Due to the growing concern over the longevity of the F-4 Pantom IIs currently serving in the Hurtian air-arm, and the availability of modern aircraft from friendly nations to fit within a limited budget, weapons procurement was in a jam...
Due to a sever lack of conventional materials for building aircraft, a limited quantity of war-weary frontline aircraft had been slated for scrapping. This however, only allowed for 100 metric tons of vital war materials to be divided amongst what was planned to be no less than 100 twin-engined airframes.
A stopgap purchase of F-5Ms were made, but the performance of these was found quite lacking compared to the aircraft it was to replace (the F-4) in both BVR air to air and general-purpose ground-pounding, the ground pounding in particular. However, the real value of this purchase lay in knowledge of the "fiberglass" TF-70 engine from Aerospace Logistics and how to build more of them.
Airframe construction:No more than 15% alumunum-lithium and no more than 5% titanium. These are primarily used in the engine, wing-pivot, and high-stress/high-temperature areas.
Bulk of frame is of reinforced polymers such as but not limited to carbon-impregnated epoxy, with thin-strand aluminum/copper reinforcing wires to improve max wing-loading and heat dispersion.
To keep the composite airframe from melting or burning-up, in addition to limiting its radar-signature, much of the airframe was covered in alternating strips of alumia- and ironball- based paints applied in two coats over the carbon-epoxy stressed skin. The belief behind using strips was that it would cut-down of the [loaded] plane's RCS by 12% and prevent radar-waves from hitting the few but extremely reflective metalic parts inside while conducting excess heat away from the aircraft's leading edges.
Butterfly tail assemby is used to hide IR signature from overhead interceptors and lighten the airframe whilst improving dynamic instability.
Also located here are one of the four Radar-warning recievers, an aircraft parachute, and engine cooling vent.
Propulsion/Engine:Twin engines based upon
ALC (V10's) TF70 design (itself a plasticized copy of the
GE F404/F414), there is some controversy as to whether this copying of a protected company secret has been legitimate or a product of poor reverse engineering, as the indiginously produced engines have been observed suffering various problems and generally performing less than anticipated.
The noted lack of sustained thrust has forced the design-team to consider the plane a long-range tactical bomber, rather than as the originally planned multi-role long-range interceptor.
In spite of the engine's shortcomings, they have been used to demonstrate supersonic sprints near ground level, though authorities have denied the press from observing the aftermath of these demonstrations upon the airframes.
The hurtian engine has been reported to burn methane* and involves water-alchohol injection and/or a water-jacket to help cool the entire engine during full power usage. Other forms of active cooling are aparently used, due to the distinct ram-air intakes nested within the wing glove.
The main engine intakes are alongside the fusalage, and features a split-S bend, presumably to reduce RCS.
Aerodynamic considerations:Due to the limited nature of hurtian airfields, the ever-increasing size of the plane, and the reliability issues associated with blown lifting-surfaces powered by the unreliable engine available, resaulted in the decision to use the archiac and out of place swing-wing.
Inevitably, this feature used up a considerable portion of critically rationed allotment of titanium, but it was deemed that this would return the favor with improved reliability and better performance.
Then came the issue of control. With the wings swept, normal aileron control would prove useless, and spoilers could prove fataly unresponsive. It was decided to use a flying tail-surface and spoilers inside the exhaust-nozzles to facilitate rapid high-speed manuvering at high and low altitude with and without power.
However, it was noted that excessive use of engine-spoilers or thrust-reversers would damage the tailframe, so this feature was deleted in early models until 2D thrust vectoring was decided upon instead.
The front of the fusalage was given chines with spoilers for redundancy, as the butterfly tail-surfaces were designed to be considerably more vertical and each placed outboard the engines.
Another interesting feature of the plane was a "dogtooth" on the outer edge of each wing-glove to further improve handling at high angles of attack, presumably reflecting the last second change in role from a lightly loaded interceptor to a heavily laden bomber. This dogtooth also seems to be used to break the shock-wave upon the ram-air intakes and pitot tubes.
Electronics/Avionics:For a "mud-mover", the sensors are quite advanced, containing no less than three IIR modules allowing a passive "look-down, shoot-down" capability, each slewed to their own laser-designator, allowing LOBL-LOS from the aircraft and hands-free targeting during highly evasive manuvers so long as the target remains within the 270 degree frontal arc.
Advanced software has allowed each IIR/Laser module to frequency hop and designate for two targets each.
The radar, of course, is no less advanced, being literally ripped from pre-existing long-range missile interceptors, allows for active tracking of enemy ships out to many hundreds of kilometers. and with finite enough resolution for Terrain-contour mapping, navigation, and reconisance.
Included, is a strap-down ring-laser gyroed inertial guidance that recieves updates from GPS, ground control stations, and known TERCOM maps in order to penetrate deep into enemy territory with zero radiological emissions.
An advanced Radar Warning Array built conformal to the outer body of the plane, linked with active radar cancelation software routed through the powerful AESA radar and other electronic countermeasures. All of these features are managed by the Weapon Systems Operator in the starboard section of the cockpit. But in the event of incapacitation, the main computer will automatcly deploy countermeasures if enabled, or will prompt the either of the crew to do so, simply by biting the microphone, affectionatly dubbed "the panic button".
Along the each wing glove is an additional RWR and side-looking IR, which combined with the other sensors, provides unprecedented situational awareness out to 600 km, and can locate and track up to 50 targets out to 400 km away. However, constraints on the fire-control system limits each plane to engaging an absolute maximum of 6 targets simultaniously out to only 100 km away. But considering that these planes can only mount weapons onto 12 of their hardpoints, this is acceptable as it is customary to shoot two missiles at each target.
However, all this information would be useless if it wasn't displayed properly on the five multi-function displays, HUD, and centraly located Weapons-scope.
Essential avionics have analog backups, such as airspeed indicator, altimeter, fuel-gauge, engine temprature gauge, and free-floating magnetic compass that doubles as an artificial horizon. Additional bobble-heads are optional.
The plane comes with a water/kerosene refueling probe and a boom-type refueling receptical.
Crew Comfort and Safety:The cockpit seats a pair of operators side-by-side (WSO starboard, pilot to port) with a wide corridor down the center and a small galley in the back (mini-fridge, thermos of coffee, hot-plate, and a crock-pot), though it is only accessible by lying on one's back. This was allowed due to the long endurance this plane must have, with sorties expected to last up to 20 hours without any relief aside from IAR and radio chatter.
The other reason for the side-seating was because the twin-engine layout and large Radar were quite wide, and because "tandem seating looked fugly".
Throttle controls are centrally located, with integral HOTAS for basic pilot functions, while the WSO is tasked with updating and maintaining the computer's simple AI control interface and "roll+pitch" auto-pilot settings and navigation, which was stripped from an advanced cruise missile.
The single canopy was hinged at the rear and locked in front for normal use however, when ejecting the rear hinge is blown and the entire screw-seating-compartment (mini-fridge included) would ride-up, with the roll-bar snagging a hook near the hinge to shear-off the front clasp, forming a large clamshell and protecting the crew no matter where they were. Rapid deceleration from the crew's drogue-chutes in the slipstream would later remove the canopy and allow the crew to parachute safely on their own. A third and international-orange parachute would safely lower the mini-fridge to the ground intact, and in the event of water bailout, would act as a flotation device.
If however, the explosive hinge-bolts fail to detonate, the roll-bar can also be used to penetrate the canopy, though this subjects the crew to high-velocity shards of polycarbonate.
The last option, in the event that your CO removed and sold your ejection seats on the black-market, is to grab the mini-fridge, open the front clasp, and jump. The mini-fridge is important in the event your CO stole one of your parachutes, and so you, your co-pilot, and the mini-fridge, may have to share.
Weapons/Armament:Each wing glove has three weapons hardpoints rated to 500 kg each mounted underwing, with provisions for an additional hardpoint on the "dogtooth" (150 kg each [hints at using AAM-97L]). While the outboard wing sections each carry two fixed pylons that do not swing with the wing, these are rated for 250 kg and are angled 45 degrees inward. Under the fusalage are a pair of long pyons each rated for 2,000 kg (so it may carry the
Hurtian ELRAAM). Brining the max warload to 8,300 kg of external weapons stores.
Under the nose is a recessed bay for an integral gunpod and FLIR, in practice, this is a 35 mm cannon with 60 rounds.