Sarzonia
17-05-2006, 21:16
F-40 ‘Centaur’ advanced interceptor
Background The Incorporated Sarzonian Navy has used both Artitsan-designed and built TAMD Mark III ships and indigenous Oceania class large escorts for point missile defence to discourage massive missile attacks and to prevent serious damage from being inflicted upon ISN assets by such strikes. However, an audit of ISN anti-missile defences determined that a second layer of missile defence was necessary to defeat missile attacks before naval assets activated. The ISN and ISAF took inspiration from the Smoke Jaguar F-36 Kunai and briefly considered ordering the foreign design until they could construct their own version. However, they realised the B-25 Archduke provided a solid framework for basing any new design upon it. Thus, the two branches contacted the Avalon Aerospace Corporation to research and develop a new fighter based on the Archduke that could fill the role required. The result was the F-40 Centaur.
Propulsion The decision to phase out the PDE-turbofan hybrid engines was taken into account with the Centaur's design, and with its intent as an anti-missile aircraft in mind, designers realised that the Centaur would not need to be nearly as heavy as the aircraft that originally inspired it. Thus, the decision was made to adopt two advanced turbofan engines of the same make that went into the F-37 Archer strike fighter. Each engine provides 35,000 pounds of thrust, and with a payload focusing on air-to-air missiles rather than a bomber's payload, the lighter load would allow the aircraft to travel at impressive speeds for a bird of its relative size. Early trials suggested the Centaur could travel at speeds approaching Mach 2.5, though engineers cautioned that it should not be pushed beyond Mach 2.0 unless in a dire emergency.
Armament For use as a dogfighting weapon and an anti-missile weapon of last resort, the Centuar is armed with 20-24 ‘Trans Warp’ ELAAMs, a modification of the ‘Warp’ originally designed for the S-20 Valkyrie. The ‘Trans Warp’ travels at speeds of Mach 5.5 and are guided by a radar feed from the firing plane, the same way the Asteroid ELRAAM the Warp is based upon is. However, the ‘Trans Warp’ has been modified to include advanced heat-seeking technology and GPS-based target acquisition software to make spoofing more difficult. It has also been modified with extensive electronics counter-countermeasures, making spoofing much more difficult.
The ‘Yellow Jacket’ mini-SAM that has served the Incorporated Sarzonian Navy extraordinarily well has been adapted for use aerially. The resulting missile, the Apollo mini-AAM can serve as a last ditch, extremely short-ranged anti-aircraft or anti-missile missile, though it is largely considered a desperation tactic and is believed to be largely ineffective. Roughly 50 Apollo mini-AAMs can be equipped on the Centaur depending on the needs of your aviation commander.
Stealth In order to improve survivability against air and ground based radars, the Centaur is lined with radar absorbing carbon composite glazes around its leading edges, nose cone, undercarriage doors and air intakes. In order to deaden heat and noise signature, the engine housing is surrounded with aerogel inserts. Also, the body of the Centaur is shaped to smooth out the N-wave resulting from the aircraft breaking through the sound barrier, thus resulting in a much quieter sonic boom.
Protection The airframe for the Centaur will be a lighter version of the titanium/aluminum alloyed frame used in the Archduke light bomber. With its role as a more mobile anti-missile platform, survivability was a necessity, though both the ISN and the ISAF realised that mobility would have to be a more important requirement for an aircraft like the Centaur than sheer brute strength. The alloyed frame still provides a strong base of surviability, along with thin layers of ballistic ceramics and amorphous steel hardened by vanadium, but while the Archduke might be able to survive several 12.7 mm shell or flak attacks, the Centaur would only be able to withstand one or two.
Safety The Archer ensures that its crew will have a safe flight, or failing that, a safe landing. Starting with the cockpit bubble, we have a sealed, spectra lined cockpit with its own NBC and oxygen pump system that will eject as a single piece in the event of fatal damage. The flight mask and liquid pressure suit also have oxygen systems, as well as vital signs monitors that allow the autopilot to automatically kick in if the pilot blacks out. Within the cockpit bubble itself is a water filter, a small food supply, some fishing gear, a first aid kit and a survival rifle, in the event that the plane crashes behind enemy lines and the pilot needs to survive on his own. In the event that system fails, the aircraft is equipped with ejection seats that can either be activated by the pilot instead of the cockpit system or can be auto-activated by the computer system.
Flight Control Responsiveness was determined to be a top priority for Avalon Aerospace Corporation engineers when they designed the Centaur. Thus, it comes with a Fly-by-Light system that is an upgrade over the previous Fly-by-Wire system, using fiber optics instead of conventional copper wires and giving it faster reaction times and enhanced flight performance. Other systems include an active electronically scanned array radar, long ranged pulsed Doppler LADAR and a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor. The ability of the fire control computer to successfully integrate onboard sensor input and reference them with GPS and other external input helps to increase targeting accuracy. An LPI detecting passive radar completes the sensor package.
Specifications:
Name: F-40 Centaur anti-missile interceptor
Manufacturer: Portland Iron Works/Avalon Aerospace Corporation
Length: 29 m
Wingspan: 26.4 m
Height: 6.2 m
Armament: 1 x 30 mm autocannon; four external hard points; 10,500 kg payload space in eight internal weapons bays. Space for up to 24 ‘Trans Warp’ air-to-air missiles or 20 ‘Trans Warp’ missiles and 40 Apollo mini-AAMs.
Empty weight: 23,370 kg
Loaded weight: 41,900 kg
Maximum: 55,925 kg
Engine: Two W&G turbofan engines producing 35,000 lbs. thrust each
Speed: Mach 1.7 supercruise
Maximum: Mach 2.5
Range: 1,720 nm
Crew: Two
Price: $125 million
Background The Incorporated Sarzonian Navy has used both Artitsan-designed and built TAMD Mark III ships and indigenous Oceania class large escorts for point missile defence to discourage massive missile attacks and to prevent serious damage from being inflicted upon ISN assets by such strikes. However, an audit of ISN anti-missile defences determined that a second layer of missile defence was necessary to defeat missile attacks before naval assets activated. The ISN and ISAF took inspiration from the Smoke Jaguar F-36 Kunai and briefly considered ordering the foreign design until they could construct their own version. However, they realised the B-25 Archduke provided a solid framework for basing any new design upon it. Thus, the two branches contacted the Avalon Aerospace Corporation to research and develop a new fighter based on the Archduke that could fill the role required. The result was the F-40 Centaur.
Propulsion The decision to phase out the PDE-turbofan hybrid engines was taken into account with the Centaur's design, and with its intent as an anti-missile aircraft in mind, designers realised that the Centaur would not need to be nearly as heavy as the aircraft that originally inspired it. Thus, the decision was made to adopt two advanced turbofan engines of the same make that went into the F-37 Archer strike fighter. Each engine provides 35,000 pounds of thrust, and with a payload focusing on air-to-air missiles rather than a bomber's payload, the lighter load would allow the aircraft to travel at impressive speeds for a bird of its relative size. Early trials suggested the Centaur could travel at speeds approaching Mach 2.5, though engineers cautioned that it should not be pushed beyond Mach 2.0 unless in a dire emergency.
Armament For use as a dogfighting weapon and an anti-missile weapon of last resort, the Centuar is armed with 20-24 ‘Trans Warp’ ELAAMs, a modification of the ‘Warp’ originally designed for the S-20 Valkyrie. The ‘Trans Warp’ travels at speeds of Mach 5.5 and are guided by a radar feed from the firing plane, the same way the Asteroid ELRAAM the Warp is based upon is. However, the ‘Trans Warp’ has been modified to include advanced heat-seeking technology and GPS-based target acquisition software to make spoofing more difficult. It has also been modified with extensive electronics counter-countermeasures, making spoofing much more difficult.
The ‘Yellow Jacket’ mini-SAM that has served the Incorporated Sarzonian Navy extraordinarily well has been adapted for use aerially. The resulting missile, the Apollo mini-AAM can serve as a last ditch, extremely short-ranged anti-aircraft or anti-missile missile, though it is largely considered a desperation tactic and is believed to be largely ineffective. Roughly 50 Apollo mini-AAMs can be equipped on the Centaur depending on the needs of your aviation commander.
Stealth In order to improve survivability against air and ground based radars, the Centaur is lined with radar absorbing carbon composite glazes around its leading edges, nose cone, undercarriage doors and air intakes. In order to deaden heat and noise signature, the engine housing is surrounded with aerogel inserts. Also, the body of the Centaur is shaped to smooth out the N-wave resulting from the aircraft breaking through the sound barrier, thus resulting in a much quieter sonic boom.
Protection The airframe for the Centaur will be a lighter version of the titanium/aluminum alloyed frame used in the Archduke light bomber. With its role as a more mobile anti-missile platform, survivability was a necessity, though both the ISN and the ISAF realised that mobility would have to be a more important requirement for an aircraft like the Centaur than sheer brute strength. The alloyed frame still provides a strong base of surviability, along with thin layers of ballistic ceramics and amorphous steel hardened by vanadium, but while the Archduke might be able to survive several 12.7 mm shell or flak attacks, the Centaur would only be able to withstand one or two.
Safety The Archer ensures that its crew will have a safe flight, or failing that, a safe landing. Starting with the cockpit bubble, we have a sealed, spectra lined cockpit with its own NBC and oxygen pump system that will eject as a single piece in the event of fatal damage. The flight mask and liquid pressure suit also have oxygen systems, as well as vital signs monitors that allow the autopilot to automatically kick in if the pilot blacks out. Within the cockpit bubble itself is a water filter, a small food supply, some fishing gear, a first aid kit and a survival rifle, in the event that the plane crashes behind enemy lines and the pilot needs to survive on his own. In the event that system fails, the aircraft is equipped with ejection seats that can either be activated by the pilot instead of the cockpit system or can be auto-activated by the computer system.
Flight Control Responsiveness was determined to be a top priority for Avalon Aerospace Corporation engineers when they designed the Centaur. Thus, it comes with a Fly-by-Light system that is an upgrade over the previous Fly-by-Wire system, using fiber optics instead of conventional copper wires and giving it faster reaction times and enhanced flight performance. Other systems include an active electronically scanned array radar, long ranged pulsed Doppler LADAR and a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor. The ability of the fire control computer to successfully integrate onboard sensor input and reference them with GPS and other external input helps to increase targeting accuracy. An LPI detecting passive radar completes the sensor package.
Specifications:
Name: F-40 Centaur anti-missile interceptor
Manufacturer: Portland Iron Works/Avalon Aerospace Corporation
Length: 29 m
Wingspan: 26.4 m
Height: 6.2 m
Armament: 1 x 30 mm autocannon; four external hard points; 10,500 kg payload space in eight internal weapons bays. Space for up to 24 ‘Trans Warp’ air-to-air missiles or 20 ‘Trans Warp’ missiles and 40 Apollo mini-AAMs.
Empty weight: 23,370 kg
Loaded weight: 41,900 kg
Maximum: 55,925 kg
Engine: Two W&G turbofan engines producing 35,000 lbs. thrust each
Speed: Mach 1.7 supercruise
Maximum: Mach 2.5
Range: 1,720 nm
Crew: Two
Price: $125 million