Sarzonia
21-12-2005, 20:32
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SZ-35 'Styx' gunship
Background Notably lacking in the Incorporated Sarzonian Army's combat capabilities suite has been an aircraft other than the SZ-18 Hurricane helicopter gunship that has been tailored for a role as a large-scale interdiction aircraft; in particular, one with the sort of speed and maneuverability expected on a modern battlefield. Taking the venerable AC-130U Spooky as inspiration, engineers at Windham & Green Defence Industries worked with the Portland Iron Works, the Incorporated Sarzonian Air Force, and the ISA to develop a new aircraft to fill this role for the ISA in future offensive operations. The end result of this programme is the SZ-35 'Styx' airship.
Avionics Noting the lack of speed attendant upon an aircraft that operates turboprop engines, but also recognising the need for survivability in its expected role, Windham & Green chose to employ two Windham & Green turbofan engines, combining for a total of 60,000 lbs of thrust on a swept wing configuration that enhances maneuverability. An alternator addition provides power from the engines to the ETC guns which ensures that they have plenty of power for their threat suppression role. With the aircraft's 73,500 kg weight, speed was not going to be the Styx's greatest attribute, but the configuration allows it a top speed approaching Mach 0.7. While this nearly doubles the Spooky's Mach 0.4 speed with its turboprop configuration, its size and role do not lend themselves to dogfighting capability.
Weapons The Styx has been given a weapons layout equivalent in concept to its forefather aircraft, though with several concessions to advances in technology that have taken place since the advent of the Spooky. In an effort to conform to the new ordnance requirements of a majority of Sarzonian aircraft currently in service, the Styx is armed with the 32 mm ETC chain cannon in an effort to increase potency over the 40 mm cannon used on the AC-130H Spectre that predates the Spooky. In addition, with a mission profile that includes attacking armoured vehicles from the air, the Styx lives up to its mythological namesake with a terrifying 120 mm ETC cannon that can make any enemy think twice about attacking your ground troops. The Styx can also be equipped with modernised JDAMs and the ISAF's flight tests will incorporate the Direct Precision Attack Weapon currently under development as a potential replacement for the JDAM. For its anti-infantry role, it comes equipped with four 7.62 mm ETC chain guns to enhance infantry suppression.
Sensor Suite Like its predecessors, careful attention has been paid to making the Styx a dangerous aircraft capable of acquiring and prosecuting targets with highly-advanced targeting capabilities. Toward this end, the Styx comes equipped with the Active Electronically Scanned Array standard on the SZ-23 Aurora scout aircraft and the SZ-24 Tyr electronic combat reconnaissance bird. In addition, the glass cockpit uses an advanced fly-by-light system providing for some of the best responsiveness of any craft in its class. Radar, television sensor, and an infared sensor allows the Styx to identify friendly ground units and locate enemy ground targets. In addition, the information suite can be linked with UAVs, Aurora scout aircraft, or ELINT craft for enhanced target prosecution capabilities. Advanced synthetic apertures strike radars also permit long-range target identification, while GPS and home-on-jam software capabilities allow the Styx to accurately target fire and forget weapons.
Survivability Owing to its role as an interdiction aicraft and close in support gunship, the Styx has been built with a combination of titanium/aluminum honeycomb airframe with thin layers of ballistic ceramics and spectra over key areas including the cockpit, engines, and weapons magazines to make the Styx one of the more difficult aircraft to take down in its projected role.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Name: SZ-35 'Styx' gunship
Manufacturers: Avalon Aerospace Corporation and Windham & Green Defence Industries
Length: 43.8 m
Height: 12.4 m
Wingspan: 50.1 m
Propulsion: Two Windham & Green turbofan engines; 60,000 lbs thrust.
Speed: Mach 0.7 maximum
Range: 2,000 km (1,080 nautical miles) without inflight refueling
Ceiling: 7,500 m
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 72,500 kg
Weapons: 1 x 32 mm ETC chain cannon; 1 x 120 mm ETC gun; 4 x 7.62 mm ETC chain guns; potential for 6 improved JDAMs.
Crew: 13
Price: $200 million
SZ-35 'Styx' gunship
Background Notably lacking in the Incorporated Sarzonian Army's combat capabilities suite has been an aircraft other than the SZ-18 Hurricane helicopter gunship that has been tailored for a role as a large-scale interdiction aircraft; in particular, one with the sort of speed and maneuverability expected on a modern battlefield. Taking the venerable AC-130U Spooky as inspiration, engineers at Windham & Green Defence Industries worked with the Portland Iron Works, the Incorporated Sarzonian Air Force, and the ISA to develop a new aircraft to fill this role for the ISA in future offensive operations. The end result of this programme is the SZ-35 'Styx' airship.
Avionics Noting the lack of speed attendant upon an aircraft that operates turboprop engines, but also recognising the need for survivability in its expected role, Windham & Green chose to employ two Windham & Green turbofan engines, combining for a total of 60,000 lbs of thrust on a swept wing configuration that enhances maneuverability. An alternator addition provides power from the engines to the ETC guns which ensures that they have plenty of power for their threat suppression role. With the aircraft's 73,500 kg weight, speed was not going to be the Styx's greatest attribute, but the configuration allows it a top speed approaching Mach 0.7. While this nearly doubles the Spooky's Mach 0.4 speed with its turboprop configuration, its size and role do not lend themselves to dogfighting capability.
Weapons The Styx has been given a weapons layout equivalent in concept to its forefather aircraft, though with several concessions to advances in technology that have taken place since the advent of the Spooky. In an effort to conform to the new ordnance requirements of a majority of Sarzonian aircraft currently in service, the Styx is armed with the 32 mm ETC chain cannon in an effort to increase potency over the 40 mm cannon used on the AC-130H Spectre that predates the Spooky. In addition, with a mission profile that includes attacking armoured vehicles from the air, the Styx lives up to its mythological namesake with a terrifying 120 mm ETC cannon that can make any enemy think twice about attacking your ground troops. The Styx can also be equipped with modernised JDAMs and the ISAF's flight tests will incorporate the Direct Precision Attack Weapon currently under development as a potential replacement for the JDAM. For its anti-infantry role, it comes equipped with four 7.62 mm ETC chain guns to enhance infantry suppression.
Sensor Suite Like its predecessors, careful attention has been paid to making the Styx a dangerous aircraft capable of acquiring and prosecuting targets with highly-advanced targeting capabilities. Toward this end, the Styx comes equipped with the Active Electronically Scanned Array standard on the SZ-23 Aurora scout aircraft and the SZ-24 Tyr electronic combat reconnaissance bird. In addition, the glass cockpit uses an advanced fly-by-light system providing for some of the best responsiveness of any craft in its class. Radar, television sensor, and an infared sensor allows the Styx to identify friendly ground units and locate enemy ground targets. In addition, the information suite can be linked with UAVs, Aurora scout aircraft, or ELINT craft for enhanced target prosecution capabilities. Advanced synthetic apertures strike radars also permit long-range target identification, while GPS and home-on-jam software capabilities allow the Styx to accurately target fire and forget weapons.
Survivability Owing to its role as an interdiction aicraft and close in support gunship, the Styx has been built with a combination of titanium/aluminum honeycomb airframe with thin layers of ballistic ceramics and spectra over key areas including the cockpit, engines, and weapons magazines to make the Styx one of the more difficult aircraft to take down in its projected role.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Name: SZ-35 'Styx' gunship
Manufacturers: Avalon Aerospace Corporation and Windham & Green Defence Industries
Length: 43.8 m
Height: 12.4 m
Wingspan: 50.1 m
Propulsion: Two Windham & Green turbofan engines; 60,000 lbs thrust.
Speed: Mach 0.7 maximum
Range: 2,000 km (1,080 nautical miles) without inflight refueling
Ceiling: 7,500 m
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 72,500 kg
Weapons: 1 x 32 mm ETC chain cannon; 1 x 120 mm ETC gun; 4 x 7.62 mm ETC chain guns; potential for 6 improved JDAMs.
Crew: 13
Price: $200 million