Aviation Monthly |
Aviation Monthly |
13 Jan 2014, 4:32
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Group: Dev. Team Posts: 838 Joined: 7 June 2009 From: Southeastern USA Member No.: 47 |
Hey guys, this is the first installment on a magazine style review of the weapons and technology used in the ROTR world. I'll be doing most of the US aircraft first, I do plan on moving on to other faction's aircraft later on and perhaps expanding to ground vehicles, firearms, and warships. (Ever wanted to learn more about the Spirit of Freedom and it's sister ship?) Here's the first part:
Aviation Monthly: September 203x United States Airpower, Part I - Written by Amy Kelly As tensions rise in Eurasia over the recent skirmishes in Africa and economic stagnation in Russia, so too has the specter of another major war in Europe and the eventual American involvement. Despite the downfall of NATO after the ill-advised US retreat from Europe 15 years ago, the Bradford administration maintains a strong anti-Russian expansionist policy and indications hint at possible military and economic action in favor of the European Continental Alliance should hostilities break out. Ever since the Second World War, the United States military has relied extensively on air dominance to achieve battlefield superiority. As any member of the USAF or Naval Air Force can tell you, no US soldier or Marine on the ground has been killed by enemy aircraft since the Korean War. Even after the post GWOT cutbacks, the US military has maintained a strong Air Force and naval air capabilities, and seeks to further expand said capabilities in an ever more dangerous world. This article seeks to explore information about the aircraft used today by the various branches of the US armed forces. TRANSPORT/AIRLIFT: Though the majority of heavy airlifting by the USAF is done today by conventional aircraft such as the C-130J Super Hercules and C-17B Globemaster III, VTOL aircraft have become a more and more capable replacement for helicopters and light cargo transport. Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey: Although the V-22 Osprey had a troubled development phase, today it serves as the main medium lift aircraft used by the US Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy. Even though newer designs such as the V-25 Goshawk are planned to eventually phase out the Osprey, it still sees heavy use as a transport aircraft by American combat forces and will see heavy use in the foreseeable future. Bell-Boeing V-25 Goshawk: The V-25 Goshawk is one of the newest aircraft used by the US Armed forces, and is the end result of the JMR-Heavy Future Vertical Lift program. By the end of the last decade, the US Army desired a new VTOL transport to replace the aging CH-47 Chinook fleet, which had been wearing out through heavy use in the past two decades. Although the Army had declined to take part in the V-22 program, they looked with interest in the further development of tiltrotor aircraft. The V-25 Goshawk was the intermediate step between the light V-22 Osprey and the heavy V-34 Starlifter II. Compared to the CH-47 Chinook, the V-25 is capable of carrying more cargo faster, longer, and at a higher altitude. As an infantry carrier, it can transport a platoon of infantry or a single Cougar MRAP or HMMWV. In contrast to the Osprey, the Goshawk is a semi-tilt-wing with 250% more wing surface, roughly 60% of which tilts along with the engine nacelles, and a lifting body, significantly improving glide capability and allowing to remove the fancy - and heavy - transmission, converting the engines to straight-up carbon composite turbine turboprops with only standard reduction gearboxes remaining. Today, the US Army and US Navy are the main users of the V-25 Goshawk whilst the USMC and US Air Force are considering purchasing them to replace their aging Ospreys. Bell-Boeing V-34 Starlifter II: The first examples of the V-44 entered the late prototype testing phase during the end of the GLA War, but budget cutbacks slowed its entry into service until quite recently. By the end of the last decade, the US Army desired a new VTOL transport to replace the aging CH-47 Chinook fleet, which had been wearing out through heavy use in the past two decades. Although the Army had declined to take part in the V-22 program, they looked with interest in the further development of tiltrotor aircraft. As the end result of the Bell-Boeing Quad Tilt Rotor program, the V-34 is the direct replacement of the CH-47 Chinook and the CH-53 Super Stallion, and is planned to phase out the C-130J Super Hercules. The quad tilt rotor engines give it a cruising speed of over 350 knots and allow it to land in places the C-130 cannot. It is capable of carrying around 26,000 kilograms of cargo (or several M5A1 Schwarzkopf ”Crusader” light tanks or IFVs), or 110 paratroopers/150 infantry. Lockheed-Martin C-130J Super Hercules, Boeing C-17B Globemaster III, & Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy: When heavier lifting is required by the US military’s expeditionary forces, the fixed wing airfleet comes into play. Though the C-130J Super Hercules and C-5M Super Galaxy are old (yet proven and popular) designs, the more advanced Boeing C-17B Globemaster III is an increasingly common sight in the US Air Force as well as the air forces of other nations. The C-17 underwent a mid-life upgrade even before the newer export production run, including double-slotted flaps, an additional main landing gear on center fuselage, more powerful engines (F-117-PW-200 turbofans) and other systems for shorter landing and take-off distances, a LANTIRN AN/AAQ-13 pod and passive radar installed into the nose, and an optional bulkhead separating the troop bay from the cargo bay for passenger comfort. ~~~ I hope you enjoyed the first part, stay tuned for Part 2! This post has been edited by DerKrieger: 29 May 2014, 15:52 -------------------- "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."-- George S. Patton
Resquiescat in pace, CommanderJB 1991-2009 |
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23 Jan 2014, 3:39
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Group: Dev. Team Posts: 838 Joined: 7 June 2009 From: Southeastern USA Member No.: 47 |
Aviation Monthly: October 203x:
US Airpower, Part II by Dan Kim TANKER: Boeing KC-46B Pegasus: This tanker based on the successful Boeing 767 freighter/airliner has changed little from its original 2010’s incarnation, the B variant featuring increased automation and two wing-mounted Flight Refueling Limited MK.32B drogue hose pods that allow refueling of two fighter craft instead of one. AWACS/AEW/RECON: Boeing E-3 Sentry/Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS/Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint: In the past few decades the E-3 Sentry has continued to serve as the main AWACS system for the USAF, though it and its airframe cousins the E-8 Joint STARS and RC-135W Rivet Joint are currently being phased out by the EAL-797 AWACS. All three have had their original engines replaced with more reliable and fuel-efficient Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 turbofans (CFM56 on the RC-135) as well as full glass cockpits. Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk Block II/MQ-4C Triton: The original Global Hawk was deemed too expensive for widespread use the US Air Force, although the program was salvaged by the cheaper Triton maritime surveillance variant purchased by the US Navy. During the Global War on Terror the Global Hawk proved to be a useful surveillance UAV, later being equipped with the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) radar system for tracking targets. The Global Hawk has also been developed into the KQ-4 tanker drone, augmenting the KC-46 tanker at a fraction of the cost. Boeing P-8 Poseidon: The P-8 Poseidon, based off of the 737 airliner, serves as the US Navy’s anti-submarine and anti-ship aircraft. When compared to smaller carrier launched aircraft, the P-8 Poseidon has longer range and greater loiter capability. Furthermore, the recent deployment of the Spirit of Independence and the pending completion of its sister ship Spirit of Freedom make the P-8 Poseidon much easier to be deployed almost anywhere in the world. The P-8 Poseidon is usually armed with Mark 54 MAKO 324mm guided torpedoes or glide bombs in its internal bay, as well as AGM-84K SLAM-ER/Harpoon Block III anti-ship missiles on its underwing external mounts. Northrop Grumman QE-2E Hawkeye: Although the US Navy’s plan for a new light utility aircraft was canceled after the GLA War, the US Navy has managed to refurbish and upgrade the E-2 Hawkeye AWACS into an unmanned aircraft. Its AN/APS-145 active-passive radar is now augmented with computer processing and is supplemented with the short-range sensors needed for optionally manned operation. In addition to the US Navy, the E-2E Hawkeye has been exported to other nations requiring carrier based AWACS systems such as France and Japan. General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle/MQ-9 Reaper: Derived from the first-generation MQ-1 Predator, the MQ-1C Gray Eagle & MQ-9 Reaper are the primary reconnaissance and light attack UAV (respectively) used by the US Air Force and many other militaries worldwide. Even though technically superseded by more advanced UAVs such as the AQ-360 Hunter-Killer and the FQ-47C Pegasus, the MQ-9 Reaper still is an effective reconnaissance and strike platform due to its low cost, high loitering capabilities, and Gorgon Stare surveillance system. This post has been edited by DerKrieger: 8 Jul 2014, 18:04 -------------------- "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."-- George S. Patton
Resquiescat in pace, CommanderJB 1991-2009 |
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