Aviation Monthly |
Aviation Monthly |
13 Jan 2014, 4:32
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#1
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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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27 Mar 2014, 16:44
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#2
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Group: Dev. Team Posts: 838 Joined: 7 June 2009 From: Southeastern USA Member No.: 47 |
And here's the second request, the Chinese Twin Fang AAA!
Type 112 Twin Fang AAA: Somewhat unusually for a Chinese anti-aircraft weapons platform, the Type 112's chassis is heavily based on that of a South African mobile howitzer, the G6 Rhino. During the Chinese invasion of East Africa a Chinese government-owned shadow enterprise managed to covertly purchase a few G6 howitzers from Denel in the hopes of using them as a basis for a new artillery piece. The project would be canceled however, as an advancement over the existing PLZ-05 series of mobile howitzers was soon found to be uneconomical at this time. Even so, the robust mine-resistant chassis of the G6 Rhino was found to be an effective basis for armored fighting vehicles. Around this time the People's Liberation Army was searching for a new medium-range anti-aircraft artillery. The HQ-9 surface-to-air missile system was highly effective at area denial but the threat of the GLA required a more mobile and economical platform to supplement the HQ-9. Most of the aging, if not obsolete, fixed-wing aircraft of the GLA didn't require the latest in anti-aircraft hardware to defeat. Furthermore, the heavy ECM use by the PLA had an unfortunate side effect. There were reports of even friendly guided missiles malfunctioning in areas of particularly heavy ECM interference. Though the Chinese quickly managed to deal with this issue, it was enough for the PLA to consider non-missile based AA weapons for this mobile heavy AA project. The result, named the Type 112 Twin Fang, combined a new flak-based AA system combined with powerful search & targeting radar, all mounted on a copy of the robust G6 Rhino chassis and produced at a low cost. The Twin Fang's armament consists of two 57mm flak cannons, based on those used by the Cold War era Type 80 AAA vehicle (itself based on the ZSU-57-2). However, the calibre of the cannons and the feed system are where the similarity stops. The Twin Fang's cannons have much longer barrels than the obsolete Type 59 cannons used by the Type 80, and the 57mm cartridges are considerably longer, giving the Twin Fang's cannons a much higher muzzle velocity and effective range. These modernized 57mm cannons are married to a state-of-the-art fire control computer and are lethally effective against low-flying-aircraft. Ammunition for the cannons are loaded in 6 round clips that must be reloaded by hand, a notable defect in the weapon's design given the high fire rate of the Twin Fang's cannons. While the Type 59 cannons were targeted manually using the human eye, the Type 112 Twin Fang uses a powerful AESA search and targeting radar, nearly as powerful as those used on warships, to detect and engage aircraft. Crews report having to exercise caution when utilizing the radar in the field, as the radar is powerful enough to kill or injure any wildlife in front of the array when it is active. When in conjunction with the HT-233 search radar series, also used by the HQ-9, the Type 112 has a truly impressive detection and engagement range. The Type 112's mine-resistant chassis proved to be extremely useful in Africa when facing the GLA. -------------------- "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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1 Apr 2014, 3:44
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#3
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Group: Members Posts: 650 Joined: 1 March 2014 Member No.: 10319 |
And here's the second request, the Chinese Twin Fang AAA! Type 112 Twin Fang AAA: Somewhat unusually for a Chinese anti-aircraft weapons platform, the Type 112's chassis is heavily based on that of a South African mobile howitzer, the G6 Rhino. During the Chinese invasion of East Africa a Chinese government-owned shadow enterprise managed to covertly purchase a few G6 howitzers from Denel in the hopes of using them as a basis for a new artillery piece. The project would be canceled however, as an advancement over the existing PLZ-05 series of mobile howitzers was soon found to be uneconomical at this time. Even so, the robust mine-resistant chassis of the G6 Rhino was found to be an effective basis for armored fighting vehicles. Around this time the People's Liberation Army was searching for a new medium-range anti-aircraft artillery. The HQ-9 surface-to-air missile system was highly effective at area denial but the threat of the GLA required a more mobile and economical platform to supplement the HQ-9. Most of the aging, if not obsolete, fixed-wing aircraft of the GLA didn't require the latest in anti-aircraft hardware to defeat. Furthermore, the heavy ECM use by the PLA had an unfortunate side effect. There were reports of even friendly guided missiles malfunctioning in areas of particularly heavy ECM interference. Though the Chinese quickly managed to deal with this issue, it was enough for the PLA to consider non-missile based AA weapons for this mobile heavy AA project. The result, named the Type 112 Twin Fang, combined a new flak-based AA system combined with powerful search & targeting radar, all mounted on a copy of the robust G6 Rhino chassis and produced at a low cost. The Twin Fang's armament consists of two 57mm flak cannons, based on those used by the Cold War era Type 80 AAA vehicle (itself based on the ZSU-57-2). However, the calibre of the cannons and the feed system are where the similarity stops. The Twin Fang's cannons have much longer barrels than the obsolete Type 59 cannons used by the Type 80, and the 57mm cartridges are considerably longer, giving the Twin Fang's cannons a much higher muzzle velocity and effective range. These modernized 57mm cannons are married to a state-of-the-art fire control computer and are lethally effective against low-flying-aircraft. Ammunition for the cannons are loaded in 6 round clips that must be reloaded by hand, a notable defect in the weapon's design given the high fire rate of the Twin Fang's cannons. While the Type 59 cannons were targeted manually using the human eye, the Type 112 Twin Fang uses a powerful AESA search and targeting radar, nearly as powerful as those used on warships, to detect and engage aircraft. Crews report having to exercise caution when utilizing the radar in the field, as the radar is powerful enough to kill or injure any wildlife in front of the array when it is active. When in conjunction with the HT-233 search radar series, also used by the HQ-9, the Type 112 has a truly impressive detection and engagement range. The Type 112's mine-resistant chassis proved to be extremely useful in Africa when facing the GLA. Great story! A minor nitpicking: all Chinese vehicles and firearms put into survice would have a 2-digit year desination, so it would be Type 12 just like the Type 05 SPG. -------------------- And then...
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