NationStates Jolt Archive

OCC: Let's start with the airforce, shall we? Being foremost on my mind...)

Parliamentary Air Force, Current Service Types

72x Robotic Air Industries Spitfire F.24 Fighters
Nos. 210, 80, 100, 48, 270, 131 squadrons
Notes:

The RAI Spitfire is, like Reginald Mitchell's own product, a thoroughly capable and effective combat aircraft, especially so in the F.24 incarnation. Its brutish Griffon 61 engine allows the aircraft a top speed of over 450 miles per hour and excellent performance at all altitudes. The F.24 is greatly more versatile than earlier Spitfire marks, being capable of carrying a wide range of armaments and using them to good effect in combat. The bubble canopy is also much more popular with pilots, who are thankful for the improved visibility that it offers compared to the earlier F.21. Due to the notoriously slow pace at which the PRAF replaces aircraft, the Spitfire has been constantly passed-over and only fully ousted the Hurricane from front-line service two years ago.

60x RAI Hornet F.20 Fighter-Bombers
Nos. 82, 440, 6, 192, 7 squadrons
24x RAI Hornet PR.22 Photoreconaissance Aircraft
Nos. 44, 71 squadrons
Notes:

The Hornet is one of the fastest piston-engined aircraft ever, and is arguably the most capable propeller-driven aircraft in the PRAF's combat inventory. Besides being terribly fast, the Hornet's twin-engine configuration makes it inherently resilient to ground fire and able to absorb more damage than its wooden structure might suggest. The twin Merlins also rotate in opposite directions, cancelling torque, which makes the aircraft quite a bit easier to fly than would be otherwise. Like the Spitfire, the Hornet has found itself increasingly relegated to ground attack roles with the introduction of jets like the Venom and Hunter, but due to the costs involved with these new technologies piston-engined types like the Spitfire and Hornet have been found difficult to replace.

72x RAI Beaufighter TF.12 Ground Attack Aircraft
Nos. 79, 30, 101, 419, 195, 228 squadrons
Notes:

Beaufighters have formed the backbone (some might say the entirety, given the fact that no Blenheim has been sighted in flyable condition for a number of years) of the PRAF's maritime strike fleet. Two powerful Hercules radial engines coupled with an extremely rugged airframe make it an effective aircraft even in the jet age, and although the PRAF would prefer to replace the type with the rather more capable Canberra the funds are simply not present to fully withdraw the type. The Beaufighter often carries an airborne radio detection set, allowing it to more effectively search for seaborne targets, even at night or in adverse weather.

72x RAI Venom FB.4 Fighter-Bombers
Nos. 42, 90, 381, 98, 11, 4 squadrons
24x RAI Venom NF.3 Night Fighters
Nos. 14, 109 squadrons
Notes:

The Venom is the PRAF's workhorse jet fighter, a type which has proven its reliability and effectiveness on a regular basis. Thanks to a new jet engine, the Venom can outperform any propeller-driven aircraft and has the same payload capacity as much larger aircraft like the Beaufighter. A new radio gunnery rangefinder makes air combat in the Venom even easier for the pilot, and tests have shown the Venom able to deliver fire much more accurately than the radar-less Hornet. A respectable payload of bombs and rocket projectiles can be carried, and tests are underway to determine the suitability of the RS-1B antiaircraft missile for carriage by Venom FB.4s. The night fighter variant is equipped with a powerful, long-range air intercept radio detector and RS-1B antiaircraft missiles.

48x RAI Hunter F.6 Air Superiority Fighters
Nos. 5, 87, 478, 22 squadrons
48x RAI Hunter FGA.9 Fighter-Bombers
Nos. 59, 104, 10, 9 squadrons
Notes:

The RAI Hunter is without question the PRAF's most capable combat aircraft. It is powered by an Avon 207 turbojet developing over ten thousand pounds of thrust, which can, at sea level and without external stores, propell the Hunter to speeds in excess of the speed of sound. An extremely heavy gun armament of four 30mm cannon is complemented by a top-of-the-line radio ranger, and some variants have been tested with a radio detector for the night fighter role. Over 3,000 kilograms of external stores can be carried, including a wealth of unguided rockets, bombs, and auxiliary fuel tanks. The brand-new RS-3 antiaircraft missile, which is reportedly capable of limited all-aspect engagement, can be carried by both Hunter variants. The aircraft is also remarkably agile and responsive, described as a pleasure to fly by pilots, and it also possesses a long airframe service life.

24x RAI Canberra B.2 Fast Bombers
Nos. 246, 494 squadrons
24x RAI Canberra B(I).8
Nos. 73, 61 squadrons
12x RAI Canberra PR.9
No. 89 squadron
Notes:

The Canberra is the PRAF's only dedicated bomber type, and one of the best bombers in the world. Designed to be essentially a jet-powered Mosquito, the Canberra is just as fast and just as versatile. Powered by twin Avons, the Canberra is quicker than many jet fighters and can fly at very high altitudes. Even when flying in the low-altitude interdiction role, the Canberra is impervious to prop-driven combat aircraft, and quite difficult to effectively engage with anti-aircraft guns. A sizeable bomb load can be stored internally, and extra bombs as well as unguided rocket projectiles of various sizes can be mounted on wing hardpoints. The B(I).8 variant is usually fitted with a cannon pack, containing four Hispano 20mm cannon.

24x RAI Shackleton MR.3 Patrol Aircraft
Nos. 32, 78 squadrons
Notes:

The Shackleton is a fine patrol aircraft, with an endurance of over 14 hours. It is fast for its size, at about three hundred miles per hour full throttle, and could very well be made faster if a proposed re-engine goes ahead. The Shackleton can perform patrols very far out to sea, and packs a significant bite with over 4,000kgs of ordnance capacity as well as four 20mm cannon. The Shackleton's crew is provided with sleeping quarters and a small galley, and the interior of the aircraft is soundproofed against the noise made by the four Griffon engines. Shackletons can also be used as bombers, although they are not quite fast enough to be useful against well-defended targets.

36x RAI Sunderland MR.5 Patrol/Rescue Aircraft
Nos. 77, 308, 293 squadrons
Notes:

One of the world's largest flying boats, the Sunderland is a relatively old aircraft but still extremely useful. Radio detector-equipped Sunderlands are still used in the antisubmarine role (No. 308 squadron's aircraft), but they are more commonly found as general patrol and SAR aircraft, where their amphibious abilities come in very handy. Sunderlands have, on numerous occasions, rescued the crews of sinking ships and downed aircraft. The Sunderland is a very well-built airplane, being rugged, reliable, and quite crew-friendly. Four Hercules engines give the Sunderland a maximum speed just greater than 200 miles per hour, and the aircraft has an endurance of around ten hours.

120x RAI Sherpa STOL Transports
Nos. 93, 448, 431, 213, 338, 57, 23, 86, 303, 455, 274 squadrons
Notes:

The twin-engine RAI Sherpa is the backbone of the PRAF's transport wing. Its superb STOL performance, reliability, and durabiliy make it an extremely popular airplane with both pilots and passengers. Sherpas have been known to land at terrible airstrips which amount to little more than patches hacked out of the jungle. These qualities are of course offset against the aircraft's highly basic construction, slow speed (a consequence of it having fixed landing gear), and relatively short range. None the less, Sherpas have seen action in every major conflict involving Robotstan.

His Majesty King Miquel II's Air Force

30x N1K2 "Shaiden-Kai" Interceptor-Fighters
Royal Flight No.6/Harrington Flight
Notes:

Like much of King Miquel's opposition Air Force, the N1K2 Shaiden-Kai interceptors were delivered to him by his Japanese wartime allies from their own stocks in response to overwhelming PRAF superiority in the form of RAI-built Hurricanes. The Shaiden proved thoroughly superior to the Hurricane in almost every performance category except armament, in which they were equal. While the arrival of PRAF Spitfire XIVs and later Hornets tipped the balance back in Parliament's favor, the Shaiden is still regarded as a worthy opponent. Unlike the A6M series of carrier-borne fighters, the Shaiden is rugged and powerful, and can absorb plenty of damage. Its long range, while not quite as long as the A6M series, has enabled Royalist pilots to fly sorties well into the Dubton district. Reliable intelligence reports state that King Miquel recieved some thirty Shidens, but only about fifteen are believed to have been un-crated and there is evidence that at least two were destroyed by a PRAF bombing raid.

18x N1K1 "Kyofu" Seaplane Fighters
Royal Seaplane Flight No.2
Notes:

King Miquel took great interest in seaplanes from very early in his exile to Svenland. With fixed airbases so easy to attack, Miquel cannot afford to put all his eggs in one basket and therefore petitioned the Japanese imperial government for some of the advanced N1K1 fighters during the Anti-Fascist War. They can be easily concealed and are able to operate out of any fjord or bay, using even a relatively unassuming vessel as a base of operations. While no longer a useful fighter, the N1K1 can still pose a major threat to patrol boats and light shipping, as well as propeller-powered transport aircraft.

37x Ki-61-II Fighters
Royal Flight No. 2/Ilyanov Flight
Notes:

The small, fast, and well-armed Ki-61 was a dangerous adversary for PRAF Hurricanes and Spitfires and was a favorite of King Miquel. The Royal Flight recieved around one hundred of them during 1943-1945, but since then most have been either shot down or blown up on the ground. Only 37 are considered operable by the Ministry of Defense and King Miquel is planning to write-off the remainder of his fleet. The main reason for the Ki-61's end is its unreliable and complicated Ha-40 engine, a Japanese copy of the Daimler-Benz DB 610A, a powerplant for which it is very difficult to acquire spare parts.

15x P1Y "Ginga" Fast Bombers
Royal Flight No. 5
Notes:

The last in a series of Japanese bombers operated by King Miquel's separatist forces, the P1Y "Ginga" is a fast and fairly effective aircraft. After the Parliamentary Navy blockaded Svenland and cut-off Miquel from Japanese supplies, he was forced to pick and choose which aircraft to keep and which ones to scrap. The P1Y was the only bomber, single or twin-engined, to make the cut, largely because Miquel liked its speed and generally impressive performance. Although PRAF Hornets took a heavy toll on them when they last made a raid in strength, they can occasionally be caught on nuisance raids on Dubton or other more northerly Robotic population centers.

1x H8K2 Flying Boat
Royal Flight No. 1
Notes:

Miquel's Air Force operates one H8K2, believed to be the King's personal aircraft. The H8K series flying boats are very large and very capable machines, with long range and endurance, the likes of which Miquel needs very badly if he intends to make the occasional trip to Japan and lobby for money. King Miquel used to have four H8K-series aircraft, but two were downed by antiaircraft fire during a disastrously-timed "night" raid on Dubton and another was sunk while refueling mid-ocean by a Parliamentary Navy destroyer. The H8K2 of the King's personal flight is believed to be in the highest state of maintainance, but sees little time in the air due to the danger posed by radar-equipped PRAF fighters.

21x F1M2 Reconaissance Seaplanes
Royal Flight No. 8
Notes:

Employed by King Miquel as spotter aircraft, oftentimes used to spy on coastal shipping, F1M2s have suffered horrible attrition rates and the King is generally unenthusiastic about replacing them. The biplane F1M2 is a reliable and capable scout seaplane, initially designed to operate off warships, but since the destruction of his fleet Miquel has found their short range and low weapons capacity a major handicap.

10x F-86 "Sabre" Interceptor-Fighters
Royal Flight No. 1
Notes:

The F-86 Sabre is without doubt the most modern and capable aircraft fielded by King Miquel's small air force, and the only one capable of bothering the PRAF's increasingly jet-based combat force. The Sabre is a very fast aircraft, capable of supersonic speeds in a dive, and is very manouverable. Although its six 12.7mm machine guns are no match in terms of firepower for the Hunter's four 30mm cannon, the Hunter is somewhat less agile than the Sabre and must rely on its superior speed during air combat. Miquel uses his elite Sabre squadron as his personal air bodyguard for trips to Japan, and will occasionally detach it for night raids on Dubton.