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Overview
The CM-7 is a short to medium range tactical airlifter produced by Gemballa Avionic Development. The CM-7 is an aircraft designed to operate within the theatre of war with a limited role as a strategic airlifter. It is primarily designed for insertion and cargo delivery along with secondary purposes of MedEvac, Humanitarian Response and a limited role as a Gunship aircraft.
The CM-7 is one of the first aircraft of it's kind to feature a fuselage partially constructed from polymers and is also one of the few aircraft of its kind to use turbofan engines. The CM-7 first entered service in 2009.
Avionics & Systems
The CM-7 features a sophisticated digital fly-by-wire system. The computers "read" position and force inputs from the pilot's controls and aircraft sensors. They solve differential equations to determine the appropriate command signals that move the flight controls in order to carry out the intentions of the pilot.
The programming of the digital computers enable flight envelope protection. In this aircraft designers 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 airspeeds 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, pilot's workloads can be reduced to a minimum while in transit. Stalling, spinning and other undesirable performances are prevented automatically by the computers.
The CM-7 also features the Cervelo SDH-5 threat detection radar. This alerts pilots to when a radar lock is engaged, and also allows the pilots to track enemies with a very narrow radar wave, which can be as focused as precisely to 1° by 1° in azimuth and elevation, making the system extremely accurate and can increase the chance of a succesful evasion. The SDH-5 can also communicate to other allied fighters in the area and alert them to the possible threat if the are not already, likewise the SDH-5 can receive this information. This is not featured on civillian versions of the aircraft.
Cockpit
The cockpit was designed from the outset to be a fully glass cockpit wihtout any tradtional analouge instruments. This presents the challenge of the chance of engine failure in which all the cockpit instruments fail as well. Two small inlets in the fuselage are automatically opened during engine failure, which suck in air to spin two generators, which provide enough power to keep the cockpit operational.
The main features of the CM-7 cockpit include a simple and rapid start-up procedure, a highly developed Human-Machine Interface and a highly integrated threat warning system. The cockpit of the CM-7 is large enough for the two pilots and also provides seating space for the crew of loadmasters in a club-style seating layout. A small compartment directly behind the cockpit houses a lavatory and basin, which may become necessary on long flights.
The CM-7 also features a special night vision system, the same used on the RM-30 Bomber and SM-10. A strip of Infra Red sensors are mounted directly below the windshield of the CM-7, and when these are engaged, they project the image directly on to the windshield itself, giving the pilots the impression the world has illuminated as such.
Thrust
Thrust is provided by two Azzuri TR350 augmented high bypass turbofan engines. The thrust rating of a single engine is approximately 56,000lbf and the engine itself only weighs 10,500 pounds. The advanced direct fuel spray system, which sprays fuel into the section of the turbine which will create the most efficient combustion, and lightweight turbine technologies which give the TR350 a much higher power to weight ratio, allow the TR350 to use much less fuel than the similarly powerful Rolls Royce Trent of the Boeing 777. A TOGA (Take-Off, Go-Around) power function is also fitted, giving 120% thrust for 5 minutes with 10 minute rest periods in between.
The turbine itself and the compressor fan are made from a carbon-ceramic blend, which is enourmously strong and able to resist the extremely high temperatures inside the engine. Other parts of the engine are made from Aermet 100 which is a steel blend designed to cope with high temperatures and offer a high compressive and tensile strength.
Each engine is mounted below the wing and can be operated independently of each other. These engines do not have thrust vectoring capabilities or exhaust suppresion, as these features are not necessary for an aircraft performing these roles.
Airframe
The airframe of the CM-7 is arguably the most advanced component on the entire aircraft. Engineers were under pressure to keep the weight of the aircraft down while keeping the payload up, therefore a large aircraft that was to be made out of very light materials was needed.
To keep the weight of the fuselage to the bare minimum, large swaths of the fuselage which were originally intended to be made with aluminium were replaced with composite materials. Composite construction is a generic term to describe any building construction involving multiple dissimilar materials, in this case carbon-fibre reinforced polymers are used. CFRPs are comprised of a polymer, in this case epoxy, which is a thermosetting polymer formed from reaction of an epoxide "resin" with polyamine "hardener", is re-inforced with fibres of carbon which give the material it's strength. CFRPs have an extremely high strength to weight ratio which makes them ideal for use on aircraft. The downside of CFRP's is that they can be extremely expensive to replace and require much more mantinence than more typical aircraft materials such as aluminium would. Thus, CFRPs have been used on the fuselage section which is above the bottom third of the fuselage and aft of the cabin. The section of the fuselage which is constructed from CFRP's is cast as two different panels which join an aluminium seam running across the top of the fuselage.
The remainder of the fuselage, the wings and the tail control surfaces are all constructed from Al-Li or Aluminium-Lithium alloy. Lithium is the least dense elemental metal, much less dense than alumiunium which is in itself less dense than most other metals, therefore when the two are alloyed together, the density and weight of the resulting material is less than that of the alloy while being stiffer at the same time and more resisitant to strain. Because the nose of the fuselage and the underside of the fuselage are the areas most sucseptible to damage, Al-Li alloy was used on these areas to offer a cheaper option of replacement than the expensive CFRP's. Because of it's stiffness, Al-Li alloy was also used on the wings which are acted upon by not only horizontal but also vertical forces unlike the fuselage and thus need to have the compressive and tensile strength required to outlast these forces, as well as resist the immensse shearing forces which are also experienced at high speeds.
Being a tactical airlifter, one must always consider that this aircraft may need to land on an unprepared airstrip or even without one. Thus, a landing gear was required that could resist the most forceful of landings without failure or requiring replacement. Landing gear struts are made from Aermet 100, which is a light but very durable steel and well accustomed to high compressive stress. Tyres used on the two main landing gear struts are four large 1.5 metre diameter low pressure tyres which lie in bulged fairings along either side of the fuselage. The two nose tyres are smaller 1 metre diameter tyres and are inflated to a slightly higher pressure. This allows the CM-7 to land on even soft fields and take off again due to the relatively low ground pressure produced.
Cargo Bay
The CM-7 is a relatively large cargo aircraft with a length of 23.5 metres and a fuselage diameter of 5.6 metres. This in turn allows the CM-7 to fit a large cargo bay to maximise payload ability as well as carry bulky cargo that couldn't fit it in smaller sized transports. The CM-7 can carry up to 90 passengers in it's cargo bay, or 70 paratroopers whom are carrying their entire field kit, or mount 60 stretchers along with carrying 10 medical personell, carry 6 pallets of cargo, carry three small sized field vehicles or carry two medium sized APC's amounting to a 15,000kg payload.
The first addition onto the TH-300 is the Cervelo S5 Terrain following radar. The system works by transmitting a radar signal towards the ground area in front of the aircraft. The radar returns can then be analysed to see how the terrain ahead varies, which can then be used by the aircraft's autopilot to maintain a reasonably constant height above the earth. This technology enables flight at very low altitudes, and high speeds, avoiding detection by enemy radars and interception by anti-aircraft systems. This allows the pilot to focus on other aspects of the flight besides the extremely intensive task of low flying itself.
Another optional addition is the feature of the ATAS, the same system as featured on the RH-77. ATAS is made up of several stabilized electro-optical sensors, a laser rangefinder and laser target designator. The TADS assembly can rotate +/- 140 degrees in azimuth, +60/-90 degrees in elevation, giving the pilots an excellent view of the surroundings, and can even allow the pilots to see what is below the aircraft. The movements of ATAS can be slaved to the head movements of the helicopter crew to point in the direction that their head is facing. Images from the camer to be projected onto the crew helmet-mounted optical sights, overlaid upon their view of the cockpit and battle space. ATAS also contains a thermal imaging infrared camera and a full colour daylight television camera, with 1280x1040 resolution.
The crews optical sights are mounted to their helmet and give the impression of an overly large sun visor. In reality, it is actually a complex screen which acts as a HUD to the pilot and co-pilot. When the system is not in use, the screen can be selected to clear, so the pilot can see the surroundings. The screen automatically polarizes to keep sun glare to a minimum. The screen can also display images from the night vision/thermal imaging camera or the ATAS when selected.
The ATAS system is blended in to the main body of the aircraft, as so to preserve its stealth capabilities and enhance aerodynamics. This of course does make the aircraft more difficult to service, but greatly improves battlefield performance.
The CM-7 can also mounted a range of guided and unguided missiles and rockets on two stub wings located either side of the fuselage. Guided missiles are controlled by the Cervelo SH-2 millimetre wave Fire Control Radar which also has the capacity to share information through the Battlespace network. This allows the CM-7 to communicate with all other radar-equipped aircraft within the air space, permitting target sharing. This crucial feature allows the CM-7 to know what it is looking for before it enters the theatre of operations, minimizing the the time that the aircraft spends on station.
Specifications
General characteristics
Crew: 5 (pilot, co-pilot, three load masters)
Length: 23.5m
Wingspan: 34.1m
Height: 10.15 m
Empty weight: 16,000kg
Max-Payload: 15,000 kg
Max takeoff weight: 37,000kg
Powerplant: 2× Azzuri TR320Turbofans
Dry thrust: 50,000 lbf each
Performance
Maximum speed 704 km/h
Cruise speed 600km/h
Range 6,300 km
Combat radius 2,000 km
Service ceiling 15,000 m
Purchasing the CM-7
The CM-7 is availabe for $56,200,000 per unit
The Domestic Production Rights are available for $400,000,000,000