over 98.5% of visible light to pass through to the pilot, but will appear on RADAR as a semi-metallic surface, thus further reducing the TSF-620's already microscopic RCS.
Airframe:
TSF-620 in retracted-wing configuration (http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02.9.jpg)
TSF-620 in extended-wing configuration (http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02.5.jpg)
Taking lessons from its experience on the Eidolon project, the TSF-620 "Xeon"'s builders constructed the fighter's airframe to maximize low-observability and combat performance.
The design of the TSF-620 Xeon is a canard delta, built in a variable-geometry forward-swept wing configuration, similar to the previous generation of Tyrandisan military aviation. Aircraft with an FSW are in an aerodynamically unstable situation, allowing them unimpeded freedom of manuverability. As a result of this design choice, the fighter exhibits lower drag and lower stall speeds, as well as vastly improved performance at high angles of attack compared to conventional fighters. However, this benefit comes with a price, namely that of control difficulties, as well as extreme drag at speeds over Mach 1.7. TSF-620 resolves the problem with fly-by-light controls, a development on the old copper-wire systems that NASA's X-29 FSW technology demonstrator used in its trials. Furthermore, the wings are equipped with a sweeping mechanism, allowing the fighter the best of both worlds; high speed dash when the wings are tucked into the fuselage, and low speed agility when extended.
The TSF-620's frame is manufactured for maximum resistance to wear and tear. It is built of primarily of high-strength, low-weight Ti-1100 alloy, to which a TPMI/EC proprietary material is bonded to, known as RADAR Absorbent Structure. RAS is constructed of honeycombed Kevlar sections, treated with a proprietary glaze based on carbon, and then bonded to polyethylene/carbon fiber skins on its front and back, creating a rigid panel. The honeycombs are three centimeters in length, and incoming RADAR waves are absorbed by them. These panels are bonded to the airframe and placed externally wherever possible. Testing of the RAS indicated that the material could dependably absorb or at least weaken RADAR returns of all frequencies higher than 10 MHz. A graphite-epoxy and metal matrix composite (silicon carbide whiskers embedded in an aluminum matrix) is stretched across this skeleton.
Each of the advanced wings consists of two Ti-1100 titanium and one Elgiloy cobalt-chromium-nickel alloy spar, fifteen titanium ribs, and multiple Titanium Oxide stringers. Titanium aluminide plates are mated to the spar/rib structure, forming a fuel tank for the TSF-616. Wing and fuselage skins are composed of a combination of graphite epoxy and reinforced carbon-carbon. Wing leading and trailing edges are reinforced carbon-carbon mated with titanium. Each wing is equipped with full span leading edge slats and trailing edge, double-slotted Fowler Flaps for lift augmentation. Maximum trailing edge flap deflection is 60º. Leading and trailing edge flaps are controlled by the NACS Mk. II Aircraft Control System fiber optic signals. The wing is equipped with 0.20c flapperons for subsonic roll.
The tail stabilizers are deliberately canted off-center to prevent formation of dihedral reflectors, an extremely radar-reflective surface produced whenever two metallic surfaces are positioned at 90 degrees to each other. They are a multispar, multirib structure construced of Ti-1100 alloy with a reinforced carbon-carbon skin. Finally, the tail structure also serves to dissipate IR signature when viewed from behind, restricting tailpipe visibility to near-zero when evasive manuvers begin by TSF-620 Xeon pilots.
An advanced RADAR absorbent material known as "Salt Ball" is applied to the aircraft whereever possible, in which Schiff base salts are binded to a classified chemical compound, which is then attached to the fighter's airframe. The SBS class of materials exhibits RF energy-absorption characteristics superior to previous-generation ferrite-based absorbers, and weigh 90% less as well. Chemically modified, "Salt Ball" is able to absorb RF frequencies of the range 3-6MHz, the same band used by most Over-the-Horizon RADAR emplacements. As a result, the TSF-620 Xeon is invisible to OTH, making it one of the most difficult-to-detect aircraft ever developed.
Powerplant:
2x Tyrandis Engineering TC-250-PW-60N Pulse-Detonation turbofan hybrids, adapted from the TSF-28D Seraph Air Superiority Fighter, providing sum of 99,250 lbs thrust to the aircraft, with 360 degree thrust vectoring from +60 degrees through -60 degrees. The engines have been upgraded with advanced thermal gel coating, which uses a Ni-Al-Pt superalloy. This allows the engines to resist the enormous heat generated by the detonation sequence better, improving aircraft endurance and engine life.
Dimensions:
Height: 6.0m
Wingspan: [varies]
Length: 28.2m
Weights:
Empty: 23,500 lbs
Standard: 42,240 lbs
Max: 62,500 lbs
Ceiling:
70,000+ ft above sea level
Maximum Speed:
Mach 2.6 on supercruise, Mach 3.55 on PDET cycle.
Armament:
8x Interchangable weapons hardpoints mounted in an internal bay, optimized for AAMs
4x IR-guided AAMs mounted in side bay doors
Divine Thunder
http://www.milavia.net/aircraft/f-35/f-35_pic8.jpg
The TCIAM-2 Divine Thunder is a 27mm cannon used by all Tyrandisan aircraft. Based off a Mauser-style configuration, the gun has an extremely high rate of fire and range, thanks to the advanced construction of its ammunition. Divine Thunder uses a projectile that is surrounded with a high density molded propellant charge, enclosing the assembly in a cylindrical titanium case. When the round is fired, a small charge located immediately behind the cannon round accelerates it into the TCIAM-2's barrel before the main charge ignites. The result of this unorthodox firing approach is a gun with a muzzle velocity of over 4,100 ft/sec, as compared to the M61A1's performance of 3,500 ft/sec. Divine Thunder's guidance is based off the datastream from the MMS-8 and independently operated by the aircraft itself, although a pilot can manually override the system if so desired.
Variants:
TSF-620A - Standard version
TSF-620B - Navalized version for operation from aircraft carriers
Images:
http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02.17.jpg
TSF-620 Xeons flying Combat Air Patrols
http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02m7.jpg
TSF-620 undergoing AVLO visibility reduction process
http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02m1.jpg
Xeon guarding a Tyrandisan AWACS during exercises
Price for export:
TSF-620A - $125,000,000 ea.
TSF-620B - (navalized, with reinforced materials, etc.) - $135,000,000 ea.
'Twas noontide of summer,
And mid-time of night;
And stars, in their orbits,
Shone pale, thro' the light
Of the brighter, cold moon,
'Mid planets her slaves,
Herself in the Heavens,
Her beam on the waves.
I gazed awhile
On her cold smile;
Too cold- too cold for me-
There pass'd, as a shroud,
A fleecy cloud,
And I turned away to thee,
Proud Evening Star,
In thy glory afar,
And dearer thy beam shall be;
For joy to my heart
Is the proud part
Thou bearest in Heaven at night,
And more I admire
Thy distant fire,
Than that colder, lowly light.
- Edgar Allan Poe, Evening Star
TSF-620 "Xeon" Air Superiority Fighter
Abstract:
With the development and subsequent release of the TSF-616 Eidolon on May 1, 2005, the Militant Imperium found herself in possession of one of the finest fighter aircraft ever developed. Swift, stealthy, and absolutely perfect in her intended role of air superiority, the Eidolon was a smashing success, giving Tyrandis a superior aircraft to virtually all of her enemies. However, within several years, a number of challengers arose from a variety of nations, threatening the absolute supremacy of Tyrandisan aerial power.
As a result, the aerospace engineers at Tyrandis Precision Machine Import/Export Corporation, formerly known as Kotoko Aircraft Corp., were forced to develop a successor aircraft to the TSF-616 within a third of its estimated operational lifespan. With lavish funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration, TPMI/EC began Project: Evening Star, whose final product was the TSF-620, code-named "Xeon".
TSF-620 represents the absolute bleeding-edge in aerial warfare technology today. Incorporating a refined avionics suite, an airframe capable of executing the most extreme of manuvers, and a superior weapons payload, Xeon is a quantum leap in performance from the previous-generation Eidolon fighters.
General Data:
Contractor: TPMI/EC
Function: Advanced Air Superiority Fighter
Personnel: 1 (Pilot)
Systems/Avionics:
The TSF-620 Xeon is the first Tyrandisan aircraft to use the advanced Peregrine-II avionics architecture. The package can be split up into three parts: The MMS-8 Mission Management Suite, the SMS-3 Sensor Management Suite, and the VMS-11 Vehicle Management Suite, which are connected by a 2.5 GHz high-speed fiber optic bus, although the VMS-11 has its own bus for aircraft control.
The Peregrine-II architecture is manufactured in a full-custom ASIC design, utilizing Quasi-Delay Insensitive integrated circuits, which is a robust, asynchronous circuit that provides several major benefits as compared to traditional versions (circuits governed by an internal clock); these include early completion of circuits when it is known that the inputs which have not yet arrived are irrelevant, lower power consumption because transistors do not work unless performing useful computations, superior modularity and composability, adaptable circuit speed based on temperature and voltage conditions (synchronous chips are locked in at optimal clock speed for worst-case conditions), easier manufacturing processes due to lack of transistor-to-transistor variability, and less produced Electro-Magnetic Interference (Synchronous circuits create enormous amounts of EMI at frequency bands near clock frequencies). The entire avionics suite is driven by a Central Integrated Processor [CIP], which is a supercomputer built into the airframe. Because the integrated circuits operate under Quasi-Delay Insensitive logic, signals and instructions are processed near-instantaeneously, without consideration for the restraints of a clock circuit.
MMS-8 - This subsystem of the Peregrine-II is composed of the terrain/navigation suite, fire-control, munitions management and Electronic Warfare equipment.
NGTRS-2 - Terrain Reference System, which relies on careful measurement of the terrain profile passing beneath the aircraft with a RADAR altimeter and comparison with digitally-stored geographic data. The primary advantage to using a TR system is that a standard TF (terrain-following) navigation scheme will alert enemy Electronic Survelliance Measures far sooner, due to the RADAR beam's direction. On the other hand, the TSF-620's TRN's altimeter has an extremely narrow beam width whose energy is directed downwards, rendering virtually all ESM measures impotent.
NTTC-92 - Target track component of the MMS-8. Capable of hunting in excess of 200 independent signatures, the system identifies the target's headings based on data transferred from the Peregrine-II's SMS, then relays the information to the MMS-8.
NPRC-4 - Target attack component of the MMS-8. The NTTC's datastream is relayed to the NPRC, which then relays the information to the Xeon's weapons systems for firing solutions. Capable of marking fifty-six different targets at one time, and simultaeneously attacking up to eight, the NPRC-4 is the heart of the fighter's extensive fire control systems.
ASPIS-4 - Integrated Electronic Warfare System of the Xeon series, which consists of the NLR-41 threat warning system, NRV-27 RF jammer, and XC-80 chaff/flare dispenser. The system provides a fully integrated solution to the active and passive electronic warfare (EW) suite requirements of the Xeon and has flexibility for future development. The ASPIS is comprised of two major subsystems: a passive receiver, capable of detecting Low Probability of Interception signals, and an active jammer. Also, an autonomous processor in ASPIS governs the operations of Xeon's various active stealth systems. The XC-80 dispenser is programmed to deploy multi-spectral expendable chaff/flares only in the direction of the threat, improving Xeon's ability to defend against both RADAR and IR guided weapons.
---
SMS-3 - This subsystem of the Peregrine-II combines the TSF-620 Xeon's RADAR, IRST, integrated signal processing, encrypted data, communications, and the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System interface, allocating the fighter's processor power to the sensor subsystems as required.
AN/PSI-6 - RADAR for the TSF-620, which is an Active Electronically Scanned Array system, mounted in the aircraft's nose and a tail housing, with sufficient Moving Target Indicator capability to burn through 5th Generation stealth (F-22 level) at up to 280 kilometers. The AN/PSI-6's transmitter and receiver functions are composed of 3,250 individual transmit/receive (T/R) modules that each scan a small fixed area, negating the need for a moving antenna, which further decreases ESM detection probabilities as well as aircraft volume issues. Each of the T/R modules is composed of four MMIC chips - a drive amplifier, digital phase shifter, and low-noise amplifier, and a RF power amplifier. To protect the antenna from detection by hostile ESM systems, it is mounted in a bandpass radome, transparent only to the band of frequencies used by the AN/PSI-6. When it is not in use, suitable electrical impulses turn the bandpass characteristic off, making it totally opaque. The RADAR's elimination of hydraulics for antenna movements and distribution of transmission functions into the T/R modules alleiviates logistical concerns. The AN/PSI-6 is a No Probability of Interception system, meaning that the waveforms of the RADAR have a much longer pulse and lower amplitude, as well as a narrower beam and virtually no sidelobe radiation. The result of this waveform modification is that the AN/PSI-6 is virtually undetectable by enemy ESM receivers.
AN/RSI-1 - Inverse Synthetic Apeture RADAR of the TSF-620 Xeon, which processes the Doppler shift resulting from target motion as a means of improving RADAR resolution. Thanks to shared components with the AN/PSI-6, the AN/RSI-1 is highly compact, and adds less than 30 lbs to the fighter's weight. By measuring the much larger Doppler shifts created by the Xeon's own movement and the target's changes in attitudes, the AN/RSI-1 is able to extract the Doppler effects due to pitch, yaw, and roll of the different parts of the target aircraft, processing these to obtain a clear physical profile.
NISTC-66 - Infared Search and Track System, which scans for any and all heat signatures within a 100 km radius from the aircraft, and is mounted in a small pod in front of the aircraft canopy. When a target is discovered, the data is fed to the SMS-3, which then relays the information to the MMS-8's IR guided weapons (generally the TSM-1 "Falcon" XSRAAM). Also, cueing signals are relayed to the pilot's helmet. From there, the munition is guided to the missile based on its own seeker or the pilot can initiate a Command Datalink manual update.
NSRE-5 - Laser-Optical sensor, mounted underneath the aircraft's nose in a small pod. The NSRE-5 is a full EO package that uses a ytterbium-doped fiber optic laser to scan a 8x8 degree sector in front of the aircraft. Capability-wise, it can find a one centimeter cable at a range of two kilometers, even in poor weather conditions, increasing onboard weapons accuracy.
ICNIA - Integrated Communication Navigation Identification Avionics suite, which combines the functions of current communications equipment, such as HF SSB (High Frequency-Single Side Band), VHF/UHF, SINCGARS, Have Quick, EJS, JTIDS, various navigational aids and transponder/interrogator facilities compatible with NATO-standard IFF systems. Based on common digital and RF processing modules built up from asynchronous logic circuits, the system allows for all these functions to be seamlessly built into just one package. It also takes up half the volume and weight of the aforementioned equipment. The Central Integrated Processor filters much of the information being passed to the pilot, presenting him with only data necessary for the phase for the mission currently being flown, to prevent information overload (optional manual override).
---
VMS-10 - The Vehicle Management Suite is responsible for cockpit controls and displays, flight and manuver control, and engine/power control.
NACS Mk. II - Aircraft control system, composed of an advanced Fly-By-Light scheme that is made up of fiber-optic cables just nanometers thick. The NACS gives the TSF-620 far superior agility and manuverability to any legacy fly-by-wire system, thanks to the improved signal transfer speed that light offers. Furthermore, the NACS Mk. II renders the aircraft virtually immune to electro-magnetic interference, a problem that plagued FBW aircraft such as the GR.Mk.1 Tornado in service with Great Britain. The system binds all of the aeroelastic control surfaces and canards together, giving the Kestrel's pilot an aircraft capable of outmanuvering virtually any aircraft in the world.
AVLO "Chameleon" Smart Skin - This is a visual camouflage system that is meshed with the exterior skin. Through use of a number of minature photo-receptors that are mounted throughout the aircraft, the AVLO first takes in the overall color that surrounds the aircraft and processes it. It then transfers this data to the fiber-optics that are embedded in the aircraft's skin, which is manipulated by a separate computer. The AVLO then changes the color of these light-sensitive diodes to match the TSF-620's surroundings, rendering the aircraft virtually invisible against any neutral background (sky, ocean), in a similar manner to the WWII-era Yehudi light system.
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Stealth:
The TSF-620 Xeon employs technologies to significantly reduce RADAR Cross Section (RCS), infrared signature, electromagnetic signature, visual signature and aural signature. RCS reduction represents the paramount feature considered in TPMI/EC's design. To reduce RCS, the TSF-620 employs a geometrically based radar dispersing configuration. Developed utilizing computational RCS modeling using Brewster's Angle, this configuration uses facets approximated by curvelinear, polynomial sections intended to reflect RF energy away from hostile receiver sets. Ultimate RCS reduction for the Xeon, however, is dependent upon a combination of bandpass external skins, internal shaping and the implementation of the NCPCAS-12 Active Stealth System.
NCPCAS-12 Active Stealth System
Between the external bandpass skins and the internal graphite hull backed by an alloy geodetic structure is a cavity. Within this cavity a low temperature plasma is achieved. This plasma, as manipulated by the TSF-620’s ASPIS integrated electronic warfare system, provides an unparalleled level of active stealth technology whereby incoming RADAR energy is substantially disrupted such that return signal is reduced to undetectable levels or chaotic, undecipherable signals. Rather than rely solely upon external shaping, the TSF-620's stealth technology adapts to frequency and bandwidth, allowing maximum low observance performance against all air-to-air and ground based RADAR types alike. However, one should be warned that the NCPCAS-12 releases a considerable quantity of electromagnetic discharge - thereby rendering it extremely vulnerable to passively guided weapons.
Reduction of IR emissions is achieved through the use of a dedicated engine bay cooling/IR signature reduction system, integrated in the twin TC-250-PW-60 hybrid turbofan engines. This contains a liquid nitrogen coolant, which is injected into a cavity between the internal and external walls of the Xeon's powerplant.
Aural signature is reduced in part through the NCPCAS-12. For enhanced aural signature reduction, the TSF-620 Xeon Air Superiority Fighter features Active Frequency Damping (AFD) and comparable active noise control systems. Visual signature is reduced through a chloro-flurosulphonic acid that is injected into the exhaust gases of the Xeon's powerplant, eliminating engine vapor contrails.
Cockpit:
Purchased from the Luftkrieg Aerospace Industries, the TSF-620's cockpit electronics/systems are an adapted version of the one used by the MMA-A3 Falcon Air Superiority Fighter.
http://img18.exs.cx/img18/6537/cockpit0016ox.gif
The GEC-built Head-Up Display (HUD) offers a wide field of view (30 degrees horizontally by 25 degrees vertically) and serves as a primary flight instrument for the pilot.
There are six liquid crystal display (LCD) panels in the cockpit. These present information in full color and are fully readable in direct sunlight. LCDs offer lower weight and less size than the cathode ray tube (CRT) displays used in most current aircraft. The lower power requirements also provide a reliability improvement over CRTs. The two Up-Front Displays (UFDs) measure 3"x4" in size and are located to the left and right of the control panel.
The Integrated Control Panel (ICP) is the primary means for manual pilot data entry for communications, navigation, and autopilot data. Located under the glareshield and HUD in center top of the instrument panel, this keypad entry system also has some double click functions, much like a computer mouse for rapid pilot access/use.
The Primary Multi-Function Display (PMFD) is a 8"x8" color display that is located in the middle of the instrument panel, under the ICP. It is the pilot’s principal display for aircraft navigation (including showing waypoints and route of flight) and Situation Assessment (SA) or a "God's-eye view" of the entire environment around (above, below, both sides, front and back) the aircraft.
Three Secondary Multi-Function Displays (SMFDs) are all 6.25" x 6.25" and two of them are located on either side of the PMFD on the instrument panel with the third underneath the PMFD between the pilot's knees. These are used for displaying tactical (both offensive and defensive) information as well as non-tactical information (such as checklists, subsystem status, engine thrust output, and stores management).
Features:
2 task-switching MFDs
Multi-node RADAR indication panel
Octo-functional HUD synchronized with MFD and helmet targeting
GPS synchronization panel
Topographic orientation TRV systems
Autopilot TRV/NRT based systems
JTIDs/A50 airborne intelligence/global targeting, guidance systems.
APEX 345 ejection seat, synchronized with primary turbine failures.
Canopy:
The canopy is manufactured of an advanced polycarbonate, backed by a rubber insulation layer and a thin strip of an indium-tin alloy. It is designed to provide pilots maximum protection against birdstrike and hostile fire. Traditionally, the cockpit has been the most problematic area for advanced stealth designers; because RADAR waves passes through the canopy as if it were transparent, an especially strong signal will bounce back to its receiver because any aircraft interior contains angles and shape that generate a substantial return. The InSn coating allows over 98.5% of visible light to pass through to the pilot, but will appear on RADAR as a semi-metallic surface, thus further reducing the TSF-620's already microscopic RCS.
Airframe:
TSF-620 in retracted-wing configuration (http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02.9.jpg)
TSF-620 in extended-wing configuration (http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02.5.jpg)
Taking lessons from its experience on the Eidolon project, the TSF-620 "Xeon"'s builders constructed the fighter's airframe to maximize low-observability and combat performance.
The design of the TSF-620 Xeon is a canard delta, built in a variable-geometry forward-swept wing configuration, similar to the previous generation of Tyrandisan military aviation. Aircraft with an FSW are in an aerodynamically unstable situation, allowing them unimpeded freedom of manuverability. As a result of this design choice, the fighter exhibits lower drag and lower stall speeds, as well as vastly improved performance at high angles of attack compared to conventional fighters. However, this benefit comes with a price, namely that of control difficulties, as well as extreme drag at speeds over Mach 1.7. TSF-620 resolves the problem with fly-by-light controls, a development on the old copper-wire systems that NASA's X-29 FSW technology demonstrator used in its trials. Furthermore, the wings are equipped with a sweeping mechanism, allowing the fighter the best of both worlds; high speed dash when the wings are tucked into the fuselage, and low speed agility when extended.
The TSF-620's frame is manufactured for maximum resistance to wear and tear. It is built of primarily of high-strength, low-weight Ti-1100 alloy, to which a TPMI/EC proprietary material is bonded to, known as RADAR Absorbent Structure. RAS is constructed of honeycombed Kevlar sections, treated with a proprietary glaze based on carbon, and then bonded to polyethylene/carbon fiber skins on its front and back, creating a rigid panel. The honeycombs are three centimeters in length, and incoming RADAR waves are absorbed by them. These panels are bonded to the airframe and placed externally wherever possible. Testing of the RAS indicated that the material could dependably absorb or at least weaken RADAR returns of all frequencies higher than 10 MHz. A graphite-epoxy and metal matrix composite (silicon carbide whiskers embedded in an aluminum matrix) is stretched across this skeleton.
Each of the advanced wings consists of two Ti-1100 titanium and one Elgiloy cobalt-chromium-nickel alloy spar, fifteen titanium ribs, and multiple Titanium Oxide stringers. Titanium aluminide plates are mated to the spar/rib structure, forming a fuel tank for the TSF-616. Wing and fuselage skins are composed of a combination of graphite epoxy and reinforced carbon-carbon. Wing leading and trailing edges are reinforced carbon-carbon mated with titanium. Each wing is equipped with full span leading edge slats and trailing edge, double-slotted Fowler Flaps for lift augmentation. Maximum trailing edge flap deflection is 60º. Leading and trailing edge flaps are controlled by the NACS Mk. II Aircraft Control System fiber optic signals. The wing is equipped with 0.20c flapperons for subsonic roll.
The tail stabilizers are deliberately canted off-center to prevent formation of dihedral reflectors, an extremely radar-reflective surface produced whenever two metallic surfaces are positioned at 90 degrees to each other. They are a multispar, multirib structure construced of Ti-1100 alloy with a reinforced carbon-carbon skin. Finally, the tail structure also serves to dissipate IR signature when viewed from behind, restricting tailpipe visibility to near-zero when evasive manuvers begin by TSF-620 Xeon pilots.
An advanced RADAR absorbent material known as "Salt Ball" is applied to the aircraft whereever possible, in which Schiff base salts are binded to a classified chemical compound, which is then attached to the fighter's airframe. The SBS class of materials exhibits RF energy-absorption characteristics superior to previous-generation ferrite-based absorbers, and weigh 90% less as well. Chemically modified, "Salt Ball" is able to absorb RF frequencies of the range 3-6MHz, the same band used by most Over-the-Horizon RADAR emplacements. As a result, the TSF-620 Xeon is invisible to OTH, making it one of the most difficult-to-detect aircraft ever developed.
Powerplant:
2x Tyrandis Engineering TC-250-PW-60N Pulse-Detonation turbofan hybrids, adapted from the TSF-28D Seraph Air Superiority Fighter, providing sum of 99,250 lbs thrust to the aircraft, with 360 degree thrust vectoring from +60 degrees through -60 degrees. The engines have been upgraded with advanced thermal gel coating, which uses a Ni-Al-Pt superalloy. This allows the engines to resist the enormous heat generated by the detonation sequence better, improving aircraft endurance and engine life.
Dimensions:
Height: 6.0m
Wingspan: [varies]
Length: 28.2m
Weights:
Empty: 23,500 lbs
Standard: 42,240 lbs
Max: 62,500 lbs
Ceiling:
70,000+ ft above sea level
Maximum Speed:
Mach 2.6 on supercruise, Mach 3.55 on PDET cycle.
Armament:
8x Interchangable weapons hardpoints mounted in an internal bay, optimized for AAMs
4x IR-guided AAMs mounted in side bay doors
Divine Thunder
http://www.milavia.net/aircraft/f-35/f-35_pic8.jpg
The TCIAM-2 Divine Thunder is a 27mm cannon used by all Tyrandisan aircraft. Based off a Mauser-style configuration, the gun has an extremely high rate of fire and range, thanks to the advanced construction of its ammunition. Divine Thunder uses a projectile that is surrounded with a high density molded propellant charge, enclosing the assembly in a cylindrical titanium case. When the round is fired, a small charge located immediately behind the cannon round accelerates it into the TCIAM-2's barrel before the main charge ignites. The result of this unorthodox firing approach is a gun with a muzzle velocity of over 4,100 ft/sec, as compared to the M61A1's performance of 3,500 ft/sec. Divine Thunder's guidance is based off the datastream from the MMS-8 and independently operated by the aircraft itself, although a pilot can manually override the system if so desired.
Variants:
TSF-620A - Standard version
TSF-620B - Navalized version for operation from aircraft carriers
Images:
http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02.17.jpg
TSF-620 Xeons flying Combat Air Patrols
http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02m7.jpg
TSF-620 undergoing AVLO visibility reduction process
http://homepage2.nifty.com/sparrow2/aircraft/x02m1.jpg
Xeon guarding a Tyrandisan AWACS during exercises
Price for export:
TSF-620A - $125,000,000 ea.
TSF-620B - (navalized, with reinforced materials, etc.) - $135,000,000 ea.