Mitsubishi/Lockheed Martin F-3 Stealth Fighter
Country of
Origin: US, though Lockheed Martin will at first design the F-3 with Japanese
aid and eventually the F-3 would be produced in Japan locally.
Seen in: Recent
aircraft publications.
Notes: Just
about every aircraft enthusiast knows that, by law, the F-22 cannot be exported,
due to is sensitive design and components.
The Japanese stealth fighter design process, the F-X, has not been going
well, and it has been running for about 10 years.
Lockheed Martin therefore got US government permission to build and pitch
to Japan a prototype stealth fighter – this would be designated by Japan the
F-3, and would be a hybrid of the F-22 and F-35.
This aircraft could possibly the most advanced stealth fighter other than
the F-22. The primary
fighter-bomber of the JASDF is the F-15J, a variant of the F-15 Eagle, but the
F-15J is getting long in the tooth, with some airframes approaching 40 years
old, and the Japanese need to replace the older F-15Js, and they would like it
to be a 5th-generation aircraft.
The F-3 would also give Lockheed Martin a new exportable 5th
generation fighter. (Japan’s
constitution prohibits exportation of military equipment.)
The Japese part of the design team would have a leg up, since Japan is a
customer for the F-35 and have recently received their first batch.
Unfortunately, both sides realize the design process would be lengthy;
the first operational F-3 would probably not go into service until 2032 or so.
Though details
are sketchy, most aircraft experts believe that the F-3 would look very much
like the F-22 on the outside, with a hybrid of systems of the F-22 and F-35 on
the inside. One of the biggest
upgrades of the F-22/F-35’s avionics architecture is the use of advanced
computers; the F-22’s computer architecture is actually-based on Windows 95, and
the F-35’s computer architecture is based on Windows 8.
The F-3 would have the F-22s twin engine design (perhaps with updated
Japanese-built engines) and supermaneuvrability, while being equipped with
larger internal bays for weapons and hardpoints on the wings for extra weapons
and electronic equipment in low-EW environments.
The F-3’s
avionics would be an updated mix of the F-22s and F-35’s avionics, with a
switchable air-to-air/air-to-ground capability, similar to the systems on the
F/A-18 and F-15E. Most of the
avionics would probably be based on the F-35, essentially putting the brain of
an F-35 in the body of the F-22.
The F-3 will
probably be somewhat larger than the F-22, and
much larger than the F-35.
The intake side bays will be larger, and the underside will be wide and flat to
accommodate even more weapon storage or larger ordnance.
Construction would utilize much carbon fiber, along with an unspecified
RAM coating and RAM paint. Engines
would probably be in the 40,000-pound-thrust class.
Fuel tanks would be dramatically larger.
We will assume for this entry that the troublesome AESA radar of the F-X
would be perfected. The F-3 could
be as stealthy as an F-22, negating the basic flaw in the F-25 – it’s stealth
capabilities have proven disappointing.
It will also have supercruise capability, some6thing the F-35 does not,
while maintaining the air-to-ground capabilities of the F-35.
Another basic flaw in the F-35 (at least for Japan) is that the F-35’s
weapon bays are not large enough to allow carriage of most antiship missiles,
while the F-3’s larger weapon bays would make this possible.
A possible
stumbling block to a possible F-3 is the RL cost – with the 70 F-3s the Japanese
would likely buy, each copy would cost $216 million.
This would drop, however, if more F-3s were bought or there were good
export sales. However, many
aviation experts feel that the F-3, with its hybrid F-22/F-35 brain and
near-F-22 body, could outclass both of them.
It should be
known to the readers that the stats below are largely speculative, based on the
F-22, F-35, and what descriptions so far released about the possible F-3.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$290,744,313 |
JP-7 |
32.36 tons |
41.8 tons |
1 |
30 |
AESA Radar (240 km), Sensor Skin (40 km), FLIR (150 km), VAS (70 km) |
Shielded |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
5170 |
1438 (266) |
NA 320
10/6 100/60 |
9020 |
8540 |
22000 |
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
All Weather Flight, Secure Radios, HUD, HUD Interface, Helmet/Sight
Interface, Look-Down Radar, Track While Scan, Auto Track, Multitarget
(6), RWR, LWR, Flare/Chaff
Dispensers (50/50), IR Uncage, Target ID, Stealth 6, IR Stealth 4, ECM 3
IRCM 4, ECCM 3, GPS, Supercruise |
750/700m Hardened Runway |
+5 |
20mm Vulcan, 5 Hardpoints, 4 Weapon Bays |
250x20mm |
F-16F Scamp
Country of
Origin: United States
Type of
Aircraft: Fighter/Bomber
Notes: Though
based on a real experimental aircraft, this is a work of fiction. (There is, in
fact, an F-16E and F-16F -- they are fairly recent developments of the F-16
series. (This F-16F is not the real-life F-16F.)
Fictional Notes:
This was originally an experimental development of the F-16C Fighting Falcon.
These aircraft were produced to equip one USAF squadron of aircraft
stationed in England, and it was this type of aircraft that the Twilight War's
highest scoring ace, Captain Pamela Wagner, piloted to 49 kills before being
shot down over Poland in 1999. The
Scamp uses more powerful engine coupled with a large-area cranked arrow wing,
and carries more electronics and fuel.
The Scamp may be overloaded to 8.76 tons if 600 liters less fuel are
carried per 450 kg extra weight carried.
The aircraft has a large number of hardpoints, 2 of which may be used
only for electronics pods, two of which may be used only for air-to-air missiles
or electronics pods, and 6 of which may only be used for air-to-air missiles.
The F-16F Scamp
does not exist in the Merc 2000 timeline.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$79,576,880 |
AvG |
6.8 tons (see text) |
21.77 tons |
1 |
30 |
Radar, VAS |
Shielded |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
5023 |
1256 (90) |
NA 314
10/6 100/60 |
7440 |
960 |
19800 |
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
All Weather Flight, HUD, Look-Down Radar, Track While Scan, Auto Track,
Multitarget (4), Terrain Following Radar, Radar Warning Receiver,
Flare/Chaff Dispensers (70/70), Stealth 1, ECM/ECCM 3, IRCM 2, IR
Uncage, Target ID |
750/480m Hardened Runway |
+5 |
20mm Vulcan, 25 Hardpoints |
500x20mm |
F-19A Ghostrider
Country of
Origin: United States
Type of
Aircraft: Stealth Attack Aircraft
Notes: The first
I heard of this "aircraft" was in the Tom Clancy book Red Storm Rising.
His Ghostrider was based upon what the rumored capabilities of the F-117A
Nighthawk were at the time (early 1980s), to include the designation "F-19A."
(The moniker "Ghostrider" was Mr. Clancy's own invention.) Most of these
rumored capabilities, as well of the appearance of the F-117A, were simply
wrong. JD Webster's Air Superiority series of games fleshed out
these rumored capabilities.
Fictional Notes:
This stealth aircraft, rumored but rarely seen, is a second-generation stealth
aircraft used by the US for reconnaissance and attack of highly defended
targets. It was rarely flown from
base to base for security reasons, but was often delivered to bases inside a C-5
Galaxy cargo aircraft. The aircraft
has flat bottom, blended wings, advanced ECM, and construction of
radar-absorbent materials. Weapons
are carried in internal bays and do not contribute to drag.
Unlike the F-117A, the F-19A has an air-to-air capability.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$135,195,700 |
AvG |
2.95 tons |
35 tons |
1 |
36 |
Radar, Image
Intensification, FLIR |
Shielded |
Tr
Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
2108 |
527 (185) |
NA
132 5/4 50/40 |
4800 |
8647 |
18300 |
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
Radar Warning
Receiver, Flare/Chaff Dispensers, ECM, Auto Track, HUD, IR Uncage,
Look-Down Radar, Terrain Following Radar, Track While Scan, Target ID,
Stealth 4, IR Stealth 3, ECM/ECCM 4, IRCM 2, Flares/Chaff (45/45) |
1200/1500m
Primitive Runway |
+5 |
20mm Vulcan, 6
Weapon Bays |
600x20mm |
F-20 Tigershark
Notes: The F-20
Tigershark was conceived as a heavy modernization of the F-5E Tiger II, and
became the ultimate evolution of that fighter.
The idea was to provide, for countries unable to afford even relatively
inexpensive fighters like the F-16 or unable to obtain them for political
reasons, with a light, inexpensive fighter-bomber which, while it was not quite
in the class as the F-16, could provide similar capabilities. With the
improvements given to the F-20 over time, the Tigershark became competitive with
its contemporaries, at a much lower cost of both purchase and upkeep.
The Tigershark was in fact, almost bought by a number of countries, most
notably Taiwan, Portugal, Mexico, Turkey and Bahrain, until the Reagan
Administration stopped the sales, citing technology transfer concerns (and more
importantly, political concerns), and essentially killed the Tigershark program.
It is perhaps paradoxical, therefore, that the F-20 was originally conceived as
a light dogfighter for US forces, and competed in the F-X program.
In addition, the US Navy Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) was seriously
considering the F-20 for use as an OPFOR aircraft. Denoting its roots in the
F-5E, the Tigershark was initially designated the F-5G.
As Tom Martin, a noted military aircraft expert said, “the F-16 is a
Ferrari, while the F-20 is more of a Ford Escort Sport with full options.”
Design work
began in 1975, and from the start included abilities like a modern avionics
suite (for the time), a powerful radar with a wider sweep angle than most
fighters of the time (including the F-16), and flexible and switchable
air-to-air/air-to-ground modes, something at the time only the F/A-18 Hornet
had. The Taiwanese (the big potential buyer at the time), wanted an aircraft
able to fire the AIM-7 Sparrow (this was before the AIM-120 was in existence),
and Northrop quickly designed this into the F-20, including BVR capability – at
the time, this was a capability even the F-16 and F/A-18 did not have.
The F-20 essentially became the fighter designed for Taiwanese needs;
though they had their own fighter program in the AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-Kuo, their
program was going poorly due to the inability to get key components.
The F-20 were essentially almost a match for the F-16s that Lockheed was
prohibited from selling to Taiwan, again due to political considerations. The
typical pilot was able the full capabilities of the F-20 after only two days of
training.
The primary
aerodynamic change between the F-5E and the F-20 was the replacement of the twin
GE J85s with a single GE F404 designed for the F/A-18 Hornet.
(Originally, the F-20 was to be powered by the F-16’s PW F100, but the
Mean Time Between Failures of the PW F100 is 45 while for the GE F404 it is 90.)
This engine, combined with the Tigershark’s light weight, gave it 40% more
thrust, and the Tigershark was able to reach Mach Two, a much higher ceiling,
and a climb rate of 16100 meters per minute.
The wings looked the same, but they were equipped with leading edge
extensions, which greatly improved dogfighting capabilities, almost reaching
those of the F-16, they also increased lift.
The light weight was enhanced buy the use of fiberglass in some
low-stress areas of the aircraft.
The canopy was lengthened and bulged to provide better visibility, and the rear
of the fuselage was lengthened and reshaped to accommodate the wider, longer,
one-engine profile. The F-20 meets or exceeds the F-16 in scramble time, time to
mission capable status at 12,000 meters, instantaneous and sustained turn rate,
acceleration, range on internal tanks, and AAM use.
It was, essentially, a better dogfighter capable of performing ground
support missions than the F-16.
The radar was a
greatly improved GE AN/APG-67 multimode radar, which was switchable by flipping
only a few switches from an Air-to-Air to an Air-to-Ground optimization. The
navigation was replaced with an inertial navigation system based on a ring laser
gyro system, which increased scramble times to 22 seconds from ground park to
takeoff condition. The cockpit used a large HUD and two monochrome MFDs,
essentially an early version of a glass cockpit.
Most aerodynamic and fighting controls were on two HOTAS (Hands-On
Throttle and Stick) sticks on the center and left side of the cockpit.
The F-20 was capable of using most of the common US weapons of the time,
from AIM-7 AAMs to Mk 80 bombs and Paveway LGBs; in addition, it could carry a
selection of foreign weapons, like equivalent British, French, and Taiwanese
weapons. The prototype F-20s were
armed with twin M39 20mm cannons in the nose, but projected production version
would have been armed with Ford Aerospace Tigerclaw 20mm cannons, with a higher
ROF and more ammunition carried. (Later, the Tigerclaw would be designated the
M39A2; it is essentially an M39 with longer barrels, higher muzzle velocity,
more range, and a wider selection of ammunition.) The Tigershark used a ring
gyro gunsight, which was again better equipment than that of the early F-16.
The F-20 did
have its problems, mostly brought about by its small size.
Large loads, whether in size or weight, were limited to the F-20’s outer
wing hardpoints due to the positioning of the main wheels, and these hardpoints
were limited in carried weight to 454 kilograms. A single fuselage hardpoint
could carry a 2000-pound Mk 84 bomb or the equivalent smart bomb, or up to five
Mk 82 500-pound bombs on an MER.
The HARM, a new ordnance type at the time, could be carried on pylons normally
used for AAMs. The F-20 could also
carry special external fuel tanks which allowed for buddy refueling.
In the end,
however, the F-20 had only three prototypes built, and Reagan-era machinations
caused to Tigershark to be killed.
In addition, Lockheed (and then, General Dynamics, which has since merged with
Lockheed Martin) was always the darling of the US DoD. Which is a shame, as it
would have given friendly nations a capability they could not otherwise afford.
In addition, two of the prototypes crashed while doing high-G maneuvers, and the
crashes were traced to mechanical failures.
The production lines were closed in 1983.
Twilight 2000
Notes: production of this aircraft commenced shortly before the Twilight War to
equip the air forces of many Third World and some First World countries (such as
Taiwan). Production continued during the Twilight War, and many of these
aircraft were sent to US Air National Guard units to quickly beef up numbers and
replace combat losses. One notable
mistake was the sale of a squadron’s worth of Tigersharks to the Mexican Air
Force before the war, to protect the US’s southern flanks; these were later used
against the US when Mexico invaded the US.
Aircraft |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
F-5G-1 |
$12,815,858 |
JP4, JP5 |
3.63 tons |
11.92 tons |
1 |
40 |
Radar (180 km detection, 80 km tracking/lock-on). |
Enclosed |
F-20 (Early) |
$20,590,364 |
JP4, JP5 |
3.63 tons |
11.92 tons |
1 |
41 |
Radar (180 km detection, 80 km tracking/lock-on). |
Shielded |
F-20 (Late) |
$28,363,928 |
JP4, JP5 |
3.63 tons |
11.92 tons |
1 |
42 |
Radar (180 km detection, 80 km tracking/lock-on). |
Shielded |
Aircraft |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
F-5G-1 |
9012 |
2503 (110) |
NA 250
7/4 70/40 |
2563 |
4045 |
16764 |
F-20 (Early) |
9012 |
2503 (110) |
NA 250
7/4 70/40 |
2563 |
4045 |
16764 |
F-20 (Late) |
9012 |
2503 (110) |
NA 250
7/4 70/40 |
2563 |
4045 |
16764 |
|
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
F-5G-1 |
IFF, HUD Interface, IR Uncage, Look-Down Radar, Target ID, Radar Warning
Receiver, Flare/Chaff Dispensers (20/20), Transponder |
488m/1280m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
2x20mm M-39 Autocannons, 7 Hardpoints |
560x20mm |
F-20 (Early) |
IFF, Auto Track, All Weather Flight, IR Uncage, Look-Down Radar, Target
ID, Radar Warning Receiver, Flare/Chaff Dispensers (25/25), Inertial
Navigation, ECM 1 |
488m/1280m Hardened Runway |
+3 |
2x20mm M-39 Autocannons, 7 Hardpoints |
560x20mm |
F-20 (Late) |
Auto Track, HUD Interface, All Weather Flight, IR Uncage, Look-Down
Radar, Track While Scan, Target ID, Radar Warning Receiver, Flare/Chaff
Dispensers (30/30), Inertial Navigation, ECM 1 |
488m/1280m Hardened Runway |
+3 |
2x20mm M39A2 Autocannons, 7 Hardpoints |
600x20mm |
F-29 Wildcat II
Country of Origin: United States
Type of
Aircraft: Fighter/Bomber
Note: Though
based on a real experimental aircraft (the X-29), this is a work of fiction,
something I made up myself. I based the capabilities partially on some air
combat computer games, partially on a fictional aircraft developed (believe or
not) on a toy aircraft made for the GI Joe series of toys, and partially on the
projected capabilities of a combat version of such a design, and partially on
real-life capabilities of the X-29.
Fictional Notes:
(for Twilight 2000 Only) This was the result of a militarized experimental
aircraft, the X-29. It is a radical design with wings swept sharply forward, a
deliberately destabilized center of balance, and canards at the front. As the
X-29 development program and its militarization were a bit further along when
production was ordered, the F-29 has a bit more bells and whistles than the
F-31, and more of them were built (about 40). Though some were sighted in the
skies of Europe, most of them never made it out of North America, where they
were one of the most dangerous adversaries of the Mexicans, Cubans, and
Russians. They cannot quite match the maneuverability of the F-31, but are
larger aircraft able to carry more stores and fuel.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$81,172,620 |
AvG |
5.58 tons |
23.38 tons |
1 |
30 |
Radar, VAS |
Enclosed |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
3840 |
960 (110) |
NA 240
12/7 120/70 |
3160 |
6589 |
16764 |
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
All Weather Flight, HUD Interface, Track While Scan, Auto Track,
Multitarget (3), Radar Warning Receiver, Look-Down |
800/530m Hardened Runway |
+5 |
20mm Vulcan Autocannon, 7 Hardpoints |
720x20mm |
F-31 Vector
Country of Origin: United States
Type of
Aircraft: Air Superiority Fighter
Notes: Though
based on a real experimental aircraft (the X-31), this is a work of fiction.
The story of how I made up the F-31 is basically the same as that of the F-29,
above.
Fictional Notes:
(Twilight 2000 Only) This aircraft was developed as a war emergency measure from
the X-31 EFM (Enhanced Flight Maneuverability) prototypes that were flying at
Edwards Air Force Base, California. The main attribute of the Vector is its
ability to fly with stability at very high angles of attack, done with a
combination of thrust vectoring, advanced fly-by-wire controls, and deliberate
destabilization along with computer-aided controls. The result is an aircraft
that very often outmaneuvers its pilot; occasional GLOC (G-induced Loss of
Consciousness) if a factor that pilots of the Vector figure in when flying their
aircraft in its most extreme maneuvers. It is one of only two aircraft with
enough maneuverability to successfully execute the Herbst Angle of Attack
maneuver (also known as the J-Turn), where the aircraft uses a deliberate sudden
stall to radically change the aircraft’s direction of flight without an
accompanying reduction of engine power levels. It is also capable of flying at
up to 75 degrees of angle of attack. The Vectors built after the order was given
by the Department of Defense never made it out of North America during the
Twilight War, but Mexican and Cuban pilots, and Russian pilots flying over
Alaska were known to curse it’s very existence, as the F-31 eventually racked up
a 28-to-1 kill ratio, a ratio that might have been higher were there more
aircraft over North America to shoot down.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$68,219,760 |
AvG |
3.86 tons |
11.09 tons |
1 |
21 |
Radar, VAS |
Enclosed |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
3185 |
796 (110) |
NA 199
14/7 140/70 |
2364 |
6769 |
12200 |
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
All Weather Flight, HUD Interface, Track While Scan, Auto Track,
Multitarget (2), Radar Warning Receiver, Flare/Chaff Dispensers, ECM, IR
Uncage, Target ID, Laser Designator, Stealth 1, ECM/ECCM 2, IRCM 1,
Flares/Chaff (30/30) |
735/485m Hardened Runway |
+4 |
20mm Vulcan, 7 Hardpoints |
740x20mm |
MiG-35 Falroth
Country of Manufacture: Russia/Soviet Union
Aircraft Type:
Fighter/Bomber
Notes: Though
based on a real experimental aircraft (the MiG 1.44), this treatment is a work
of fiction (done by yours truly). Russia would dearly love to build a
fighter based on the MiG 1.44, but may never have the money to do it.
Fictional Notes:
This mutlirole fighter was rumored as early as the early 1990s, but its
existence was not confirmed until the Twilight War. It is a twin-tailed
"double-delta" design, with a large wing and canard foreplanes. It is a very
advanced stealth design with good air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities. The
Falroth is 3 levels harder than normal to detect with radar or guide weapons to
it with radar, and two levels harder to detect or guide weapons with radar. The
internal weapon bay is normally taken up with air-to-air weapons, but it is
large and can hold up to 1.5 tons. Unfortunately, development was long and
expensive, and until just before the Twilight War, there were no plans to
mass-produce the MiG-35; therefore, numbers of the MiG-35 were limited to less
than 75 copies. Popular nicknames in the West were "ATFski" and "Raptor Killer."
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$148,320,320 |
AvG |
5 tons |
31.75 tons |
1 |
32 |
Radar, FLIR, VAS |
Shielded |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
7334* |
1224 (110) |
NA 306
11/7 110/70 |
6625 |
13317 |
17000 |
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
All-Weather Flight, Radar Warning Receiver, Flare/Chaff Dispensers, ECM,
Auto Track, HUD, IR Uncage, Look-Down Radar, Track while Scan, Active
Jamming, Laser Designator, Target ID, Multitarget (4), Stealth 1,
ECM/ECCM 2, IRCM 1, Flares/Chaff (40/30) |
600/430m Hardened Runway |
+4 |
30mm-3 Autocannon, 1 Weapon Bay, 8 hardpoints |
330x30mm |
*The
MiG-35 is supercruise-capable.
MiG-37 Ferret
Country of Manufacture: Russia/Soviet Union
Aircraft Type:
Stealth Attack Aircraft
Notes: Though
there have long been rumors of a "Russian Stealth Fighter," the "MiG-37 Ferret"
I used to come up with these statistics was actually the product of the
imaginations of designers at Revell, a manufacturer of model airplanes.
Fictional Notes:
The MiG-37's existence was not confirmed until the Twilight War, though there
were rumors of overflights in China, Alaska, and the Middle East as early as
1992. It is a first-generation stealth aircraft, as the US F-117A. The
aircraft's fuselage, like the F-117, is composed of facets designed to reflect
radar away instead of back to its source. The exhaust is cooled through a
thermal brick system and by auxiliary inlets in the rear. The Ferret uses weapon
bays that do not expose its weapons to radar emissions. This aircraft is a bit
larger and more powerful than the F-117A, and it is possible that spies got
information from the Nighthawk program. It was never known how many of these
aircraft the Russians had, since they were used only against high-value targets
and taken from base to base in An-124 Condor aircraft. They were rarely
encountered during the Twilight War, however, and mostly used for
reconnaissance. Unlike the F-117A, the Ferret does have an air-to-air
capability.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$87,085,010 |
AvG |
2.2 tons |
23.99 tons |
1 |
36 |
FLIR, Radar |
Shielded |
Tr
Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
2668 |
667 (140) |
NA
167 4/2
40/20 |
4500 |
5374 |
17000 |
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
Radar Warning
Receiver, Flare/Chaff Dispensers, ECM, IRCM, HUD, Look-Down Radar,
Terrain-Following Radar,
Stealth 3, IR Stealth 2, ECM/ECCM 2, IRCM 2, Flares/Chaff (40/30) |
1300/1600m
Primitive Runway |
+4 |
30mm Autocannon,
4 Weapons Bays |
400x30mm |
Country of Origin: United States
Type of
Aircraft: Multirole Stealth Aircraft
Notes: This is a
work of fiction, as far as I know…It is based on the various rumors of the
Aurora's capabilities.
Fictional Notes:
(Twilight 2000) This hypersonic fighter/reconnaissance aircraft was rumored for
over a decade before the Twilight War, but its existence was not confirmed until
many years after it. Known by many designations and names over the years, such
as Senior Citizen, Senior Trend, Senior Ice, Grandfather, XR-7, Darkstar Mike,
Darkstar November, and SR-91; but perhaps the name it was known to the most
people was "Aurora." It never officially had any assigned name, and even the
designation R-5D was simply made up in order to call the aircraft something. The
R-5D was high-speed scramjet-powered aircraft primarily designed for long-range
strategic reconnaissance, but also with a limited role as an interceptor and air
interdiction vehicle; details are still sketchy, but R-5D aircraft are believed
to be responsible for several mysterious aerial intercepts of aircraft over
Russia and the Middle East, including the shoot-downs of the aircraft of the
Russian President in 1999, mysterious downings of almost a dozen enemy AWACS
aircraft in critical areas, and the "Nuclear Warhead From Nowhere" that
destroyed the North Korean 22nd Tank Division while located near the
Chinese border in 1997. Due to an experimental light-absorbing paint job, it is
even one level harder to detect by visual means. However, the R-5D is known to
make a distinctive double-bang noise when it is in the vicinity, and this sound
is 50% likely to be heard when the R-5D is within 50 kilometers. Though it takes
very specific atmospheric conditions, R-5D are also known to leave a distinctive
"doughnuts-on-a-rope" contrail, a set of contrail rings connected by a slim,
though conventional contrail. Though the R-5D could burn regular jet fuel, best
performance was achieved on a liquid hydrogen/methane mix, and speed is limited
to one half the values below unless the special fuel is used. The only external
hardpoints are for drop tanks; if these tanks are carried, all speeds are
limited to one-half the maximum speeds, and stealth efficacy if reduced by two
levels. The remaining stores are kept in weapons bays. It is not believed that
any R-5Ds were shot down, though 2 were lost in accidents before the war; a
total of 6 are known for sure to have been built, though there may have been as
many as twice this number in existence.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$230,280,040 |
JP7 or H/M |
3.83 tons |
32.5 tons |
2 |
80 |
Radar, LIDAR, FLIR, VAS |
Shielded |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
(H/M) 6600, (JP7) 3300 |
(H/M) 1650, (JP7) 825 (175) |
NA (H/M) 413/(JP7) 207
5/4 50/40 |
20400 |
(H/M) 23520, (JP7) 47040 |
40000 |
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
Radar Warning Receiver, Flare/Chaff Dispensers, HUD Interface, IR
Uncage, Look-Down Radar, Auto Track, Track While Scan, Target ID,
Stealth 3, IR Stealth 2, ECM/ECCM 4, IRCM 3, Flares/Chaff (100/100),
All-Weather Flight, Satcom Radio, Secure Radios, Deception Jamming,
Laser Designator, ELINT Gear |
2800/1500m Hardened Runway |
+5 |
2 Hardpoints (Drop Tanks Only), 6 Weapon Bays |
None |
Su-47 Flatfoot
Country of Manufacture: Russia/Soviet Union
Aircraft Type:
Fighter/Bomber
Note: Though
based on a real experimental aircraft (the S-37 Berkut), this treatment is a
work of fiction. Whether or not the Russians will ever have the money to
take the Berkut out of what is basically an advanced prototype stage is
anybody's guess, though they have already assigned the designation "Su-47" to
any possible future production version, and Sukhoi is reportedly working hard to
come up with the money to make a production version a reality.
Fictional Notes:
Known to the Russians as the Berkut (Golden Eagle), the Su-47 was a mysterious
aircraft until late in the Twilight War, with isolated sightings being made here
and there in encounters that were usually to the detriment of NATO or Coalition
pilots. Mostly employed in Europe, some Berkuts were encountered in the Middle
East, and there were even a few reported over Alaska and western Canada.
Estimates of the total number available to the Russians range from about 10 to
over 25. Captain Pamela Wagner, the Twilight War’s highest-scoring ace, claims
that a tangle with a Berkut lead to her being downed over Poland in August of
1999. The Berkut is a radical design that draws from stolen data on the X-29
program in the US, using composite construction, swept forward wings, and an
unstable configuration controlled by computers. The Su-47 has an internal weapon
bay that can carry 1.5 tons. The fuselage is a modified Su-37 Flanker series,
and thrust vectoring has been added to the exhaust. The Berkut has a RAM
(Radar-Absorbent Material) coating to its fuselage that gives a one level
detriment to attempts to detect or guide radar weapons to it. Avionics are
perhaps the most advanced of any applied to a Russian fighter. The Su-47 has
been reported flying in angles of attack of up to 70 degrees, and is capable of
extremely difficult maneuvers such as Pougachev’s Cobra and the Herbst Angle of
Attack Maneuver. All in all, the Su-47 was a fighter much dreaded by Western
pilots, and thankfully, not often seen. The four conformal underfuselage
hardpoints may only be used for air-to-air missiles; the two on the wingtips may
only be used for air-to-air missiles or electronics pods.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$153,578,640 |
AvG |
8 tons |
34 tons |
1 |
48 |
Radar, FLIR, VAS |
Enclosed |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
4976 |
1244 (110) |
NA 311
13/8 130/80 |
13860 |
14666 |
18000 |
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
All-Weather Flight, Radar Warning Receiver, Flare/Chaff Dispensers (20),
ECM, Auto Track, HUD Interface, Look-Down Radar, IR Uncage, Track While
Scan, Secure Radios, Multitarget (6), Target ID, IR Suppression, Stealth
2, ECM 2, IR Stealth 1, VG Nozzles, Active Jamming |
1200/750m Hardened Runway |
+4 |
GSh-301 30mm-3 Autocannon, 1 Weapon Bay,14 Hardpoints |
150x30mm |