Cost: $205 Million NSD. $400 Billion NSD for DPR. Crew: 3-4 (2 pilots, 1 or 2 loadmasters). Payload: 82,150 kg distributed over 22 pallets, 4 Pumas, 10 Fuchs, 1 Feurig 2A2, or 1 Anakonda/Kondor helicopter. Capacity: 110 to 145 troops. Cargo Space Dimensions: 31 meters long by 5.6 meters wide by 3.80 meters high. Length: 60 m. Wingspan: 52.06 m. Wing area: 354 m². Height: 16.95 m. Empty Weight: 129,068 kg. MTOW: 268,673 kg. Powerplant: 4x Schuchert-1000C5 turbofans, 200 kN each. Fuel Capacity: 137,849 L. Takeoff run at MTOW: 2,300 m. Landing distance: 1,100 m. Cruise Speed: 845 km/h (Mach 0.68). Service Ceiling: 13,761 m. Thrust/Weight: 0.285. Range: 10,000 km.Background & Design The TA-06 Kolibri (Tactical Airlifter 2006 'Redemption' "Hummingbird") is a large military cargo aircraft designed by Wolf Armaments. Intended to compliment the [url]SA-95 Taube[/url] in Imperial Air Force airlift units, the TA-06 was to replace a number of outdated strategic/tactical level transport aircraft in the Imperial Air Force's inventory, including the C-130, the C-124 Globemaster II, and the C-141 Starlifter; with TA-06 performing most tactical and strategic level lifts, the SA-95 could solely focus on oversized strategic transport operations. Although several foreign designs were considered by the TECT Armed Forces, military leaders decided to reinstate the SARP Program ("Strategic Airlifter Replacement Program") under the new designation "STAR", or "Strategic/Tactical Airlifter Replacement Program" in order to produce a brand new strategic/tactical cargo aircraft suited to TECT's strategic interests. The Empire's interests could be better met with a native design because native industries can provide continuous sustainment of replacement parts and new units while also transferring operational security onto the homeland rather than abroad. STAR developed its first prototype soon after SA-95 was delivered to the Imperial Air Force in 1995. That first prototype first flew in 1998 but ultimately failed to pass internal qualification standards after it nearly crashed several times throughout its initial series of test flights. The second prototype, happily nicknamed "Redemption", was largely based on the SA-95's existing technology and airframe; designers felt the SA-95's proven technological developments and innovations were both safer and exemplary of a cargo lifting aircraft. "Redemption" first flew in 2003, undergoing several test flights and qualifying to become the chosen aircraft for development after being approved by internal reviewers. After several series of test flights, modifications/problem fixing, and expert analysis based improvements, the first batch of TA-06 aircraft were delivered to the Imperial Air Force under the designation "Kolibri" or "Hummingbird" - although "Redemption" is still a popular nickname given to the TA-06 by its Imperial Air Force operators.
To begin with, TA-06's primary design focus was the reduction of weight while increasing cargo capacity - just like the SA-95. The heavier an aircraft is the more lift is required to balance its weight; by making the aircraft lighter in weight, you reduce the lift it requires and conserve fuel needed for propulsion. To achieve the goal of reducing weight, designers looked into using the same construction materials that the SA-95 uses in order to eliminate weight without sacrificing cargo space. TA-06's airframe, namely the fuselage, use "composite materials" that reduce weight with similar characteristics of aluminum, a common construction material for aircraft. For the fuselage, the primary composite material is a simple carbon-fibre reinforced polymer; it is constructed into two layers of panels with an aluminum seam keeping them together/reinforced. The engines, the source of propulsion and some of the heaviest contributors of weight for planes, utilize titanium aluminide (TiAI) and ceramic matrix composites (CMC); materials, that when used with turbofan engines, lowers the turbofan's weight by at least fifty percent and improve the turbofan's heat tolerance. Reinforced aluminum for the TA-06's wings have improved their tensile strength, increased their fatigue resistance, and have improved their damage tolerance compared to high-grade aluminum alloys - studies have shown that reinforced aluminum reduces the weight of a plane's wings by twenty-five percent and is excellent for fuel conservation. The wings are swept to twenty-five degrees and are equipped with six internal fuel tanks connected to the four Schuchert-1000C5 turbofan engines via large pylons; TA-06 is able to refuel whilst flying via a fuel port above the cockpit for refueling tankers. SA-95's distinct high T-tail fin (vertical) and lower wing stabilizers are constructed with the same material as the wings and offers the TA-06 superior maneuverability compared to other aircraft her size.
TA-06's cargo floor is a dual-sided floor with rollers for palletized cargo on one side and a flat floor on the other to prevent vehicles from rolling; numerous tie-down positions are located on both sides of the flooring and the floor itself can be easily flipped by crew to the other side while the aircraft is parked. Cargo is loaded via a full-width ramp assembly that's lowered down and if necessary the aircraft can "kneel" using its primary landing gears to facilitate loaders at truck-bed level. Other entryways for the aircraft include two sets of pressurized doors, two per side, equaling four doors in total; each door features a deployable stairway for easy access - all doors are fitted with evacuation slides and four life rafts with each having a thirty passenger capacity. An upper-deck accessed by stairs leads to the cockpit at the fore of the plane, a living space for crew (including a bedrooms with two cots, a latrine, and lunch area for basic meal/drink storage) behind it, and two spare deployable seats for additional for passengers.
Cargo Compartment TA-06's ability to travel up to ten thousand kilometers whilst fully loaded is what makes it a versatile aircraft. With its ability to lift over eighty thousand kilograms, TA-06's only limitations are its limited cargo space and size. While not as large as the SA-95, TA-06 is still capable of long range flights and lifting heavy loads. Differences with both aircraft lie in maneuverability and mission scope. SA-95, with its ability to transport oversized loads, differs from the TA-06 with its more maneuverable airframe and versatile platform; this has led to the TA-06 having variants produced over the years to fulfill other roles in the TECT Armed Forces, such as the TA-06P "Pelican" Patrol Plane and the TA-06S "Spooky" Gunship. TA-06's lift ability was achieved by Wolf Armaments using weight reduction and fuel conserving airframe designs; this includes using manufacturing materials that weigh less but retain the same strength as traditional materials (aluminum and certain alloys) used on planes, and cutting down on heavy metal parts where they're no longer needed. This ability to lift heavy loads in an airframe that weighs less means the TA-06 cuts down on its usage of fuel while also extending its travel range.
The cargo compartment is approximately thirty-one meters long by five-point-six meters wide by three-point-eighty meters high. This open space can accommodate twenty-two master pallets, one Feurig 2A2, two Höllenhund IFVs, four Puma AFVs, one Anakonda/Kondor helicopter, and ten Fuchs SLAVs. There is room for one-hundred and ten passengers/paratroopers in the TA-06 with equipment/pallets included. TA-06's maximum capacity is one-hundred and forty-five passengers/paratroopers with their equipment only.
Cockpit The flightdeck of the TA-06 is a fully glass cockpit, using almost zero traditional analog aircraft instruments. Using four large LCD displays in front of the pilots, two per pilot, as well as several other LED displays surrounding them, crew are consistently kept up to date with what is happening to the aircraft both inside and out. On each pilot's left main screen they will be able to track measurements using the TA-06's Airspeed Indicator, Altimeter, Turn Coordinator, Vertical Speed Indicator, and the Artificial Horizon. On the right screen the exact location of the plane and its waypoints, plus its destination, are displayed along with the planned route; this screen will also display other information about the surrounding area, including other aircraft and their pathways to help pilots avoid collisions, weather patterns detected by the aircraft's weather radar, elevation models, and other referential map objects. TA-06's sophisticated digital fly-by-wire system is controlled by computers that perceive the plane's position and force inputs from pilot controls to assist pilots in operating the aircraft, or, to automatically protect the aircraft from threats/avoid dangerous events. Said computers solve special equations to determine appropriate command signals that move the flight controls, prevent changes, or correct imminent failures. The programming of the digital computers enable flight envelope protection. FEP allows aircraft designers to precisely tailor an aircraft's handling characteristics to stay within the overall limits of what is possible given the aerodynamics and structure of the aircraft. For example, the computer in flight envelope protection mode can try to prevent the aircraft from being handled dangerously by preventing pilots from exceeding preset limits on the aircraft's flight-control envelope, such as those that prevent stalls and spins, and which limit airspeed and G-forces on the airplane. Software can also be included that stabilize the flight-control inputs in order to avoid pilot-induced oscillations. Since the flight-control computers continuously "fly" the aircraft, the pilot's workloads can be reduced to a minimum while in transit. Stalling, spinning, and other undesirable performances are prevented automatically by the computers.
Propulsion Propulsion for the TA-06 is provided by four Schuchert-1000C5 turbofan engines, each producing over two hundred kilonewtons of thrust each. Schuchert-1000C5's are lower scale models of the Schuchert-1000B45's found on the SA-95; size reduction, remodeling, and thrust reversing are among the key features of the C5 model. Said thrust reversing allows engines to direct engine exhaust air upwards and forward, removing the threat of debris caused damage or other safety concerns, and allowing the aircraft to thrust in reverse for taxiing and added drag for landings. The Schuchert-1000 series is based on the GE TF39, a large but vetted turbofan engine. Although traditionally heavy and cumbersome, the latest Schuchert-1000 engines utilize advanced lightweight materials that have reduced their overall weight by fifty percent (a whopping one thousand eight hundred and fifteen kilograms compared to the original three thousand six hundred and thirty kilogram weight of the TF39); titanium aluminide (TiAI) used for the main components of the turbofan and ceramic matrix composites (CMC) for the fan blades are the main contributors to weight loss. TiAl offers superior resistance to high temperatures and better tensile strength compared to previous aluminum parts, and CMC (along with an advanced blade design) is especially strong against extremely high temperatures found inside turbofan engines. Each of the four engines are mounted below the wings and can be operated independently of each other. The fuel system uses direct fuel sprays that spray into the section of the turbine which will create the most efficient combustion for controlled fuel consumption; this means that fuel will be sprayed in an amount needed according to the aircraft's flight-control system, which continuously tracks the aircraft's flight profile. This much higher power-to-weight ratio and fuel conservation technology means TA-06 will outperform similarly powerful engines found on commercial airliners. External ports for in-air refueling extending from both wings of the plane increases flight range with the assistance of in-air refueling aircraft.
Electrical power for both the electronics including avionics, radar, computers, and other electrical systems on the plane are provided by electrical generators attached to each engine. Each generator produces over one megawatt of power to feed the plane's vast electrical needs, whether they're for aircraft operation or for comfort, such as plug-ins and luxury items for passengers. A backup generator is located above the cockpit, bellow the exterior paneling; the paneling uses both bleed-air and cooling doors to remove the heat generated when the generator is activated. This generator is an emergency electrical generator to be used in case of failure of the exterior generators, such as mechanical failures or damage caused by enemy action, and is used to power primary systems for flight and basic operations to avoid system failures until the plane can land and receive repairs.
Protection TA-06's are not designed to operate in direct combat roles; the role of any cargo aircraft, strategic or tactical, is to deliver cargo to and from destinations. But with that knowledge came the understanding that cargo planes like the TA-06 would be heavily targeted by hostile forces looking to cut off airborne supply chains; paratrooper deployments in contested airspace would also incur danger to the TA-06. This is why the TA-06 was built with countermeasures and basic protection systems that contribute to safety and protection of the aircraft while adding very little weight overall; a number of these safety and protection systems include fire-fighting technology, lightweight Kevlar padding, self-sealing fuel tanks, and missile defense systems.
All fuel tanks are composed of vinylester resin/glass fiber GFRP, which provides a strong outer hull for the fuel tank while cutting out heavier aluminum alloys to save weight. Additionally, the fuel tanks are designed to seal themselves when penetrated, notably by enemy cannon fire or shrapnel. The self-sealing tanks have three layers of rubber, one of vulcanized rubber and two of untreated rubber that can absorb oil and expand when wet. In-between these untreated rubber layers is a layer of composite foam for improved absorption and sealing performance. When a fuel tank is punctured, the fuel will spill onto the layers, causing the swelling of the untreated layers, thus sealing the puncture - the composite foam being designed to control the initial affects of the puncture (including sealing the puncture itself and absorbing the initial oil leakage). This makes a fuel tank explosion caused by enemy weapons less likely, saving the aircraft from catastrophic failures. Fire protection for aircraft, a very important safety and protection feature, is essentially the process of cooling the fire and coating the fuel to prevent its contact with oxygen, resulting in suppression of the combustion. Flight FPS is a fire-fighting foam used by TECT Imperial Air Force aircraft that will form a protective film in the presence of alcohols, resisting and smothering alcohols. The system can be activated manually by the pilots/crew, or set to automatically deploy (via EO/IIR sensor); allowing for maximum flexibility and a system which cannot be fooled by the Sun, glare, or other bright/hot/red objects. There are also additional fire extinguishers on-board for crews to combat fires if they do occur.
TA-06's protection from missile threats include systems for detection of threats, deterrence or dissuasion of incoming threats, and countermeasures designed to fool incoming missiles. The HAP (Heavy Aircraft Protection) system is a multi-layered system that provides warning to the crew while allowing them to select the appropriate response to any threat. The system is composed of UV missile approach warning sensors, laser warning sensors, radar warning receiver, DIRCM units, jamming units, and a Threat Detection Control System (TDCS) that integrates interactions and is usually displayed on screens and helmet HUDS for the pilots. Flare bundles and chaff packets are standard countermeasures on-board that can be set to automatically deploy for incoming threats, or be manually deployed if needed. Pilots can use additional sensor information provided by friendly assets for countermeasures and flight information.
Export The TA-06 Kolibri is available for purchase on the Wolf Armaments storefront page for $205 Million NSD. DPR licenses for the TA-06 are available for $400 Billion NSD.
Last edited by Common Territories on Wed Jul 29, 2020 3:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.