Bartgeier Multirole Fighter [Closed-No posting]

by **Common Territories** » Wed Jan 07, 2015 5:22 pm

General characteristics
Crew: 2 (1 for some variants).
Length: 18.4 m.
Wingspan: 12.95 m.
Height: 4.30 m.
Wing area: 52.2 m².
Empty weight: 13,210 kg.
Loaded weight: 24,476 kg.
Max takeoff weight: 30,141 kg.
Powerplant: Single CE Willings afterburner turbofan.
Dry thrust: 115 kN.
Thrust with afterburner: 172 kN

Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 2.1+ (2,320+ km/h).
Ferry range: About 2,220 km. on internal fuel tanks. 4,000 km. on three external fuel tanks.
Combat radius: 1,210 km. on internal fuel tanks. About 1,900 km. on three external fuel tanks.
Service ceiling: 19,000 m.
Wing loading: 375 kg/m².
Thrust/weight: 1.01.

Armament
Gun: One WA Leerings 25mm 5-barreled Gatling Gun.
Ordinance(s): 10,120 kg. on 6 underwing pylons (3 per wing), 4 belly pylon and 2 wingtip rails.

Avionics
AN/APG-103 MMRS (MultiMode Radar Array System).
EOA-26B EOSAS (Electro-Optical Synthetic Aperture System).
EOD-34 EODAS (Electro-Optic Detection and Acquisition Suite).
ADS-22/21 (Active Defensive System).
EOPAS (Electro-Optical Peripheral Aperture System).
Eisen-Schloss Combat Networking System.
GPS/TFR/INS.

Background/Design
The Bartgeier (Bearded Vulture - [Bart-guy-err]) Multirole Fighter is a multiple role fourth generation (early fifth generation) fighter jet designed and manufactured by Wolf Armaments. In dire need of a domestic fighter jet, the TECT Armed Forces put in a order to Wolf Armaments to produce a capable all around, all weather, fighter jet with the most advanced avionics available to fighter aircraft. The order, which would deliver a large grant to Wolf Armaments, specified that the aircraft had to be a "capable air combatant which dominates the air - a ground support, gun armed, and ordnance ready bomber - and two variants for the air force and navy be constructed." Although explored, a STOVL was never developed due to engine worries and airframe design; instead, the base model for the air force and a variant for fleet aircraft carriers was developed. The Bartgeier-A, the air force variant is designed to operate with air forces while the Bartgeier-B is an aircraft built for use on aircraft carriers. Overall, the Bartgeier was designed to dominate in air combat and support ground forces using its large capacity of ground attack weaponry; its multirole ability, however, is its greatest feature. The project came under fire early on especially for its single engine design - it is still daring to produce such a unique design. After many tests and its first test flight in 2005 - the Bartgeier first flew with the TECT Imperial Air Force in 2008 after receiving the first delivery of the aircraft. It has since become the TECT Armed Forces primary F/A aircraft.

Named after the Bearded Vulture (Bartgeier in german); its inspiration came from the aircraft's large wings-to-body ratio, ground attack capabilities, and agility in the air. Designed with many roles in mind, the Bartgeier needed a strong build and strong suit of avionics to be up to the many tasks it would be faced with. Large stable wings, titanium alloy/aluminum alloy/carbon fiber build materials, advanced avionics for air and ground operations, a sleek and smooth design for agile combat maneuvering, and an almost endless list of armaments and pods make this aircraft as versatile as it is efficient. Although stealth was of moderate importance; the designers for the Bartgeier built the aircraft as smooth and sleek as possible, and added where possible absorbent materials to combat radar detection, giving the Bartgeier a slight edge on radar without becoming a dedicated stealth fighter - there is no full stealth coating and pods/missiles on the belly will eliminate the greatest affects of stealth produced, meaning that the Bartgeier's stealth factor is only slightly improved and not on the level of say the F-22 Raptor; it was, after all, not the intention to create a dedicated stealth fighter. What makes the Bartgeier such an amazing aircraft is that it can perform many roles other then a fighter aircraft, hence the 'multirole' name. Among these roles are ground attack, precision bombing, standoff operations, and ground support using the advanced avionics on-board to track and spot ground targets to destroy using its many optional guided missiles/bombs. Long range striking or long range interception are viable thanks to the larger storage of fuel and efficient single engine design - this also assists in air patrols, escorting, and other missions that require long flight periods; these roles, both ground and air, are only some of the many missions that can be fulfilled by the Bartgeier. Electronic warfare, jamming, long range interdiction missions, patrol and interceptions - the list of viable roles is literally almost endless.

As of 2013, the existing Bartgeier fleet in TECT have been upgraded to include modern avionics and pilot technological interfaces - future aircraft are fitted to this specification which eliminates needed outer pods and replaces on-board systems. Included are upgrades to passive radar and warning sensors around the aircraft, giving a full view of threats and other objects surrounding the aircraft (part of the EOPAS system described later on, as well as EOSAS). A better designed combat networking system (Eisen-Schloss in this case) has been customized for better interaction functionality, including better and less distracting display of information, more efficient communications, and better HUMD/HUD layout. These various upgrades vastly improves the Bartgeier's integrated avionics, in which the major components of the software, such as the radar, electronic warfare systems, and weapon systems all act as a single integrated unit. This allows a pilot to check on their aircraft's performance and systems, such as the fly system warnings, instruments, and information gathered by passive, active, or even outside means such as AWACS planes.

Avionics
By far the largest innovation to Commoner fighter jet technology is the integration of advanced avionics into the Bartgeier, which act as a single unit to provide the pilots a detailed and understandable layout of their aircraft and its condition. The nerve center of this system uses the Eisen-Schloss Combat Networking System, however, this customized fighter aircraft variant adapts to the reality of intense flight speeds and haste filled decision makings of a fighter pilot. Eisen-Schloss is an integrated and adaptive battlespace network that maximizes combat lethality, performance, and output and enables command and control on an unprecedented scale in any vehicle, unit, and device that uses; Bartgeier not only receives information at light speeds from this networking, but also uses this advanced software to display important information and operate the aircraft. Information is sourced not only from multiple sources on the individual platform, but from every Eisen-Schloss equipped friendly vehicle within the battlespace, which provides constant informational updates across a broad spectrum of sources, both known to the operators, and operating below their awareness; this means that the Bartgeier can provide affective air support, for example, to a pinned down squad by both visualizing multiple feeds and getting a detailed GPS map location of the target from other sources. This advancement not only improves the safety of ground operators but also increases the efficiency of fighter aircraft, like the Bartgeier, to an unprecedented scale. Eisen-Schloss' ultra-high speed networking permits error-free, high integrity transmission in a bare fraction of the time required for voice-based transmission, and permits transfer of a wide range of data formats, from a multitude of compatible sources through voice, text, and radio. Operators utilize multiple systems including radio and other vocal communication devices, and interfaces that allow multiple communication transmissions, such as video, vocal, and text. These systems, including the Eisen-Schloss Combat System and interaction systems render the aircraft proof against electromagnetic interference or EMP-based attack using encryption and anti-electromagnetic technology, although these systems are a highly expensive addition. It was quickly reasoned, however, that when operating in an environment which may include anti-strategic platforms such as the nuclear arms and EMP weapons, the chances of the platform encountering high levels of electromagnetic interference goes up dramatically, and the dangers this presents for aircraft and their pilots far outweigh the relatively modest (though expensive in absolute terms) cost of the implementation of these countermeasure components.

Bartgeier's combat networking is only the beginning of its advancement in avionic technology. The tip of this long list is the AN/APG-103 MMRS (MultiMode Radar Array System) AESA active radar. This active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar is unique, like other fighter aircraft, so that it can move and aim in different directions; the electrical motor and low amount of moving parts gives the MMRS a quick and safe speed to increase the already quick radar system. Able to scan down, right, left, and up - the MMRS scans all aerial and ground targets for its other avionic systems which deal with targeting of said objects. With a maximum search range of about 350km against 1m2 aerial targets (most fighter aircraft sized targets), and an azimuth of 120 degrees, the radar system is capable of instantly scanning the search area in front of it and acquiring targets accordingly before even entering the range of the opponent’s radar - an important edge that may bring a victorious outcome. Additionally; the MMRS is highly configurable - it is capable of sector sweeps, focused threat sector searches, cued searches, passive detection, and upon detecting the target, is capable of identifying the target category based on return.

The EOA-26B EOSAS (Electro-Optical Synthetic Aperture System) is the MMRS' Synthetic Aperture mode; it is used to scan the ground for targets and various other objects/features. With levels of precision unprecedented in pre-AESA radar, the EOSAS' functionality as a SAR allows it to perform ground scan functions rapidly and effectively; it is capable of mapping far wider areas than older radars due to beam speed and the number of operating elements - the precision and accuracy of the radar is such that it is capable of creating a visual map interface for use by the pilots, from where he can zoom further in or interact with said map; it is literally called the 'Game Map' because pilots compare it to a high-def game map. Acting upon the information gathered and collated by its signal processors; EOSAS is able to detect targets, perform category identification based on existing records and return samples, and track multiple ground targets, either for elimination by guided weapons carried by the aircraft (the accuracy of said EOSAS is such that the aircraft is no longer as reliant on external electronics to either set targets for GPS guided weapons or to track them for other guided weapons without the assistance of its EODAS suite) and/or submitted to information sources via Eisen-Schloss (or other similar combat networking) for information distribution (such as to other aircraft or a map provided to ground forces on scene).

Important to the Bartgeier's precision ground attack and aerial dominance is the EOD-34 EODAS (Electro-Optic Detection and Acquisition Suite). This suite is a multiple capability combined architecture and sensory array used for high precision air-to-air and surface target detection and acquisition - essentially a leap forward in spotting, tracking, and identifying threats, friends, and foes alike. EODAS consists of four primary data sources; an optical (high-quality video) feed, a focal plane (staring) FLIR and a laser transmitter, combat networking suite to provide an influx of information and data from multiple source points (in this case, Eisen-Schloss), as well as a laser spot tracker and GPS locator for support roles. The optical feed sensor is located just in front of the aircraft canopy fixed in an angular housing, while the FLIR and laser arrays are housed in a durable casing located underneath the aircraft’s nose. Capable of rapid removal and replacement, the integrated EODAS represents a step up from the OSF and other such sensors on many fighter jets. The third generation staring FLIR utilized in the EODAS is capable of simultaneous long and mid wave sensory input, giving the pilots the advantage of both IR bands (the former being rapid scanning while the latter, of particular importance for acquisition and engagement, is high accuracy and thus target identification at long range). Capable of acting as both an air-to-ground and air-to-air IRST FLIR, the FLIR’s primary advantage is that it is a passive sensory device, meaning that it is naturally more difficult to detect than an active radar system. In its capacity as an air-to-air implement, it is capable of wide area search and track, much like the AN/APG-103. As an air-to-ground sensor, the FLIR is capable of providing a wealth of passively obtained data to the pilots in the form of a visual output, with a digital zoom capability similar to that of the radar’s SAR mode allowing the pilots to view gathered information in greater detail and act accordingly - which include targeting and destroying and/or sharing the information with other air forces and ground troops. It is capable of acquiring, identifying and tracking targets on the ground for ordnance guidance purposes, while feeding information to the GPS allows it to utilize ordnance in that category as well via IRST input. EODAS is also equipped with an LRMTS (Laser Ranger and Marked Target Seeder) for range finding and weapons guidance purposes. Employing a diode pumped solid state laser, the laser can be used to independently designate targets for laser guided ordnance, as well as active range finding against individual targets. The laser spot tracker, just like it sounds, is used for detecting laser spots generated by other assets for weapons guidance, providing it with useful close air support capabilities as part of its multirole function. The optical feed is simply used to augment the standard field of vision of the pilots, capable of digital zooming and direct output to the cockpit displays, as well as providing visual data to other allied units/commanders.

The EOS-12 EOPAS (Electro-Optical Peripheral Aperture System) acts as the combined architecture and processing unit for the many peripheral awareness sensors (radar and missile warning arrays) generally found in several subsystems on modern fighters, including the Bartgeier. Its primary components are the windowed IR sensors located around the aircraft (there are five on surrounding the Bartgeier for maximum view range), and a number of antennas (thirty) integrated into the fighter’s body. Between them, they are capable of providing comprehensive, all around radar warning and infra-red coverage to the aircraft in any weather condition; the data collected from the sensors is collated digitally, thus providing the Bartgeier with unbroken area coverage with lightning speed - this, permitting all around surveillance and monitoring, is a cornerstone to the level of defense put into the Bartgeier. The system is capable of detecting and tracking aircraft and missiles in every direction around the aircraft, and in the case of the latter, is also capable of recording launch locations - the Bartgeier is capable of tracking and spotting ground or air launches, ground fire such as tank or other cannon fire using the EOA-26B EOSAS coupled with the EOPAS. The radar warning receivers operate similarly, capable of radar emission direction and location finding and analysis as well as basic detection; these SIGINT capabilities are put to use in the Bartgeier's ADS-22/21 (Active Defensive System) array. Furthermore, the ADS suite is capable of detecting low power beams across a number of spectrums and associating them through stored data with radar tracking, increasing the possibility of detecting multi-beam, low-power frequency hopping radar systems. The effective range of EOPAS is significantly greater than that of the MMRS radar, and does not require active emissions for target detection; as such, it provides both a powerful complement and a stealthier alternative to the more powerful radar array. EOPAS also fills a number of other roles, further enhancing the Bartgeier's multirole profile. Its all-around IRST coverage allows it to track hostile aircraft regardless of their position relative to the aircraft when within range; from here the pilot is able (with the correct helmet interface) to perform off-boresight targeting and engagement with short-range air-to-air missiles, where engagement simply involves looking at the target and firing. Another use of EOPAS is as a replacement for traditional night-vision optics; as the system provides all-around IR imaging coverage, the pilot is able to eliminate the need for heavy night-vision goggles and cockpit illumination; rather, through his helmet interface, he is able to make use of thermal imaging that substitutes traditional night-vision equipment, thus removing a significant amount of bulk from the pilot’s equipment. Another use of EOPAS lies in the provision of all-around vision; the pilot’s ability to utilize 360 degrees thermal imaging to give them all-around sight greatly affects the disadvantages of a closed, canopied cockpit in terms of peripheral visual awareness.

Equipped with a wide array of sensory inputs and other avionic tools, the Bartgeier achieves exceptionally high levels of peripheral awareness through the data collected by EOPAS, MMRS, and also the Eisen-Schloss Combat Networking System. However, this data must be collected and utilized in a coherent fashion to maximize its utility, which is the pilot's intuition, training, and avionic tools provided. This role is filled by the ADS-22/21 (Active Defensive System). The Active Defensive System is a systems structure that collates the data obtained via the fighter’s sensory inputs and directs the Bartgeier’s extensive electronic and physical countermeasures suite accordingly; information gathered by the MMRS, EOPAS, and other avionics tools is collated along with additional information provided by combat networking data/information. The term is utilized to refer to both the system and the countermeasure components - it gathers information from the Bartgeier's perception abilities and then utilizes the active defense systems on-board in a quick matter to protect the pilots and aircraft. As its electronic countermeasures suite, ADS features two-stage active defensive jamming on electronic warfare pods located at the rear of the aircraft. The first stage relies on DRFM (digital radio frequency memory) based jamming; digitally capturing radio signals and utilizing solid state transmitters, retransmitting it to the source radar system. The DRFM jamming suite is capable of retransmitting the signal stored in its memory, thus creating the impression of a normal return. However, the signal is modified prior to retransmission; by changing areas of the signal such as frequency, the jamming suite is capable of returning false returns to the source radar that cannot be identified as fabricated signals, while changing key characteristics of the return such as detected size, range and velocity. As such, DRFM is an exceedingly difficult form of jamming to detect and counteract, as it is virtually indistinguishable from actual radar signal returns. This is the ‘low power’ component of ADS' defensive jamming suite; it also possesses a high power jamming system which operates along cruder premises, with an active array employing directed active high power radiation beams to directly attack and incapacitate enemy radar arrays directly. In addition to its defensive jammer suite, ADS also utilizes a number of physical countermeasure suites standard to most aircraft. Chaff dispensers stacked horizontally are placed under the each wing far off to the side - each canister containing differently sized strips of aluminum coated glass fibre. This is utilized to flood hostile tracking radar with returns. ADS is also equipped with chaff pods (of four launchers, with three cartridges per launcher), the aluminum chaff cartridges employing electrical expulsion of Magnesium/Teflon/Viton pyrolant and separated oxygen for high speed, high effectiveness ignition at higher altitudes.

Cockpit
The cockpit, another important sphere of influence, was designed for and by pilots who used former TECT fighter aircraft; providing ideas, solutions, and much more valued information that went into designing a modern fighter jet's cockpit. Designers studied other aircraft like the Dassault Rafale and the Lockheed-Martin F-22 - using them as examples for study and improvement. Therefore, Bartgeier has an evolved pilot friendly cockpit utilizing over two-hundred years of technology and input. The Bartgeier's cockpit is fully glass, two seated cockpit for a flight officer and weapons officer, relying almost entirely on digital displays and audio cues to provide real-time information to the pilots; an easy to handle text pad is also available though not entirely needed. Like many aircraft, the Bartgeier employs a HOTAS (Hands-On Throttle And Stick) layout in a force-sensitive side stick/throttle layout so as to maximize pilot access to key flight and combat systems without changes of position to facilitate the use of the aircraft despite its complex electronics suite. Additionally, the Bartgeier employs a Voice Input Control (VIC) system to feed command and control interfaces; this additional level of human-machine interaction, albeit primitive and partly user-dependent, provides pilots with an alternative to manual interaction with systems equipment, reducing their workload by increasing the range of tasks accomplishable from the HOTAS position without movement.

The glass cockpit pilot interface is designed with the ability to fully harness the power of the Bartgeier’s formidable capabilities through a human channel, bring relative simplicity and ease of use to reduce pilot workload, and systems redundancy in the event of failures. The primary source of flight and combat information for the pilot lies in the Helmet-Mounted Display System (HMDS) that forms the cornerstone of data provision on the Bartgeier, as well as providing protection at ejection airspeed to prevent pilot injury when attempting an emergency egress from the aircraft. The integrated active-matrix Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) mounted over the usual location of the pilot's visor provides the pilot with a HUD replacement capable of displaying flight and target information, following the pilot’s head movements to follow targets and engage them if so desired utilizing the IRST tracking functions of the EOPAS system for off-boresight engagements, and providing better efficiency when displaying various information. Other such information can be shown here; though the uses of the HMDS in actual flight are too varied and too many to be comprehensively listed here, a number of notable capabilities permitted by complete interface/sensor fusion includes the ability to switch between navigation maps within the HMD interface itself, allowing the pilot to fly the aircraft while observing a map at the corner of their eyesight, the HMDS’s complete display of scanned, tracked and engaged targets in real time, allowing pilots to respond more quickly and effective (this is a modifiable attribute of the HMDS, with the option to select displayed targets according to the sensory input used (thus preventing BVR contacts from cluttering the HMDS interface), and the ability to use the all-around IR sensory inputs to shift a 360 degree digitally constructed IR return map onto the HMDS visor, thus giving the pilots complete vision in every direction, complete with the targeting returns obtained by the IRST if desired giving the pilots a significant advantage over traditional ‘analogue’ pilots (this is utilized by most pilots as their all aspect night vision array in place of heavy goggles), and a direct connection to visual and other sources connected to the combat network. The HMDS helmet is also equipped with a piezoelectric vibration microphone so as to ensure that accurate voice returns are obtained over the background noise of the aircraft, as well as an active noise dampener; overall, the high speed responses obtained via the use of the LCD HMDS give the pilots a significant engagement speed advantage despite the relative complexity of the aircraft by further decreasing the workload placed upon certain parts of him, splitting it between other areas of his body as well as passing most visual functions to his display, thus decreasing his reliance on heads-down, attention drawing electronic displays. This makes the Bartgeier's pilots a fast and efficient machine capable of quicker decisions and increasing the pilots efficiency.

As with many tools and machines in warfare, or around the world, they fail; that is why Bartgeier has alternative systems to operate from in case of any malfunction to operating systems. Directly ahead of the flight officer is a wide field of vision HUD with a rubber buffer to prevent inward shattering during canopy impact, providing the pilot with an alternative display in the event of HMDS failure; relatively simple, it is designed to ensure that the pilot is able to use it immediately when required, employing the same symbology as the HMDS. Directly underneath the HUD mount, a small communications frequency control panel is place to allow the pilot to easily switch across communications channels while remaining aware of the battlefield, adding to the Bartgeier’s level of communication and connectivity on the battlefield. As well as this communications control panel, a warning display panel is also located into this electronics section to ensure that the pilot is provided with heads-up awareness of faults within the Bartgeier, ensuring rapid responses. This warning display is a small LCD screen, taking up minimal space on the cockpit panel itself, working in conjunction with the audio cue system to ensure that faults identified by the self-diagnostics system are rapidly communicated to the pilots. The screen arrangement of the Bartgeier utilizes five screens in a layout that balances ease of utility and system redundancy to ensure usability under any circumstances. The Central Interface Display is a 36x35cm (height by width) liquid crystal display touch screen located in the center of the cockpit panel. The CID utilities a purely touch-based control interface with no button based redundancy, opting instead to fully employ the available space to present necessary information to the pilot. To either side of the CID, two Secondary Interface Displays (SID) of 32x18cm are found running along the sides of the cockpit panel; like the CID, these are LCD touch screens, but come equipped with MFD physical button based controls for redundancy purposes. Located directly underneath the CID, between the pilot’s legs, a Lower Interface Display (LID) of 15x15cm can be found; against, like the SIDs, this is an LCD touch screen equipped with MFD button based controls.

Ultimately, the Bartgeier is a combat aircraft; it, like all aircraft, are susceptible to either catastrophic failures or enemy inflicted damage. This is why Bartgeier designers put in place systems and procedures to rescue pilots in the face of immediate danger, most notably the ejection system used for the pilots. When in use, seats are placed at a 29 degree angle, much like other aircraft, to improve pilot tolerance of high g-forces without compromising the pilot’s access and view of flight instruments and controls. In its capacity as an ejection system, the seat is both accessible and effective. Unlike many modern aircraft, the ejection system is can be activated mechanically via a folded lever (the lever/button is unfolded then pressed down immediately, starting the ejection process) placed to the right wall of both pilots; since it is a dual cockpit, both switches will cause the ejection of both pilots - that is why pilots are trained to be weary about accidentally or hastily flipping the switch. Automatically, however, the ADS will activate the ejection if it detects catastrophic damage, cockpit bubble damage, crew environment hazardous conditions, or provides suggestions when to eject - ejection can be triggered through the HMDS interface as well. The seats are a twin catapult and thruster ejection model, mounted along side rails, and comes with a number of features to ensure pilot safety. A net based arm restraint system is mechanically deployed together with the seat’s ejection to keep the pilot’s body within safe confines during the ejection process. An on-board oxygen generator works in conjunction with backup oxygen bottles to provide the pilot with a redundant oxygen supply while nonetheless achieving overall weight advantages over traditional oxygen-bottle based designs, allowing for safe ejection at higher altitudes by balancing out the oxygen supply as necessary. The drogue parachute is located behind the pilot’s head, and forced out by a mortar mechanism; the lack of a fixed cord system or any deployment mechanisms of that nature are to allow the ejection seat to deploy the parachute according to altitude and flight speed data uploaded at the point of ejection, thus maximizing pilot safety according to position and decreasing the possibility of failures such as the application of immense shock to the pilot through parachute deployment at high speed, or late parachute ejection in zero-zero conditions. The seat comes with a survival pack housed in a fiberglass box located underneath it, which include a medical supplies, transponder, one MP5E Sub-Machine gun with four (30 round) magazines of ammunition, one Wolf Fang Multi-Tool, and two 'Doggy Bag' MRE Packs (for TECT pilots, for example).

Powerplant/Propulsion
Innovative and daring, the Bartgeier is powered by a single CE Willings afterburner turbofan engine. Designers originally decided on a twin engine concept similar to many aircraft but was soon changed based on plans for a powerful single engine concept. Improving engine reliability and ease of maintenance is a major objective of the the Willings; the engine has fewer parts than similar engines which should help improve reliability and all line-replaceable components (LRCs) can be removed and replaced with a set of six common hand tools. Additionally, the Willing's health management system, which is connected to the aircraft's combat networked interface, is designed to provide real time data to maintainers on the ground as well as the pilots, allowing them to troubleshoot problems and prepare replacement parts before the aircraft returns to base. Even so, critics were worried the engine would not be powerful enough to carry normal, or maximum payloads, of ordnance let alone be fast enough to intercept other aircraft. Tests conducted showed the Willings had 1.01 weight to power ratio - allowing the Bartgeier to travel at Mach 2.1+ (2,320+ km/h) with standard weight loads. In essence, the Willings is an oversize variant of many single engine designs such as the F-35's Pratt & Whitney F135 - which, for example, did not have enough thrust to carry additional armaments; this is why designers improved the Willings and increased its size by a substantial amount.

The ability to supercruise has been an effective requisite for most current generation aircraft, and the powerful Willings is able to propel the Bartgeier to such speeds with little difficulty. It utilities a twin-spool layout with large air-intakes to maximize the output of the engine, with an axial flow, counter-rotating turbine with a three-stage low pressure compressor and seven stage high pressure compressor, utilizing composite blisks to replace traditional rotor disks with long service-life, low maintenance integrally bladed rotors. The composites (a ceramic titanium alloy) used in these integrally bladed rotors gives them a strength advantage over previous generation materials and disks. Between these design aspects, the Willings is able to achieve radical airflow and thus efficiency increases over legacy powerplants. Similar composite alloy wide-blade disks are used throughout the turbofan engine; these two materials are used throughout the engine in high-heat areas like the nozzle or the annular combustor chamber (which is also lined with cobalt tiles). The high heat resistance of these materials greatly increase the turbofan’s durability, further adding to the Willing's low-maintenance, high-reliability powerplant. Active cooling employing PAO cooling fluid is used to actively regulate engine external temperatures while in operation. To fully exploit the capabilities of the Willings, a digital control suite is employed with the turbofan engine to control elements such as thrust nozzle positioning, oxygen intake, and fuel injection - all of which is controlled automatically with the combat networking interface for the aircraft. This digital control suite ensures that the many features of the Willings, too many for direct control by the pilot, are controlled efficiently and optimally for use in a variety of environments and combat situations, further enhancing the Bartgeier’s flexibility across the spectrum of potential hazards and situations. The Bartgeier’s large delta wings give it exceptional fuel storage capabilities. These can be enhanced through the carrying of over-wing conformal or under-wing drop tanks, which there are three positions (one per wing and one for the belly) for. The ferry range is about 2,220 km. on internal fuel tanks, 4,000 km. on three external fuel tanks. The combat radius is 1,210 km. on internal fuel tanks, about 1,900 km. on three external fuel tanks; the Bartgeier also has a service ceiling of about 19,000 m.. An external port for in-air refueling located in the center of the plane increases flight range with the assistance of in-air refueling aircraft.

Armament
Bartgeier, as a multirole fighter, has an extensive list of compatible armaments that equip it for almost any role. As an air dominance fighter, the Bartgeier is capable of equipping short to long range guided missiles - assisted by the advanced avionic suites, the Bartgeier easily has standoff capabilities against other aircraft (that goes for ground targets as well). The varying degree of air-to-ground ordnance allows the Bartgeier to target and destroy any ground opponent it may face. The Bartgeier was designed with a large payload in mind - to extend its roles and its flight length, designers built the Bartgeier with a strong airframe capable of a 10,120 kg. payload using its four underwing pylons, 1 belly pylon, and 2 wingtip rails. For its primary armament, the Bartgeier uses a single WA Leerings 25mm 5-barreled Gatling Gun located bellow the pilots' left side; a well tested and well known type of aircraft armament used for close dog fighting, but mostly however, for strafing ground targets. This cannon uses a a semi-armor piercing high explosive incendiary (SAPHEI) round, providing substantial improvements in range, accuracy, and power that rips most ground targets to pieces. The wide variety of ordnance available is a key feature for the Bartgeier; it can deploy NATO/US standard ordnance, Soviet/Russian ordnance, and similar air launched/dropped ordnance from around the world. A comprehensive list of standard ordnance, however, is listed bellow:

Missiles
Air-to-Air

Air-to-Ground

Air-to-Ship

Bombs

Variants

Bartgeier-B: The 'B' variant of the Bartgeier is the carrier-capable model modified in areas to allow for effective use aboard medium to large catapult equipped fleet carriers. The Bartgeier-B features mid-foldable wings to greatly reduce its occupied area when in transit, a reinforced landing gear and carriage for carrier landings, and a twin-wheel forward landing gear and reinforced arrestor hook for use aboard carrier decks. The pilots' seats come with automatic deployable sea life raft (reflective orange and yellow) that detect water landings and deploys shortly after (comes with sea survival kit, such as water catcher and sun shade flaps as well as the standard survival kit).

Bartgeier-C: The 'C' variant of the Bartgeier is a VTOL modified version of the original 'B' model. Outfitted with a modified engine system that allows for VTOL operations - Bartgeier-C's are intended to be used on amphibious assault ships and light carriers, among other sea vessels lacking a catapult and arrestor wire system. They do not posses arrestor hooks but do posses the remaining features the 'B' model has, including reinforced landing gears and folding wings.

Bartgeier-EW/B & EW/C: The 'Electronic Warfare' model of the Bartgeier is a specialized electronic warfare variant of the Bartgeier designed to detect, track, jam, and destroy anti-air threats. EW models come in either 'A' variant (Bartgeier-A/EW) or 'B' variant (Bartgeier-B/EW). Upgraded with electronic warfare equipment, such as an electronic warfare system and wingtip jamming pods, EW Bartgeier's are designed to escort aircraft, protecting them from surface-to-air threats and airborne early warning aircraft. EW's are capable of detecting and jamming tracking systems, such as ground radars, and when armed can hunt down emission sources (such as mobile radar sites or stationary radar facilities).

Export
The Bartgeier Multirole Fighter is available for export on the Wolf Armaments official storefront for $120 Million NSD per unit; $125 Million NSD for the 'B' and 'C' variants; EW models of the Bartgeier cost $135 Million NSD. Domestic Production Rights are restricted on case by case basis; only close nations to Wolf Armaments, with permission from the Imperial Government of TECT, are allowed to purchase the DPR rights. The cost for the DPR rights to the aircraft, including plans, example models, avionics and tools, and engineer advisers for early production monitoring will cost $1.5 Trillion NSD.

Bartgeier Multirole Fighter [Closed-No posting]

Bartgeier Multirole Fighter [Closed-No posting]

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