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, 20:14
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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 III By Dan Kim HELICOPTERS: Sikorsky UH-60N Ghosthawk/MH-60 Seahawk: This stealthy evolution of the UH-60 Blackhawk proved to be a less expensive alternative successor for the Blackhawk helicopter. Infamous for its first known use in the bin Laden raid in Abbottabad back in 2011, the Ghosthawk combined the proven airframe and design of the Blackhawk with a stealthier fuselage and more advanced electronics. The UH-60N features updated engines and a new lightweight composite fuselage giving it greater speed and maneuverability than the first generation Ghosthawk, and has a fly-by-wire system and a Common Avionics Architecture System cockpit suite. The US Navy uses the MH-60 Seahawk as a transportation and SAR helicopter, it's anti-submarine and reconnaissance purpose supplemented by the MQ-23A Guardian tilt-rotor. Bell UH-1Y Venom: The UH-1Y Venom serves as the main light transport helicopter of the US Marine Corps, and has received incremental upgrades since its initial deployment back in 2008. McDonnell-Douglas MH-6M Little Bird: The MH-6M Little Bird is the main light attack helicopter and Special Forces utility helicopter used by the US Army's 160th SOAR. It remains in use as it can insert and extract special forces in situations the V-25 and UH-60N cannot. Boeing AH-64E/F Apache Guardian: The AH-64E Apache Guardian was the US Army's main attack helicopter through the 2010s-2020s. During the Global War on Terror, however, concerns arose over the vulnerability of the Apache to ground fire. Losses during Operation Iraqi Freedom and an incident in Yemen early during the conflict with the GLA where several Apache gunships were shot down, necessitating a rescue operation led to the US Army to consider a new stealthier gunship design. Today the AH-64E is commonly seen in reserve units and the armed forces of foreign nations, as most front-line US attack helicopter units have since transitioned to the AH-66B and AH-64F since the end of the Global War on Terror. The F model of the Apache further improved the Apache's electronics, speed and operational ceiling as well as introducing a faster and less-vulnerable vectored thrust ducted propeller tail design. The AH-64F model was also adopted by the Israeli Defense Force and the Japanese (under the title "Yumi") and Korean armed forces in addition to the US Army. Bell AH-1Z Viper: Even though the US Army has mainly moved on with a new attack helicopter design, the US Marines maintain their AH-1Z Viper gunships. Like the UH-1Y little major upgrades have taken place to the airframe. Bell MQ-23A Guardian: Due to concerns about the lack of space on warships for helicopters, particularly aboard the Freedom and Independence class littoral combat ships, the US Navy decided to develop a new UAV that would cheaply and more compactly perform reconnaissance and ASW missions. Bell's MQ-23 Guardian tilt-rotor design, based loosely on their Eagle Eye concept aircraft, won the competition and subsequently replaced the MQ-8 Fire Scout as a reconnaissance platform as well as performing anti-submarine duties. The MQ-23A utilizes a single GE T700 turbo-shaft to power its twin transverse six-blade ducted rotors modified for low acoustic signatures, and is equipped with an AQS-13 dipping sonar as standard as well as two Mark 54 MAKO torpedoes. It is also capable of mounting Elint, FLIR, and anti-surface radar pods. Boeing-Sikorsky AH-66B Comanche: The AH-64 Apache’s vulnerability to AA systems was an increasingly troubling factor during the Global War on Terror. A particularly notable event was during the invasion of GLA-controlled Yemen where several Apache gunships were shot down, necessitating a rescue operation for the stranded aircrew. However, Boeing-Sikorsky had a somewhat inexpensive solution in mind; the AH-66B, an enhanced gunship version of the canceled Comanche reconnaissance helicopter. The AH-66B Comanche was first used by units such as the 160th SOAR whenever stealth was needed. Its stealth and agility were well liked and it was only a matter of time until the US Army and Marine Corps began to order the aircraft in number. The helicopter's advanced fly-by-wire makes it easier to pilot than previous generations of helicopters and its targeting system is a unique innovation. Previous gunship targeting systems were connected to the gunner's helmet, pointing the gunship's cannon at wherever the gunner is looking. The Comanche's advanced targeting system takes this premise one step further and actually monitors the gunner's eyes making targeting virtually instantaneous and incredibly precise. Additionally, the Comanche features a sophisticated sensor suite with a low-profile rotor mounted AESA radar, passive radar and ground search radar, as well as an ECM suite, Link-16 data-links, and UAV control compatibility. The helicopter is powered by two Honeywell T800-6H hydrogen turbo-shafts with 2,100 horsepower each. As for armament the AH-66B retains the internal arms bay of its predecessor and is capable of carrying AGM-305 Joint Air-To-Ground Missiles, Hydra-70 rockets, and AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles. The AH-66’s stub wings are capable of mounting extra armament if necessary, though this degrades the stealth capability of the helicopter as long as unstealthy armament is carried on the wings. The rotor blades are made out of ceramic nanocomposites, the same material as the bulk of the fuselage. This post has been edited by DerKrieger: 7 Oct 2015, 17:08 -------------------- "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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