Tyrandis
29-05-2006, 01:35
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/6677/ou543hj.jpg
For, because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you also shall be taken...
The destroyer shall come on every city, and no city shall escape;
the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed; as the LORD has spoken.
Give wings to Moab, that she may fly and get her away:
and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein.
- Jeremiah 48
SB-22 "Sariel" Advanced Strategic Bomber
Sixth Generation Strike Aircraft of the Militaristic Federation
[Abstract]
With the unabated proliferation of air defense systems by a variety of countries, the Tyrandisan Imperial Air Force noted that strategic bombers suffered extremely high rates of attrition when deployed against them. As evidenced in recent conflicts, existing aircraft were simply too vulnerable to detection, and thus interception. Thus, the TIAF phased out its strategic bomber wings, opting instead to distribute the arm's force projection capabilities into the cruise missiles of the Strategic Rocket Forces and tactical attack units. Several billion dollars worth of investment into the acquisition of B-2A Spirit and B-1B Lancer units were thus flushed down the drain. However, the resulting loss of versatility became devastatingly clear during the ViZionarian Civil War, when the vaunted TIAF was unable to support its Doomingslandi and Pwnage allies with concerted air to ground operations. The lack of any strategic assets by the TIAF during the crisis and its ramifications left shockwaves within the Tyrandisan defense community; the impotence of a missile-only approach to strategic operations was revealed. Soon following the cessation of hostilities, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [DARPA] initiated a Request for Proposals on a new bomber design, then referred to as the Next Generation Strategic Aircraft [NGSA]. The lessons of horrendous casualties suffered by precursor designs were not lost in this bid to regain supremacy in the field of aviation, however, as the DARPA contract mandated absolute survivability for the NGSA, even at the cost of flight performance or payload. As such, the proposed aircraft was designed to provide maximum low observability against detection schemes of all types, both passive and active. Development of the Next Generation Strategic Aircraft thus proceeded along these specifications – what emerged from the legendary Kotoko Aircraft Corporation design bureau's doors was an elegant weapons platform more than up to the task. Designated SB-22 and officially nicknamed the “Sariel”, the bomber's incredible stealth performance is the result of a complex synthesis of many engineering techniques pioneered by Kotoko. Production of the aircraft series commenced on May 15, 2006, with an expected run of five thousand airframes for the TIAF alone. The SB-22 Sariel represents the best domestic Tyrandisan military technology has to offer, and will likely remain in the re-formed Strategic Air Command's inventories until well into the next three decades.
[General Data]
Function: Advanced Strategic Strike Aircraft
Contractor: Tyrandis Precision Machine Import/Export Corporation
Personnel: 3 (Pilot, Mission Commander, Electronic Warfare Officer)
[Airframe]
The overriding design goal behind the development of the NGSA was stealth – this is reflected in the Sariel's complex structure. As originally envisioned by the DARPA program, SB-22's layout emphasizes reduced observability above all other functions. Secondary priorities were based around range and payload. Earlier studies by a number of private Tyrandisan defense thinktanks indicated that an integrated wing/body would be optimal; TPMI/EC's comprehensive research into the type made it a perfect match for the Sariel.
Most of the SB-22 Sariel is constructed of composite materials, due to their role in reducing RADAR Cross Section [RCS]. The frame is manufactured primarily from aluminum-nickel alloy, supported by thick layer of metal matrix composite (silicon carbide whiskers embedded in an aluminum matrix) and super plastic forming/diffusion-bonded titanium. Ti-62222 alloy reinforces high-stress regions of the airframe. TPMI/EC-developed RADAR Absorbent Structure [RAS] is then mated wherever possible to this skeleton. The RAS is constructed from honeycombed Kevlar sections, treated with a proprietary carbon glaze, and then bonded to polyethylene/carbon fiber skins on its front and back, creating a rigid panel. Each honeycomb is 3cm in length, and absorbs incoming RF energy quite well; the relatively large gaps allow for the RAS to dependably absorb or at least weaken RADAR returns of all frequencies higher than 10 Mhz. As a result, the metallic backbone of the Sariel contributes minimally to total RCS. The SB-22 is skinned in carbon fiber composites and honeycomb-type RAS, with Reinforced Carbon-Carbon [RCC] panels beneath this exterior to reduce the effect of thermal stress and improve stealth characteristics. An immensely strong sandwich of thermoplastic, Honeywell Spectra, and carbon fiber is bonded under this layer, to provide for increased survivability in case of hostile action. RF absorbing epoxyide is also applied as another RCS reduction measure. In order to keep RCS at a minimum, the SB-22 uses a mission adaptive wing. Unlike conventional designs, the adaptive wing has no conventional ailerons, flaps, slats, or spoilers but incorporates flexible leading and trailing edges able to bend into a required position without leaving gaps. The wings are able to to move from four degrees up to twenty five degrees down. Stabilization for the aircraft is aided by two steeply-canted tailfins, which also shield peripheral exhaust from infrared detection. As a whole, the Sariel is composed of smooth curves that ensure most incoming RF energy is dumped at angles well away from the front and rear sectors.
[Cockpit]
The cockpit transparencies form part of the SB-22's load-bearing structure, and conform to the same complex shaping rules as the smoothly curved airframe. As with previous designs, it is manufactured of polycarbonate, backed by a rubber insulation layer, and a thin strip of an indium-tin alloy. Lumped circuit analogue RAM cut to low-frequency RADAR is added to the exterior, which weakens the resulting RF return. The InSn coating serves to shield the aircraft interior from being illuminated by RADAR, while still allowing 98.5% of visible light to pass through into the crew. Blast curtains may also be used, should the SB-22 carry a nuclear payload.
Tyrandis Precision Machine Import/Export Corporation licensed an adapted version of the Advanced Pilot Situational Awareness Enhancing Cockpit [APSAEC] from Imperial Aerospace Corporation, due to their extensive experience in designing superior man/machine interfaces. The APSAEC utilized in Sariel features an all-digital cockpit scheme, making extensive use of touch screen OLED and LCD monitors, similar to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with its touch screen systems. This particular area of the cockpit is arranged to allow the pilot easy access to all important data and putting him within easy reach of various digital control systems. HUD systems are projected directly onto the canopy, rendering the pilot a full 360 degree view of the battlefield right through his field of vision. All computer and display systems are cooled via freon systems to prevent overheating. The integrated HUD/canopy is capable of displaying a full range of flight symbology, from basic information such as aircraft altitude, velocity, heading, weapons mode, etc. through to specific targeting and systems information. Input from secondary sensor devices, such as IRST and GPS uplink may be directly overlaid over the HUD. This system is further aided by a helmet based display, the Advanced Pilot Situational Awareness Enhanceing Helmet [APSAEH]. This helmet is a fully self-contained unit with oxygen systems. Target data and other vital information is projected directly onto the pilot's visor.
Flight control is provided via a twenty button HOTAS control stick, with integrated functions for all phases of a mission. In case of emergency, crew may evacuate the aircraft via ejector seats, the control sequence of which is executed via an quadruplex-redundant electronic module linked to the overall avionics architecture. Should any critical element of the aircraft fail completely, the ejection sequence will automatically engage, launching personnel in a linear profile that reduces g-force loads.
[Systems/Avionics]
Design of the Next Generation Strategic Aircraft's electronics components followed the driving principles behind the overall aircraft: stealth and survivability. To this end, the SB-22 makes use of a complex derivative of the Peregrine-II avionics architecture that powers every tactical aircraft of the Tyrandisan Imperial Air Force. Engineers at Kotoko Aircraft Corporation quickly realized that the traditional way of ensuring systems reliability, by stacking on layers of redundancy, was outmoded; such measures provided little more than "get you home" capability, if that. Ultimately, it was decided that the best way of raising the Sariel's reliability was to modify the existing Peregrine-II architecture in such a way that it could "repair" itself. In effect, the complexity of the structure is such that it can automatically bypass or even compensate for the failure of any individual element. For example, if a control surface fails, the NACS Mk. III flight control systems used in Sariel will automatically reconfigure itself, distributing control functions among the surviving surfaces.
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 asynchronous logic, signals and instructions are processed near-instantaneously, without consideration for the restraints of a clock circuit. As a whole, the package is comprised of three main subsystems dedicated to mission management, sensor management, and vehicle management.
The Mission Management Suite subsystem of the Peregrine-II is composed of the terrain/navigation suite, fire-control, munitions management and Electronic Warfare equipment.
NGTRS-3 - 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 SB-22's TRN's altimeter has an extremely narrow beam width whose energy is directed downwards, rendering virtually all ESM measures impotent, a critical component of the Sariel's survivability.
MMTE-9 - Integrated fire control system of the SB-22, which monitors all phases of weapons release. Data from the Sariel's sensor management suite is intrically linked to this component, which constantly updates the crew on target disposition based on the feed. It draws on the immense power of the Sariel's CIP to rapidly calculate suitable firing solutions. The MMTE-9 also functions to inform personnel of the condition of the bomber's stores, control weapons launch sequences, as well as door controls and emergency weapons jettison.
NSER-5 - Integrated Electronic Warfare System of the SB-22 Sariel. It is comprised of a number of individual subsystems, all of which are closely tied to the MMS component via a high-speed bus interface. Threat detection is provided by a super heterodyne RADAR Warning Receiver, capable of detecting LPI emissions through rapid signals processing of all major RF bands. NSER-5 also features a Laser Warning Receiver, which detects laser radiation and determines its bearing, one of the more popular guidance methods employed in modern missiles. Active jamming equipment is fitted to the Sariel in a series of modular attachments; these are the ADN-2 infrared jammer that makes use of a gimbal-mounted low-powered microwave laser to detect and jam incoming IR missiles, EOCM-6 which is a pod-mounted blue-green laser used to detect and jam passive systems such as TV/FLIR automatic trackers, and NRV-27 RF jammer. A modified XC-80 dispenser is also present, which is programmed to deploy multi-spectral chaff and flares only in the direction of a threat as determined by the NSER-5, improving Sariel's survivability. In practical terms, the NSER-5 serves to determine the location and nature of all threat systems, thereby warning aircrew when they are being tracked, targeted, or engaged.
The Sensor Management Suite subsystem of the Peregrine-II combines the SB-22 Sariel's RADAR, IRST, integrated signal processing, encrypted data, communications, and the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System interface, allocating the bomber's processor power to the sensor subsystems as required.
AN/PSI-6 - RADAR for the SB-22 Sariel, derived from the TSF-620. It is an Active Electronically Scanned Array system, mounted in the aircraft's nose, with sufficient Moving Target Indicator capability to burn through 5th Generation stealth 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, as the RF energy emitted is spread over a wide range of frequencies, hiding among the noise of benign signals that clutter the microwave region. A tertiary data channel screens hostile ECM measures.
AN/RSI-1 - Inverse Synthetic Aperture RADAR of the SB-22 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 aircraft's weight. By measuring the much larger Doppler shifts created by the Sariel'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.
MSRE-1 - Laser-Optical sensor, mounted underneath the aircraft's nose in a small pod. The MSRE-1 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, thereby improving onboard weapons accuracy.
ISTA - Imaging Infra-red passive sensor suite of the SB-22 Sariel. It is a set of IR sensors mounted on the aircraft, which scans for emissions along red-scale lengths for all-aspect detection capabilities. The stabilized mounts enable each individual sensor to maintain their target within their fields of view. Up to 600 heat signatures may be simultaeneously tracked by the system. The IIR functions primarily to provide video-quality imaging of potential targets on the ground, similar to how the F-117A Nighthawk uses its infrared equipment.
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).
The Vehicle Management Suite is responsible for cockpit controls and displays, flight and manuver control, and engine/power control.
NACS Mk. III - The Sariel is controlled by a centralized fly by light fiber optic system that takes both control input from the pilot and feedback from the various sensors and control surfaces around the airplane. Due to the critical role aircraft response times play in strategic bombers, a FBL control scheme was chosen for the aircraft. More importantly however, fly-by-light offers an attractive alternative to interference prone fly-by-wire systems. The popularity of EMI-based air defense weapons was not lost on Kotoko designers; thus, the NACS Mk. III is nearly immune to such errorneous behavior caused by outside sources.
AEAD - Active Electronic Array Device, which is embedded in the outer skin. This functions as a core component of the SB-22 Sariel's avionics. It is comprised of embedded arrays of microscopic active transmitting elements, which are unified by the Sariel's Vehicle Management Suite. Signals processing from the CIP enables these integrated elements to act like the active elements of a phased array antenna. This permits the Sariel to sense and communicate in optical and other frequency bands, and in any direction from any aircraft attitude.
[Stealth]
During studies for the design of the Next Generation Strategic Aircraft, the underlying problem of all previous bomber designs needed to be addressed. The relative ease of which enemy interception vehicles could engage strategic bombers led to the original decision by the Tyrandis Imperial Air Force to scrap its fleets of obsolete B-1B and B-2A aircraft. Ultimately, the Kotoko engineering group decided to make the proposed NGSA the stealthiest aircraft possible, primarily from experience on previous designs such as the TSF-620 "Xeon" and TAF-622 "Sparrow".
To this end, the complex shape of Sariel was decided. The SB-22 has no vertical surfaces, and the angles incorporated on all horizontal leading and trailing edges are kept as different as possible, thereby dumping the reflected RF energy into several preplanned sectors. The Sariel's sharp wing sweep increases the amount by which RF energy is shifted away from the forward sector. However, the resulting configuration leads to the possibility of "travelling waves", RF energy flowing on the skin of an object, to be set up. These waves can re-radiate a great deal of RF energy if they meet discontinuities such as seams, gaps, changes in surface material, or even shape. To attenuate the issue, the Sariel's mission adaptive wing was used [see Airframe section], and all other discontinuities were either eliminated or sealed off with electrically conducting material. Ultimately, the travelling waves meet an unavoidable discontinuity, where the structure physically ends, but the amount of re-radiated RF energy is minimized by the extensive use of RADAR Absorbing Materials on the SB-22. Other physical features have been redesigned so as to provide much less RF reflection. Finally, the smooth shape of the aircraft leaves very little turbulent air in its wake.
The SB-22 makes use of an advanced RF absorbing material known as Schiff base salt. Derived from research by Carnegie-Mellon University, the materials, which is a fine black powder physically resembling graphite, consists of a long chain of carbon atoms, with alternating double and single bonds and a nitrogen atom interrupting the string near one end. The chain carries a positive charge, associated largely with the nitrogen atom. A negatively charged 'counterion,' made up of varying composition depending on the specific salt, sits nearby, weakly connected to the chain. The counterion prefers to sit in one of two locations near the chain. A single photon easily dislodges the counterion from one location and forces it into the other. A short time later, the molecule relaxes, and the counterion returns to its original position. Notably, certain salts required a very small amount of energy required to shift the counterion - they could be triggered by RADAR energy of certain frequencies. As a result, the Schiff base salts are able to absorb radio waves, and dissipate the energy as heat. This unique property is fully exploited in the Sariel's construction - a mixture of salts tuned to the frequency band used in Over the Horizon RADAR and other popular long-wavelength surveillance measures is dissolved in the Sariel's outer epoxyide, rendering it effectively undetectable by such measures.
However, RCS reduction was not the only issue for the development of the Sariel - research into the conflicts of the mid to late twentieth centuries uncovered a startling fact: more than 70% of all missile kills were inflicted by IR homing weapons. As a result, the SB-22 Sariel's TC-400V1 turbofan engines were developed specifically to reduce infrared signature. The air inlets are dorsally mounted, to reduce RCS when viewed by ground-based RADAR. They are engineered with anti-RADAR baffles, and a curved duct, which prevents RF energy from entering the inlet and passing down to reflect from the front face of the engine. A secondary inlet draws in extra air, which is used to surround the efflux with a shroud of cool air. The exhaust nozzles are located in recessed cutouts near the upper surface, which spreads the emission laterally to achieve reduced IR signature. The long ducts are lined with heat-absorbing Reinforced Carbon-Carbon, which prevents infrared energy from seeping into the rest of the airframe. A set of chemical injectors is also integrated into the powerplant, which utilizes chloro-flurosulphonic acid to suppress contrail formation and liquid nitrogen to chill the air used the shield the hot efflux during moments of high threat. The wide perimeter of the plume increases the rate at which the gases cool, and also reduces the intensity of the engine's heat signature. Improvements were also made to counter the now-ubiquitous all-aspect infrared seeker mounted on air intercept weapons. Heat from airframe friction is leached away via a network of thermal vents. The RCC lining in the Sariel serves to prevent engine heat from spreading into the aft fuselage. Also, the SB-22 features a fully closed-loop heating system, which dumps generated heat from the electronics and friction into the fuel instead of re-radiating it.
[Specifications]
Length: 56.45m
Wingspan: 44.2m
Height: 12.8m
Propulsion: 4x TC-400V1 turbofans, ea. with 18,000kg thrust
Empty Weight: 66,158 kg
Max. Takeoff Weight: 195,366 kg
Armament: up to 27,500kg of ordinance in internal bays
Combat Range: 7,850 km
Ferry Range: 14,520 km
Max. Altitude: 19,520 m
Max. Speed: Approx. 1065 km/hr
Price for Export: $1,500,000,000 USD
For, because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you also shall be taken...
The destroyer shall come on every city, and no city shall escape;
the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed; as the LORD has spoken.
Give wings to Moab, that she may fly and get her away:
and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein.
- Jeremiah 48
SB-22 "Sariel" Advanced Strategic Bomber
Sixth Generation Strike Aircraft of the Militaristic Federation
[Abstract]
With the unabated proliferation of air defense systems by a variety of countries, the Tyrandisan Imperial Air Force noted that strategic bombers suffered extremely high rates of attrition when deployed against them. As evidenced in recent conflicts, existing aircraft were simply too vulnerable to detection, and thus interception. Thus, the TIAF phased out its strategic bomber wings, opting instead to distribute the arm's force projection capabilities into the cruise missiles of the Strategic Rocket Forces and tactical attack units. Several billion dollars worth of investment into the acquisition of B-2A Spirit and B-1B Lancer units were thus flushed down the drain. However, the resulting loss of versatility became devastatingly clear during the ViZionarian Civil War, when the vaunted TIAF was unable to support its Doomingslandi and Pwnage allies with concerted air to ground operations. The lack of any strategic assets by the TIAF during the crisis and its ramifications left shockwaves within the Tyrandisan defense community; the impotence of a missile-only approach to strategic operations was revealed. Soon following the cessation of hostilities, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [DARPA] initiated a Request for Proposals on a new bomber design, then referred to as the Next Generation Strategic Aircraft [NGSA]. The lessons of horrendous casualties suffered by precursor designs were not lost in this bid to regain supremacy in the field of aviation, however, as the DARPA contract mandated absolute survivability for the NGSA, even at the cost of flight performance or payload. As such, the proposed aircraft was designed to provide maximum low observability against detection schemes of all types, both passive and active. Development of the Next Generation Strategic Aircraft thus proceeded along these specifications – what emerged from the legendary Kotoko Aircraft Corporation design bureau's doors was an elegant weapons platform more than up to the task. Designated SB-22 and officially nicknamed the “Sariel”, the bomber's incredible stealth performance is the result of a complex synthesis of many engineering techniques pioneered by Kotoko. Production of the aircraft series commenced on May 15, 2006, with an expected run of five thousand airframes for the TIAF alone. The SB-22 Sariel represents the best domestic Tyrandisan military technology has to offer, and will likely remain in the re-formed Strategic Air Command's inventories until well into the next three decades.
[General Data]
Function: Advanced Strategic Strike Aircraft
Contractor: Tyrandis Precision Machine Import/Export Corporation
Personnel: 3 (Pilot, Mission Commander, Electronic Warfare Officer)
[Airframe]
The overriding design goal behind the development of the NGSA was stealth – this is reflected in the Sariel's complex structure. As originally envisioned by the DARPA program, SB-22's layout emphasizes reduced observability above all other functions. Secondary priorities were based around range and payload. Earlier studies by a number of private Tyrandisan defense thinktanks indicated that an integrated wing/body would be optimal; TPMI/EC's comprehensive research into the type made it a perfect match for the Sariel.
Most of the SB-22 Sariel is constructed of composite materials, due to their role in reducing RADAR Cross Section [RCS]. The frame is manufactured primarily from aluminum-nickel alloy, supported by thick layer of metal matrix composite (silicon carbide whiskers embedded in an aluminum matrix) and super plastic forming/diffusion-bonded titanium. Ti-62222 alloy reinforces high-stress regions of the airframe. TPMI/EC-developed RADAR Absorbent Structure [RAS] is then mated wherever possible to this skeleton. The RAS is constructed from honeycombed Kevlar sections, treated with a proprietary carbon glaze, and then bonded to polyethylene/carbon fiber skins on its front and back, creating a rigid panel. Each honeycomb is 3cm in length, and absorbs incoming RF energy quite well; the relatively large gaps allow for the RAS to dependably absorb or at least weaken RADAR returns of all frequencies higher than 10 Mhz. As a result, the metallic backbone of the Sariel contributes minimally to total RCS. The SB-22 is skinned in carbon fiber composites and honeycomb-type RAS, with Reinforced Carbon-Carbon [RCC] panels beneath this exterior to reduce the effect of thermal stress and improve stealth characteristics. An immensely strong sandwich of thermoplastic, Honeywell Spectra, and carbon fiber is bonded under this layer, to provide for increased survivability in case of hostile action. RF absorbing epoxyide is also applied as another RCS reduction measure. In order to keep RCS at a minimum, the SB-22 uses a mission adaptive wing. Unlike conventional designs, the adaptive wing has no conventional ailerons, flaps, slats, or spoilers but incorporates flexible leading and trailing edges able to bend into a required position without leaving gaps. The wings are able to to move from four degrees up to twenty five degrees down. Stabilization for the aircraft is aided by two steeply-canted tailfins, which also shield peripheral exhaust from infrared detection. As a whole, the Sariel is composed of smooth curves that ensure most incoming RF energy is dumped at angles well away from the front and rear sectors.
[Cockpit]
The cockpit transparencies form part of the SB-22's load-bearing structure, and conform to the same complex shaping rules as the smoothly curved airframe. As with previous designs, it is manufactured of polycarbonate, backed by a rubber insulation layer, and a thin strip of an indium-tin alloy. Lumped circuit analogue RAM cut to low-frequency RADAR is added to the exterior, which weakens the resulting RF return. The InSn coating serves to shield the aircraft interior from being illuminated by RADAR, while still allowing 98.5% of visible light to pass through into the crew. Blast curtains may also be used, should the SB-22 carry a nuclear payload.
Tyrandis Precision Machine Import/Export Corporation licensed an adapted version of the Advanced Pilot Situational Awareness Enhancing Cockpit [APSAEC] from Imperial Aerospace Corporation, due to their extensive experience in designing superior man/machine interfaces. The APSAEC utilized in Sariel features an all-digital cockpit scheme, making extensive use of touch screen OLED and LCD monitors, similar to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with its touch screen systems. This particular area of the cockpit is arranged to allow the pilot easy access to all important data and putting him within easy reach of various digital control systems. HUD systems are projected directly onto the canopy, rendering the pilot a full 360 degree view of the battlefield right through his field of vision. All computer and display systems are cooled via freon systems to prevent overheating. The integrated HUD/canopy is capable of displaying a full range of flight symbology, from basic information such as aircraft altitude, velocity, heading, weapons mode, etc. through to specific targeting and systems information. Input from secondary sensor devices, such as IRST and GPS uplink may be directly overlaid over the HUD. This system is further aided by a helmet based display, the Advanced Pilot Situational Awareness Enhanceing Helmet [APSAEH]. This helmet is a fully self-contained unit with oxygen systems. Target data and other vital information is projected directly onto the pilot's visor.
Flight control is provided via a twenty button HOTAS control stick, with integrated functions for all phases of a mission. In case of emergency, crew may evacuate the aircraft via ejector seats, the control sequence of which is executed via an quadruplex-redundant electronic module linked to the overall avionics architecture. Should any critical element of the aircraft fail completely, the ejection sequence will automatically engage, launching personnel in a linear profile that reduces g-force loads.
[Systems/Avionics]
Design of the Next Generation Strategic Aircraft's electronics components followed the driving principles behind the overall aircraft: stealth and survivability. To this end, the SB-22 makes use of a complex derivative of the Peregrine-II avionics architecture that powers every tactical aircraft of the Tyrandisan Imperial Air Force. Engineers at Kotoko Aircraft Corporation quickly realized that the traditional way of ensuring systems reliability, by stacking on layers of redundancy, was outmoded; such measures provided little more than "get you home" capability, if that. Ultimately, it was decided that the best way of raising the Sariel's reliability was to modify the existing Peregrine-II architecture in such a way that it could "repair" itself. In effect, the complexity of the structure is such that it can automatically bypass or even compensate for the failure of any individual element. For example, if a control surface fails, the NACS Mk. III flight control systems used in Sariel will automatically reconfigure itself, distributing control functions among the surviving surfaces.
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 asynchronous logic, signals and instructions are processed near-instantaneously, without consideration for the restraints of a clock circuit. As a whole, the package is comprised of three main subsystems dedicated to mission management, sensor management, and vehicle management.
The Mission Management Suite subsystem of the Peregrine-II is composed of the terrain/navigation suite, fire-control, munitions management and Electronic Warfare equipment.
NGTRS-3 - 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 SB-22's TRN's altimeter has an extremely narrow beam width whose energy is directed downwards, rendering virtually all ESM measures impotent, a critical component of the Sariel's survivability.
MMTE-9 - Integrated fire control system of the SB-22, which monitors all phases of weapons release. Data from the Sariel's sensor management suite is intrically linked to this component, which constantly updates the crew on target disposition based on the feed. It draws on the immense power of the Sariel's CIP to rapidly calculate suitable firing solutions. The MMTE-9 also functions to inform personnel of the condition of the bomber's stores, control weapons launch sequences, as well as door controls and emergency weapons jettison.
NSER-5 - Integrated Electronic Warfare System of the SB-22 Sariel. It is comprised of a number of individual subsystems, all of which are closely tied to the MMS component via a high-speed bus interface. Threat detection is provided by a super heterodyne RADAR Warning Receiver, capable of detecting LPI emissions through rapid signals processing of all major RF bands. NSER-5 also features a Laser Warning Receiver, which detects laser radiation and determines its bearing, one of the more popular guidance methods employed in modern missiles. Active jamming equipment is fitted to the Sariel in a series of modular attachments; these are the ADN-2 infrared jammer that makes use of a gimbal-mounted low-powered microwave laser to detect and jam incoming IR missiles, EOCM-6 which is a pod-mounted blue-green laser used to detect and jam passive systems such as TV/FLIR automatic trackers, and NRV-27 RF jammer. A modified XC-80 dispenser is also present, which is programmed to deploy multi-spectral chaff and flares only in the direction of a threat as determined by the NSER-5, improving Sariel's survivability. In practical terms, the NSER-5 serves to determine the location and nature of all threat systems, thereby warning aircrew when they are being tracked, targeted, or engaged.
The Sensor Management Suite subsystem of the Peregrine-II combines the SB-22 Sariel's RADAR, IRST, integrated signal processing, encrypted data, communications, and the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System interface, allocating the bomber's processor power to the sensor subsystems as required.
AN/PSI-6 - RADAR for the SB-22 Sariel, derived from the TSF-620. It is an Active Electronically Scanned Array system, mounted in the aircraft's nose, with sufficient Moving Target Indicator capability to burn through 5th Generation stealth 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, as the RF energy emitted is spread over a wide range of frequencies, hiding among the noise of benign signals that clutter the microwave region. A tertiary data channel screens hostile ECM measures.
AN/RSI-1 - Inverse Synthetic Aperture RADAR of the SB-22 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 aircraft's weight. By measuring the much larger Doppler shifts created by the Sariel'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.
MSRE-1 - Laser-Optical sensor, mounted underneath the aircraft's nose in a small pod. The MSRE-1 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, thereby improving onboard weapons accuracy.
ISTA - Imaging Infra-red passive sensor suite of the SB-22 Sariel. It is a set of IR sensors mounted on the aircraft, which scans for emissions along red-scale lengths for all-aspect detection capabilities. The stabilized mounts enable each individual sensor to maintain their target within their fields of view. Up to 600 heat signatures may be simultaeneously tracked by the system. The IIR functions primarily to provide video-quality imaging of potential targets on the ground, similar to how the F-117A Nighthawk uses its infrared equipment.
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).
The Vehicle Management Suite is responsible for cockpit controls and displays, flight and manuver control, and engine/power control.
NACS Mk. III - The Sariel is controlled by a centralized fly by light fiber optic system that takes both control input from the pilot and feedback from the various sensors and control surfaces around the airplane. Due to the critical role aircraft response times play in strategic bombers, a FBL control scheme was chosen for the aircraft. More importantly however, fly-by-light offers an attractive alternative to interference prone fly-by-wire systems. The popularity of EMI-based air defense weapons was not lost on Kotoko designers; thus, the NACS Mk. III is nearly immune to such errorneous behavior caused by outside sources.
AEAD - Active Electronic Array Device, which is embedded in the outer skin. This functions as a core component of the SB-22 Sariel's avionics. It is comprised of embedded arrays of microscopic active transmitting elements, which are unified by the Sariel's Vehicle Management Suite. Signals processing from the CIP enables these integrated elements to act like the active elements of a phased array antenna. This permits the Sariel to sense and communicate in optical and other frequency bands, and in any direction from any aircraft attitude.
[Stealth]
During studies for the design of the Next Generation Strategic Aircraft, the underlying problem of all previous bomber designs needed to be addressed. The relative ease of which enemy interception vehicles could engage strategic bombers led to the original decision by the Tyrandis Imperial Air Force to scrap its fleets of obsolete B-1B and B-2A aircraft. Ultimately, the Kotoko engineering group decided to make the proposed NGSA the stealthiest aircraft possible, primarily from experience on previous designs such as the TSF-620 "Xeon" and TAF-622 "Sparrow".
To this end, the complex shape of Sariel was decided. The SB-22 has no vertical surfaces, and the angles incorporated on all horizontal leading and trailing edges are kept as different as possible, thereby dumping the reflected RF energy into several preplanned sectors. The Sariel's sharp wing sweep increases the amount by which RF energy is shifted away from the forward sector. However, the resulting configuration leads to the possibility of "travelling waves", RF energy flowing on the skin of an object, to be set up. These waves can re-radiate a great deal of RF energy if they meet discontinuities such as seams, gaps, changes in surface material, or even shape. To attenuate the issue, the Sariel's mission adaptive wing was used [see Airframe section], and all other discontinuities were either eliminated or sealed off with electrically conducting material. Ultimately, the travelling waves meet an unavoidable discontinuity, where the structure physically ends, but the amount of re-radiated RF energy is minimized by the extensive use of RADAR Absorbing Materials on the SB-22. Other physical features have been redesigned so as to provide much less RF reflection. Finally, the smooth shape of the aircraft leaves very little turbulent air in its wake.
The SB-22 makes use of an advanced RF absorbing material known as Schiff base salt. Derived from research by Carnegie-Mellon University, the materials, which is a fine black powder physically resembling graphite, consists of a long chain of carbon atoms, with alternating double and single bonds and a nitrogen atom interrupting the string near one end. The chain carries a positive charge, associated largely with the nitrogen atom. A negatively charged 'counterion,' made up of varying composition depending on the specific salt, sits nearby, weakly connected to the chain. The counterion prefers to sit in one of two locations near the chain. A single photon easily dislodges the counterion from one location and forces it into the other. A short time later, the molecule relaxes, and the counterion returns to its original position. Notably, certain salts required a very small amount of energy required to shift the counterion - they could be triggered by RADAR energy of certain frequencies. As a result, the Schiff base salts are able to absorb radio waves, and dissipate the energy as heat. This unique property is fully exploited in the Sariel's construction - a mixture of salts tuned to the frequency band used in Over the Horizon RADAR and other popular long-wavelength surveillance measures is dissolved in the Sariel's outer epoxyide, rendering it effectively undetectable by such measures.
However, RCS reduction was not the only issue for the development of the Sariel - research into the conflicts of the mid to late twentieth centuries uncovered a startling fact: more than 70% of all missile kills were inflicted by IR homing weapons. As a result, the SB-22 Sariel's TC-400V1 turbofan engines were developed specifically to reduce infrared signature. The air inlets are dorsally mounted, to reduce RCS when viewed by ground-based RADAR. They are engineered with anti-RADAR baffles, and a curved duct, which prevents RF energy from entering the inlet and passing down to reflect from the front face of the engine. A secondary inlet draws in extra air, which is used to surround the efflux with a shroud of cool air. The exhaust nozzles are located in recessed cutouts near the upper surface, which spreads the emission laterally to achieve reduced IR signature. The long ducts are lined with heat-absorbing Reinforced Carbon-Carbon, which prevents infrared energy from seeping into the rest of the airframe. A set of chemical injectors is also integrated into the powerplant, which utilizes chloro-flurosulphonic acid to suppress contrail formation and liquid nitrogen to chill the air used the shield the hot efflux during moments of high threat. The wide perimeter of the plume increases the rate at which the gases cool, and also reduces the intensity of the engine's heat signature. Improvements were also made to counter the now-ubiquitous all-aspect infrared seeker mounted on air intercept weapons. Heat from airframe friction is leached away via a network of thermal vents. The RCC lining in the Sariel serves to prevent engine heat from spreading into the aft fuselage. Also, the SB-22 features a fully closed-loop heating system, which dumps generated heat from the electronics and friction into the fuel instead of re-radiating it.
[Specifications]
Length: 56.45m
Wingspan: 44.2m
Height: 12.8m
Propulsion: 4x TC-400V1 turbofans, ea. with 18,000kg thrust
Empty Weight: 66,158 kg
Max. Takeoff Weight: 195,366 kg
Armament: up to 27,500kg of ordinance in internal bays
Combat Range: 7,850 km
Ferry Range: 14,520 km
Max. Altitude: 19,520 m
Max. Speed: Approx. 1065 km/hr
Price for Export: $1,500,000,000 USD