Myeong and Lyang MyL-24

MyL-24
File:MyL-24 side colour.png
MyL-24
Role	multirole fighter
National origin	DSRA Anikatia
Manufacturer	Myeong and Lyang Design Bureau
First flight	2 January 1993
Introduction	7 May 1999
Status	In production
Primary user	Rodarion Anikatia
Produced	1999–present
Number built	400+
Unit cost	MyL-24MX: UR$75 million (flyaway cost, 2013)

The Myeong and Lyang MyL-24 (CDI reporting name: Fathom-C) is a twin-engine, two-seat, all-weather multirole fighter aircraft developed by Myeong and Lyang Design Bureau. It is a supermaneuverable multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions. The MyL-24 started out as an internal development project in the Myeong and Lyang MyL-21 family by the Myeong and Lyang Design Bureau.

History

While the original MyL-21 had good range, it still did not have enough range for the Anikatian Air Force. The Air Force needed to cover the vast expanse of the DSRA. Hence, development began in 1987 on the MyL-21PFU, an improved-capability variant of the MyL-21 capable of serving as a long-range interceptor or airborne command post.

The two-seat MyL-21UB combat trainer was selected as the basis for the MyL-21PFU, because it had the performance of a single-seat MyL-21 and long-range missions require two crew members. A "proof-of-concept" demonstrator flew 3 November 1988, and this success led to the kick-off of development work on four MyL-21PFU prototypes. The first MyL-21PFU flew at Kystia on 2 January 1993, and the first of six pre-production models flew in 8 September 1996.

Design

The MyL-24's is a highly integrated twin-finned aircraft. The airframe is constructed of titanium and high-strength aluminium alloys. Aerodynamically similar in design to the Ay-05, but it is substantially larger and with twin engines and seats. The swept wing blends into the fuselage at the leading edge extensions and is essentially a cropped delta (the delta wing with tips cropped for missile rails or ECM pods). The MyL-24 is also an example of a tailed delta wing configuration, retaining conventional horizontal tailplanes, though it is not a true delta. The MyL-24 has a retractable tricycle landing gear. The cockpit is mounted high in the forward fuselage with a one-piece windscreen and large canopy to increase visibility.

The MyL-21 had the DSRA's first operational fly-by-wire control system, developed based on Yukimov's experience in the Yukimov Yuk-31 project, this fly-by-wire system was retained on the MyL-24. Combined with relatively low wing loading and powerful basic flight controls, it makes for an exceptionally agile aircraft, controllable even at very low speeds and high angles of attack. Thanks to a high thrust-to-weight ratio enabling the aircraft to turn tightly without losing airspeed. The MyL-24 is armed with a single 27 mm Esk-27-K cannon in the starboard wingroot, and has up to 12 hardpoints for missiles and other weapons.

Cockpit

The MyL-24 features a glass cockpit with each pilot having two large 380 x 290 (15 x 11.5in) Nisikou NL-2724DS multi-function displays plus three smaller screens which includes a wide angle collimatory display on the windshield and a (152 mm x 152 mm) control and indication panel. The pilot sits in a Wallis-Thornton WTK-14EM zero-zero ejection seat inclined at 30° to improve pilot g-force tolerance which has had impressive performance in emergency escapes. The cockpit equipped with multi-function colour LCD screens along with a head-up display (HUD), a Svalov-1M2 helmet mounted display with increased and enchanced capability, and HOTAS ("hands-on-throttle-and-stick") capability. The aircraft has a fly by wire (FBW) with quadruple redundancy. Depending on the flight conditions, signals from the control stick position transmitter or the FCS may be coupled to the remote control amplifiers. These signals are combined with feedback signals fed by acceleration sensors and rate gyros. The resultant control signals are coupled to the high-speed electro-hydraulic actuators of the elevators, and rudders.

Avionics

The baseline MyL-24 are equipped with a AKI/RAL K10R-GX-M2 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar which has 25 operating modes, including ground-mapping, Doppler beam-sharpening, ground moving target, sea target, and track-while-scan (TWS) for up to 30 aerial targets, and engage ten targets simultaneously in the attack mode. Also equiped within the avionics suite is an Arsanukayev Type 1098 central digital computer. The aircraft also features the Dietrich Osterhagen Electrics Limited ODEL-020QP electronic warfare suite built into the airframe, the suite comprises a reconnaissance system, detecting radiation from airborne and anti-aircraft radars, and a countermeasures component which deals with the most popular high-frequency wavebands used (Bands H and J). The Myl-24 is equiped with the RAL/RYK SDSA-124M self-defence sensor suite. The infrared missile approach warning system (MAV) has six sensors located on the front fuselage to provide all-around coverage. It can register the launch of a man-portable anti-aircraft missile from a distance of 10km (6 miles), an air-to-air missile from 30km (19 miles) and a large surface-to-air missile from 50km (31 miles). Two laser warning sensors are located on the sides of the front fuselage; they detect laser rangefindeers tracking the aircraft from up to 30km (19 miles) away. chaff/flare dispensers, fighter-to-fighter data link, and a precise inertial navigation system. A useful feature the MyL-24 is the Tagirbekov General Industries Tgk-75M, a combined laser rangefinder and IRST in an "eyeball" mount forward of the cockpit canopy. Additonally the aircraft can carry active jamming pods mounted on the cropped wing tips these pods enchance, the built-in electronic countermeasures (ECM) system`s capabilities in the medium wavebands (E to G). And a decoy launcher is mounted near the tail cone with 96 decoys of different kinds.

Powerplant

The MyL-24 is powered by a two Bulgakov K57 turbofan engine, the exact version of this propulsion system depending on the variant. However the latest variants may utilise advanced variants with thrust vectoring control which give more thrust and a lower specific fuel consumption than earlier variants of the engines while also providing even greater maneuverability.

Variants

MyL-24/MyL-21PFU ("Fathom-C")

Two seat version of the MyL-21PF interceptor, designed to support with tactical data other single-seat MyL-21PF, Later prototypes were modified into a multi-role fighter mainly for export market, moving away from the original purpose of the aircraft.

MyL-24MX ("Fathom-C")

Next-generation multi-role two-seater. Based on the few MyL-21PFU's that were built for DSRA. The MyL-30MX export variant was embodied as a series of two demonstrators of different levels of capability.

MyL-24MPRR ("Fathom-C")

Export version for Rodarion based on the two-seater MyL-24 multi-role variant. MPRR stands for "Modernised, Papal Republic of Rodarion" it is built under licence in Rodarion for the Papal Air Force.

Operators

Current

Anikatia

• Anikatian Air Force - 48 MyL-24 aircraft as of May 2013, out of a total order of 60 with deliveries expected to be completed by 2015.

Rodarion

• Papal Air Force - 354 MyL-24MPRR as of June 2012. Rodarion recieved domestic production rights in 2005.

Former operators

Template:Country data Democratic Socialist Republic of Anikatia

Specifications (MyL-24MX)

3-view drawing of MyL-24

Data from Myeong and Lyang specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: Two
• Length: 21.9 m (72 ft) ()
• Wingspan: 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in) ()
• Height: 5.63 m (18.5 ft) ()
• Empty weight: 17,100 kg (37,699 lb) ()
• Loaded weight: 27,615 kg (60,880 lb) ()
• Max. takeoff weight: 38,450 kg (84,767 lb) ()
• Powerplant: 2 × Bulgakov K57-117 afterburning turbofan, Wet:137 kN (13,970 kgf, 30,799 lbf) ()Dry: 88 kN (8,981 kgf, 19,800 lbf) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.0+ (2,120 km/h, 1,320 mph)
• Combat radius: 1,870 km (1,162 mi) ()
• Ferry range: 4,000 km (2,490 mi) with external fuel ()
• Service ceiling: 17,300 m (56,800 ft) ()
• Thrust/weight: 1.01 (1.37 with loaded weight plus 50% fuel)

Armament

• Guns: 1× 27 mm Esk-27k cannon with 180 rounds or 30 mm Esk-30-K1 internal cannon
• Hardpoint:12 hardpoints, consisting of 8 under-wing, 2 on the fuselage and 2 centre-line with a capacity of 9,250 kg (20,392 lb) of weapons and fuel tanks, including:
• Rockets:
  • S-25L laser-guided rocket
  • S-25 unguided rocket
  • B-8 unguided S-8 rocket pods
  • B-13 unguided S-13 rocket pods
• Air-to-air missile
  • Ryk-12R/ER/T/ET
  • Ryk-7R/M/T
  • Ryk-6
  • Ryk-11E/M
  • Ryk-17M
• Air-to-surface missile
  • Ryk-29T/L
  • Ryk-35
  • Ryk-31P/A
  • Ryk-25
  • Ryk-59ME
  • PA-13
• Bombs
  • Incendiary, bunker buster, high-explosive, laser-guided, nuclear, cluster and general purpose bombs up to 1,500 kg
  • Training bombs up to 1,500 kg
• Others:
  • Countermeasures (Flares, Chaff)
  • Up to 3 external drop tanks (2× under-wing 1,500 litres, 1× under-fuselage 1,700 litres for extended range/loitering time)

Avionics

• AKI/RAL K10R-GX-M2 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system
• Tagirbekov General Industries Tgk-75M sophisticated multi-channel Infrared search and track (ISRT) sighting system
• Rykovatia Weapon Systems Rtk-5QMP Datalink communications system
• Dietrich Osterhagen Electrics Limited ODEL-020QP electronic warfare suite (ECM)
• Rakovski Aeronautics and Rykovatia Weapon Systems RAL/RYK SDSA-124M self-defence sensor suite
• Rakovski Aeronautics RAL-05KPG RWR

See also

• Related development
  • Myeong and Lyang MyL-21
  • Myeong and Lyang MyL-27
• Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
  • Praxis F-31 Wyvern
  • Arthuristan Dynamics Super Cyclone
  • F3 Corsair