Daesŭngri DS-5: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Aircraft
{|{{Infobox aircraft begin
|name                             = Daesŭngri DS-5
| name           = Daesŭngri DS-5
|type                             = {{wp|Fighter_aircraft|fighter}}
| image          =
|national origin                  = {{flag|Menghe}}
| caption        = DS-5D multirole showing a variety of color schemes and armament options.
|manufacturer                    = Daesŭngri
| alt            =
|image                            = File:Feidou_FD-5_variants_colored.png
}}{{Infobox aircraft type
|caption                          = List of DS-5 variants with date of introduction
|type          = {{wp|Fighter aircraft}} (G var.)<br> {{wp|Attack aircraft}} (N var.)<br> {{wp|Multirole combat aircraft|Multirole aircraft}} (D var.)
|designer                         =  
|national origin = [[Democratic People's Republic of Menghe|DPRM]]
|first flight                     = 1974
|manufacturer  = Daesŭngri Aircraft Design Bureau
|introduction                    = 1978
|designer       =  
|status                           = In Service
|first flight   = 1974
|number built                    =  
|introduced    = 1977
|program cost                    =  
|retired        =  
|produced                         = 1976-2007
|status         =  
|unit cost                       =  
|primary user  = [[Menghean Army]]
|primary user                    = {{flag|Menghe}}
|more users    =  
|more users                      = {{flag|Qusayn}}<br/>{{flag|Ummayah}}<br/>{{flag|Dzhungestan}}
|produced       = 1977-1999
|variants with their own articles =
|number built  = 1,678
|program cost   =
|unit cost      =  
|developed from =  
|variants with their own articles =  
}}
}}
The '''Daesŭngri DS-5''' ([[Menghean language|Menghean]]: 대승리 (大勝利) ㄷㅅ-5) is a single-seat, {{wp|Third-generation_jet_fighter|third-generation jet fighter}} developed in the [[Menghe#1944-1987:_Menghe_in_the_Postwar_Era|Democratic People’s Republic of Menghe]] by the '''Daesŭngri Aircraft Design Bureau'''. It was the first operational Menghe military aircraft to incorporate {{wp|Variable-sweep_wing|variable-sweep wings}}, and the first to carry a targeting radar capable of guiding {{wp|Semi-active_radar_homing|SARH}} air-to-air missiles.  
|}
 
The '''Daesŭngri DS-5''' ([[Menghean_Army_designation_scheme#Formal_designation|Formal designation]]: 대승리 5호 전투기 / 大勝利五號戰鬪機, ''Daesŭngri O-ho Jŏntugi'', "Daesŭngri No.5 Fighter;" [[Menghean_Army_designation_scheme#Short_designation|Short designation]] 대승-5 ''Daesŭng-o'' "Daesŭng-5") is a single-seat, {{wp|Third-generation_jet_fighter|third-generation jet fighter}} developed in the [[Democratic People's Republic of Menghe]] by the Daesŭngri Aircraft Design Bureau. It was the first Menghean jet aircraft of entirely domestic design. Key features included {{wp|variable-sweep wing}}s and a radar capable of guiding {{wp|Semi-active_radar_homing|radar-guided air-to-air missiles}}.
 
Over the course of its 22-year production span, the DS-5 was built in twelve major variants, including an air superiority fighter (DS-5G), a dedicated ground-attack aircraft (DS-5N), a reconnaissance platform (DS-5JCh), a carrier-based fighter (DS-5HM), two multiroles (DS-5D and DS-5R), and twin-seat trainer variants for most of these. Nearly 1,700 airframes of all types were produced in total between 1977 and 1999. The DS-5M remains in active service with several mid-readiness squadrons in the [[Menghean Army]], and other DS-5 variants have been exported abroad.


==Development==
==Development==
Throughout the 1960s, the Menghe People’s Air Force’s most advanced fighter aircraft was the [[Daesungri DS-2]], a {{wp|Second-generation_jet_fighter|second-generation}} jet fighter with swept wings and a conical nose intake. While the DS-2 was capable of using the early YGG-1 heat-seeking missile, it lacked a targeting radar, which prevented it from engaging targets at long range and from angles other than the rear. Its top speed, slightly below Mach 2, was impressive at the time of its introduction but put it well below new jet fighters entering service with other militaries. As such, in 1968 the Menghe government assigned the Daesŭngri design bureau the task of developing a replacement with greater combat capability.
===Origins===
The DPRM's first two jet fighters, the [[Daesŭngri DS-1|DS-1]] and [[Daesŭngri DS-2|DS-2]], were highly agile and easy to produce, but suffered from a number of shortcomings related to the age of their designs. Both lacked the ability to use radar-guided AAMs, and while the DS-2N did incorporate a ranging radar in the nose, this was only good out to 12 kilometers and could not distinguish between aerial targets and ground clutter. Later DS-2 variants could carry heat-seeking AAMs like the YGG-1 and YGG-2, but their lack of long-range missiles severely limited their usefulness against rival [[Dayashina|Dayashinese]] and [[Tyran]]nian aircraft, especially in {{wp|Beyond-visual-range_missile|BVR engagements}}.
 
At the end of the 1960s, the Menghean Ministry of Defense reached out to [[Letnia]] to inquire about a production license for the {{wp|Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-23|MiG-23}}, which was just beginning to enter service. Letnian representatives initially considered the state-of-the-art MiG-23 too advanced to license freely, but made the counter-offer to export knocked-down MiG-23 assembly kits starting in 1974. The MPA considered this deadline far too distant, and also worried that shipment by sea would leave the planes vulnerable to interception by foreign naval powers, who controlled the key straits and coastlines between Menghe and Letnia.
 
As negotiations remained at an impasse, some officials in the Menghean People's Communist Party proposed that the DPRM's aircraft industry was sufficiently advanced to attempt a fully domestic design project, adapted to suit the Army's own needs and requirements. This view found support among the Party's "Productionist" faction, led by [[Sim Jin-hwan]], who was officially sworn in as General-Secretary in January 1971. The development and production contract was handed to the Daesŭngri design bureau, which had experience producing the DS-1 and DS-2 lightweight fighters and at the time had the largest accumulation of design expertise; Songrim's [[Songrim SR-3|SR-3G]] was a direct copy of the Letnian {{wp|Sukhoi Su-7|Or-7}}, and Yŏng'an only had experience producing heavy bombers.


In order to achieve a sufficiently high top speed while retaining low-speed agility and a short takeoff distance, the designers opted for a {{wp|Variable-sweep_wing|variable-geometry}} design. They also decided to move to all-moving {{wp|Stabilator|stabilitators}} in place of fixed stabilizers with moving elevators like the DS-2. The first proposal, tentatively designated DS-3, resembled an enlarged DS-2 with variable sweep for the outer half of the wing.
===Design and testing===
Faced with their new state requirement, the Daesŭngri design team began work on a new fighter aircraft in late 1971. Early on, the designers opted for a {{wp|variable-sweep wing}}, much like the Letnian MiG-23 and [[Sieuxerr]]ian Menace-C. In return for its added complexity, a swing-wing design would allow the new fighter to reach high speeds at altitude while also meeting the short takeoff and landing distance requirements imposed by the DPRM's sparse airfields. A large conical nose with side intakes was also chosen in place of earlier central nose intakes, in order to leave more space for an air-search radar.


This concept was abandoned, however, before any functioning prototypes were built, as it left insufficient space for the radar set. '''DS-4''', the second proposal, essentially started from scratch, using a full-size nose cone and shifting the intakes to either side of the cockpit. It also raised the wings from the mid-lower fuselage to form a “shoulder” arrangement, and moved the pivot points further inward. Some members of the design team, however, expressed concerns about the retention of a single-engine powerplant. Operational experience with the DS-2, and especially its less reliable A variant, had revealed multiple instances in which pilots had to eject or ditch during patrols because the engine had cut out in flight. As such, the Daesŭngri team produced a second design study, '''DS-5''', which incorporated two smaller engines in place of a single large one. In theory, this would allow the plane to limp back to the nearest airbase under half power if one of its engines failed or sustained damage. The DS-5 also moved the engine intakes further back, placing them underneath the fixed portion of the wing.
Some initial debate existed over whether to use a twin-engine or single-engine configuration. Han Do-hun, the chief designer at Daesŭngri, initially favored a single-engine layout out of the belief that it would minimize weight and thus improve maneuverability. But past experience with the single-engine DS-1, DS-2, and SR-3 had revealed relatively frequent problems with burnouts and other failures, even on regular training flights, due to the inconsistent quality of Menghean engine production. A twin-engine design offered the advantage of letting the new jet return to base under half power if one engine failed, avoiding the total loss of an expensive plane. The DPRM also lacked a single engine with the required thrust, and many designers were skeptical that an entirely new engine could be developed in the available time, given the DPRM's lack of new engine design experience. Supporters of the single-engine layout eventually relented, and the twin-engine proposal went forward. As a further move to improve reliability, the designers chose the Gokchŏn Gi-12 turbojet, itself a development of the Gi-7 (licensed {{wp|Tumansky R-11}} produced in the thousands for the [[Daesŭngri DS-2]].


Two prototypes were built, one in either configuration, and the first test flights began in 1974. According to official records, the DS-4 was slightly better in acceleration and top speed, but the Air Force representatives agreed with the second team’s engine reliability concerns and selected the DS-5. For its part, the DS-5 was lighter and more agile, but this came at the cost of a shorter range and reduced acceleration. Full-scale production began in 1975, with the first operational fighters arriving in front-line units by 1978.
Work on the radar incurred more serious delays. The Ministry of Defense initially insisted that the development of the radar should be entirely domestic, with no foreign parts, a requirement that proved difficult to meet given the immaturity of Menghe's domestic electronics sector. Prototype JG-01, which flew on July 12th, 1974, had a concrete weight in the radome to maintain balance. Under pressure to push the plane into service, Daesŭngri secretly obtained an RP-22SMA radar from a [[Polvokia]]n MiG-21MF and reverse-engineered it to produce the JT-77 ''Bŏngae'' ("Lightning") radar. Official announcements claimed that the radar was fully indigenous, but its physical appearance and actual origin were kept a closely guarded secret until the 1990s.


==Design (DS-5A)==
Test flights took place from 1974 through 1977, before the new radar had even been installed. The second prototype, JG-02, crashed due to {{wp|pilot-induced oscillation}}, resulting in the death of the pilot; another suffered damage on a high-speed dive, forcing the test pilot to eject. Investigation revealed problems with the airspeed indicator dial and other instruments, particularly a low response rate. Despite claims that these were fixed, periodic instrument problems persisted into the first few batches of aircraft.
===Performance===
All DS-5 variants are driven by two '''DFS-5K90''' turbojets in a conventional side-by-side layout. Though less powerful than the single engine trialed on the DS-4, this theoretically ensures that if a single engine is lost the aircraft can still limp back to a friendly airstrip. Because the engines are directly adjacent, however, any hit that knocks out one is likely to damage the other, and any widespread flame can easily spread.


The outer wing sections of the DS-5 can adjust to pre-set angles for a leading-edge sweep of 21, 45, or 79 degrees. Even at maximum sweep, its agility is limited by the high wing loading typical of non-delta designs. The type’s light overall weight helps compensate for this, but comes at the cost of a less sturdy structure; in combat, the DS-5 has proven relatively fragile, seldom able to return to base after sustaining damage.
===Production===
In spite of lingering concerns over instrument response and the very recent integration of the JT-77 radar, Daesŭngri's final JG-15 prototype was ordered into production in 1977 as the DS-5G fighter. To speed up production, the DS-2 assembly line was shut down in 1979 and refurbished to support manufacture of the DS-5. Production records state that 129 airframes of all types were produced in 1980 alone, and average annual production had risen to about 150 airframes by 1985, spread across all variants.


The DS-5G was first publicly unveiled at the 1978 victory day parade, in a unique blue-green upper and pale blue lower paint scheme that was not used in service afterward. It carried two R-23 missiles, giving the impression that it had full integration with radar-guided missiles, though in fact these were only mounted for show. Little information about the plane was made public, and at first some Western observers believed it to be a copy of the [[Sieuxerr]]ian [[Menace]] fighter. In fact, the two had developed independently of one another.
==Design==
[[File:Daesungri_DS-5G.png|300px|thumb|right|Early "G" variant of the DS-5. Note that while DS-5Gs were flown with YGG-3 missiles in parade appearances, they could only use IR-guided missiles in service.]]
===Armament===
===Armament===
[[File:Feidou_FD-5E_ordnance_guides.png|300px|thumb|right|Diagram showing possible armament options for the DS-5E, matched with the hardpoints that can support them.]]The DS-5A has a total of five external hardpoints: two under each wing, and one centered beneath the fuselage. Of the wing hardpoints, the outer two are mounted on the variable-geometry sections of the wing, and automatically rotate to face forward at different wing angles. In early service, a typical air-to-air loadout consisted of two YGG-3 radar-guided missiles on the inner wing hardpoints and two ShK-1K heat-seeking missiles on the outer ones. The centerline hardpoint was not wired to carry missiles, and was usually hooked up to a drop tank to extend the fighter’s limited operational range. Later variants (see side image and text below) added compatibility with more advanced air-to-air missiles, and with a variety of ground-attack munitions.
The DS-5G was produced with five external hardpoints for ordnance: one under the fixed section of each wing, one on each corner of the lower fuselage, and one along the centerline. Swiveling hardpoints under the swinging wings were considered during development, but the design team chose to omit them in order to save weight, reduce complexity, and avoid damage from hardpoints becoming stuck at a given angle. The centerline hardpoint could only be used to carry an external fuel tank, and the under-wing hardpoints were also adaptable for this purpose, though as this configuration halved the number of air-to-air missiles, it was only used in long-distance ferry flights.
 
Ironically, even though beyond-visual-range combat had been a major selling point of the project, the JT-77 radar used on early-production DS-5Gs lacked the ability to support radar-guided missiles. It also struggled to distinguish aerial targets from ground clutter, and thus lacked {{wp|look-down/shoot-down}} capability. To deceive foreign intelligence agencies, the DPRM obtained a license to produce the {{wp|R-23_(missile)|R-23 missile}} as the YGG-3, and even mounted this weapon on DS-5s during parade flights. In actual service, however, the DS-5G was entirely limited to the heat-seeking YGG-2, the same missile used by late-production DS-2 variants.
 
Gun armament consisted of two {{wp|Nudelman-Rikhter_NR-23|NR-23}} autocannons, one in each bottom corner of the nose. Each carried 120 rounds of ammunition. This was the same gun armament used on the DS-2, and it reflected both the Menghean People's Army Air Force's doctrine of pursuing close-range dogfights, and an effort to balance the failure of the JT-77 radar.
 
===Powerplant===
Thrust was provided by a pair of Gi-12 turbojets, improvements of the Gi-7 (license-built {{wp|Tumansky R11}} used on the DS-2. The early-production versions of these engines, used on the DS-5G through DS-5D, developed 42 kN of thrust dry and 64.6 kN with afterburner.
 
The first four prototypes of the DS-5 had variable-angle {{wp|splitter plate}}s to control airflow to the engines at different speeds and altitudes. This feature was omitted on the production model of the DS-5G, with the splitter plates kept fixed at an angle optimal for low-altitude flight. This decision was apparently intended to save weight and reduce maintenance costs, but it also hampered the plane's performance at higher altitudes. Some sources speculate that the omission of variable splitter plates was the result of political lobbying by the Songrim bureau, which was then working on the SR-7 high-level interceptor and didn't want the DS-5 to emerge as a rival aircraft. The DS-5N restored the variable-angle intake plates, and all subsequent variants carried them.
 
Two large airbrakes were mounted on the upper fuselage above the engine, as on the MiG-23. On the lower fuselage, the rear landing gear cover plates doubled as airbrakes, and could be deployed midair to help slow the aircraft. They also helped reduce speed while landing. For further reduction in landing distance, a parachute could be deployed from a tube at the base of the upper fin. Despite an innovative folding arrangement, the rear wheels were still only 2.8 meters apart at their center points, and landing the DS-5 on rough ground was not easy.


Gun armament remained an important part of the design process, as the Daesŭngri design bureau and the Menghe People’s Air Force still believed that missiles were not sufficiently reliable and needed a fighter that could continue close-range or low-level engagements after its air-to-air missiles were exhausted. As such, the DS-5A was given two 30mm autocannons, one on either side of the nose just beneath the pilot’s seat.
The central new feature of the DS-5 lay in its folding wings. These could be set to angles of 25, 45, and 68.4 degrees, depending on altitude and speed. Wing angle adjustments were controlled manually on the DS-5G, but on the DS-5R they were automatically coupled to airspeed unless a manual override was activated.


==Variants==
==Variants==
===DS-5B===
===DPRM variants: 1974-1988===
In 1976, two years before the DS-5A entered service, the Menghe People’s Air Force expressed interest in developing a “fighter-bomber” version for the ground-attack role. Prior to then, the DS-2B fulfilled this mission, but it was ill-protected and armed only with unguided rockets. At this time, the Sunglin design bureau was nearing completion of its [[Sunglin SL-6|SL-6]] tactical bomber, but the Daesŭngri design bureau attempted to pre-empt them by expanding the DS-5 project to include a “fighter-bomber” for the ground attack role.
;JG-01:
:First prototype produced by Daesŭngri in 1974.
;JG-15:
:Final prototype on which the production-model DS-5G was based.
;DS-5G:
:The initial production variant of the DS-5, introduced in 1978. It suffered from a number of shortcomings, including an outdated JT-77 radar based on a reverse-engineered RP-22SMA. This was incapable of targeting radar-guided missiles, so the DS-5G only carried the YGG-1 and -2 heat-seeking missiles in service. A total of 126 were produced.
;DS-5GSs:
:A two-seat training version of the DS-5G. To make room for the rear extension of the cockpit, one of the forward fuel tanks was removed, shortening range. It suffered from the same problems as the DS-5G, and its rear (instructor) cockpit had poor visibility forward.
[[File:Daesungri_DS-5N.png|300px|thumb|right|"N" and "R" air-superiority variants showing typical color schemes and loadouts.]]
;DS-5N:
:Introduced in 1980, the DS-5N was a major upgrade that corrected a number of serious problems with the DS-5G. It was fitted with a license-produced version of the targeting suite from the Letnian MiG-23MF, the main MiG-23 export variant. This included a Sapfir-23D radar, a TP-23 {{wp|Infra-red_search_and_track|IRST}} sensor under the nose, and an improved {{wp|head-up display}}. The variable-angle splitter plates were also restored, improving high-altitude performance, and more reliable avionics and airspeed sensors were installed.
 
:The new radar had a claimed 45km range against a fighter-sized target, and it could support guidance for the R-23 missile, providing BVR capability for the first time. It had some {{wp|look-down/shoot-down}} capability, but this relied on envelope limitation rather than the {{wp|Doppler_radar|Doppler effect}}, so ground reflections could still interfere in targeting at low altitudes. The DS-5N was the most numerous air-superiority variant of the DS-5, with close to 600 airframes produced in total.
;DS-5NSs:
:Tandem-seat trainer variant of the DS-5N. The layout of the rear cockpit was somewhat modified in comparison to the DS-5GSs, improving the instructor's visibility and reducing the obstruction to fuel tank space; a new fuel tank was also added in the fuselage rear, restoring range to something close to the DS-5N's envelope.
[[File:Daesungri_DS-5D.png|300px|thumb|right|"D" variants of the DS-5, including upgrades made after the [[Decembrist Revolution]].]]
;DS-5D:
:A specialized ground-attack variant introduced in 1981. It had a rebuilt, downward-sloping nose modeled on that of the Letnian {{wp|Mikoyan MiG-27|MiG-27}}, and it carried the same Kayra-23 laser and television targeting suite for guided munitions. To broaden the range of armament options, a swiveling hardpoint was added to the underside of each swinging wing section, though overall payload remained limited to 2,500 kg. The DS-5D lacked any kind of radar, including a terrain-following radar, though it could still use heat-seeking missiles for self-defense. Given the focus on low-level flying, the fixed splitter plates of the DS-5G were restored. Armored plating was added around the cockpit.
 
:The DS-5D was produced simultaneously with Songrim's [[Songrim_SR-3#Songrim_SR-3D|SR-3D]], which had essentially the same capabilities. Of the two, the DS-5D was faster and more maneuverable, but also had a lighter payload. Political maneuvering kept both in production at the same time, as neither Songrim nor Daesŭngri was willing to give up its foothold in strike aircraft production.
;DS-5DSs:
:This was a twin-seat lead-in trainer version of the DS-5D. In addition to duplicated flight controls, the rear cockpit also had a wider range of ground-attack instruments, including the ability to operate TV-guided munitions. Owing to these increased capabilities, it was produced in a 1:2 ratio to the baseline DS-5D, and after 1988 it accounted for all DS-5 production.
;DS-5JCh:
:A dedicated reconnaissance variant introduced in 1983. It featured an elongated fuselage with a twin-seat cockpit and an additional fuel tank to extend range. The nose guns were deleted to make room for two side-facing reconnaissance cameras, and the IRST sensor was removed as well. The Sapfir-23D radar was retained, giving the plane some air-to-air capability, though these aircraft typically carried three fuel tanks and two YGG-2 AAMs and their added weight limited their dogfighting ability.
;DS-5R:
:A minor improved version of the DS-5N. The swiveling hardpoints of the DS-5D were added to the outer wings, allowing the carriage of two additional missiles or fuel tanks. The radar was also modified with improved {{wp|Electronic_counter-countermeasure|ECCM}} capabilities, which gave modest improvement to jamming - and, more importantly, resolved a problem where multiple DS-5Ns illuminating the same target could interfere in each other's target lock. In all other respects, it was identical to the DS-5N. No separate twin-seat variant was produced, as the DS-5NSs was similar enough for lead-in training.
;DS-5YG:
:A single DS-5R airframe modified to carry the YDG-4 long-range active-radar missile on its inboard hardpoints, apparently as a testbed for a future interceptor variant. Conducted flight tests in 1985 and 1986, but was judged inferior to the SR-7. The sole DS-5YG is on display at the Daesŭngri Aviation Museum, Daedong.
 
===SRM variants: 1988-1997===
;DS-5M:
:This was a major multirole variant introduced in 1993. It incorporated a new radar from [[Tír Glas]], a new IRST sensor and electronic bombsight from [[Sieuxerr]], an upgraded ECM system, and domestic Gokchŏn Gi-20 turbojets with 48 kN dry thrust. Unlike the DS-5N and -D, which were dedicated air superiority fighters, the DS-5M also had all-weather ground-targeting capabilities superior to those of the DS-5D. With the help of a hardpoint-mounted ATLIS-II targeting pod, also of Sieuxerrian origin, it could aim laser-guided munitions for itself or a partner plane. One gun was removed to free up space for the added electronics, and a fixed refueling probe was added behind the cockpit on the left side.
 
:The DS-5M's radar was a license-built modification of the [[Tol Galen|Glasic]] AN/APG-67. The area of the antenna was increased by a factor of 2.5, and power was increased accordingly. In scan-only mode, claimed detection ranges were 90 km against a fighter below the horizon, 140 km against a fighter above the horizon, and 230 kilometers against larger targets, three times the range of the Sapfir-23D and with greatly improved reliability. The modified radar could also track up to 12 targets simultaneously while conducting an air search, and illuminate targets for the YGG-6 missile. The radar also had a ground-search and terrain mapping mode, and could simultaneously support {{wp|Terrain-following_radar|terrain-following flight}} for low-level, all-weather approaches.
 
;DS-5MSs:
:Twin-seat trainer variant of the DS-5M. Initially the DS-5NSs was considered for this role, but Army Aviation determined that the new engines, IRST, and in-flight refueling probe made the aircraft sufficiently different to require a new lead-in trainer, and would prevent the DS-5NSs from working alongside the DS-5M interchangeably in squadrons.
 
;DS-5R1:
:A DS-5R airframe refitted with the DS-5M's radar and ECM systems. As the enlarged APG-67 occupied a smaller space than the Sapfir-23D, this could be done with minimal changes to the structure itself. The hardpoints were also re-wired to support the ATLIS-II pod and newer ordnance options. The DS-5R1 retained the Gi-12 engines of its precursor, and can be distinguished from the DS-5M by the retention of the TP-23 IRST underneath the nose and the lack of a refueling probe. It is externally identical to the DS-5R save for the greater range of payload options.
 
;DS-5N1:
:This designation was applied to DS-5Ns which received the same upgrade package as the DS-5R1. Fewer of these conversions were made, perhaps 60 in all. DS-5R-style swiveling hardpoints were also added under the folding wing sections.
 
;DS-5NSs1:
:DS-5NSs trainer with DS-5R1 modifications. Modified in larger numbers than the baseline DS-5N, as it also had to serve as a lead-in trainer in DS-5R1 squadrons, introducing crews to the new controls.
 
;DS-5D1:
:A modified DS-5D airframe carrying the APG-67 radar in its small-antenna configuration. This variant lacks the ability to carry YGG-6 SARH missiles, but still benefits from the APG-67's ground-mapping and terrain-following modes, giving it true all-weather capability. As the Kayra-23 system was removed to make room for the radar, the DS-5D1 must carry a separate targeting pod, usually ATLIS-II, in order to aim laser-guided munitions. This limits payload to four remaining usable hardpoints.
 
;DS-5DHD:
:Also known as DS-5D2. This was a single DS-5D modified during preparation for the DS-5D1. It carried the small-antenna APG-67 radar in its nose, but also had a built-in laser designator beneath it, eliminating the need for a separate pod. Not selected for production.
 
;DS-5D3:
:A single prototype fighter-bomber fitted with a radar program module to support the guidance of YGG-6 missiles. It performed well in trials, detecting a 5m<sup>2</sup> target from 90km above the horizon and 57km below. Reliance on external targeting pods left the DS-5D2 with four usable hardpoints, leaving little flexibility for mixed payloads, and the DS-5N1/R1/M outperformed it in the air-to-air role while matching it in the strike role. It was abandoned in favor of the upcoming DS-10.
 
;DS-5JCh2:
:Most DS-5JCh variants were retrofitted to this standard in the mid-1990s, though no new airframes were built. An ECM suite modeled after the type used on the DS-5M was added, and the Sapfir-23D radar was replaced by a dedicated ground-search radar with a secondary jamming capability. The inboard wing hardpoints could be used to launch anti-radiation missiles, giving the DS-5JCh2 a secondary {{wp|Suppression_of_Enemy_Air_Defenses|SEAD}} capability at the cost of reducing space for external fuel. The centerline hardpoint could also be fitted with a reconnaissance pod carrying improved camera equipment or a heavier jamming or SIGINT pod.


The resulting DS-5B was externally similar, but its hardpoints were rewired to accept air-to-ground munitions like the PD-41 and PD-42 anti-tank missiles and the PD-43 {{wp|Anti-radiation_missile|anti-radiation missile}}. They were also reinforced to allow the use of heavier munitions, especially with the redesign of the centerline hardpoint to carry bombs, though maximum payload remained relatively light at 3,000 kilograms. The DS-5B retained the MBR-200 radar, mainly to cue targets for the anti-radiation missiles and alert the pilot to enemy aircraft, but due to the hardpoint redesign it was only able to fire heat-seeking missiles.
;DS-5M1:
:Minor electronics upgrade to the DS-5M, including a datalink to the YGG-7 active-radar-guided missile for mid-course guidance and support for GPS navigation.


===DS-5Ch===
===Carrier-based variants===
An indirect outgrowth of the DS-5B program, the DS-5Ch is a dedicated “tactical reconnaissance” variant which is used to survey the distribution of enemy forces and assess the damage from artillery and airstrikes. Unlike all other non-trainer aircraft in the DS-5 family, it is a two-seater, with a heavily modified cockpit area in which the rear crew member mans the camera and other reconnaissance equipment. The nose section is also extended, allowing the installation of supporting equipment for an integral forward-facing camera, though to increase space and reduce weight this required the deletion of both 30mm autocannons. which first entered service in 1982. It typically mounts a camera system or SIGINT pod on the center hardpoint.
;DS-5HS:
:This was the first prototype  intneded for {{wp|STOBAR}} operations. At least three DS-5G airframes, and possibly more, were custom-built to this standard. Although the [[Menghean aircraft carrier Haebang]] was not laid down until 1980, DS-5HS aircraft underwent their first test flights in 1979, while design work on the carrier was still ongoing. These aircraft conducted simulated takeoffs and landings from a concrete mock-up flight deck in the Dzungar Semi-Autonomous Province, to test takeoff performance with varying ski-jump angles and assess the DS-5's suitability for carrier operations. The DS-5HS resembled a DS-5G but externally differed in having a longer nosewheel strut and a tailhook.


To compensate for the DS-5’s poor operational range, the inner-wing hardpoints are nearly always fitted with drop tanks, though aircraft have also been spotted with anti-radiation missiles and jamming equipment. The outermost hardpoints, where they are used, are usually fitted with heat-seeking air-to-air missiles for self-defense.
;DS-5HSs:
:A carrier test airframe with the a twin cockpit, first flown in 1983. It was intended to train new pilots for carrier-based operations (the DS-5HS planes were all flown by experienced test pilots). Because it entered testing later, it was based on the DS-5N airframe, with improved radar and engine performance, and resembled the DS-5NSs. At least seven were produced, and they were the first aircraft to perform takeoffs and landings from the ''Haebang''.


===DS-5HM===
;DS-5HG:
While the DS-5 project was still underway, Menghe was also working on its first aircraft carrier, the IMS Shinbeigang. This led to the diversion of resources to a new variant which could serve as Menghe’s new shipborne jet fighter. The resulting DS-5HM (항공모함, ''hanggongmuham'', "aircraft carrier") resembled the DS-5A, but was treated with corrosion-resistant materials and had a tail hook for {{wp|Arresting_gear|barrier-arrested recovery}}. It did not have upward-folding wings, instead placing the wings in their swept position to reduce its deck footprint.
:The first serial-production DS-5 airframe for carrier operations. Production began in 1989, as the ''Haebang'' neared completion. The DS-5HG was a single-seat fighter based on the land-based DS-5N - the alphabetic serial suffixes for the Land and Carrier versions are different.


In the mid-1980s, work was underway on a new carrier variant which applied the same changes as the DS-5D (see below), but testing stopped in 1987 due to the disturbance of the [[Decembrist Revolution]]. Testing was resumed in early 1989, with the resulting DS-5HMD entering service in 1992. Seven years later in 1999, a series of upgrades from the DS-5E project were applied to these aircraft, producing the '''DS-5HME'''.
;DS-5HN:
:An upgraded serial-production DS-5 naval variant introduced in 1994. It added many of the sensor improvements introduced on the recent DS-5M, most notably the AN/APG-67 derived radar with greatly improved range and tracking capability. Other DS-5M upgrades were omitted, most notably compatibility with the ATLIS-II targeting pod. This left the DS-5HN as a dedicated air superiority fighter, unlike the multirole DS-5M. In part, this decision stemmed from the Navy's defensive carrier doctrine, but the ''Haebang'''s inability to launch heavily loaded strike aircraft off its 5-degree ski ramp was also a contributing factor. Interestingly, the fixed in-flight refueling probe of the DS-5M was retained, as the Navy hoped to refuel air patrol fighters using land-based tankers.


===DS-5D===
==Operational history==
The DS-5D arose as a response to concerns that the DS-5A was becoming outdated in the air-to-air role. It incorporated the more powerful MBR-400 radar set, which extended the effective detection range and allowed more targets to be tracked at once. This made DS-5D the first variant to have true {{wp|Look-down/shoot-down|look-down, shoot-down}} capability, and the first capable of {{wp|Beyond-visual-range_missile|beyond-visual-range}} engagements, albeit at the lower bound of the definition. It was also rewired for compatibility with more recent air-to-air missiles, and given a somewhat more effective electronic warfare suite. To make room for the larger radome, and to remove redundant weight, it eliminated the right-side 30mm autocannon, leaving only the one on the left.
On trials and in combat, the DS-5 proved to be a reasonably capable third-generation fighter, if a somewhat outdated one. Relatively small and lightweight, it had good agility, though as a result of its high wing loading it bled speed heavily in turns. A decent thrust-to-weight ratio helped it accelerate to recover. Like many other Daesŭngri designs, it was built for close-in aerial combat, where maneuverability outweighed energy and electronics.


Due to the extensiveness of the changes, the -D upgrade could not be retrofitted onto existing aircraft, and was instead filled through new production. The first deliveries of DS-5Ds began in 1985, and production continued into the 1990s.
The DS-5G used a MiG-21 ranging radar, which was entirely incapable of missile guidance, severely hampering the plane's usefulness. After the DS-5N and 5R introduced the licensed Sapfir-23D radar, "G" variants were quickly relegated to second-line service. Post-[[Decembrist Revolution|revolution]] upgrades brought further improvements to the onboard electronics.


===DS-5E===
Later upgrades did not solve the DS-5's other persistent drawback: a very short combat radius, 580 kilometers at medium altitude with an air-to-air loadout. This was a direct result of Daesŭngri's efforts to shave off weight and volume in the quest for improved maneuverability with underperforming engines. It also reflected the Army's greater concern with local air superiority over the front lines rather than deep interdiction, and possibly a rivalry with the Songrim design bureau, which wanted to preserve a viable niche for its SR-7 interceptor. DS-5s often flew with drop tanks on the wing glove and/or centerline hardpoints to extend range, though this came at the cost of reduced payload.
A further upgrade commissioned by the Menghean government, the DS-5E first entered service in 1997. It originated as an interim project to fill the Menghean People's Air Force’s air superiority role until more advanced aircraft like the [[Daesŭngri DS-12|DS-12]] and [[Sŏngrim SL-8|SL-8]] could enter service in sufficient numbers. It was also designed to maximize the modularity of changes, allowing the upgrade to be applied to the existing DS-5D fleet.


As such, most of the changes concerned minor improvements to electronics and instruments, including compatibility with new air-to-air missiles and a slightly more sophisticated electronic warfare suite. The design team also added integration with a wider variety of air-to-ground munitions, forming the first DS-5 with true {{wp|Multirole_combat_aircraft|multirole}} capability. Many of these require the DZM-900 electro-optical support pod and DZM-800 laser designator, which are carried on new hardpoints underneath the intakes. Nevertheless, the plane’s short range and poor payload limited its usefulness.
===Polvokian Civil War===
DS-5 fighters played a major role during the [[Polvokian Civil War]], intervening to support the Menghean no-fly zone enforced over the country's southern areas. Eight DS-5s were lost during the conflict: 3 "D" ground-attack variants, 3 "N" air-superiority variants, one "M" multirole variant, and one "JCh" reconnaissance variant. Four of these losses were attributed to enemy surface-to-air fire, and three to pilot error, with the remaining kill, a single DS-5N, lost in air-to-air combat. DS-5 pilots also reported a total of 27 air-to-air kills, though most of these were against outdated ground-attack aircraft lacking rockets or air-search radars.


===Other Variants===
===Ummayan Civil War===
*'''DS-5HR:''' (훈련기, ''Hunryŏngi'', "trainer aircraft") trainer with a lengthened cockpit differing from the one on the DS-5Ch, introduced alongside the original DS-5A. It uses a smaller radar set to allow room for a larger downward-sloping canopy, and has a shorter range. It is not considered usable in combat.
The DS-5 was Menghe's main front-line combat aircraft throughout the [[Ummayan Civil War]], accounting for a majority of aircraft deployed overseas even though the newer [[Songrim SR-8|SR-8]] and [[Daesŭngri DS-9|DS-9]] had already entered service. Twenty-one DS-5s were lost during the conflict, split between 14 in Army service and 7 in Navy service. Army losses were further split between six DS-5D/DSs, five DS-5R, and three DS-5M/MSs. Poor tactics and inadequate sensors accounted for most of these losses.


==Service==
===Invasion of Innominada===
===Menghe===
DS-5s also took part in Menghe's intervention during the [[Innominadan Crisis]]. SR-8s and DS-9s carried out most air-to-air missions in the opening weeks of the conflict, and thus DS-5s were mainly used in the {{wp|close air support}} role, surprising some observers with their extensive use of rocket fire and line-of-sight anti-tank missiles.
Between the late 1970s and the early 2000s, the DS-5 in its various forms was the main combat aircraft of the Menghean People’s Air Force. Over 2,500 were produced in all, about half of them in the D and E variants. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the Menghean People's Air Force began replacing some DS-5s with the more advanced DS-12, but this proceeded at a relatively slow pace.


Since the 2005 military reforms, which merged the Menghean People's Air Force into [[Menghean Army]] Aviation, new production of DS-5s stopped and a serious effort was made to replace the fleet. As of 2014, only a few active units still operate the DS-5, most notably the 6th Frontal Army Aviation Corps (which replaced these with DS-12s in 2016). Some 1,200 DS-5s remain in service with reservist units, most of them in the D and E variants.
Twenty-two DS-5s of all variants were lost over the course of the conflict, four of them to Innominadan fighters. This figure includes accidents and losses of unknown cause. Though DS-9s suffered more losses overall, DS-5s lost more aircraft per flight hour, a testament to the airframe's older electronics and its use in riskier missions.


The DS-5HM was the standard carrier aircraft of the Menghe People’s Navy, and the [[Sinbukgang-class aircraft carrier]]s were designed with the type in mind. After the ISS Chikai was decommissioned in 2015, the last DS-5HHEs were withdrawn from service, though some are still on display at the Haeju National Naval Museum where the Chikai now resides.
===Current Menghean inventory===
Despite its age, the DS-5 remains in active service with Menghean Army Aviation. It is primarily operated by medium-readiness units, such as the Frontline Multirole Wings of the 5th and 6th Armies, and by the 11th and 12th Fontal Army Aviation Corps stationed in [[Dzhungestan]]. Dedicated reconnaissance variants also remain in service with some squadrons, though there are plans to replace them with unmanned aerial vehicles.


The last DS-5Ch was retired from active service in 2012; the “tactical reconnaissance” role has largely been taken up by unmanned platforms instead, although the reconnaissance variant of the Daesŭngri DS-8 still remains in use for certain reconnaissance roles.
Exact in-service numbers at the end of 2019, according to the Ministry of National Defense, were:
* 58 DS-5JCh reconnaissance aircraft
* 90 DS-5R multirole aircraft
* 15 DS-5DSs multirole conversion trainers
* 215 DS-5M multirole aircraft
* 33 DS-5MSs multirole conversion trainers
* 33 DS-5D single-seat CAS aircraft
* 6 DS-5DSs twin-seat CAS aircraft


===Other Users===
==Operators==
*{{flag|Dzhungestan}}: 60 DS-5As purchased in 1981. In the 1990s, the government purchased an additional 60 DS-5Bs and 60 DS-5Ds.
* {{flag|Argentstan}}
*{{flag|Qusayn}}: 70 DS-5As and 40 FD-5Bs purchased in 1983; as of 2014, they are still in active service.
* {{flag|Dzhungestan}}
*{{flag|Ummayah}}: About 200 DS-5s in service prior to the Ummayan Civil War, split roughly evenly between DS-5As and DS-5Bs.
* {{flag|Republic of Innominada}}
* {{flag|Menghe}}
* {{flag|Ummayah}}


==Specifications (DS-5E)==
==Specifications (DS-5R1)==
[[File:Daesungri_DS-5R_3-view.png|500px|right]]


====General Characteristics====
{{aircraft specifications
[[File:Feidou_FD-5.png|500px|thumb|right|Three-view diagram of the DS-5D.]]
<!-- If you do not understand how to use this template, please ask at [[Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Aircraft]]. -->
*'''Crew:''' 1
| plane or copter? = plane
*'''Length:''' 16.32 meters overall
| jet or prop? = jet
*'''Wingspan, extended:''' 13.33 meters
<!-- Now, fill out the specs.  Please include units where appropriate (main comes first, alt in parentheses). If an item does not apply, like capacity, leave it blank.
*'''Wingspan, swept:''' 7.14 meters
-->
*'''Height:''' 4.36 meters (on the ground, gear out)
| ref =  
*'''Wing Area:''' 29.46 square meters spread
<!--  General characteristics  -->
*'''Empty Weight:''' 9,220 kg (20,330 lbs)
| crew        = 1
*'''Loaded Weight:''' 13,800 kg (29,760 lbs)
| capacity    =  
*'''Maximum Takeoff Weight:''' 16,950 kg (37,370 lbs)
| payload main =  
*'''Powerplant:''' 2x DFS-5K90 {{wp|Turbojet|turbojet}}
| payload alt  =  
*'''Dry Thrust:''' 36 kN (8090 lbs-force) each
| payload more =  
*'''Thrust with Afterburner:''' 57 kN (12810 lbs-force) each
| length main  = including nose probe: 17.7 m
*'''Fuel Capacity:''' 3,860 kg (8,578 lbs)
| length alt  = 58.1ft
| span main    = <br>
** '''With wings spread:''' 13.8 m (45.3 ft)
** '''With wings swept:''' 7.68 m
| span alt    = 25.2 ft
| height main  = 4.81 m
| height alt  = 15.8 ft
| area main    = <br>
** '''With wings spread:''' 34.06 m<sup>2</sup> (366.6 ft<sup>2</sup>)
** '''With wings swept:''' 30.72 m<sup>2</sup>
| area alt    = 330.7 ft<sup>2</sup>
| airfoil      =
| aspect ratio =
| empty weight main  = 9,680 kg
| empty weight alt  = 21,340 lb
| useful load main  =
| useful load alt    =
| loaded weight main = 13,850 kg
| loaded weight alt  = 30,530 lb
| max takeoff weight main = 17,590 kg
| max takeoff weight alt  = 38,780 lb
| more general            =
<!--  Powerplant, jet engine(s)  -->
| engine (jet)    = Gokchŏn Gi-12
| type of jet    = afterburning turbojet
| number of jets  = 2
| thrust main    = 34.9 kN
| thrust alt      = 7,850 lbf
| thrust original =
| afterburning thrust main = 53.6 kN
| afterburning thrust alt  = 12,050 lbf
<!--  Powerplant, prop(s)  -->
| engine (prop)   =
| type of prop    =
| number of props =
| power main      =
| power alt      =
| power original  =
<!--  Powerplant, propellor/rotor details  -->
| propeller or rotor?    = <!-- options: propeller/rotor -->
| propellers              =
| number of propellers per engine =
| propeller diameter main =
| propeller diameter alt  =


====Performance====
| more general powerplant =
*'''Maximum Speed at Sea Level:''' Mach 1.10 (1348 km/h)
<!-- Performance -->
*'''Maximum Speed at High Altitude:''' Mach 2.23 (2812 km/h)
| max speed main    = <br>
*'''Combat Radius:''' 780 km with 4 AAMs and no external tanks
** '''At altitude:''' Mach 2.27 (2,410 km/h; 1,498 mph)  
*'''Service Ceiling:''' 16,500 meters
** '''At sea level:''' Mach 1.12
*'''Rate of Climb:''' 220 meters per second
| max speed alt    = 1,370 km/h; 853 mph
*'''Wing Loading:''' 468 kg/m2
| max speed more    =
*'''Thrust-to-Weight Ratio:''' 0.82 (afterburner at loaded weight)
| cruise speed main =
| cruise speed alt  =
| cruise speed more =
| stall speed main  =
| stall speed alt  =
| stall speed more  =
| never exceed speed main =
| never exceed speed alt  =
| range main        =
| range alt        =
| range more        =
| combat radius main= 580 km
| combat radius alt = 360 miles
| combat radius more= on internal fuel
| ferry range main  = 1,800 km
| ferry range alt  = 1,100 miles
| ferry range more  = with three external tanks
| endurance        =
| ceiling main      = 17,300 m
| ceiling alt      = 56,800 ft
| ceiling more      =
| climb rate main  =
| climb rate alt    =
| climb rate more  =
| sink rate main    =
| sink rate alt    =
| sink rate more    =
| loading main      = wings spread: 406.9 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
| loading alt      = 83.3 lb/ft<sup>2</sup>
| thrust/weight    = 0.79
| power/mass main  =
| power/mass alt    =
| more performance  =
<!--  Armament  -->
| guns    = 2× {{wp|Nudelman-Rikhter_NR-23|NR-23}} autocannon, 120 rounds each
| bombs    =
| rockets  =
| missiles =
| hardpoints = 7 hardpoints
| hardpoint capacity = 2,500 kg
| hardpoint rockets  =
| hardpoint missiles = <br>
***{{wp|Air-to-air missile}}s:
**** YGG-5
**** YGG-6
**** YGG-7
***{{wp|Air-to-surface missile}}s:
**** YGJ-43
**** YGJ-44
| hardpoint bombs    = Bombs up to 500kg (1,100 lbs)
| hardpoint other    = <br>
*** {{wp|Drop tank}}s:
****Drop tank with 640 kg fuel (centerline)
**** Drop tank with 480 kg fuel (wing gloves)


====Armament====
| avionics =  
*'''Guns:''' 1x BGP-30-1 autocannon (2x BGP-30-1 on -A and -B)
 
*'''Payload:''' 3,500 kg on 5 external hardpoints<br>
}}
- 1x 1,000-kg hardpoint (fuselage centerline)<br>
==See also==
- 2x 1,000-kg hardpoint (fixed wing inner section)<br>
* [[Menace]]
- 2x 250-kg hardpoint (variable wing outer hardpoint)<br>


[[Category:Menghe]]
[[Category:Menghe]]

Latest revision as of 22:56, 4 June 2020

Daesŭngri DS-5
Role Fighter aircraft (G var.)
Attack aircraft (N var.)
Multirole aircraft (D var.)
National origin DPRM
Manufacturer Daesŭngri Aircraft Design Bureau
First flight 1974
Introduction 1977
Primary user Menghean Army
Produced 1977-1999
Number built 1,678

The Daesŭngri DS-5 (Formal designation: 대승리 5호 전투기 / 大勝利五號戰鬪機, Daesŭngri O-ho Jŏntugi, "Daesŭngri No.5 Fighter;" Short designation 대승-5 Daesŭng-o "Daesŭng-5") is a single-seat, third-generation jet fighter developed in the Democratic People's Republic of Menghe by the Daesŭngri Aircraft Design Bureau. It was the first Menghean jet aircraft of entirely domestic design. Key features included variable-sweep wings and a radar capable of guiding radar-guided air-to-air missiles.

Over the course of its 22-year production span, the DS-5 was built in twelve major variants, including an air superiority fighter (DS-5G), a dedicated ground-attack aircraft (DS-5N), a reconnaissance platform (DS-5JCh), a carrier-based fighter (DS-5HM), two multiroles (DS-5D and DS-5R), and twin-seat trainer variants for most of these. Nearly 1,700 airframes of all types were produced in total between 1977 and 1999. The DS-5M remains in active service with several mid-readiness squadrons in the Menghean Army, and other DS-5 variants have been exported abroad.

Development

Origins

The DPRM's first two jet fighters, the DS-1 and DS-2, were highly agile and easy to produce, but suffered from a number of shortcomings related to the age of their designs. Both lacked the ability to use radar-guided AAMs, and while the DS-2N did incorporate a ranging radar in the nose, this was only good out to 12 kilometers and could not distinguish between aerial targets and ground clutter. Later DS-2 variants could carry heat-seeking AAMs like the YGG-1 and YGG-2, but their lack of long-range missiles severely limited their usefulness against rival Dayashinese and Tyrannian aircraft, especially in BVR engagements.

At the end of the 1960s, the Menghean Ministry of Defense reached out to Letnia to inquire about a production license for the MiG-23, which was just beginning to enter service. Letnian representatives initially considered the state-of-the-art MiG-23 too advanced to license freely, but made the counter-offer to export knocked-down MiG-23 assembly kits starting in 1974. The MPA considered this deadline far too distant, and also worried that shipment by sea would leave the planes vulnerable to interception by foreign naval powers, who controlled the key straits and coastlines between Menghe and Letnia.

As negotiations remained at an impasse, some officials in the Menghean People's Communist Party proposed that the DPRM's aircraft industry was sufficiently advanced to attempt a fully domestic design project, adapted to suit the Army's own needs and requirements. This view found support among the Party's "Productionist" faction, led by Sim Jin-hwan, who was officially sworn in as General-Secretary in January 1971. The development and production contract was handed to the Daesŭngri design bureau, which had experience producing the DS-1 and DS-2 lightweight fighters and at the time had the largest accumulation of design expertise; Songrim's SR-3G was a direct copy of the Letnian Or-7, and Yŏng'an only had experience producing heavy bombers.

Design and testing

Faced with their new state requirement, the Daesŭngri design team began work on a new fighter aircraft in late 1971. Early on, the designers opted for a variable-sweep wing, much like the Letnian MiG-23 and Sieuxerrian Menace-C. In return for its added complexity, a swing-wing design would allow the new fighter to reach high speeds at altitude while also meeting the short takeoff and landing distance requirements imposed by the DPRM's sparse airfields. A large conical nose with side intakes was also chosen in place of earlier central nose intakes, in order to leave more space for an air-search radar.

Some initial debate existed over whether to use a twin-engine or single-engine configuration. Han Do-hun, the chief designer at Daesŭngri, initially favored a single-engine layout out of the belief that it would minimize weight and thus improve maneuverability. But past experience with the single-engine DS-1, DS-2, and SR-3 had revealed relatively frequent problems with burnouts and other failures, even on regular training flights, due to the inconsistent quality of Menghean engine production. A twin-engine design offered the advantage of letting the new jet return to base under half power if one engine failed, avoiding the total loss of an expensive plane. The DPRM also lacked a single engine with the required thrust, and many designers were skeptical that an entirely new engine could be developed in the available time, given the DPRM's lack of new engine design experience. Supporters of the single-engine layout eventually relented, and the twin-engine proposal went forward. As a further move to improve reliability, the designers chose the Gokchŏn Gi-12 turbojet, itself a development of the Gi-7 (licensed Tumansky R-11 produced in the thousands for the Daesŭngri DS-2.

Work on the radar incurred more serious delays. The Ministry of Defense initially insisted that the development of the radar should be entirely domestic, with no foreign parts, a requirement that proved difficult to meet given the immaturity of Menghe's domestic electronics sector. Prototype JG-01, which flew on July 12th, 1974, had a concrete weight in the radome to maintain balance. Under pressure to push the plane into service, Daesŭngri secretly obtained an RP-22SMA radar from a Polvokian MiG-21MF and reverse-engineered it to produce the JT-77 Bŏngae ("Lightning") radar. Official announcements claimed that the radar was fully indigenous, but its physical appearance and actual origin were kept a closely guarded secret until the 1990s.

Test flights took place from 1974 through 1977, before the new radar had even been installed. The second prototype, JG-02, crashed due to pilot-induced oscillation, resulting in the death of the pilot; another suffered damage on a high-speed dive, forcing the test pilot to eject. Investigation revealed problems with the airspeed indicator dial and other instruments, particularly a low response rate. Despite claims that these were fixed, periodic instrument problems persisted into the first few batches of aircraft.

Production

In spite of lingering concerns over instrument response and the very recent integration of the JT-77 radar, Daesŭngri's final JG-15 prototype was ordered into production in 1977 as the DS-5G fighter. To speed up production, the DS-2 assembly line was shut down in 1979 and refurbished to support manufacture of the DS-5. Production records state that 129 airframes of all types were produced in 1980 alone, and average annual production had risen to about 150 airframes by 1985, spread across all variants.

The DS-5G was first publicly unveiled at the 1978 victory day parade, in a unique blue-green upper and pale blue lower paint scheme that was not used in service afterward. It carried two R-23 missiles, giving the impression that it had full integration with radar-guided missiles, though in fact these were only mounted for show. Little information about the plane was made public, and at first some Western observers believed it to be a copy of the Sieuxerrian Menace fighter. In fact, the two had developed independently of one another.

Design

Early "G" variant of the DS-5. Note that while DS-5Gs were flown with YGG-3 missiles in parade appearances, they could only use IR-guided missiles in service.

Armament

The DS-5G was produced with five external hardpoints for ordnance: one under the fixed section of each wing, one on each corner of the lower fuselage, and one along the centerline. Swiveling hardpoints under the swinging wings were considered during development, but the design team chose to omit them in order to save weight, reduce complexity, and avoid damage from hardpoints becoming stuck at a given angle. The centerline hardpoint could only be used to carry an external fuel tank, and the under-wing hardpoints were also adaptable for this purpose, though as this configuration halved the number of air-to-air missiles, it was only used in long-distance ferry flights.

Ironically, even though beyond-visual-range combat had been a major selling point of the project, the JT-77 radar used on early-production DS-5Gs lacked the ability to support radar-guided missiles. It also struggled to distinguish aerial targets from ground clutter, and thus lacked look-down/shoot-down capability. To deceive foreign intelligence agencies, the DPRM obtained a license to produce the R-23 missile as the YGG-3, and even mounted this weapon on DS-5s during parade flights. In actual service, however, the DS-5G was entirely limited to the heat-seeking YGG-2, the same missile used by late-production DS-2 variants.

Gun armament consisted of two NR-23 autocannons, one in each bottom corner of the nose. Each carried 120 rounds of ammunition. This was the same gun armament used on the DS-2, and it reflected both the Menghean People's Army Air Force's doctrine of pursuing close-range dogfights, and an effort to balance the failure of the JT-77 radar.

Powerplant

Thrust was provided by a pair of Gi-12 turbojets, improvements of the Gi-7 (license-built Tumansky R11 used on the DS-2. The early-production versions of these engines, used on the DS-5G through DS-5D, developed 42 kN of thrust dry and 64.6 kN with afterburner.

The first four prototypes of the DS-5 had variable-angle splitter plates to control airflow to the engines at different speeds and altitudes. This feature was omitted on the production model of the DS-5G, with the splitter plates kept fixed at an angle optimal for low-altitude flight. This decision was apparently intended to save weight and reduce maintenance costs, but it also hampered the plane's performance at higher altitudes. Some sources speculate that the omission of variable splitter plates was the result of political lobbying by the Songrim bureau, which was then working on the SR-7 high-level interceptor and didn't want the DS-5 to emerge as a rival aircraft. The DS-5N restored the variable-angle intake plates, and all subsequent variants carried them.

Two large airbrakes were mounted on the upper fuselage above the engine, as on the MiG-23. On the lower fuselage, the rear landing gear cover plates doubled as airbrakes, and could be deployed midair to help slow the aircraft. They also helped reduce speed while landing. For further reduction in landing distance, a parachute could be deployed from a tube at the base of the upper fin. Despite an innovative folding arrangement, the rear wheels were still only 2.8 meters apart at their center points, and landing the DS-5 on rough ground was not easy.

The central new feature of the DS-5 lay in its folding wings. These could be set to angles of 25, 45, and 68.4 degrees, depending on altitude and speed. Wing angle adjustments were controlled manually on the DS-5G, but on the DS-5R they were automatically coupled to airspeed unless a manual override was activated.

Variants

DPRM variants: 1974-1988

JG-01
First prototype produced by Daesŭngri in 1974.
JG-15
Final prototype on which the production-model DS-5G was based.
DS-5G
The initial production variant of the DS-5, introduced in 1978. It suffered from a number of shortcomings, including an outdated JT-77 radar based on a reverse-engineered RP-22SMA. This was incapable of targeting radar-guided missiles, so the DS-5G only carried the YGG-1 and -2 heat-seeking missiles in service. A total of 126 were produced.
DS-5GSs
A two-seat training version of the DS-5G. To make room for the rear extension of the cockpit, one of the forward fuel tanks was removed, shortening range. It suffered from the same problems as the DS-5G, and its rear (instructor) cockpit had poor visibility forward.
"N" and "R" air-superiority variants showing typical color schemes and loadouts.
DS-5N
Introduced in 1980, the DS-5N was a major upgrade that corrected a number of serious problems with the DS-5G. It was fitted with a license-produced version of the targeting suite from the Letnian MiG-23MF, the main MiG-23 export variant. This included a Sapfir-23D radar, a TP-23 IRST sensor under the nose, and an improved head-up display. The variable-angle splitter plates were also restored, improving high-altitude performance, and more reliable avionics and airspeed sensors were installed.
The new radar had a claimed 45km range against a fighter-sized target, and it could support guidance for the R-23 missile, providing BVR capability for the first time. It had some look-down/shoot-down capability, but this relied on envelope limitation rather than the Doppler effect, so ground reflections could still interfere in targeting at low altitudes. The DS-5N was the most numerous air-superiority variant of the DS-5, with close to 600 airframes produced in total.
DS-5NSs
Tandem-seat trainer variant of the DS-5N. The layout of the rear cockpit was somewhat modified in comparison to the DS-5GSs, improving the instructor's visibility and reducing the obstruction to fuel tank space; a new fuel tank was also added in the fuselage rear, restoring range to something close to the DS-5N's envelope.
"D" variants of the DS-5, including upgrades made after the Decembrist Revolution.
DS-5D
A specialized ground-attack variant introduced in 1981. It had a rebuilt, downward-sloping nose modeled on that of the Letnian MiG-27, and it carried the same Kayra-23 laser and television targeting suite for guided munitions. To broaden the range of armament options, a swiveling hardpoint was added to the underside of each swinging wing section, though overall payload remained limited to 2,500 kg. The DS-5D lacked any kind of radar, including a terrain-following radar, though it could still use heat-seeking missiles for self-defense. Given the focus on low-level flying, the fixed splitter plates of the DS-5G were restored. Armored plating was added around the cockpit.
The DS-5D was produced simultaneously with Songrim's SR-3D, which had essentially the same capabilities. Of the two, the DS-5D was faster and more maneuverable, but also had a lighter payload. Political maneuvering kept both in production at the same time, as neither Songrim nor Daesŭngri was willing to give up its foothold in strike aircraft production.
DS-5DSs
This was a twin-seat lead-in trainer version of the DS-5D. In addition to duplicated flight controls, the rear cockpit also had a wider range of ground-attack instruments, including the ability to operate TV-guided munitions. Owing to these increased capabilities, it was produced in a 1:2 ratio to the baseline DS-5D, and after 1988 it accounted for all DS-5 production.
DS-5JCh
A dedicated reconnaissance variant introduced in 1983. It featured an elongated fuselage with a twin-seat cockpit and an additional fuel tank to extend range. The nose guns were deleted to make room for two side-facing reconnaissance cameras, and the IRST sensor was removed as well. The Sapfir-23D radar was retained, giving the plane some air-to-air capability, though these aircraft typically carried three fuel tanks and two YGG-2 AAMs and their added weight limited their dogfighting ability.
DS-5R
A minor improved version of the DS-5N. The swiveling hardpoints of the DS-5D were added to the outer wings, allowing the carriage of two additional missiles or fuel tanks. The radar was also modified with improved ECCM capabilities, which gave modest improvement to jamming - and, more importantly, resolved a problem where multiple DS-5Ns illuminating the same target could interfere in each other's target lock. In all other respects, it was identical to the DS-5N. No separate twin-seat variant was produced, as the DS-5NSs was similar enough for lead-in training.
DS-5YG
A single DS-5R airframe modified to carry the YDG-4 long-range active-radar missile on its inboard hardpoints, apparently as a testbed for a future interceptor variant. Conducted flight tests in 1985 and 1986, but was judged inferior to the SR-7. The sole DS-5YG is on display at the Daesŭngri Aviation Museum, Daedong.

SRM variants: 1988-1997

DS-5M
This was a major multirole variant introduced in 1993. It incorporated a new radar from Tír Glas, a new IRST sensor and electronic bombsight from Sieuxerr, an upgraded ECM system, and domestic Gokchŏn Gi-20 turbojets with 48 kN dry thrust. Unlike the DS-5N and -D, which were dedicated air superiority fighters, the DS-5M also had all-weather ground-targeting capabilities superior to those of the DS-5D. With the help of a hardpoint-mounted ATLIS-II targeting pod, also of Sieuxerrian origin, it could aim laser-guided munitions for itself or a partner plane. One gun was removed to free up space for the added electronics, and a fixed refueling probe was added behind the cockpit on the left side.
The DS-5M's radar was a license-built modification of the Glasic AN/APG-67. The area of the antenna was increased by a factor of 2.5, and power was increased accordingly. In scan-only mode, claimed detection ranges were 90 km against a fighter below the horizon, 140 km against a fighter above the horizon, and 230 kilometers against larger targets, three times the range of the Sapfir-23D and with greatly improved reliability. The modified radar could also track up to 12 targets simultaneously while conducting an air search, and illuminate targets for the YGG-6 missile. The radar also had a ground-search and terrain mapping mode, and could simultaneously support terrain-following flight for low-level, all-weather approaches.
DS-5MSs
Twin-seat trainer variant of the DS-5M. Initially the DS-5NSs was considered for this role, but Army Aviation determined that the new engines, IRST, and in-flight refueling probe made the aircraft sufficiently different to require a new lead-in trainer, and would prevent the DS-5NSs from working alongside the DS-5M interchangeably in squadrons.
DS-5R1
A DS-5R airframe refitted with the DS-5M's radar and ECM systems. As the enlarged APG-67 occupied a smaller space than the Sapfir-23D, this could be done with minimal changes to the structure itself. The hardpoints were also re-wired to support the ATLIS-II pod and newer ordnance options. The DS-5R1 retained the Gi-12 engines of its precursor, and can be distinguished from the DS-5M by the retention of the TP-23 IRST underneath the nose and the lack of a refueling probe. It is externally identical to the DS-5R save for the greater range of payload options.
DS-5N1
This designation was applied to DS-5Ns which received the same upgrade package as the DS-5R1. Fewer of these conversions were made, perhaps 60 in all. DS-5R-style swiveling hardpoints were also added under the folding wing sections.
DS-5NSs1
DS-5NSs trainer with DS-5R1 modifications. Modified in larger numbers than the baseline DS-5N, as it also had to serve as a lead-in trainer in DS-5R1 squadrons, introducing crews to the new controls.
DS-5D1
A modified DS-5D airframe carrying the APG-67 radar in its small-antenna configuration. This variant lacks the ability to carry YGG-6 SARH missiles, but still benefits from the APG-67's ground-mapping and terrain-following modes, giving it true all-weather capability. As the Kayra-23 system was removed to make room for the radar, the DS-5D1 must carry a separate targeting pod, usually ATLIS-II, in order to aim laser-guided munitions. This limits payload to four remaining usable hardpoints.
DS-5DHD
Also known as DS-5D2. This was a single DS-5D modified during preparation for the DS-5D1. It carried the small-antenna APG-67 radar in its nose, but also had a built-in laser designator beneath it, eliminating the need for a separate pod. Not selected for production.
DS-5D3
A single prototype fighter-bomber fitted with a radar program module to support the guidance of YGG-6 missiles. It performed well in trials, detecting a 5m2 target from 90km above the horizon and 57km below. Reliance on external targeting pods left the DS-5D2 with four usable hardpoints, leaving little flexibility for mixed payloads, and the DS-5N1/R1/M outperformed it in the air-to-air role while matching it in the strike role. It was abandoned in favor of the upcoming DS-10.
DS-5JCh2
Most DS-5JCh variants were retrofitted to this standard in the mid-1990s, though no new airframes were built. An ECM suite modeled after the type used on the DS-5M was added, and the Sapfir-23D radar was replaced by a dedicated ground-search radar with a secondary jamming capability. The inboard wing hardpoints could be used to launch anti-radiation missiles, giving the DS-5JCh2 a secondary SEAD capability at the cost of reducing space for external fuel. The centerline hardpoint could also be fitted with a reconnaissance pod carrying improved camera equipment or a heavier jamming or SIGINT pod.
DS-5M1
Minor electronics upgrade to the DS-5M, including a datalink to the YGG-7 active-radar-guided missile for mid-course guidance and support for GPS navigation.

Carrier-based variants

DS-5HS
This was the first prototype intneded for STOBAR operations. At least three DS-5G airframes, and possibly more, were custom-built to this standard. Although the Menghean aircraft carrier Haebang was not laid down until 1980, DS-5HS aircraft underwent their first test flights in 1979, while design work on the carrier was still ongoing. These aircraft conducted simulated takeoffs and landings from a concrete mock-up flight deck in the Dzungar Semi-Autonomous Province, to test takeoff performance with varying ski-jump angles and assess the DS-5's suitability for carrier operations. The DS-5HS resembled a DS-5G but externally differed in having a longer nosewheel strut and a tailhook.
DS-5HSs
A carrier test airframe with the a twin cockpit, first flown in 1983. It was intended to train new pilots for carrier-based operations (the DS-5HS planes were all flown by experienced test pilots). Because it entered testing later, it was based on the DS-5N airframe, with improved radar and engine performance, and resembled the DS-5NSs. At least seven were produced, and they were the first aircraft to perform takeoffs and landings from the Haebang.
DS-5HG
The first serial-production DS-5 airframe for carrier operations. Production began in 1989, as the Haebang neared completion. The DS-5HG was a single-seat fighter based on the land-based DS-5N - the alphabetic serial suffixes for the Land and Carrier versions are different.
DS-5HN
An upgraded serial-production DS-5 naval variant introduced in 1994. It added many of the sensor improvements introduced on the recent DS-5M, most notably the AN/APG-67 derived radar with greatly improved range and tracking capability. Other DS-5M upgrades were omitted, most notably compatibility with the ATLIS-II targeting pod. This left the DS-5HN as a dedicated air superiority fighter, unlike the multirole DS-5M. In part, this decision stemmed from the Navy's defensive carrier doctrine, but the Haebang's inability to launch heavily loaded strike aircraft off its 5-degree ski ramp was also a contributing factor. Interestingly, the fixed in-flight refueling probe of the DS-5M was retained, as the Navy hoped to refuel air patrol fighters using land-based tankers.

Operational history

On trials and in combat, the DS-5 proved to be a reasonably capable third-generation fighter, if a somewhat outdated one. Relatively small and lightweight, it had good agility, though as a result of its high wing loading it bled speed heavily in turns. A decent thrust-to-weight ratio helped it accelerate to recover. Like many other Daesŭngri designs, it was built for close-in aerial combat, where maneuverability outweighed energy and electronics.

The DS-5G used a MiG-21 ranging radar, which was entirely incapable of missile guidance, severely hampering the plane's usefulness. After the DS-5N and 5R introduced the licensed Sapfir-23D radar, "G" variants were quickly relegated to second-line service. Post-revolution upgrades brought further improvements to the onboard electronics.

Later upgrades did not solve the DS-5's other persistent drawback: a very short combat radius, 580 kilometers at medium altitude with an air-to-air loadout. This was a direct result of Daesŭngri's efforts to shave off weight and volume in the quest for improved maneuverability with underperforming engines. It also reflected the Army's greater concern with local air superiority over the front lines rather than deep interdiction, and possibly a rivalry with the Songrim design bureau, which wanted to preserve a viable niche for its SR-7 interceptor. DS-5s often flew with drop tanks on the wing glove and/or centerline hardpoints to extend range, though this came at the cost of reduced payload.

Polvokian Civil War

DS-5 fighters played a major role during the Polvokian Civil War, intervening to support the Menghean no-fly zone enforced over the country's southern areas. Eight DS-5s were lost during the conflict: 3 "D" ground-attack variants, 3 "N" air-superiority variants, one "M" multirole variant, and one "JCh" reconnaissance variant. Four of these losses were attributed to enemy surface-to-air fire, and three to pilot error, with the remaining kill, a single DS-5N, lost in air-to-air combat. DS-5 pilots also reported a total of 27 air-to-air kills, though most of these were against outdated ground-attack aircraft lacking rockets or air-search radars.

Ummayan Civil War

The DS-5 was Menghe's main front-line combat aircraft throughout the Ummayan Civil War, accounting for a majority of aircraft deployed overseas even though the newer SR-8 and DS-9 had already entered service. Twenty-one DS-5s were lost during the conflict, split between 14 in Army service and 7 in Navy service. Army losses were further split between six DS-5D/DSs, five DS-5R, and three DS-5M/MSs. Poor tactics and inadequate sensors accounted for most of these losses.

Invasion of Innominada

DS-5s also took part in Menghe's intervention during the Innominadan Crisis. SR-8s and DS-9s carried out most air-to-air missions in the opening weeks of the conflict, and thus DS-5s were mainly used in the close air support role, surprising some observers with their extensive use of rocket fire and line-of-sight anti-tank missiles.

Twenty-two DS-5s of all variants were lost over the course of the conflict, four of them to Innominadan fighters. This figure includes accidents and losses of unknown cause. Though DS-9s suffered more losses overall, DS-5s lost more aircraft per flight hour, a testament to the airframe's older electronics and its use in riskier missions.

Current Menghean inventory

Despite its age, the DS-5 remains in active service with Menghean Army Aviation. It is primarily operated by medium-readiness units, such as the Frontline Multirole Wings of the 5th and 6th Armies, and by the 11th and 12th Fontal Army Aviation Corps stationed in Dzhungestan. Dedicated reconnaissance variants also remain in service with some squadrons, though there are plans to replace them with unmanned aerial vehicles.

Exact in-service numbers at the end of 2019, according to the Ministry of National Defense, were:

  • 58 DS-5JCh reconnaissance aircraft
  • 90 DS-5R multirole aircraft
  • 15 DS-5DSs multirole conversion trainers
  • 215 DS-5M multirole aircraft
  • 33 DS-5MSs multirole conversion trainers
  • 33 DS-5D single-seat CAS aircraft
  • 6 DS-5DSs twin-seat CAS aircraft

Operators

Specifications (DS-5R1)

Daesungri DS-5R 3-view.png

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: including nose probe: 17.7 m (58.1ft)
  • Wingspan:
    • With wings spread: 13.8 m (45.3 ft)
    • With wings swept: 7.68 m (25.2 ft)
  • Height: 4.81 m (15.8 ft)
  • Wing area:
    • With wings spread: 34.06 m2 (366.6 ft2)
    • With wings swept: 30.72 m2 (330.7 ft2)
  • Empty weight: 9,680 kg (21,340 lb)
  • Loaded weight: 13,850 kg (30,530 lb)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 17,590 kg (38,780 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Gokchŏn Gi-12 afterburning turbojet
    • Dry thrust: 34.9 kN (7,850 lbf) each
    • Thrust with afterburner: 53.6 kN (12,050 lbf) each

Performance

Armament

  • Guns: 2× NR-23 autocannon, 120 rounds each
  • Hardpoints: 7 hardpoints with a capacity of 2,500 kg and provisions to carry combinations of:

See also

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