Your Nation's Air Force Mark II:

[Velkanika]

Mind any grammar or spelling errors, i'm posting from my phone between midterms.

It's rediculously hard to pin down an F-22 in a dogfight due to their ability to choose their fights and completely control the start of an engagement. Typically the first warning of a raptor is when AMRAAMs start materialising out of thin air. If you're lucky and have really good IRST, you'll know that someone may have just shot a missile in a 10 degree cone somewhere between 10 and 100 miles from you, depending on aspect, atmospherics, and rate of bearing change. Of course, that doesn't really tell you much when the sensor trips when ANYONE pops a missle. So assuming the pilot of our intrepid non-stealth fighter is on his game and figures out that some asshole in a Raptor just took a shot at him, he still can't shoot back because all he has to work with is a very rough range and bearing estimate that the other guy was on at some point in the recent past. He could try a bearingonly shot, but that will almost certainly fail to lock anything. The only real chance the nonstealth has is to get a passive track and bore in, dodging missiles the entire way.

You cannot sustain such losses of pilots in wartime. More to follow after my next exam.

[Velkanika]

You guys are missing something very important to the debate regarding military spending.

China and Russia are dropping over a demographic and economic cliff. They're not going to be a threat to the US military for the next 20 years at minimum unless they can catch up technologically in the next three years or so.

The size of the Russian military will drop by, at minimum, half this year and the economic sanctions from the West has eradicated their petroleum export income, which is the majority of the Russian economy. We're not going to see the PAK-FA in significant numbers like those predicted when it first flew and we're likely not going to see most of the high-profile superprojects the Russians have been announcing over the last few years because they do not and will not have the money to pay for any of it. All of the budget projection numbers they used to plan military acquisitions were based on their GDP growth prior to the sanctions over the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.

China is in better shape for the short term, but their GDP growth for the last few years has been domestic consumer driven. The entire boom has been fueled by a population spike that corresponds with the last kids born before the one-child policy went into effect, and there is no replacement generation to maintain growth. The PRC is going to enter into a major recession in the next few years, and it's going to be very interesting to see if the Communist Party can maintain control.

[Velkanika]

economic sanctions from the West has eradicated their petroleum export income,

No they haven't. The petroleum is still being exported - but as we all know oil prices have fallen over a cliff.

People have been making catastrophic predictions about Russia for many years, I suspect they're wrong yet again.

Growth in Russia is expected to recommence in 2017-2018.

I phrased that wrong, so I'll try to make my point properly this time.

Russian aggression against their neighbors, or more specifically when they disrupted natural gas deliveries to Europe, have caused the Central Europeans to start serious work on diversifying their energy supply. Their biggest customer is leaving the market for more reliable suppliers, and a lot of Eastern Europe is signalling that they may do the same. This will accelerate due to the US now being a net energy exporter and having a near monopoly on shale oil.

Note that Russia's total fertility rate is in fact improving due to the falling death rate there.

That'll help them in 20 years if the trend continues.

Edit: Nice find Syndicate.

[Velkanika]

The size of the Russian military will drop by, at minimum, half this year

This will not happen. Right now the Russian military is 736,000 men.

To halve it would require a reduction to 366,000 or so, that won't happen.

Take a look at the number of 15-19 year olds. Those are the age groups that will be hitting their three-year mandatory military service periods over the next year or two. Compare that with the 25-29 year olds who are now leaving conscriptable age, which has a cutoff of 27 in Russia. They simply do not have the demographics to maintain their current manpower.

Another way in which Russia is solving its demographic shortcoming is ALL OF THE IMMIGRATION.

That won't be enough by itself. The only chance for the Russians at this point is to either obtain control over the choke points that dominate historic invasion routes into Russia or hope that no one important starts a war with them for another twenty years. Georgia and Ukraine seem to indicate their choice well enough.

Europe has been trying to shake off its reliance on Russia for the past few decades.

I fully suspect the current trend to do so will just as much success as the last few, especially since the USA refuses to be Europe's petrol daddy.

We'll see how they do this time. The Poles at least are definitely moving away from Russia with the construction of the Świnoujście LNG terminal.

I'm not gonna say you're wrong as such, but let's just remember what's happened every other time people have made firm predictions about recessions...

Fair enough. We'll see what happens to their oil income over the next few years, that'll be a good indicator of how things are headed for them.

[Velkanika]

Take a look at the number of 15-19 year olds. Those are the age groups that will be hitting their three-year mandatory military service periods over the next year or two. Compare that with the 25-29 year olds who are now leaving conscriptable age, which has a cutoff of 27 in Russia. They simply do not have the demographics to maintain their current manpower.

1. Russia doesn't have a three-year mandatory service period anymore. It's a one-year service term.
2. Over half of Russian troops are not conscripts anymore. Anyone up to 35 years old may enlist.

That was a reaction to not having enough suitable men available to draft. General Nikolai Makarov said as much five years ago while he was Chief of the General Staff.

The Russians have been trying to generate interest in military careers, but I do not know how effective they have been. Patriotism and distrust of the West is certainly on the rise, and they have recently restarted psudo-military competitions between their equivalent of high school students. A lot of the old Soviet basic military training and indoctrination programs for young adults have been restarted in the last six years, and I'm absolutely certain that it's part of their efforts to increase the number of volunteers in their military.

Georgia and Ukraine seem to indicate their choice well enough.

There is no demographic problem that Russia suffers from that Ukraine doesn't suffer from in an even worse way. Plus, Ukraine has no air force (it has something like nine fixed-wing aircraft which it didn't want to fly over Donbass after mid-2014 for fear of MANPADS), and has a shortage of tanks and IFVs so severe they are now bolting ZU-23s to the top of MTLBs. To fix this would require Ukraine to entirely unfuck its economy and military-industrial complex. Given Ukraine's economy is vastly worse off than Russia... good luck with that.

I wasn't saying that Ukraine would win that war. Ukraine will fall and either become part of Russia again or a puppet state unless NATO, or more specifically the United States, United Kingdom, or Germany, gets into a direct confrontation with the Russians. Either option allows Russia to control access from the Wallachian Plain at the mouth of the Danube. Once Ukraine is down, the next step will be either consolidating in Georgia or going after the Baltics and closing the Suwalki Gap. If they touch the Baltics, Poland will interpret that as an existential threat and will likely go to war to prevent their fall.

[Velkanika]

Is a stealth bomber with the payload capabilities of the B-52 overkill?

That depends entirely on what it's supposed to do. What kind of target is it supposed to attack, and how is it going to do it?

[Vendee-Anjou]

Here is the frontline fighter for the Royal Vendean Air Force. It is a French-built Mirage 2000:

[Vendee-Anjou]

[Vendee-Anjou]

(Image)

A Vendee nation?

Quick, can we be allies?

Absolutely a Vendee nation. My nation has an alternate history, wherein the Vendee Rebellion against the French Republic (1791) succeeded.

As for being allies, while I am open to the possibility, I am not sure how that would work since we are in different regions. Still, I am willing to explore the possibility.

[Verdiga]

We have JAS-39 Gripens as our main fighter.

Our main attack helicopter is the AH-1Z Viper.

The UH-60 Blackhawk is our primary troop transport helicopter.

We use C-130J Super Hercules planes for our main cargo plane.

[Versail]

Out of curiosity which would perform better as a interceptor F/A-18E/F or the SU-27?

[Versail]

UPDATED

-snip-

I don't care how powerful you want to seem, having many thousands of aircraft is completely infeasible. That is to say nothing of their infeasible designs.

Somehow I feel this is going to be met with a blissfully ignorant 'IDC.'

On the bright side he will run out of fuel quickly if he uses his air-force.

[Versail]

I am currently designing an air-dominance fighter and for the sake of my sanity what are the specs I should focus on?

[Versail]

I am currently designing an air-dominance fighter and for the sake of my sanity what are the specs I should focus on?

Speed, ie engines
Manuverability, ie large wings

With those two, you're golden. Anything else is up to you. Maybe have a ton of hardpoints so that you can carry a bunch of AA missiles. Stealth is up to you, but stealth is fragile, can be beaten, and only really good against those who're inferior to you.

Thank you.
The person who i'm going to be up against has far better tech and focuses on his air-force so I have to take it into consideration.
My new question is should I have it be easily mass-produceable or high-quality?

[Versail]

Final question: for air-dominance delta-wing or regular wing?

[Versail]

Final question: for air-dominance delta-wing or regular wing?

I'd say large and wide regular wings because You're not trying to gain speed in a dog fight, you're trying to turn and get behind your opponent. larger wings means more surface area and in turn they become more maneuverable.

On a side note, don't be afraid to ask more questions. We're here to help after all.
Also, can I see this RP that you're in? I'm curious.

No rp yet sorry.

[Versail]

What should I fix?

Name: Groenwahn.
Type:Air-dominance fighter.
Length:21 meters.
Wingspan:16 meters.
Height:7 meters.
Propulsion:2 PV-321 18,000 kgf engines.
Total Net Thrust:36,000 kgf.
Empty Weight:24,210 kg.
Maximum Take-Off Weight:45,000 kg.
Minimum Fuel Weight (0.25):11,250 kg.
Maximum Fuel Weight (0.35):15,750 kg.
Limit Per/Number of Pylon(s):1,500 kg/8
Normal Payload:16,000 kg.
Maximum Payload:21,000 kg.
Normal Combat Weight:36,000 kg.
Thrust-to-Weight Ratio:1:1
Combat Range:2,100 km.
Ferry Range:4,600 km.
Operational Ceiling/Altitude:40,000 km.
Maximum Altitude:62,000 km.
Cruising Speed: Mach 1.15.
Supercruising Speed:Mach 1.25.
Maximum Speed:1,450 km/h
Crew (List):1 pilot, 1 copilot ( optional.)
Price:120 million per unit.

[Versail]

What should I fix?

Name: Groenwahn.
Type:Air-dominance fighter.
Length:21 meters.
Wingspan:16 meters.
Height:7 meters.
Propulsion:2 PV-321 18,000 kgf engines.
Total Net Thrust:36,000 kgf.
Empty Weight:24,210 kg.
Maximum Take-Off Weight:45,000 kg.
Minimum Fuel Weight (0.25):11,250 kg.
Maximum Fuel Weight (0.35):15,750 kg.
Limit Per/Number of Pylon(s):1,500 kg/8
Normal Payload:16,000 kg.
Maximum Payload:21,000 kg.
Normal Combat Weight:36,000 kg.
Thrust-to-Weight Ratio:1:1
Combat Range:2,100 km.
Ferry Range:4,600 km.
Operational Ceiling/Altitude:40,000 km.
Maximum Altitude:62,000 km.
Cruising Speed: Mach 1.15.
Supercruising Speed:Mach 1.25.
Maximum Speed:1,450 km/h
Crew (List):1 pilot, 1 copilot ( optional.)
Price:120 million per unit.

Just to clarify, the 7 meters tall is from the wheels to the Vertical stabilizers?

Also, you need more thrust. More thrust is good.

"Thrust to wieght ratio"
This doesn't exist to my knowledge. It normally goes Trust vs Drag (ratio) and Weight vs Lift.

Speed: For an ASF, speed is not critical but would be good. Maybe make it faster? For reference, the Raptor goes at 1.82 mach.

Yes it is from wheels to stabilizers.

[Versail]

Other then what was said is the fighter good for use in rp's?

[Versail]

Other then what was said is the fighter good for use in rp's?

Sure. It seems to fit your need. Are you gonna lineart it? It would be nice.

Probably.

[Versail]

Other then what was said is the fighter good for use in rp's?

Since you didn't comment on my previous comment, you may want to up your "normal combat load" - at present, 36,000kg, it allows your 24,000kg empty aircraft to take on its minimum fuel load of 11,000kg and load up one of its eight hardpoints to maximum capacity.

I did not see your comment earlier sorry and the revised specs will take that into consideration.

[Versail]

I did not see your comment earlier sorry and the revised specs will take that into consideration.

Also, service ceiling of 40,000 kilometers?

Yes.

[Versail]

Another thing to fix.
4,000 km apropriate?

[Versail]

Another thing to fix.
4,000 km apropriate?

Still orbital.

40km.

okay then.

[Versail]

If the unit knew it was going to be operating without supply it could probably load up its vehicles with as much extra stuff as possible and might last a bit longer

right?

The unit would wonder why you went to the Chair-force and not the Army or Marines.