Space Union
27-05-2006, 15:50
We have recently heard of your need for a top performance bomber and SUDI would like to showcase you two bombers developed by the Space Union Aeronautical Institute. These two bombers are of the highest quality and surpass all your requirements. They are the SuB-4 Super Hurricane Heavy Supersonic Strategic Bomber and the SuB-5 Sonic Mach 4+ Strategic Bomber. We hope that you will consider our offer and choose us as the winner of your needs.
Signed,
CEO/Chairman Sim Nam
SuB-4 Super Hurricane Ultra-Heavy Supersonic Strategic Bomber!
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Overview:
The SuB-1C Block 10 Hurricane Heavy Supersonic Strategic Bomber is the next-generation SuB-1B bomber in the Space Union Air Force. It is an upgrade of the formidable SuB-1B (also called the B-300) Hurricane, which has met widespread use in various nation’s across the world. In an effort to continue this legacy, the makers of the SuB-1 are now offering a new upgrade for it to a new status: SuB-1C Block 10 Hurricane. The Block 10 Hurricane, although sharing a similar general appearance, is far different on the inside and even outside than the SuB-1B to the point that it could be considered any entirely new aircraft. It is expected to be a replacement for the SuB-1B (B-300As and Bs for foreign nations) and the new mainstay backbone bomber for the Space Union Air Force’s Strategic Air Command. The Block 10 combines lethal, up-to-date avionics with new weapons and a new airframe to create a bomber that will continue the legacy of the Hurricane and truly tear apart a nation who might have thought they got hit by a Hurricane.
Airframe/Construction:
The SuB-1C Block 10, although not seeming much different from the outside, is quite a different aircraft even in external looks and construction. The airframe of this beast is 35% larger than the SuB-1B Block 5 and is significantly different in composition. The SuB-1C features an airframe made mostly from composite material, super alloys, and high-grade industrial metals. It has a composition of mostly Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP), or exactly 65%. The other major component of this is the Thymonel super alloy, similar to the one employed on the SuF/A-6 Wraith. It makes up 32% of the composition. The rest of the airframe is made up of aluminum-lithium alloy. This combination of durable and strong materials wielded an airframe that is expected to give the aircraft a long-life span, effectively allowing it to serve for decades upon decades more for the Union as its main bomber.
Another feature different from the original bomber airframe is the removal of the Self-Defense Bay. Engineers have concluded that the Self-Defense Bay is an unnecessary feature that has little help for the overall airframe and takes up space that could be devoted for more bomb racks and electronic weapons. Instead, the Bay has been replaced by another bomb bay that can carry around 20,000 kg, further increasing the payload of this giant. To replace the defense, the SuB-1C Block 10 is equipped with self-defense turrets across its body. These self-defense turrets, totaling five across the body, are armed with 2x 20mm Auto cannons along with a 4-cell missile launcher. These turrets are positioned in the front, back, top, bottom, and center of the aircraft to ensure that any threat can be dealt with swiftly and with minimal damage to the aircraft and crew.
Internally, the cockpit has been redesigned for maximum use of the aircraft’s new avionics (which will be detailed in the next section). One major goal when redesigning was to expand the cockpit. The old SuB-1B Block 5 housed only two crewmen, one the pilot, and one the copilot who also was a weapons officer, and filled other roles. But after an extensive study by SUAF officials, it was decided that the copilot was too strained from his other jobs to fully do his actual job, resulting in possible fatal results for the crew in war-time situations. The result was that SUAF ordered PIW engineers to expand the cockpit and living areas so that it could hold four crewmen; the pilot, copilot, weapons officer, and electronics officer. Each of them performed their specific job with the weapons officer taking care of the weapons while the electronics officer kept an eye over the entire aircraft’s health along with controlling the ECM and electronics warfare capabilities of the aircraft. The problem was that the old layout could not be redesigned insignificantly to accommodate the new crewmen, so it was decided to just redesign a whole new cockpit. The whole new redesigning resulted in the cockpit looking like it got a facial. Most of all the chronometers were removed (ones that were still left from the original SuB-1A) and anti-glare FOLED screens replaced them provided high-definition picture quality on the 3DODS along with a easy to read measurement system that provided all the information of the aircraft including its speed, height, etc. Not only that but the screens are touch-capable meaning that the crewmen don’t need to have anything other than touch the screen to access something or gain more details. Each crewmember’s position receives two screens or more depending on the position.
Avionics/Fire-Control/Electronic Countermeasures:
Although the aircraft has undergone external changes, most of its changes come from the inside. Engineers at PIW’s SUNACS division tried to replace some of the outdated avionics and controls with more advanced and new controls, many developed from the SuF/A-6 Wraith program. The engineers mostly concentrated on adding a new radar, fire-control system, computer, tracking and navigation systems, sensors, and ECM equipment. The most important change in the SuB-1C is the replacement of the old radar with the new SU/RD-150 Active Electronically Scanned Array w/ Multi-Frequency Jamming Module. The SU/RD-150 takes lessons learned in previous radars and refines them to the point of perfection. The SU/RD-150 has a large range of 420 km in scanning power, derived from its large amount of space devoted to the radar. This gives the bomber unprecedented awareness of its environment along with allowing it to act as a semi-AWACS in desperate situations by relaying any important targets to tactical aircrafts. Not only that, but it can also serve as a jammer aircraft and jam the enemy’s radar. It does this with its advanced Multi-Frequency Hop Jamming Module, SU/JM-2. The SU/JM-2 works by having the bomber send out a jamming signals but then switching to a different signal to avoid from jamming itself. This idea coupled with advanced computer controls allows the SU/JM-2 to constantly jump to different wavelengths and frequencies. This ensures that the SuB-1C Block 10 is capable of attacking the enemies eye sight while not blinding itself, giving it maximum danger level and capability against the enemy.
Another change to the avionics was the change from the old fly-by-wire system of the SuB-1B Block 5 to fly-by-optics. The result is that the fly-by-optics system is known to be much faster than old copper wired fly-by-wire controls. This translates into faster reaction times for the aircraft than previously achieved. That includes the increase of throttling for engines, the turning of the aircraft and other performance enhancements that would never been thought possible for a large aircraft like this. To power this system, the SuB-1C is upgraded with a new supercomputer that offers twice the capability of the old supercomputer. It can now conduct over 10 billion floating point operations per second compared to the 4 billion floating point operations per second. The large room in the aircraft allows for the installation of such a supercomputer as this. The enhancement in processing speed allows for the aircraft to give better performance, most of the electronics will work faster and more efficiently, the aircraft can handle more, and most importantly the aircraft can process far more data and provide it for the crew in a better fashion than ever achieved before.
One of the more noticeable differences for the crew at least is the addition of the 3DODS or Three Dimensional Optical Display System. The 3DODS is a revolutionary component for bombers that allows the bomber to display its environment in a 3D display and simulation that allows the crew and pilots to have unprecedented awareness of situations and tracking and detection capability. An obvious benefit from this is that the pilot can hook up with other aircrafts and gain a simulation of an entire theater and detect any incoming threats that might not have been picked up by its own radar. It can also zoom in or out on areas, while also switching from visual to infra-red vision to even ultra-violet vision. This allows the bombers to gain a new level in precision bombing. The crew would know be able to zoom into enclosed and narrow areas and target those with their smart bombs to hit terrorist camps or hiding places for rogue leaders or even just a strategical/tactical object/place.
As the other avionics components become more advanced, it is natural to also advance the LIDAR/LADAR systems of the aircraft. The SU/LI-55 has a range of over 30 km while the SU/LA-24 has a range exceeding 120 km. The aircraft’s infra-red passive detection system (IRPDS) has a range of 50 km of detecting thanks to sensors lining the entire body of the aircraft. These changes ensure that the aircraft has not only the best radar available to it but also the best sensor suites.
Although the 3DODS has many sub-systems, its most important and useful one is the Active Weapons Warning Interface (AWWI). The AWWI is basically an improvement on decades of systems that have provided all aircrafts an early warning system on incoming missiles or threats before they fall victim to it. The AWWI is the most recent and advanced of this type of system. Using the powerful radar on the SuB-1C, it can scan in every direction and can make sure that any incoming threat will be brought forth to the pilot and copilot so they can react to the situation. The AWWI uses radar, its sensors, active radar receiver, and other tools to accomplish this task and further the survivability of the crew and the aircraft, alike.
Propulsion/Powerplant:
One of the biggest differences is the upgrading of the powerplants. The old powerplants were the old Union-46-2005s Turbofan jet engines. Although these babies were huge and provided a mammoth amount of thrust rated at 97,000 lbf each, it was decided that the powerplants had aged to the point that there performance was too little and the advancement in engine technology, notably the introduction of the ramfan jet engine by United Engines Corporation, ended the possibility of the use of the Union-46s. Instead, it was decided that the SuB-1C would use a new powerplant model designed by UEC that incorporates the latest jet engine capabilities along with sheer power, unmatched to the day, to create an outstanding engine.
To replace the Union-46s, PIW went to United Engines Corporations for their engine needs and decided on picking an engine design that had already been created, but it ended up not being for political reasons. UEC had always been asked to produce fighter powerplants and smaller powerplants so huge engines were never designed past the drawing stage. When PIW came to UEC for a new jet engine, they provided an upgraded Union-46B-2005s for use. But PIW rejected that proposal citing that it was not a ramfan jet engine. To offset this problem, UEC went to work to design the first High-Bypass Ramfan Jet engine. The result was the Union-302-2006s. This gigantic powerplant combines the best of the ramfan jet engines along with a high-bypass system for more power to offer a capable powerplant. The Union-302-2006s rated at 130,000 lbf each, weigh around 20,000 lbs, this monster is fully capable of providing the SuB-1C with its power.
The Union-302-2006s differ from other ramfan jet engine designs by being the first of the high-bypass class. The 300-series is expected to be improvements of this baseline product. Unlike older engines, the engine no longer uses most of its incoming air for burning, instead it makes most of the air bypass the core (around 75% of it) increasing not only its power but fuel efficiency along with the side-effect of muffling engine noise to tolerable levels. This combined with the ramfan’s high compression rate allows for a large amount of fuel efficiency for an engine of this class. It is expected to be 20% less fuel hungry as the Union-46s because of the use of the ramfan and advanced methods.
Payload/Weaponry:
One of the main reasons for the SuB-1A/B’s tremendous popularity is its high payload and flexibility with that payload are matched by only a handful of bombers. This giant of the sky has the capability to deliver tons of weaponry to the enemy, where it hurts, at an outstanding range to the point that if any nation is equipped with these, it can literally turn the tides of war in their favor. The original SuB-1A/B carried a maximum payload of 90,000 kg and at a range of 8,500 km while the SuB-1C Block 10 triples that by being able to carry up to 270,000 kg of weaponry to anywhere with a range of at least 12,000 km. Not only does this now make the bomber more capable but it gives it more punch and a wider area to punch at. With its capability, the enemy isn’t leaving the battlefield without internal bleeding, broken bones, and two black eyes.
This monumental amount of weaponry is derived from its three separate weapons bays. Each weapons bay can carry a gigantic 57,000 kg each (a tad less actually). This gives it the capability to house tons of any type of weapons from JDAM, to laser-guided smart bombs, to just dumb bombs, to even cruise missiles. The bays have been designed to hold munitions from OMASC and PIW, though, with little modifications it can hold about any weapon on the planet if you know what to do (Waver: Contact PIW before doing so. Proper instructions will be given on how to do so. Doing alone could be fatal or problematic to the aircraft.). On the outside, the aircraft has five hard points on each wing. Each hard point is capable of holding up to 10,000 kg. That comes to a grand total of 100,000 kg that can be carried externally, bringing the maximum payload capability to 270,000 kg. But the hard points are also capable of carrying other stuff like fuel tanks to increase the range further if ever needed and even electronic pods for that particular mission.
One of the main features on the SuB-1A/B Block 3/5 was its Self-Defense Bay, but like said earlier, it was removed in the early designs. To replace the capability to defend itself, the engineers at PIW looked at other bomber designs, like the OMASC B-110 Archmaster, and decided on the installation of Self-Defense Turrets over the body of the aircraft. There are a total of five of these Self-Defense turrets on the entire body. Each houses 2x 20mm Autocannons while also housing a four-cell missile launcher to increase the chance of intercepting any incoming SAMs or AAMs. Not only that but each Self-Defense turret also carries a LASER Scrambler that scrambles incoming lasers to avoid LIDAR/LADAR sensors from effectively tracking the bomber. Every turret also features 100 flares and 70 chaffs to try and shake-off any incoming IR-seeking or radar-using missiles or even tracking systems.
Specifications:
Type: Heavy High-Speed Strategic Bomber
Height: 29.7 m
Length: 129.6 m
Wingspan: 100 m
Propulsion: 8x Union-302-2006s rated at 130,000 lbf each
Empty (Weight): 472,500 kg
Maximum Take-Off Weight: 1,180,000 kg
Normal Fuel Weight: 537,500
Maximum Fuel Weight: 652,050 kg
Minimum Fuel Weight*: 437,500 kg
Normal Payload: 170,000 kg
Maximum Payload: 270,000 kg
Payload w/ Maximum Fuel: 55,450 kg
Cruising Speed: Mach 1.6
Maximum Speed: Mach 2.2
Range (Normal Fuel): 15,000 km
Range (Maximum Fuel): 18,500 km
Range (Maximum Payload): 12,000 km
Ferry Range (Normal Fuel): 40,500 km
Fery Range (Maximum Fuel): 49,950 km
Ferry Range (Maximum Payload): 32,400 km
Crew: 6
Cost: $1 billion
Sales Price: $1.4 billion
Upgrades:
If you wish to your originial B-300A/L/EL upgraded to the B-300C Block 10, I won't be doing so since this is an entire rehaul. Instead I'm allowing you to trade in your B-300A/L/El Block 5s for B-300C Block 10s at the cost of the difference between the two and a 10% discount. Here's the prices:
B-300A Block 5 -> B-300C Block 10 = $441 million
B-300L Block 5 -> B-300C Block 10 = $461 million
B-300EL Block 5 -> B-300C Block 10 = $421 million
*Minimum Fuel Weight is the minimum amount of fuel you want in the aircraft if you want a decent range.
SuB-5 Sonic Supersonic Strategic Bomber
Overview/History:
The SuB-5 Sonic was the byproduct of a new need for a high-speed bomber that would deliver a large amount of payloads at high speeds. Designed as the replacement for the aging SuB-2 Skipper, it is the Space Union Air Force’s newest bomber and it’s faster. Its mission and job is to penetrate deep within enemy territory at fast speeds and deliver a payload before the enemy can react or realize they are under attack. Guarded by speed and an advanced suite of electronic counter measures, the SuB-5 will complete any bombing run with success ensured. It started under the SUAF’s Ultra-Fast Bomber Program (UFBP), which was designed to find possible replacements for the SUAF’s aging fleet of SuB-2 Skippers. Among the contenders were foreign and domestic companies, all of which provided some of the best designs in the NS world. Ultimately, the contract was awarded to the Space Union Aeronautical Institution (SUAI) for political and military reasons. But in late 2005, the Chamber of Electorates of Space Union halted the program before production of the prototype of SUAI’s design could be built. The main reason was that the Chamber found that the UFBP was very expensive in terms of funding R&D along with the budget already passing $200 billion for that alone by the end of the year. Instead the Chamber went with a cheaper mode and selected the OMASC/NDI B-101D Super Bombardier as the replacement for the SuB-2 Skipper for the reason that it was not only a tested platform but could begin production immediately and enter service without a need of extensive testing. SUAI was of course disappointed by the move and found itself having to take up any left over costs from the expensive program with no order or profit seeable for the design. But fate intervened once more for SUAI when in early 2006, the Chamber approved of a new defense budget that added over $5 trillion to the SUAF’s gigantic budget. This extra money was redirected at restarting the program and developing the high-speed bomber. SUAI immediately took up the design and after extensive testing; it began production a bit later. The B-101 Super Bombardier is expected to stay in SUAF service for its high approval rating but the active bombing units will receive the new bomber, dubbed the SuB-5 Sonic. It is intended to supplement the much larger SuB-1C Super Hurricane.
Airframe:
The SuB-5’s main goal is to cruise at Mach 4 and deliver its payload. Cruising at Mach 4 is a major leap in aerospace engineering and required Space Union engineers to rethink the entire design around that goal. In the end it was decided to pick a design similar to the old XB-70. It has a long fuselage with a pair of large delta wings. It keeps its payload within the bulge in the fuselage, while having a pair of large rectangular canards in the front. This design is optimum for the SuB-5 for the reason that delta wings allow for aircrafts to fly very efficiently at high speeds while canards produce more lift. The larger the canard, the higher the lift is and this allows for the SuB-5 Sonic to have a very high lift-to-drag ratio for its size. The delta wing is also large for the fact that it can store more fuel in the extra space, giving the SuB-5 a large combat radius and the ability to bomb enemies anywhere around the world. It truly casts a daunting shadow upon its enemies and victims. Further, the aircraft is also outfitted with drop down winglets to gain more lift, similar in fashion to the old XB-70 Valkyrie. This method is known as compression lift. It works by dropping catching the waves underneath the aircraft and using them so that the aircraft can “ride” on them or albeit add more lift to the entire aircraft.
The airframe of the SuB-5 naturally had to be very strong to endure the high speeds and the thermal heat at Mach 4 flight. Most conventional materials were for this reason dropped in development and the more “radical” materials were used instead. The airframe is made out of primarily aluminum-lithium alloy and titanium for high stress and thermal endurance at these high temperatures. Plastics and composite materials have been used to a lesser extent on the SuB-5 than past aircrafts, partially because of the heat that they will have to endure and the possibility of them melting. Nevertheless, some plastics that have a very high specific heat, like thermoplastic and carbon fiber reinforced plastic have been incorporated into the design. Most of them are concentrated into the inner parts of the wings and some parts of the fuselage. The other materials in the airframe are steel and nickel metals. The exact composition is 48% aluminum-lithium, 24% titanium, 13% thermoplastic, 11% CFRP, 3% steel, and 1% nickel. This composition has ensured that the SuB-5 can sustain Mach 4 flight and the airframe will survive without extensive need of reinforcement or anything like that.
The SuB-5 Sonic has been not only designed specifically around Mach 4 flight but also for carrying a huge payload in order to hurt the enemy. Its main job is to destroy enemy SAM sites and then dash out of the place before the enemy can gain a lock and fire a SAM. Even if the enemy fires a SAM at the aircraft, its main defense will be throttling the aircraft past Mach 4 so that it can dash out of the SAM’s range and survive for another day. To ensure that it strikes the enemy targets, it is outfitted with four internal weapons bays. Each weapons bay has rotating pylon rack configuration that allows for the storing of bombs and other weapons and fire them at any direction. Each bomb bay is considerably large, being able to carry 13,250 kg worth of munitions and weapons in its racks. This weaponry can range from large iron bombs to thermal nuclear bombs to laser-guided precision bombs to even JDAMs or other weapons a nation may possess.
One feature of the SuB-5 Sonic compared to other contemporary bombers from other nations is the amount of comfort put into the designing of the cockpit for the crew. A series of tests performed by SUAI concluded that the more relaxed and less stressful a pilot feels, the better he/she can respond in situations of dire need. All these studies also concluded that most pilots get stressful because of the size of the cockpit, few luxuries, and overall discomfort in the aircraft. Engineers tried to solve this by first off increasing the size of the cockpit. Since the SuB-5 Sonic will be manned by four crewmen, the standard cockpit has been increased by 2x, providing a far more spacious area. Another feature is that reclining, massage, and heating options for chairs. These help to reduce stress on pilots when they are going to their targets or during long-flights. Lastly, the increase in area has allowed the addition of more comfortable and larger bunks for sleeping, a refrigerator, microwave, bathroom, and even an entertainment system. All these additions have proven in separate studies that the crew is likely better to handle tense situations than in other bombers. The result is the less likely possibility of losing an aircraft and the lives of its crewmembers during combat.
Propulsion/Powerplant:
The SuB-5 Sonic naturally was in need of high-performance powerplants that could provide enough thrust to not only get it off the ground but also past Mach 4. The task was met by the Union Engine Corporation (UEC) when it offered the Union-303-2006s Low-Bypass Ramfan Jet Engines, which was an engine based on the core of the Union-302-2006s used on the SuB-1C Super Hurricane. These powerful engines produced a thrust of 130,000 lbf each or 59,000 kgf. SUAI accepted these engines, largely because it offered commonality between the SuB-5 Sonic and the SuB-1C Super Hurricane, somewhat. Not only that, but the engines were more than powerful enough to propel the aircraft to the needed speeds. In the end, it was decided that the SuB-5 Sonic would be equipped with 4 Union-303-2006s, with afterburners included with the design, something not found on the original Union-302s. The engines are outfitted below the wings of the aircraft, tucked underneath the center of the large delta wings.
The Ramfan is a revolutionary new type of jet engine that is created and manufactured by Space Union. It works by having a high-bypass fan in-front of a conventional ramjet. The fan sucks in air and into a funnel/cone-type structure. The cone becomes very narrow causing the air to slow down, therefore compress, similar to the operation of a ramjet. Not only that but a series of pipes carrying liquid coolant act as a heat exchange. It works by having the coolant, cool the incoming air, therefore compressing it, and heating up the coolant. Once the air has been compressed, it goes through a narrow pipe where fuel injectors inject fuel, starting the combustion. After that the exhaust is let out. Here the heated coolant is then pumped to the back of the engine were it combusts with the rest of the exhaust. The bypass air joins the exhaust and contributes up to 20% of the thrust. The result is a ramjet that doesn't need assistance to start along with having a very powerful engine. Not only has that it retained much of the ramjets simplicity, by having only a fan.
Another interesting feature of the Union-303-2006 is its connection straight to the computer of the SuB-5 Sonic. It is made so that the Union-303 has an advanced electronic system, controlled directly by the computer. Fully wired with fiber optics, the signals are computed and sent faster between the mainframe and engine, causing actions to be faster. Engines can be lighted and accelerated to different settings at a much faster rate than in old models. The engine also includes the ability to maintain itself in that it can diagnose any problems, all of which is reported to the central computer. Without this system, the pilot might not know that one of his engines are suffering problems and this might lead to a fatal accident resulting in the destruction of the aircraft or even possibly the loss of the pilot and crews’ life. Not only does the crew have the ability to see this, logistics can download the reports on a minute-by-minute basis (or higher or lower depending on needs) and find the problem and eventually solve it. The end of the days of searching for problems is over.
Avionics/Electronics:
The SuB-5 Sonic is not only designed around Mach 4 performance but state-of-the-art avionics to ensure it can get the job done. The main component of the SuB-5 Sonic is the central computer that powers the entire aircraft. This powerful supercomputer, nicknamed the Sonic Boom, is likely the most powerful computer on any aircraft in the world. Capable of computing 40 trillion floating point operations per second, it manages the entire complex of the aircraft in sensors, electronics, and overall control. Every single part of the aircraft is connected through a high speed bus to the Sonic Boom where everything is computed and conducted. It also features an outstanding amount of memory of 40 terabytes, giving it enough to process and record information throughout missions. To connect all this, the aircraft is outfitted with the advanced fly-by-optic configuration. This system employs fiber optics in the place of copper wires to transmit data at the speed of light, increasing reaction time of the system with the crew.
The SuB-5 Sonic is outfitted with a powerful on-board radar suite, SU/RD-147 Active Electronically Scanned Array Extremely Low-Probability of Intercept radar. This advanced radar is set up so that it has a 360 degree view, with arrays stationed around the aircraft in four separate locations. The sheer size of the radar allows it to have a detection range of nearly 550 km. This allows it to not only operate as a bomber, but also as an AWACS if necessary. It is also outfitted with a suite of LIDAR/LADAR systems with the SU/LI-4 and SU/LA-4 having 30 km and 80 km ranges, respectively. While the SU/RD-147 picks up the object and tracks it, the LIDAR/LADAR help in gaining more info and providing more in-depth targeting capability to the aircraft’s crew. The aircraft also features passive sensors like its Infra-Red Detection and Targeting System (IRDTS) that can detect IR signatures from over 100 km away. All these sensors combined are formulated into the Early Advance Warning System (EAWS) that detects incoming threats posed to the aircraft and alerts the crew with that along with possible solutions. This can range from SAM locks on the aircraft to incoming fighters to incoming air-to-air missiles. Another feature on the aircraft is an incredibly fast datalink that allows the SuB-5 to connect with other aircrafts and the SUDACS to share information along with receiving any. This high-speed connection makes sure that it stays up-to-date with everything it should need.
The inside of cockpit is not only luxurious (for a bomber, at least) but it is configured in layout to make sure that each crewmember has all the information he/she needs to accomplish his/her job. There are a total of five chairs, two in the front for pilot and co-pilot, and two on each side of the cockpit. The pilot and co-pilot have a series of OLED screens on their dashboard that shows them a number of different things. One screen shows any incoming threats, another shows the monitoring of the aircraft for any problems or damages, while another is for touch-screen operations so that a pilot can choose different options to pick for the on-board computer to conduct. The other four crewmembers each have one large OLED screen that displays the information they need, each with touch-screen capability so most of the buttons, knobs, and switches have been eliminated in the cockpit. Most crews are amazed at how modern the cockpit looks, something they expected to see only on futuristic TV shows. This adds to the environment and even helps boost morale, studies concluded. A special feature in the SuB-5 Sonic, not found in most other bombers, is that for the four crewmen in the back they can switch their spots and don’t have to stay in that on place. For example, if one crewmember doesn’t want to be in one part of the cockpit, they can switch with the other guy. They can then upload their mission needs onto the screen they are using now and continue working as if nothing happened. SUAI made sure that crew comfort, needs, and flexibility were all met in the SuB-5 Sonic.
Payload/Weaponry:
The SuB-5 Sonic main goal in service will be to deliver payload at super fast speeds to anywhere in the world at the slightest notice. To do this, it features a substantial payload that can bring a hurt to any enemy in the world. Its main weaponry in the Space Union Air Force would be launching precision-guided bombs to hit SAM sites and other high value areas to clear away an enemy’s air defense before the larger SuB-4 Super Hurricane bombers come and bomb the enemy back to the Stone Age. Capable of outrunning almost every fighter in the world except a select few, the SuB-5 is capable of taking on any enemy air defense with stunning accuracy and deadliness. In a clean configuration, the SuB-5 Sonic is capable of housing 53,000 kg of payload inside its internal weapons bays. In a maximum ordnance capacity, it is capable of hauling up to 76,000 kg using its external hardpoints/pylons at the cost of speed. The SuB-5 features four internal weapons bays that can carry 13,250 kg worth of weaponry each. Depending on missions, this could be JDAM (or equivalents), laser-guided weaponry, iron bombs, or even air-to-air missiles if needed. The inside has rotating racks that the weapons can be stored on and fired from. A special modification can be made to shoot any bombs or missiles out into the airflow in split seconds if necessary, though, it is not preinstalled in default models.
Although the SuB-5 Sonic is developed for high speed purposes, it can also be used by other nations as a mainstay strategic bomber if they do not have any heavier bombers. To boost its weapon holding abilities, external hardpoints can be mounted on its large wings to give it extra space to carry weapons. Each wing is capable of housing five hardpoints on each side for a total of 10 external hardpoints. Each one is capable of holding 2,300 kg worth of weaponry each and therefore the entire aircraft can hold 23,000 kg worth of munitions externally for a grand total of 76,000 kg of weaponry. But the extra pylons come at a cost. Because of airflow and their sticking out, bombs can not be put on external pylons if you wish to go at high speeds like Mach 2+. This ensures that the armament isn’t ripped off and the hardpoints are damaged during missions. This configuration should be used only when air defenses have been cleared or there is no threat from housing them externally.
One of the main features on the SuB-2 was its Self-Defense Bay but it was removed in the designing of the SuB-5 Sonic. To replace the capability to defend it, the engineers at SUAI looked at other bomber designs like the OMASC B-110 Archmaster and SuB-4 Super Hurricane and decided on the installation of Self-Defense Turrets over the body of the aircraft. There are a total of five of these Self-Defense turrets on the entire body. Each houses 2x 20mm Autocannons while also housing a four-cell missile launcher to increase the chance of intercepting any incoming SAMs or AAMs. Not only that but each Self-Defense turret also carries a LASER Scrambler that scrambles incoming lasers to avoid LIDAR/LADAR sensors from effectively tracking the bomber. Every turret also features 100 flares and 70 chaffs to try and shake-off any incoming IR-seeking or radar-using missiles or even tracking systems. The one problem with this was that they would interfere with airflow and either prohibit high speed flight or they would be ripped off during it. The solution was that they can be fully retracted within the body of the aircraft thanks to the large amount of space within the aircraft. The SuB-5 slows down when it needs it and the turrets retract out (in 5-10 seconds) and protect the aircraft. After that they will retract for the aircraft to once again throttle forward.
Specifications:
Type: Supersonic Strategic Bomber
Height: 25 m
Length: 98 m
Wingspan: 76 m
Propulsion: 4x Union-302-2006s Low-Bypass Ramfan Jet Engines rated at 59,090 kgf each
Empty (Weight): 212,000 kg
Maximum Take-Off Weight: 530,000 kg
Maximum Fuel Weight: 265,000 kg
Minimum Fuel Weight: 212,000 kg
Normal Payload: 53,000 kg
Maximum Payload: 76,000 kg
Cruising Speed: Mach 4
Maximum Speed: Mach 4.2
Combat Range: 12,000 km
Ferry Range: 25,000 km
Crew: 6
Cost: $680 million
Sales Price: $700 million
Praetonia
27-05-2006, 16:36
Official Memorandum - Imperial Aviation
Sir,
It has come to our attention that you are seeking a large bomber for use with your airforce, capable of carrying a number of 'MOAB' munitions.
The L-95 Whirlwind is capable of fulfilling and exceeding all of your requirement, with the exception of range with a standard combat load. However, since the craft is capable of carrying more than the specified figure of 'MOAB' munitions it would be easy to replace space generally earmarked for explosives with space for aviation fuel allowing the craft to meet and exceed your requirements. Attached is a description of the craft.
L-95 Whirlwind Advanced Heavy Bomber
History
Following the recent Strategic Aerial Defence Review, 2005 the Ministry of Defence came to the conclusion that there was still a future in a conventional-style heavy bomber design and Specification 205.50 was issued calling for a bomber capable of carrying an extremely large bomb load a long distance without refuelling whilst avoiding interception by enemy fighter aircraft and Surface-to-Air Missiles. From this specification, the Aviation Division of Imperial Praetonian Ordnance produced the Whirlwind design which it hopes will not only find favour at home, but also in terms of sales to foreign powers abroad.
Design Characteristics and Manoeuvrability
The Whirlwind’s wings are arranged in a delta formation to provide maximum lift combined with an excellent aerodynamic and stealthy shape, with two tail-planes mounted off-centre towards the rear of the aircraft coming out of the fuselage and canards forwards near the cockpit area. The aircraft’s powerful radar is mounted in the nose and the turrets are set down into the body of the aircraft in order to improve the aerodynamics of the aircraft. The whole craft’s crew is located to the fore of the aircraft.
Manoeuvring ability is not a priority as it is practically impossible to achieve to a sufficient degree to allow the aircraft to engage any other non-bombing missions, such as the engagement of enemy fighters. The aircraft is not equipped with pylon-mounted munitions as standard in order to increase stealth, but several pylons are positioned on the wings to allow the craft to carry additional fuel tanks, which would presumably be ditched long before enemy presence is expected.
Propulsion
While Imperial Praetonian Ordnance decided not to go down the pulse detonation route for fighters, such an engine was developed for the Whirlwind due to the pressing need for enough power to push the aircraft to an adequate speed whilst carrying a large amount of explosives in the internal bay, as well as the Whirlwind’s characteristically substantial defensive weaponry. Four IPO ’Zeus’ Pulse Detonation Engines are mounted near the tail, each developing 46,000lbs of thrust for a total of 184,000lbs. All four engines are equipped with full 3D thrust vectoring allowing the aircraft greater manoeuvrability and the ability to take off from short runways.
The engines can achieve a maximum speed of Mach 2.1 at altitude and a minimum speed of mach 0.3 when thrust vectoring is utilised. The aeroplane can attain a supercruise of Mach 1.6 at altitude, although the general cruise speed is usually kept down as low as possible en route to a hostile area for the sake of fuel efficiency and increased range. All four engines are equipped with integrated automatic fire suppression equipment, and the aircraft is able to remain in the air and limp back to a friendly base or attempt an emergency landing with only one functional engine.
Armament
The Whirlwind can equipped with a variety of attack ordnance in its massive bomb-bays including unguided and guided bombs, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, anti-air missiles, anti-submarine ordnance and glide bombs. Two munitions were developed especially for the Whirlwind. The aircraft is also equipped with air-to-air missiles for self defence, and a number of defensive gun turrets.
4x Electric 25mm ETC Chaincannon Turrets
The primary means of defence against enemy aircraft and fire are the four Chaincannon turrets mounted in the tail, nose, dorsal fuselage and ventral fuselage. These turrets are fully electrically trained to allow them to quickly respond to multiple threats from varying directions, and mount a gun both powerful enough yet small enough to engage and destroy both aircraft and missiles. The chaincannons can fire up to 2,000 rounds per minute in short burst and the turrets are arranged such that they provide an overlapping 360° field of fire.
Like with a ship-based CIWS gun, detection, targeting and engaging of a target occurs automatically using sensors and computers attached to each gun, although the process may be taken over by humans at any stage. The guns are guided by millimetre band radar, the plane’s central radar and high resolution thermal imagers, allowing them precise first-shot accuracy against targets heading towards them. Targets are prioritised by default in the following order, although it may be changed by the crew: immediate threats to the aircraft, immediate threats to other aircraft, potential threats.
This system is most effective when bombers travel together in groups with fighter escort in a ‘Phalanx’ and the system has been shown in computer models to reduce attrition rates for simulated bombing runs against anticipated heavy defences to make such attacks viable once again following years of reliance largely on cruise missiles launched from submarines positioned off an enemy’s coast. 8,000 rounds are carried for each weapon, which weigh 3.5 tonnes each.
Asteroid Extra Long Range Air-to-Air Missile
10 dedicated internal peripheral bay slots
The Asteroid ELRAAM missile was designed specifically for use with the Hussar Advanced Strike Fighter, but is also utilised by the Whilrwind. The weapon is equipped with a RAMjet, enabling it to reach mach 6 at standard aerial combat altitudes. The weapon is primarily guided by a radar feed from the firing plane, but terminal guidance is provided by an high-resolution IR imager. The missile is, therefore, impossible to detect at any considerable range, and is extremely hard to spoof.
As a Long Range Air-to-Air Missile, the weapon has an approximate range of 105 nautical miles at standard aerial combat altitudes. The Whirlwind can carry 10 such missiles in its dedicated peripheral (defensive) internal bays alongside other weapons. If sufficient slots and pylons are dedicated to carrying the Asteroid, hundreds can potentially be carried, offering massive scope for a ‘floating arsenal plane’ in the home defence role. Each missile costs $650,000.
Comet Short Range Air-to-Air Missile
20 dedicated internal bay slots
The Comet SRAAM missile was specifically designed for use with the Hussar Strike Fighter, but is also utilised by the Whirlwind. Like its sister missile the Asteroid, the SRAAM is also equipped with a RAMjet, although the speed is toned down to a mere mach 4 – still enough to outpace any aircraft at combat altitudes. The missile is guided primarily by the high resolution IR imager, but at longer ranges this is used as terminal guidance and primary guidance is provided by radar feed.
As a short range missile, the weapon has an approximate range of 20 nautical miles at standard aerial combat altitudes. The Whirlwind can carry 20 such missiles in dedicated bay slots, a further 20 missiles in place of the Asteroid LRAAMs and, if space is diverted from other weapons, hundreds more can potentially be carried. Each missile costs $350,000.
Additional Fuel Tanks / Wing Pylon Munitions
8 dedicated wing pylons
8 pylons on the planes’ wings are set aside for various munitions and additional fuel tanks. These can carry anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles, medium-large bombs, additional fuel tanks, tactical nuclear weapons and large numbers of anti-air missiles. Usually these are not used to carry combat munitions so as to improve stealth, but are intended to carry large amounts of fuel externally and then allow the pilot to ditch the empty fuel tanks before entering a potentially hostile combat zone. Up to 20,000kg of munitions can be carried
Strike Ordnance
3 dedicated internal weapons bays – 20,000kg each
The primary armament of the whirlwind is located in its three massive internal bays which are designed to carry heavy and ultra heavy bombs, nuclear drop bombs / missiles, large conventional missiles and the two new bombs designed specifically for the whirlwind which can be deployed against heavy military or civilian targets.
Defences and Armour
The Whirlwind’s armour is designed to be lightweight and protect mainly against shell splinters and shrapnel, although some special protection is given to the engine, ordnance bays and pilot against aerial cannon. The primary armour is the skin of the aircraft itself. The aircraft is built on a strong honeycombed titanium frame, which is overlaid with a thick layer of Spectra to protect against small arms and small splinters.
The cockpit, ordnance bays (including the turrets) and engine are encased in redundant titanium shells, designed to stop any (already slowed and blunted) cannon rounds or splinters which penetrate the outer armour from entering vital areas of the aircraft and damaging vital systems, or killing the pilot.
As well as ‘hard’ defences, the aircraft is also equipped with soft defences. The Comet SRAAM can be used as an anti-missile missile, although this is not terribly efficient and is only used as a last resort. The aircraft is equipped with next generation flares designed to present a very similar IR signature to the aircraft itself, giving the flares a much greater chance of fooling the latest high resolution thermal imagers. The aircraft is also equipped with chaff.
Exhaust from the engines is piped along the inside of the aircraft and expelled at several points around the bodywork, presenting “hot spots” of IR to attempt to confuse a heat seeking missile, or at least to draw it away from the engine resulting in damage that is not as likely to be fatal. Both these openings and the engine itself are equipped with flash suppressors and IR filters to try to reduce the IR signature of the aircraft.
The fuel tanks (external and internal) are self sealing and fuel injection to any of the engines can be disengaged to attempt to stem the spread of a fire that has broken out, and the argon can be injected into the engines to stifle flame even without necessarily displacing all the oxygen. The pilot is equipped with an ejector seat, which will come into effect automatically if the pilot passes out, rendering him a greater chance of survival.
The aircraft’s control surfaces are controlled by fibre optics (‘fly-by-light”) meaning that damage from EMP blasts will have less of an effect, and will not spread between systems so easily. The central computer is shielded to an extent, and is designed to be able to survive EMP provided the aircraft is a reasonable distance from the blast at least enough to return to its airfield / carrier, or to attempt an emergency landing on a grass field or suitably sized roadway.
Whirlwinds can also be equipped with radar jamming equipment which is strongly advised to be used by around 5% - 10% of aircraft is a reasonably large formation of bombers in order to diminish the threat posed by enemy defences directed by radar.
Electronics and Systems
Active Radar Cancellation Neutralisation Initiative (ARCaNI)
ARCaNI was developed as an answer to aircraft equipped with Active Radar Cancellation. The system works using HCI (Hussar Computer Integration), developed for the Hussar Advanced Strike Fighter, and links all similarly radar systems together. The system then instructs all similarly equipped radars to cycle radar frequency and intensity. Using one radar, a strobe effect will emerge due to the lag between the radar cycle and the ARC equipped plane adapting, but using more than one radar the ARC equipped aircraft will only be able to adapt to one frequency at once, and so when Hussars and Whirlwinds share their radar data the enemy will be unable to hide. ARCaNI is highly classified.
Hussar Computer Integration (HCI)
Hussar Computer Integration, developed for the aircraft of that name, allows all Hussars and Whirlwinds within a certain range to share radar, meteorological, navigation and targeting data amongst themselves and provides each plane with different tasks to optimise performance. This means that a reasonably sized group of aircraft can track and target a practically limitless number of enemy aircraft, and even allow planes whose radar or other systems have been disabled to continue to function at 100% effectiveness. HCI also allows the aircraft to share data with fleets, ground stations, AWACs planes and early warning helicopters.
Whirlwind Advanced Radar - Phased (WARP)
Although a straight port of HARP from the Hussar was considered, it was decided that with a large aircraft such as the Whirlwind a new, more powerful radar could be developed to take advantage of the extra potential of the aircraft. Each individual WARP array is capable of tracking 50 targets at any one time, although using HCI this number can be made almost limitless. The system has a maximum range of approximately 475km at altitude in most weather conditions and in all directions. Radar data feeds directly into the aircraft’s weapon systems and HUD, allowing the pilot view the positions, relative velocities and target lock status of targets overlaid upon his visual cockpit view. The radar is capable of identifying targets from a pre-set database at 180km distant.
Whirlwind Advanced Computer (WAC)
Each Whirlwind receives a mass of data from the pilot and its sensors which must all be processed and a lot of which must be passed on to other Whirlwinds and Praetonian assets. Each Whirlwind is equipped with a computer capable of operating at 40ghz and supplemented by 10gb of memory. The system is capable of collating and processing all the data required to keep the aircraft in the air and fighting.
In addition, WAC co-ordinates the operation of the gun turrets and air-to-air missiles (utilising the guns’ sensors, HCI and WARP) amongst all Whirlwinds in the formation to enable the formation to best allocate its defensive firepower. This ensures that no effort is duplicated or wasted on protecting aircraft being overwhelmed by more missiles than can be defended against. The Whirlwind’s computer system and defensive weaponry gives a formation of Whirlwind bombers and Hussar escorts the best aerial defence system known to the Praetonian MoD.
General Specifications
Name: L-95 Whirlwind Advanced Heavy Bomber
Manufacturer: Imperial Praetonian Ordnance – Aviation Division
Dimensions: (length:) 76m; (wingspan:) 68m; (height inc. tail:) 18m
Crew: 4 (Commander; Co-pilot; Bombardier; Defence Co-ordinator)
Maximum Speed: Mach 2.5 at combat altitude
Minimum Speed: Mach 0.3
Service Ceiling: 21,000m
Armour / Construction: 30mm Kevlar, 18mm titanium honeycomb.
Armament: 4x 25mm turret mounted L25 ETC Chaincannon
10 ELRAAM bay slots
20 SRAAM bay slots
Total Bay: 60,000kg (3x bomb bays of 20,000kg each) + 5,000kg (peripheral defensive armament bay)
6 wing pylons
Total Pylons: 20,000kg
Operational Radius: 11,500km (unrefuelled carrying standard weapons load-out)
Loaded Weight: 298,159kg
Build Cost: $295,000,000
Purchase Cost: $320,000,000
Production Rights Cost: $25,000,000,000 + $20,000,000 / plane.
Please note that Praetonian-specific systems and munition bays can be ammended during the construction process to be compatible with your own systems.
Your reply is eagerly anticipated.