October 12, 2004 at 12:51 pm
I’m so bored, that I’m into speculation. How would the ideal light fighter look like today?
Requested Spec:
# air-to-air only
# two AAMs as only weaponry
# optional use as UCAV
# as small and light as possible, but with a combat radius of 1000nm
# t/o and landing from 1500ft max
Distiller’s Solution:
# a simple small delta planform, no stabilizers or moving parts at all, totally built from reinfoced plastics; the front part field-exchangeable as (i) manned capsule w/o an ejection seat, or (ii) UCAV with electronics package, or (iii) UCAV with weaponry package
# all conventional controls replaced by multi-axis impulse-nozzles and boundary-layer manipulation, maybe aeroelastic components on the outer tips
# landing gear made out of one-piece reinfoced plastics with defined elastic properties instead of heavy oleos
# horizontally split intake behind the front module (cockpit), one part on the belly (with louvres for rough-field ops like MiG29), the other on top
# single engine with 15000lb thrust, capable of supercruise, without an afterburner and with cold-flow thrust-vectoring
# Sensors/NavCom: small distributed radar array with active and passive mode, starring IIR & EO & UV sensors, SatCom
# Cockpit: no windows, the pilot almost lying, no real cockpit, just an for each pilot ergonomically perfected armored console, a synthetic spheric see-through picture from the starring-sensors displayed on the HMS and overlayed with tactical data, voice input. The pilot would see the world like he’s flying through the air naked. Ultimate situational and spatial awareness. In case he has to eject the whole frontal part of the delta seperates
# Weaponry: two AAMs 100-150kg in two bays
# Weights: empty 5500lb, MTOW about 12500lbs, payload 1000lbs, fuel 6000lbs
# Dimensions: length 40ft, span 25ft, height (fuselage) 9ft
> to be based in small units around the countryside, using motorways for take-off and landing
> could be used as towed (UCAV) parasites on larger plains like AWACS
I’d build a thousand of these and win every war in the air.
Comments from people equally bored?