The Blub Colony
09-01-2008, 05:52
"Sparrow X2" Experimental Upgrade - Building A Better Turboprop
http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/4600/sparrowyi8.jpg
The X2 Program is designed to modernize the X1, making it the world's only turboprop fighter able to compete with supersonic jets by equipping it with a new avionics package, upgraded engines and weaponry.
X2 Program Goals
Part 1 * Produce a stealthier aircraft less likely to be seen by RADAR or HUD programming.
Part 2 * Increase power, speed and manuverability. Increase range and allow for mid-flight refueling.
Part 3 * Modern weaponry and avionics giving the X2 long range striking power and formidible dog fighting capabilities.
Part 4 * Cut operation costs and increase longevity through several means.
Overall
The airframe will be extended infront of the cockpit by replacing the nose of the aircraft with a fuselage extension which will house the inflight refueling gear as well as an upgraded sensor/RADAR package. To maintain balance to the aircraft, the rear of the fuselage will also be extended and the tail height reduced slightly, and the cockpit pushed back. The overall fuselage modifications will extend the length of the aircraft by aproximately 3.4 meters (Or about 10.6 feet)
Part 1
Stealth isn't just about being invisible to RADAR. Infact, almost no aircraft on the planet is capable of fully avoiding RADAR. However, there are other ways of effectively hiding an aircraft based on these basic facts:
* It is possible to have varying degrees of stealth. The exact level and nature of stealth embodied in a particular design is determined by the prediction of likely threat capabilties and the balance of other considerations, including the raw unit cost of the system.
* A mission system employing stealth may well become detected at some point within a given mission, such as when the target is destroyed, however correct use of stealth systems should seek to minimise the possibility of detection.
* Attacking with surprise gives the attacker more time to perform its mission and exit before the defending force can counter-attack.
Mitigating factors include that propellers are notorious for providing a good RADAR return, and that the body of the X1 was not designed for stealth. Certain steps will be taken to minimize the detection. These are all very easy, and cheap ways of increasing the aircraft's ability to avoid detection, and survivability.
Heat: Due to the turboprop engines, The Pucara is one of the coolest-running aircraft in the world. By applying additional insulation around the engines and using heat-absorbing materials around the exhaust ports, the heat signature will be reduced massively. The X1 Sparrow should be very difficult to pick up on infrared, especially at lower altitudes where the air is warmer. (Usually 23,000 feet and lower)
One means of reducing the IR signature is to have a non-circular tail pipe (a slit shape) in order to minimize the exhaust cross-sectional volume and maximise the mixing of the hot exhaust with cool ambient air. Cool air is deliberately injected into the exhaust flow by forward vents to boost this process. To achieve infrared stealth, the exhaust gas is cooled to the temperatures where the brightest wavelengths it radiates on are absorbed by atmospheric carbon dioxide and water vapor, dramatically reducing the infrared visibility of the exhaust plume. Another way to reduce the exhaust temperature is to circulate coolant fluids inside the exhaust pipe, where the fuel tanks serve as additional heat sinks cooled by the flow of air along the wings. The degree of cooling is controlled by an onboard computer.
Shape: To minimize RADAR returns, the most-solid pieces of the airframe (The engine cowling) will employ radar absorbing paint such as iron ferrite and have serrations along the exhaust port to break up RADAR returns. The propeller blades will be made from a composite, the same type used on helicopter blades which rather than scattering RADAR waves, absorb them. While it cannot negate the RADAR returns off the propellers, it should at least reduce the overall signature of the aircraft.
Sound: The X2 Sparrow will feature somewhat larger propeller blades than the original design. This allows them to turn at a slower rate than smaller types and still maintain the same speed, but for greatly reduced sound emissions. Additionally, the turbofans have been retrofitted with noise-dampening technology.
Part 2
As noted earlier, extention of the airframe and moving the cockpit back maintains aircraft balance while allowing for inflight refueling to be installed. The former steel and aluminium skin and frame will be replaced by lightweight titanium. This will save several tons in weight on the X2 allowing for the larger engines and increase the support strength. This translates into more payload.
Speed: Thrust on the aircraft has been increased by approximately 30% on the lighter airframe translating into approximately 48% more power. A unique engine cycle system will be installed, which is essentially a 'glide' mode. Due to the larger prop blades and lighter weight, the X2 will be able to maintain altitude at a slower turn ratio on the propellers. This allows the X2 to loiter above sites using minimal fuel and producing very little heat and almost no sound.
Power: By altering the gearboxes and using larger engines, greater torque can be achieved for the X2 allowing for the fastest acelleration of a turboprop on the planet. This is unecessary for the naval version due to aircraft catapults, will be very useful on short runways. The dogfighting aspect is obvious.
Manuverability: Size of wing and tail flaps will be increased slightly, as well as manuvering flaps. The independant engines allow for power to be increased on either side, providing a wingtip turn within a very tight radius.
Part 3
Avionics Package The X2 is fitted with upgraded warfare avionics. These include:
ULISS 52 inertial navigation system (INS), TRT radio altimeter.
Sextant TMV-980 data display system (VE-130 head-up and VMC-180 head-down) (two head-down for the X2 Sparrow). The combined head-up/head-level display is collimated at infinity, and presents data relating to flight control, navigation, target engagement and weapon firing. Sensor and system management data is presented on two colored lateral displays.
Dassault Electronique Type 2084 central digital computer, Digibus digital databus (2084 XR) and Sextant Avionique Type 90 air data computer.
LMT NRAI-7A IFF transponder, IO-300-A marker beacon receiver, TRT ERA 7000 V/UHF com transceiver, TRT ERA 7200 UHF or EAS secure voice communications.
Radar
CSF RDM multi-mode radar or Dassault Electronique/Thomson-CSF RDI pulse-Doppler radar each with operating range of 54 nm (100 km / 62 miles).
Dassault/Thales Antilope 5 Radar with terrain avoidance capability for low level strikes.
Countermeasures
Radar warning receiver (RWR) with antennas on the wingtips and on the rear of the top of the tailfin.
RF jammer in a pod below the bottom of the tailfin, with an antenna in a fairing on the front of the tailfin.
Flare dispensers, one fitted on an extension behind the rear of each wingroot, giving a total capacity of 224 cartridges.
Weaponry
The X2 comes indigenously equipped with six nose mounted autocannon firings 25mm ammunition. The is similar to the cannons mounted on the A-10 Thunderbolt II, but provide approximately x4 the air-to-ground firepower.
Part 4
The X2 been modified to carry a modified engine operating on soy-derived bio-jet fuel. The project, financed and directed by the Blubland Government made Blubland the largest nation in the world to propel an aircaft with biojet fuel. The project intends to make the X2 less reliant on costly fossil fuels. The larger versions of the same engines will be used, and with Blubland farming as well as imports, the X2 will be able to operate at 90% less fuel costs.
By using technologies already developed, the Blubland project has a minimum of development and research to do. The primary work is the fuselage extention and the redesign, which is mostly done on computers. In using lightweight titanium instead of Composite Armor or Layered Titanium and a turboprop design, the X2 Sparrow comes out well under the price of any other modern day jet fighters.
Specifications
X1 Sparrow Counter-Insurgency / Interceptor Modernization Program
Class: turboprop
Crew: 2
Length: 16.75 m (54 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 14.5 m (47 ft 7 in)
Height: 5.36 m (47 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 30.3m² (326.1ft²)
Powerplant: 2 XVIII turboprops
Max Speed: 765 mph
Cruising Speed: 690 km/h (428 mph)
Loiter Speed: 390 km/h (242 mph)
Range: 4,210 km (2,615 mi) Unlimited with refueling
Armament: 8,800 lb
4 wing hardpoints
3 fuselage hardpoints
6× 25 mm autocannons with 1,250 rounds each (fuselage)
Wing hardpoints: x2 wingtip for missiles, x2 underwing for missiles, bombs or pods.
Fuselage hardpoints: Additional gun pods, bombs, rockets, large missiles, mines, or torpedoes.
Export price: $20 million
http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/4600/sparrowyi8.jpg
The X2 Program is designed to modernize the X1, making it the world's only turboprop fighter able to compete with supersonic jets by equipping it with a new avionics package, upgraded engines and weaponry.
X2 Program Goals
Part 1 * Produce a stealthier aircraft less likely to be seen by RADAR or HUD programming.
Part 2 * Increase power, speed and manuverability. Increase range and allow for mid-flight refueling.
Part 3 * Modern weaponry and avionics giving the X2 long range striking power and formidible dog fighting capabilities.
Part 4 * Cut operation costs and increase longevity through several means.
Overall
The airframe will be extended infront of the cockpit by replacing the nose of the aircraft with a fuselage extension which will house the inflight refueling gear as well as an upgraded sensor/RADAR package. To maintain balance to the aircraft, the rear of the fuselage will also be extended and the tail height reduced slightly, and the cockpit pushed back. The overall fuselage modifications will extend the length of the aircraft by aproximately 3.4 meters (Or about 10.6 feet)
Part 1
Stealth isn't just about being invisible to RADAR. Infact, almost no aircraft on the planet is capable of fully avoiding RADAR. However, there are other ways of effectively hiding an aircraft based on these basic facts:
* It is possible to have varying degrees of stealth. The exact level and nature of stealth embodied in a particular design is determined by the prediction of likely threat capabilties and the balance of other considerations, including the raw unit cost of the system.
* A mission system employing stealth may well become detected at some point within a given mission, such as when the target is destroyed, however correct use of stealth systems should seek to minimise the possibility of detection.
* Attacking with surprise gives the attacker more time to perform its mission and exit before the defending force can counter-attack.
Mitigating factors include that propellers are notorious for providing a good RADAR return, and that the body of the X1 was not designed for stealth. Certain steps will be taken to minimize the detection. These are all very easy, and cheap ways of increasing the aircraft's ability to avoid detection, and survivability.
Heat: Due to the turboprop engines, The Pucara is one of the coolest-running aircraft in the world. By applying additional insulation around the engines and using heat-absorbing materials around the exhaust ports, the heat signature will be reduced massively. The X1 Sparrow should be very difficult to pick up on infrared, especially at lower altitudes where the air is warmer. (Usually 23,000 feet and lower)
One means of reducing the IR signature is to have a non-circular tail pipe (a slit shape) in order to minimize the exhaust cross-sectional volume and maximise the mixing of the hot exhaust with cool ambient air. Cool air is deliberately injected into the exhaust flow by forward vents to boost this process. To achieve infrared stealth, the exhaust gas is cooled to the temperatures where the brightest wavelengths it radiates on are absorbed by atmospheric carbon dioxide and water vapor, dramatically reducing the infrared visibility of the exhaust plume. Another way to reduce the exhaust temperature is to circulate coolant fluids inside the exhaust pipe, where the fuel tanks serve as additional heat sinks cooled by the flow of air along the wings. The degree of cooling is controlled by an onboard computer.
Shape: To minimize RADAR returns, the most-solid pieces of the airframe (The engine cowling) will employ radar absorbing paint such as iron ferrite and have serrations along the exhaust port to break up RADAR returns. The propeller blades will be made from a composite, the same type used on helicopter blades which rather than scattering RADAR waves, absorb them. While it cannot negate the RADAR returns off the propellers, it should at least reduce the overall signature of the aircraft.
Sound: The X2 Sparrow will feature somewhat larger propeller blades than the original design. This allows them to turn at a slower rate than smaller types and still maintain the same speed, but for greatly reduced sound emissions. Additionally, the turbofans have been retrofitted with noise-dampening technology.
Part 2
As noted earlier, extention of the airframe and moving the cockpit back maintains aircraft balance while allowing for inflight refueling to be installed. The former steel and aluminium skin and frame will be replaced by lightweight titanium. This will save several tons in weight on the X2 allowing for the larger engines and increase the support strength. This translates into more payload.
Speed: Thrust on the aircraft has been increased by approximately 30% on the lighter airframe translating into approximately 48% more power. A unique engine cycle system will be installed, which is essentially a 'glide' mode. Due to the larger prop blades and lighter weight, the X2 will be able to maintain altitude at a slower turn ratio on the propellers. This allows the X2 to loiter above sites using minimal fuel and producing very little heat and almost no sound.
Power: By altering the gearboxes and using larger engines, greater torque can be achieved for the X2 allowing for the fastest acelleration of a turboprop on the planet. This is unecessary for the naval version due to aircraft catapults, will be very useful on short runways. The dogfighting aspect is obvious.
Manuverability: Size of wing and tail flaps will be increased slightly, as well as manuvering flaps. The independant engines allow for power to be increased on either side, providing a wingtip turn within a very tight radius.
Part 3
Avionics Package The X2 is fitted with upgraded warfare avionics. These include:
ULISS 52 inertial navigation system (INS), TRT radio altimeter.
Sextant TMV-980 data display system (VE-130 head-up and VMC-180 head-down) (two head-down for the X2 Sparrow). The combined head-up/head-level display is collimated at infinity, and presents data relating to flight control, navigation, target engagement and weapon firing. Sensor and system management data is presented on two colored lateral displays.
Dassault Electronique Type 2084 central digital computer, Digibus digital databus (2084 XR) and Sextant Avionique Type 90 air data computer.
LMT NRAI-7A IFF transponder, IO-300-A marker beacon receiver, TRT ERA 7000 V/UHF com transceiver, TRT ERA 7200 UHF or EAS secure voice communications.
Radar
CSF RDM multi-mode radar or Dassault Electronique/Thomson-CSF RDI pulse-Doppler radar each with operating range of 54 nm (100 km / 62 miles).
Dassault/Thales Antilope 5 Radar with terrain avoidance capability for low level strikes.
Countermeasures
Radar warning receiver (RWR) with antennas on the wingtips and on the rear of the top of the tailfin.
RF jammer in a pod below the bottom of the tailfin, with an antenna in a fairing on the front of the tailfin.
Flare dispensers, one fitted on an extension behind the rear of each wingroot, giving a total capacity of 224 cartridges.
Weaponry
The X2 comes indigenously equipped with six nose mounted autocannon firings 25mm ammunition. The is similar to the cannons mounted on the A-10 Thunderbolt II, but provide approximately x4 the air-to-ground firepower.
Part 4
The X2 been modified to carry a modified engine operating on soy-derived bio-jet fuel. The project, financed and directed by the Blubland Government made Blubland the largest nation in the world to propel an aircaft with biojet fuel. The project intends to make the X2 less reliant on costly fossil fuels. The larger versions of the same engines will be used, and with Blubland farming as well as imports, the X2 will be able to operate at 90% less fuel costs.
By using technologies already developed, the Blubland project has a minimum of development and research to do. The primary work is the fuselage extention and the redesign, which is mostly done on computers. In using lightweight titanium instead of Composite Armor or Layered Titanium and a turboprop design, the X2 Sparrow comes out well under the price of any other modern day jet fighters.
Specifications
X1 Sparrow Counter-Insurgency / Interceptor Modernization Program
Class: turboprop
Crew: 2
Length: 16.75 m (54 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 14.5 m (47 ft 7 in)
Height: 5.36 m (47 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 30.3m² (326.1ft²)
Powerplant: 2 XVIII turboprops
Max Speed: 765 mph
Cruising Speed: 690 km/h (428 mph)
Loiter Speed: 390 km/h (242 mph)
Range: 4,210 km (2,615 mi) Unlimited with refueling
Armament: 8,800 lb
4 wing hardpoints
3 fuselage hardpoints
6× 25 mm autocannons with 1,250 rounds each (fuselage)
Wing hardpoints: x2 wingtip for missiles, x2 underwing for missiles, bombs or pods.
Fuselage hardpoints: Additional gun pods, bombs, rockets, large missiles, mines, or torpedoes.
Export price: $20 million