Southeastasia
23-08-2006, 08:53
To: Mer des Ennuis
From: General Jared Ka-Wing Lau, Chief of the Army, USNSA
Subject: Combat/Support Vehicles
To Whom It May Concern,
The Southeast Asian Army has a flotilla of suppliers which may interest you and Your Excellencies in the Government of the Armed Republic. An example of these contractors include Consolidated Arms Incorporated, which has the glorious H-75 "Knighthawk" Helicopter Family. The details are as attached below.
Also, for an attack helicopter to replace the venerable AH-64 "Apache Longbow" Attack Helicopter, Southeast Asia has nominated the Detmerian Aerospace Dynamics (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=380088) of the United Kingdom of Isselmere-Nieland (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/index.php/Isselmere-Nieland) - the DAS-9 "Sparrow" Helicopter. The details of such are also attached.
And as for a replacement to the MQ-9B "Predator" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, I recommend the Kriegzimmer Conglomerate (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=409787)'s GF-11 "Archer" Tactical Reconaissance UAV. They also have the GF-15 "Valkyrie" Anti-Armor Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle, which is essentially a souped up, A-10 "Warthog" without a pilot on it. I suggest that you pick both, as the two are meant to compliment one another.
Oh, and one last thing, there are no Southeast Asian firms that have the commercial licenses to sell you any of these products you see in the attachment. Here is the link to the Kriegzimmer Board (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=409787), and here is the link to the Detmerian Aerospace Board (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=380088), and the contacts for Consolidated Arms, Incorporated (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=469375).
I hope that these products can be of service to you and your military in the Armed Republic!
Yours Truly,
General Jared Ka-Wing Lau
Chief of the Army
Union of Southeast Asian Nations
Attachments:
H-75 "Knighthawk" Family:
UH-75 "Knighthawk" utility/assault helicopter
[Picture in progress.]
[Abstract]
For more than thirty years, the Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. UH-60 "Black Hawk" helicopter had been world-renowned for its extraordinary capabilities on the battlefield. Capable of carrying cargo, soldiers, even Presidents, it had been one of the mainstays of the U.S. military. Its winning combination of reliability, quality, and affordability had similarly made it the primary utility helicopter of the early Halberdgardian armed forces. However, as time passed and the nation's military was updated, it became increasingly clear that the UH-60, despite modernization programs aimed at keeping it viable on the battlefield, was lagging behind newer designs in use by other nations. Through sheer inertia, it had managed to remain in its place, but its stay of execution was finally waived when the Halberdgardian Air Force approached the aerospace engineers at the newly-expanded Consolidated Arms, Inc. and requested a design to replace the UH-60s still in service. Consolidated Arms gladly obliged, and the result was the UH-75 "Knighthawk," hoped to be seen as the worthy successor to the venerable UH-60.
[Airframe]
The engineers at Consolidated Arms knew that any UH-60 replacement, like its predecessor, would almost certainly be spun off into multiple variants with highly-disparate mission profiles, and so they were required to make most of the aircraft's components modular enough to cut down on logistics. The airframe is no exception. Anticipating the need for highly-durable armor in a variety of combat roles, the designers decided to use amorphous steel as the primary material in construction, giving the UH-75 a thirty-millimeter layer of amorphous steel.
Amorphous steel has molecular bonds that resemble those of a liquid more than a metal, and a hardness and strength more than double the best ultra-high-strength conventional steels. Whereas normal steel's molecular structure is crystalline, containing orderly rows and formations of atoms, amorphous substances have a highly-disordered arrangement of atoms. Because amorphous materials possess a non-crystalline structure in which the atoms arrange randomly, no crystallographic defects form, which is why they are so much stronger than their conventional counterparts. Compared with crystalline counterparts, amorphous materials usually show superior mechanical and temperature properties and corrosion resistance.
However, amorphous materials are more expensive to produce than their crystalline counterparts. But the engineers at Consolidated Arms had on hand -- appropriately enough -- old U.S. research on amorphous steel, which revealed the secret to the cheap production of amorphous steel: adding a small quantity of yttrium, which helps frustrate the onset of crystallization even as the liquid steel approaches its solidification temperature -- about 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius). The steel could then be shaped with conventional melting and casting techniques, and could even be processed like plastic.
Yet there was another problem: amorphous steels, though strong, were brittle. The engineers at Consolidated Arms spent many trying weeks attempting to discover the solution, and finally discovered, after much experimentation, that allowing the amorphous steel to partially crystallize would solve the problem. The partial (though overall insubstantial) amount of crystallization in the steel allowed it to retain virtually the same strength of pure amorphous steel while eliminating brittleness.
[Propulsion]
During its time in service, the UH-60 was the world's most advanced twin-turbine military helicopter. It was powered by twin General Electric T700-GE-701C turboshaft engines, rated at 1,890 shp each, and was cleared for up to 22,000 lbs. gross weight internal load, and could carry up to 9,000 lbs. external load. While the Consolidated Arms engineers were normally loathe to tamper with arrangements that worked -- and worked well, in this particular case -- they realized that the next-generation successor to the UH-60 would not be able to get away with simply being on par with the Black Hawk. Therefore, the UH-75's designers went back to the drawing board and decided to perform a total update on the UH-60's engines.
The designers considered several types of propulsion methods, but eventually decided on an alternative to the conventional main-and-tail-rotor system. To increase the UH-75's aerodynamic qualities -- and decrease turbulence, noise, and vibration -- the tail rotor was replaced with a Fenestron ducted fan. The fan blades are constructed of titanium and fiberglass, and parts of the shroud are constructed of titanium, in order to offset the added weight of the Fenestron arrangement. Both rotors are powered a pair of by the newly-designed Consolidated Arms, Inc. CAH-100 free-turbine turboshafts, each rated at 3,500 shp, a net improvement of nearly 4,000 shp over the GE powerplants of the UH-60.
[Avionics]
The UH-75's avionics are a substantial improvement upon those of the Black Hawk's, as befitting the Knighthawk's role as the UH-60's next-generation successor. Navigational equipment includes GPS, Inertial Navigation System (INS), terrain-avoidance/terrain-following multi-mode RADAR, Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR), and a digital terrain map generator. This equipment is supplemented by such survivability systems as the Hover Infrared Suppression System (HIRSS), the HAPR-39A(V)1 RADAR-warning receiver, HALQ-144A IR jammer, RADAR- and missile-warning systems, and an HM-130 chaff dispenser. A Holographic Heads-Up Display (HHUD) and Advanced Voice Command System (AVCS) afford the pilots unparalleled capabilities when receiving, integrating, and utilizing in-flight information to their best advantage.
[Armament]
The UH-60 was not designed with the thought of frequently seeing front-line combat in mind, and as such, it was armed only with a pair of door-mounted 7.62mm miniguns, one on either side of the aircraft. While many deemed this adequate -- the UH-60 was never intended to be a front-line attack helicopter, after all -- the engineers at Consolidated Arms realized that the possibility of the UH-75 coming under heavier fire than its predecessor ever had was a very real threat. As such, the designers decided, in addition to using a stronger armor, that they would also improve upon the UH-60's armament for the UH-75. In the process, they ended up making their very own Gatling gun.
The engineers at Consolidated Arms desired a cannon that would be of sufficient caliber for anti-personnel and some anti-armor combat. They realized that the 7.62mm round would no longer suffice, and desired to upgrade from 7.62mm to 15.5mm, which they deemed sufficient for the UH-75's needs. However, much to their surprise, they discovered that they was no readily available pre-existing 15.5mm cannon they could mount on the Knighthawk. Forced to go to the drawing board, they eventually returned with the CAM-20 15.5mm double-barreled Gatling gun.
Based off the ASP-30 30mm machine gun, mounted on older U.S. APCs and IFVs, the CAM-20 is a new take on the Gatling gun concept. While older prototype 15.5mm cannons suffered from prohibitive weight penalties, weighing nearly as much as a 20mm Gatling gun, the engineers at Consolidated Arms managed to cut the CAM-20's weight down to approximately 77 lbs. (35 kg.) using more modern building materials and processes. The primary advantage of the double-barreled design is that, while the CAM-20 is of a smaller caliber than most other mounted vehicle weapons, it rivals the punch of a 20mm cannon, while allowing for more ammunition to be carried. The stopping power of the gun is increased upon further by the unusual design; a single CAM-20 gun is actually two six-barreled 15.5mm Gatling guns mounted side-by-side on a single mounting unit, allowing for a greater volume of fire and increased punch.
The CAM-20 is capable of firing high-explosive, kinetic-kill, and phosphorus tracer rounds. The UH-75 mounts three CAM-20s: one mounted in the fuselage below the cockpit, and two door-mounted guns, one on each side of the aircraft.
[AH-75 "Stormhawk"]
The attack variant of the UH-75, the Stormhawk trades space for carrying troops for the capability to pack more firepower and armor. The AH-75 boasts fifty millimeters of amorphous steel to ensure increased survivability in more dangerous scenarios than the UH-75 would encounter.
The armament of the AH-75 is also changed from the UH-75. Although the AH-75 loses the two door-mounted CAM-20 15.5mm Gatling guns of the UH-75, it makes up for this with increased ammunition for the remaining forward-mounted CAM-20 and the capability to strike more heavily-armored targets. Two stub wings, one affixed to each side, are each capable of mounting 40 2.75-inch folding fin aerial rockets, in addition to 16 laser-guided air-to-air or air-to-ground missiles equivalent in size to the Hellfire, allowing the AH-75 to act in an anti-armor role.
[MH-75 "Swifthawk"]
The MH-75 is essentially a hybrid between a modernized version of the MH-60 "Pave Hawk" and the MH-53 "Pave Low" helicopters; as such, it is primarily intended for long-range, stealthy infiltration/extraction operations. Capable of carrying 12 fully-laden Special Forces soldiers and any additional equipment they may require, the Swifthawk improves upon its predecessor in the areas of armament, speed, range, and stealth.
The MH-75 retains the armament of the UH-75, but has additional measures to make them stealthier. The forward-mounted CAM-20 can be completely covered by a sliding hatch to reduce RADAR signature, and the two door-mounted CAM-20s can be fully retracted into the vehicle's interior, though this can make a tight fit for the occupants inside. Judicious use of Brewster's Angle and RADAR-absorbant material (RAM) in the airframe construction further reduces the MH-75's already-miniscule RADAR return. In addition to these features -- in a nod to the F-150 "Ebonhawk" fighter-bomber and Tyrandisian innovation -- the Swifthawk's canopy is manufactured of an advanced polycarbonate, backed by a rubber insulation layer and a thin strip of an indium-tin alloy. Traditionally, the cockpit has been the most problematic area for advanced stealth designers; because RADAR waves passes through the canopy as if it were transparent, an especially strong signal will bounce back to its receiver because any aircraft interior contains angles and shape that generate a substantial return. The InSn coating allows over 98.5 percent of visible light to pass through to the pilot, but will appear on RADAR as a semi-metallic surface, thus further reducing the Swifthawk's already small RADAR cross-section.
In order to reduce the risk of acoustic detection, an eight-bladed Fenestron ducted fan inside a deep duct is utilized in lieu of a conventional tail rotor, as well as advanced new quieting technology. The Fenestron fan features low blade loading and low tip speeds, and the little noise it produces is narrowly focused out to the sides of the tail by the deep duct. Swifthawk engineers also located the fan and gearbox mounting structures off the rotational axis of the fan and on the exhaust side of the duct. This arrangement dampens the sound propagated by the fan, rather than amplifying it like the early versions of the Fenestron system. The duct greatly increases the efficiency and power of the fan, giving the Swifthawk tremendous performance in sideward flight. The Swifthawk also uses five, tapered, swept-tip main rotor blades in a bearingless hub. The five blades provide enough blade area to maintain low loading while allowing reduced blade chord and thickness for lower noise in high-speed flight. The Swifthawk also includes an advanced low-noise technology dubbed "quiet mode"; when the pilot selects "quiet mode" on the automatic flight control system (AFCS), the Swifthawk's computers slow the main rotor RPM while increasing pitch angle to maintain lift.Although the actual sound levels are secret, the lower tip speeds of the main rotor and the Fenestron fan result in significantly quieter operations.
[SH-75 "Wavehawk"]
The navalized variant of the UH-75, the SH-75's primary roles include combat search and rescue (CSAR), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and anti-surface warfare (ASUW).
The Wavehawk features co-axial rotors instead of the main-rotor-and-Fenestron-fan system of the UH-75. The co-axial system is another alternative to the conventional tail rotor system; because the two rotors rotate in opposite direction on the same vertical axis, the opposing torque normally provided by the tail rotor is instead produced by the counteracting forces of the two main rotors, eliminating the need for a tail rotor. An additional benefit of the co-axial configuration is a high resistance to side winds, making it a perfect choice for the navalized version of the UH-75, where side winds are more common and can adversely affect helicopter operations.
The SH-75 features a slight increase of armor -- thirty-five millimeters of amorphous steel, up from thirty millimeters on the UH-75 -- and different weaponry than the UH-75. The Wavehawk retains all three CAM-20s, and can additionally mount two stub wings, each capable of holding external fuel tanks or Hellfire, Penguin, or Mk-46 torpedo equivalents.
[VH-75 "Marine One"]
Like its namesake, the VH-75 serves as a Presidential transportation alternative to limousines or Air Force One. Essentially an unarmed UH-75, it features a luxurious interior capable of seating eight. A sophisticated countermeasures suite ensures the occupants' safety against a wide variety of threats.
[Export]
All nations ordering the MH-75 "Swifthawk" variant, as well as requests for production rights for any and all variants, will be subject to background checks. Consolidated Arms reserves the right to refuse any order for any reason.
UH-75 "Knighthawk" Specifications
Classification: Utility/assault helicopter
Length: 70 ft. with rotors
Width: 9 ft.
Height: 13.5 ft.
Propulsion: 2 x Consolidated Arms, Inc. CAH-100 free-turbine turboshafts (7,000 shp total)
Range: 450 mi. without in-air refueling, 1,250 miles with auxiliary tanks; limited only by crew endurance with in-air refueling
Maximum Speed: 215 mph
Maximum Altitude: 23,000 ft.
Empty Weight: 14,000 lbs.
Maximum Weight: 30,000 lbs.
Maximum Payload: 3,500 lbs., or 15 combat-equipped troops (internal); 10,000 lbs. (external)
Armament: 3 x Consolidated Arms, Inc. CAM-20 15.5mm double-barreled Gatling guns
Crew: Four (two pilots, two crew chiefs)
Price: $20 million
Production Rights: $2.5 billion
AH-75 "Stormhawk" Specifications
Classification: Anti-personnel/anti-tank attack helicopter
Length: 60 ft. with rotors
Width: 9 ft.
Height: 13.5 ft.
Propulsion: 2 x Consolidated Arms, Inc. CAH-100 free-turbine turboshafts (7,000 shp total)
Range: 450 mi. without in-air refueling, 900 miles with auxiliary tanks; limited only by crew endurance with in-air refueling
Maximum Speed: 250 mph
Maximum Altitude: 26,000 ft.
Empty Weight: 13,000 lbs.
Maximum Weight: 25,000 lbs.
Armament: 1 x Consolidated Arms, Inc. CAM-20 15.5mm double-barreled Gatling gun; 2 x 40 2.75-inch folding fin aerial rockets, 2 x 16 Hellfire equivalents
Crew: Two (one pilot, one co-pilot/gunner)
Price: $30 million
Production Rights: $3 billion
MH-75 "Swifthawk" Specifications
Classification: Long-range infiltration/exfiltration transport helicopter
Length: 95 ft. with rotors
Width: 20 ft.
Height: 30 ft.
Propulsion: 2 x Consolidated Arms, Inc. CAH-100 free-turbine turboshafts (7,000 shp total)
Range: 800 mi. without in-air refueling; limited only by crew endurance with in-air refueling
Maximum Speed: 215 mph
Maximum Altitude: 23,000 ft.
Empty Weight: 22,000 lbs.
Maximum Weight: 50,000 lbs.
Maximum Payload: 10,000 lbs., or 40 combat-equipped troops
Armament: 3 x Consolidated Arms, Inc. CAM-20 15.5mm double-barreled Gatling guns
Crew: Six (two pilots, two flight engineers, two aerial gunners)
Price: $25 million
Production Rights: $5 billion
SH-75 "Wavehawk" Specifications
Classification: Carrier-based utility/assault helicopter
Length: 70 ft. with rotors
Width: 20 ft.
Height: 13.5 ft.
Propulsion: 2 x Consolidated Arms, Inc. CAH-100 free-turbine turboshafts (7,000 shp total)
Range: 450 mi. without in-air refueling, 1,250 miles with auxiliary tanks; limited only by crew endurance with in-air refueling
Maximum Speed: 200 mph
Maximum Altitude: 23,000 ft.
Empty Weight: 15,000 lbs.
Maximum Weight: 25,000 lbs.
Armament: 3 x Consolidated Arms, Inc. CAM-20 15.5mm double-barreled Gatling guns; 2 x 4 Hellfire missile, Penguin anti-shipping missile, or Mk-46 torpedo equivalents
Crew: Four (one pilot, one co-pilot, two door gunners) for combat operations; four (one pilot, one copilot, one tactical sensor operator, and one acoustic sensor operator) for submarine detection duties
Price: $25 million
Production Rights: $3 billion
VH-75 "Marine One" Specifications
Classification: VIP transport helicopter
Length: 70 ft. with rotors
Width: 9 ft.
Height: 13.5 ft.
Propulsion: 2 x Consolidated Arms, Inc. CAH-100 free-turbine turboshafts (7,000 shp total)
Range: 450 mi. without in-air refueling, 1,250 miles with auxiliary tanks; limited only by crew endurance with in-air refueling
Maximum Speed: 215 mph
Maximum Altitude: 23,000 ft.
Empty Weight: 14,000 lbs.
Maximum Weight: 30,000 lbs.
Maximum Payload: 1,500 lbs., or 8 passengers
Crew: Two (one pilot, one co-pilot)
Price: $20 million
Production Rights: $2 billion
DAS-9 "Sparrow" Attack Helicopter:
Sparrow HA.1 attack helicopter
Designed to replace the long-serving Apache Longbow helicopter, the Sparrow provides the Isselmere-Nielander Army with the latest technology to defeat enemy armour wherever it may be found.
Strength
The Sparrow offers your Army and Marines the opportunity to flex their muscle over vast ranges and with great striking power. Able to use a wide range of weapons systems such as Lyme and Martens’s Fulmar, Kite, Lark, Ostrich, Petrel, Pigeon, and Roc missiles as well as the usual AGM-114B/K/M Hellfire and AGM-71 TOW missiles, and guided and unguided rockets.
The Sparrow also has a heavy-hitting 30mm aircraft autocannon from Royal Isselmere-Nieland Ordnance (RINO) that fires 30 x 173mm high explosive-incendiary or armour piercing shells, selectable in-flight by the gunner. The gunner may also hand over control of the cannon to the pilot.
Fire Control Systems
A plethora of sensors are available to the crew, such as the “Crossbow” millimetric search and tracking radar atop the mast, the “Blue Heeler” nose-mounted optronic sensor array (OSA), and the pilot’s “Cockerel” day/night sight. Both pilot and gunner are equipped with helmet mounted display/sights (HMDS) that can be used to target either the turret mounted gun or the Sparrow’s wing mounted weapons.
The “Crossbow” is a low probability of intercept (LPI) pulse-doppler radar that is able to detect moving targets at a range of 12 km and static targets at over 9 km. It is capable of displaying, classifying, and tracking over 256 targets. The “Crossbow” may also use synthetic apertures to find “hidden” targets. Underneath the “Crossbow” are radio frequency interferometers (RFI) to detect and classify radio and radar signals that are then fed into the AEQ.266 multi-source integration (MSI) system for possible prosecution by the Sparrow.
The “Blue Heeler” OSA is capable of designating targets from up to 24 km away with its neodymium laser designator/range-finder (LDRF). Its IIR system has a focal plane of platinum silicide with incredible definition capable of 18x magnification, whilst the optical sensors (charge coupled devices (CCD)) are able to magnify targets by 132 times, day or night.
The crew stations are well-equipped with multifunction polychrome liquid crystal displays, as well as auxiliary analogue “steam gauge” dial instruments. The glass cockpit is night vision goggle compatible and has been designed with hands on collective and stick (HOCAS) as well as directed voice interface (DVI) technology in mind.
DVI may be used to alert squadron mates or connected ground units and to assign waypoints along with the HMDS.
Survivability
Forty-percent of the weight of the Sparrow comes from advanced ballistic polymers faced with ballistic ceramics (“Hauberk”, 13% stronger than steel) enabling the entire frame to sustain multiple hits from 23mm weapons. The entire aircraft is able to sustain hits from 12.7mm weapons. Additional parts of the helicopter, such as the self-sealing fuel tanks, the engines, the rotor blades (constructed entirely of high strength ballistic polymers), the ammunition drum, and avionics bays have received reinforced protection, permitting them to receive multiple hits from 30mm guns.
The crew have received additional protection from titanium-vanadium-aluminium (TVA) alloy plated-seats and the entire compartment has been reinforced with additional layers of “Hauberk” ballistic armour, enabling that area to sustain damage from 57mm to 35mm guns respectively. The electronics have likewise been hardened against electro-magnetic pulses and the crew can operate within a nuclear, biological, or chemical (NBC) environment either within protection suits (with five hours of oxygen provided by the aircraft) or without thanks to the over-pressure air conditioning system.
The seats have also been designed to minimise injury caused by hard landings by gradually compressing by means of an impact-activated hydraulic spring.
The threat of lasers has not been forgotten, either. The canopy has been coated with a gold surface film that reduces both the radar cross-section (RCS) as well as some of the harmful effects of powerful laser range-finders. A laser warning receiver system is standard issue on the Sparrow as well.
The rotor hub is forged of a very high strength titanium alloy, enabling it to operate effectively whatever stresses the environment or pilot puts upon it. The bearingless rotors and flexible hub, along with the sturdy main rotor blades -- with five high strength titanium alloy spars, honeycomb structure of carbon-fibre and glassfibre, a ballistic polymer skin and composite trailing edge -- make the Sparrow remarkably agile, enabling it to have a roll rate of over 96 degrees per second, loop, and travel in reverse at over 80 km/h.
The Sparrow’s craftiness doesn’t end there, however. The two ATG-12 turboshaft engines (1450 kW take-off rating, 1305 kW maximum continuous operation rating) are equipped with the “Siberia” exhaust cooling system further minimising the helicopter’s infrared signature. And whatever the “Siberia” system fails to prevent, the AAQ.245 infra-red countermeasures system and the ALE.209 flare and chaff dispenser system can dissuade.
Maintainability
The Sparrow has been designed with frontline operations in mind. Dogtoothed maintenance hatches enable ground crews ready access to components for swift repairs by field replaceable units (FRU) or for major overhauls. The self-diagnostic systems permit both the ground crew and flight crew vital information regarding the health of the aircraft, indicating which parts, if any, require replacement.
The outsides of the self-sealing tanks are covered with thin layers of a ballistic polymer fabric, further minimising the risk of rupture. Should one of the tanks be punctured, the damage control system can automatically vent fuel from damaged internal tanks or may, when possible, re-route fuel to other undamaged tanks, allowing the crew to gain some distance from their attackers.
The Sparrow is equipped with an auxiliary power unit (APU) enabling it to perform independent operations far from fully equipped bases, facilitating its use by frontline forces.
Characteristics
Crew: 2; pilot, weapons systems operator (WSO)
Rotors: Pennyfarthing-fenestron; Main rotor: diameter: 14.67m, blades: 5; Tail rotor (fenestron): blades: 8.
Fuselage: Length: 15.82m; width: 5.12m; height: 4.26 (with “Crossbow” radar)
Powerplant: 2 x Isselmere Motor Works ATG-12 (1582 kW (2,120.64 shp) take-off rating, 1450 kW (1,943.7 shp) maximum continuous operation rating), 1780 kW (2,386 shp) emergency rating
Mass: Empty: 6,438 kg; Clean take-off: 8,243.12 kg; Standard take-off: 9,719.1 kg; Maximum take-off: 10,103.1 kg
Performance:
Speed: 370 km/h (clean max.), 328 km/h (armed max.), 272 km/h (cruise, standard), 86 km/h (reverse)
Range: 740+ km (internal fuel)
Endurance: 3 hours, 5 minutes (mission, with 10% reserve); 3 hours, 45 minutes (max.)
Hover out of ground effect (max.): 3,800 m
Service ceiling: 5,800 m
Climb rate: 16.2 m/s (max.), 8.4 m/s (max. vertical).
Internal weapons: Turret-mounted RINO 30mm (30 x 173) autocannon with 600 rounds (0.36 kg shell, either HE-I or AP rounds)
Hardpoints/Stations: 6; 4 wing hardpoints (575 kg each), 4 wingtip hardpoints (150 kg each)
Standard weapons loadout: 16 x GWS.80A Ostrich; 4 x GWS.66A Lark
Payload: maximum (max. internal fuel, take-off): 1,800 kg
Fuel fraction: 0.25 (internal; 1,545.12 kg)
Acceleration loadings: maximum: +3.54g to -0.52g
Electronics
Computer system: AEI.7
Threat management system: AMX.258 (identification friend or foe interrogation/response); AEG.259 (fire control system); AEQ.266 (threat collation system)
Radar: ARS.281 Arquebus (millimetric LPI search and tracking radar; atop mast)
Optronics: AAU.274 Cockerel (pilot’s day/night sight); APU.279 Blue Heeler (gunsight; laser designator/range finder (AJG.276), imaging infrared (IIR) camera (AAS.277), and low light camera (AVS.278); nose)
Communications: ASP.239 (drone control system); ASZ.246 (secure datalink; may interface with GWZ.129b Brono datalink); AWZ.251 (secure radio)
Navigation: ARN.238 (radar altimeter); AKN.268 (global positioning system); AJN.271 (laser inertial navigation system)
Countermeasures:
ALE.209 (chaff and flare dispenser); ALQ.227 (radar/signals countermeasures); AAR.239 (missile plume detector); ALR.241 (radar warning receiver system); AJR.243 (laser warning receiver and direction finder system); AAQ.245 (infrared countermeasures (IRCM) “turret”)
Cost: $26 million
GF-11 Tactical Reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle:
GF11 Archer Tactical Reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
http://modernwarstudies.net/Lineart/Archer.gif
History:
The Laerihans has never had an unmanned aerial vehicle to call its own, and after a reconsideration of tactical surveillance and reconnaissance it was decided that a new form of tactical surveillance was an utter necessity. This only became more apparent after the decomissioning of old wheeled reconnaissance vehicles, reverting the task to sattelites and underequipped and underpaid foot soldiers and heavier vehicles. Therefore, prototypes of the Archer were released in late 2015 under the administration of the newly risen Fedor I. The first battlefield experience of the Archer was in the War of Golden Succession, both in the colonies and in the fronts nearer to home. It was a smashing success. Because of the Archer the Jagadan Phantom units were utterly destroyed in the colonies, and their landings in the northern areas of Sidi, during the beginning stages of the Jagadan offensive towards Sidi Rezegh, were betrayed. Havenite convoys in Zarbia were also found. In short, the Archer was something that was immediately qualified to go into mass production. Mass production began around June 2016. They saw major service agaisnt Haven [SafeHaven2] and against Zarbia; they also saw minor service in the later naval battles of the war as naval spotters, instead of the much more cumbersome SeaSerpent helicopters. They would also see action in many more wars to come and post-war brushfire incidents throughout new dependencies of the Empire.
The idea of the Archer was not for it to work as a weapon in combat, and so any payload that existing UAVs or UCAVs had were dropped. There was absolutely no need for the GF11 to have anything that could harm another person; that would only give it a way. Instead, it was designed to fly relatively high and quiet, with as much heat reduction as possible. In other words, it was to be invisible. This would be achieved through new airframe contruction for lightweight UAVs and infra-red reduction systems and such. In other words, this was to be a revolutionary UAV. Of course, it was a hit within the Imperial Armed Forces and Kriegzimmer, having a short slump in sales, hoped it would be a hit abroad as well. Kriegzimmer has lately admitted that the idea was an expansion on a similar UAV system developed by the now deseased Vastiva. These were first witnessed in the Euroslavian Civil War, shortly after the Empire had emerged from the Kahtan Crusade, and they were under the name of SHARDS. Understandably, it hit a bright light inside Kriegzimmer's head, although the program never begun until 2014 since Kriegzimmer had gone into a relative expansion of products.
History nonwithstanding, the GF11 Archer has already proved itself in combat operations. These successes can only be exaggerated further in the event of a clandestine intelligence operation. Indeed, IINSA has already ordered thirty for their own uses in intelligence operations abroad. Guffingford, a recent victim of a IINSA operation against the Order of the Invisible Hand, has already lashed out at the Macabee intelligence agency and warned them of further use, including the use of Archers, within their country. Nevertheless, one cannot downplay the possiblities of the GF11 Archer.
Airframe:
The primary task in airframe construction was to make the UAV radar transparent; in other words, the radio waves would simply pass through the material without creating an angle of incident and thus reflecting. The idea works much like that of a parachute, which is radar transparent. Of course, the material would have to be sturdy enough to support flight. Therefore, a composite between three principle materials was chosen in the end; glass, acrylic and polycarbonate. Minor materials included were vinyl and urethane. The composite is rather expensive, rated at around 300 Reichmarks per gram, but it provides the intregral strength for flight and gives the Archer the properties it needs as a UAV. It uses a titanium alloy matrix to weave fiber reinforced plastics to produce the substructure. This is then laminated by vinyl and urethane, both of them polymers [plastics] which bond well to the major components. Acrylic is a thermoplastic and is what makes most car windshields. This coupled with glass makes an extremely transparent airframe to radar, while through visual contact it would appear white because of the bonding materials used. The only reflective material in use is the titanium alloy, but the matrix is so small it's inconsequential.
Every component of the airframe is modular to make it cheaper to apply and re-apply. Meaning, the armour comes in appliqué slabs which use a urethane laminate along the sides to bond well with neighboring slabs, as well as standard welding, of course. The modular perforated armour has been dubbed Modular Perforated Transparent Armour [MOPETA]. It's been put on sale to commercial airliners and to foreign governments by Kriegzimmer at 700 Reichmarks a gram.
Powerplant:
The powerplant uses a totally mechanical and electrical turboprop engine. Namely, it uses pulses of electricity coming from a reginative coil to combust the fuel, which in turn expands the compressed air coming from the engine intakes, which spins the small turboprop behind the GF11 Archer. The battery has an extremely limted lifespan of forty hours, but is cheap to replace because of the fact that a similar battery is used to power Macabee tank guns. Apart from that the engine is very quiet, and heat is insulated through the use of aerogel/fiber composite materials, which are light weight, but strong and absorbant. Meaning, the GF11 Archer neither makes noise or expends great deal of heat. Meaning, the Archer has successfully made itself to be one of the stealthiest UAV designs on the market. Not only that, but its lifespan matches all tactical reconnaissance UAVs except for the Global Hawk.
Conclusions:
As said prior, the GF11 Archer has been proven to be quite the design, superior to most other UAV designs on the market. The Laerihans has ordered a full aerial armada of one hundred and twenty GF11 Archers for further use in war; half of these are expected to be shot down through enemy action. The Kriermada has ordered hundreds to accompany shipping in naval actions. It's expected that the foreign market will cram for purchases of the GF11 Archer.
In terms of future capabilities, Kriegzimmer has only released that it has a lot ahead of it.
Name: GF11 Archer Tactical Reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Manufacturer: Goldent Luftwaffe Industries
Length: 5.8 meters
Wingspan: 13.7 meters
Height: 1.8 meters
Data Link:
-Global Positioning System
-Ultra High Frequency
-Ku Frequency
-Line of Sight
-C-band
Sensors:
-Foward Looking Electronic Scanned Array
-Sidelooking Electronic Scanned Array
-Downlooking Bi-static Radar
-Downlooking Pulse Lidar
-Downlooking Gaussian Ladar
-Downlooking Infra-red Receiver
-Downlooking High Definition Camera
Maximum Gross Weight: 730 kilograms
Operational Altitudes: 4000 meters
Velocities:
23 knots @ stall
56 knots @ cruise
70 knots @ dash
Emergency Recover: Parachute
Auto Return Home: Yes [on data link loss]
Autonomy: Full
Engine: Electrical Turboprop
Fuel: 150 Litres
Flight Life: 40 Hours
Runway: 1524 x 38 meters; hard surface
Production Cost: 4.8 million
Purchase Cost per Unit: 15 million
Production Rights Cost: 6.2 billion
GF-15 "Valkyrie" Anti-Armor Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle
GF15 Valkyrie Anti-Armour Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle
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The GF15 Valkyrie UCAV is meant primarily for the anti-armour role, replacing the bulkier and larger anti-armour aircraft such as the A-10 Warthog and other variations. The purpose of this low flying aerodyne would be to provide tactical anti-armour support for friendly units below, and for that reason the Valkyrie is outfitted with a large stock of specially designed munitions [the Icycle, which is explained below]. With the union of Juumanistran technology, offered through the Wellington International Defense Solutions [WINDS] catalogue, and Macabee expertise, given through the Kriegzimmer Conglomeration, the GF15 Valkyrie Anti-Armour UCAV promises to be a very successful and a very lethal alternate to the tank busters of today's air forces and armies. For the most part the Valkyrie is an original piece, borrowing some aspects, including its avionics, from the Juumanistran Do-4 Razorback UCAV [which serves the same purpose through different means] and other parts from the GF11 Archer, the Kriegzimmer reconnaissance UAV that has been successful in selling itself world wide. Nevertheless, the array of original systems makes the UCAV a species within itself. To that effect, the GF15 offers a long list of newer sensor equipment, avionic suites, and the effective Icycle minimissile, giving its user a weapon with much potential, lethality and with the final and added advantage of suprise.
This latter attribute is achieved through an extremely quiet electrical engine. The power plant sacrifices flight time and velocity for the low noise output and extremely low infra-red signature it developes, which is further denies through the use of lightweight coolant injectors along the shaft to the turboprop and the rear of the turboprop itself [where turboprop and shaft meet] which act as infra-red suppresants. The major difference between the electrical engine of the Archer and that of the Valkyrie is that the battery and compulsator offers the mechanical energy need to turn the shaft, not the energy required to compress air coming through intakes. Further 'stealth' is achieved through the use of MOPETA, which was introduced with the GF11 Archer UAV. MOPETA refers to the materials used for construction of the airframe. In short, it's a union between acrylic, glass and polycarbonates, which are all radar transparent, with an infused aluminum-titanium alloy matrix as a substructure, weaving together the different components of MOPETA. This is laminated with two polymers, vinyl and urethane, to offer the final product. MOPETA is modular and is applied through appliqué slabs, making them easy to replace during maintenance, and said maintenance cheaper. A gram of MOPETA is sold commercially for ~700 Reichmarks a gram.
Communications is provided by Kriegzimmer, offering the same type of communication data links as the GF11 Archer, including global positioning system localization, UHF encrypted radio bands, Ku Frequency radio bands and C-band. The sensors were provided by Kriegzimmer, with the exception of the Falchion advanced ground-attack non-visible light array, which provides omnidirectional sensor abilities. The [i]entire Avionics suit was provided by WINDS, including the independent and private operating system known as LATURN. Nevertheless, the avionics suite gives the Valkyrie an understated advantage of great control and health inspection systems that increase survivability.
The weapon is one of the most integral parts of the entire system. The Icycle minimissile is a small, smart and quick anti-armour munition, packed to the brim with submunitions. The entire casing is 147.32cm long and 11.43cm wide, offering something relatively more compact than the alternate Hellfire missile. The missile is split into several comparments, including the rear compartment [~40cm long] which houses the solid fuel rocket engine, while the frontal section [~24cm long] would house the electronics, which include a small GPS, a light radar jammer [to confuse APS systems], and a medium range [medium relative to the missile's size] guidance system. The rest of the missile is used to house forty submunitions, each being independently guided after release and smart attack. The submunition uses a long jet explosively formed penetrator offering ~200mm of penetration. The submunition being a top attack weapon, there is a chance that multiple tanks are knocked out by one missile! If not, the chances of knocking out a single tank are rather great. With twelve missiles stacked in three rows of four missiles in an internal bay, the stopping power of a single Valkyrie is outstanding. Indeed, their first use showed promise.
This was done by a squadron of prototypes deployed to the Juumanistran colony in Skiberdeenia. Imperial command in the area decided that a pre-emptive strike against Yurkan ground assets would propel what was basically a cold war into a hot war - something the Empire was very interested in. The strike was comitted in the morning and post-release every Valkyrie returned home safely. Unfortunately, intelligence provided was wrong, so more soft skinned vehicles than main battle tanks were knocked out - nevertheless, it proved that the GF15 was a very capable system. Because of that single example the GF15 was rushed into production and saw combat in the form of four squadrons deployed at Ishme-Dagan. The GF15 Valkyrie has a promising future ahead of it.
Designation: Anti-armor semi-autonomous drone
Manufacturer: Himou Defense Labs [Juumanistra], Ijuin Aerial Vehicle Company [Juumanistra] and Golden Luftwaffe Industries [Second Empire of the Golden Throne]
Length: 8.6 meters
Wingspan: 15.7 meters
Height: 2.3 meters
Crew: None
Automony: Semi
Data Link:
-Global Positioning System
-Ultra High Frequency Encrypted Radio
-Ku Frequency
-Line of Sight
-C-band
Weight [Empty]: 4,500 kg
Weight [Combat Take-Off]: 12,340 kg
Airframe: MOPETA Construction
Power Plant: Electric Turboprop
Fuel: 200 lt.
Flight Life: 34 hours
Runway: 1524 x 38 meters; most surfaces
Velocities:
19 knots @ stall
39 knots @ cruise
54 knots @ dash
Maximum Operational Altitude: 900 meters
Rate of Climb: 182 m/s
Turning Radius, Instantaneous: 52 degrees/s
Turning Radius, Sustained: 52 degrees/s
Emergency Recover: Parachute
Auto Return Home: On data link loss
Sensors:
-Foward Looking Electronic Scanned Array [with horizontal and verticle azimuth]
-Foward Gaussian Ladar [with horizontal and verticle azimuth]
-Foward Looking High Definition Camera [with horizontal and verticle azimuth]
-Falchion advanced ground-attack non-visible light array [omnidirectional]
Avionics:
-“Kubrick” autonomous drone mission management module
-“Burgundy” environmental awareness module
-“Sentinel” flight status and information module
-“Waltz” advanced flight control module
-“Bulldog” threat assessment and management module
-“Skynet” integrated aerial combat module
-“Sauron” sensor data management and processing module
- “Groundhog” advanced ground mapping and targeting module
-“Whack-A-Mole” advanced munitions targeting and guidance module
Armament:
-4x3 Icycle Minimissiles [in an internal missile bay]
Procurement Cost: 34 million