AFSB-2 Spettro Strategic Bomber

Vulcan AFSB-2 Spettro
A Cacertian Royal Air Fleet AFSB-2v2.
Role	Strategic bomber
National origin	Cacerta
Manufacturer	Vulcan Aeronautics
First flight	4 November 1965
Introduction	11 October 1969
Status	In active service
Primary user	Cacertian Royal Air Fleet Ruvelkan Imperial Air Force
Produced	1967—1997
Number built	231
Unit cost	ɫ283,500,000
Variants	AFSB-2v1 AFSB-2v2

The Vulcan AFSB-2 Spettro (Specter) is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing, long-range strategic bomber developed by Vulcan Aeronautics in the 1960s. Between 1969 and 1980, the AFSB-2 was operated by the CRAF as a missile carrier, strategic bomber, and long-range maritime anti-ship aircraft. In the modern era, the Spettro serves in the CRAF almost solely in the strategic bomber role as a result of changing dynamics in the Cacertian military. The Spettro first saw combat use during the FedCom Civil War in Knichus.

In 1996, 24 Spettros were sold to Ruvelka to fulfill the Imperial Air Force’s need for a supersonic, long-range strike craft. Pilots of the newly formed Ruvelkan 47th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment were sent to Cacerta and trained for several months to fly the Spettro. Once the purchase was finalized, the Spettros were flown on a direct flight from Cacerta back to Ruvelka refueling mid-air en route.

The Ruvelkans would later deploy their bombers in 2009 during the Zemplen War as part of Operation Eclipse, the controversial bombing raid that targeted infrastructure in Makedon and Galania. After losing three aircraft, Operation Eclipse was abandoned and the Spettros served in conventional bombing roles for the rest of the war.

Development

The AFSB-1 Vespa entered service with Cacerta in 1961, but only after several months of active duty it became increasingly apparent that the Vespa was inadequate to fulfill the role of strategic bomber. The AFSB-1’s handling characteristics proved dangerous; it also suffered from severe maintenance issues and widespread technical difficulties. The landing speed of 100 km/h made it a difficult craft to maneuver on approach and it possessed a tendency to pitch up and strike its tail on landing. It required very special training to fly, was difficult to handle, and had poor overall visibility. Vulcan Aeronautics immediately began an upgrade program to improve and update the AFSB-1.

After the first few years of development, Vulcan redesignated the project as the ASFSB-2 as the improvements and design characteristics of the new project had departed greatly from the original AFSB-1 design. The new AFSB-2 utilized improved technologies that incorporated a variable-sweep wing design and uprated engines; despite these improvements, it was also relatively simple to maintain and low cost to produce. Cacertian High Command was relatively skeptical about the need to approve the replacement of the AFSB-1 so soon after it had entered service, but the comparative projected cost between the Vespa and the Spettro when factoring in the operational deficiencies of the AFSB-1 was enough to convince the military to move forward with the AFSB-2.

As in the case of its contemporary, the Donnola, the concept of the variable-sweep wing was attractive. The combination of short take-off performance, efficient cruising, and good-high speed, low-level fight would allow the Spettro to operate from all of Cacerta’s airbases (whereas the ASFSB-1 was restricted to bases with extended runways). The AFSB-2 entered serialized production in 1967 and entered service with the Royal Air Fleet in 1969.

A modernization program for the Spettro fleet began in 1990 and focused on upgrading the aircrafts’ radar, navigation, and avionics.

Design

The AFSB-2 is a very large, twin-engine aircraft with side-mounted air intake ramps, and incorporating a variable-sweep wing design that was successfully introduced on the Donnola. The four-man crew of the Spettro is located in the forward cabin of the aircraft; two-seats side-by-side for the pilot and co-pilot with the workstations for both the navigator and weapon systems officers immediately behind.

The swing-wing design, while somewhat complex, allows the Spettro to operate from all of the Royal Air Fleet’s airbases which allowed the CRAF to greatly expand the reach of its strategic bomber fleet. The wings are capable of swinging from 15 degrees to 65 degreens (full forward to full sweep). The forward-sweep mostyled used for takeoff, landings, and high-altitude maximum cruise. Aft-swept wings settings are utilized for subsonic and supersonic flight. In comparison to the AFSB-1, the thrust-to-weight ratio provides the Spettro with improvise takeoff performance and allows it to use shorter runways.

The modernization program in 1990 added a number of improved weapons and targeting systems which allows the Speetro to have near precision accuracy. Electronic countermeasures upgrades added a towed-decoy system and improved jamming capabilities. In 2005, the first Spettro equipped with fully integrated data linking made its first flight. These upgraded battle stations replaced several displays with new multi-function color monitor and performance monitoring systems.

Aside from the conventional bombs, the Spettro is capable of being equipped with anti-ship missiles, hyper-sonic cruise missiles, and stand-off ballistic missiles.

Operational History

Several flights of AFSB-2s were sortied and deployed during the FedCom Civil War in support of Cacerta’s intervention in Knichus; they’re deployment allowed the CRAF and Vulcan Aeronautics to analyze and improve upon the Air Fleet’s precision-guided munitions.

Ruvelkan Spettros were deployed extensively during the Zemplen War as rapid-strike craft, taking advantage of their supersonic speeds and precision-guidance to conduct strikes against the Syaran Commonality Armed Forces. The Ruvelkan Imperial Air Force infamously deployed its full arsenal of Spettros as part of Operation Eclipse, although their effect was considered minimal.

Variants

AFSB-2

The first variant of the Spettro, entering production in 1967. The original versions used twin VulAer ATE-1967 engines with rectangular intake ramps. Most of these variants of the Spettro have been retired or upgraded.

AFSB-2v1

The 2v1 first flew in 1980 and was operationally introduced in 1983. It was equipped with improved ATE-1980 and incorporated the more familiar wedge-shaped intake ramps on all subsequent variants of the Spettro. The sweep-wing mechanism was further improved and allowed for greater maximum sweep; the 2v1 also introduced an internal rotary launcher.

AFSB-2v2

The CRAF’s upgrade program in the 1990s introduced the AFSB-2v2 in which approximately 80 percent of the aircraft’s avionics were replaced with upgraded and newer systems. The upgraded electronics improved on the Spettro’s electronic countermeasures and gave the aircraft the ability to use precision air-to-surface weapons. The cockpit was also significantly upgraded into a digital glass cockpit with improved engine controls and control response.

Operators

• Cacerta; Cacertian Royal Air Fleet—277 currently in inventory with the Royal Air Fleet.
• Ruvelka; Ruvelkan Imperial Air Force—21 remaining aircraft of the original 24 still in active service.
• Syara; Commonality Air Force—50 current in inventory; 30 airframes built in Cacerta, 20 domestically built in Syara.

Specifications (AFSB-2v2)

General Characteristics

• Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, weapon systems officer)
• Length: 42.46 m (139 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 34.28 m (112 ft 6 in) spread (20° sweep); 23.3 m (76 ft) swept (65° sweep)
• Height: 11.05 m (36 ft 3 in)
• Wing Area: 183.6 m² (1,976 ft²) spread (20° sweep); 175.8 m² (1,892 ft²) swept (65° sweep)
• Empty Weight: 58,000 kg (127,868 lbs)
• Gross Weight: 112,000 kg (246,918 lbs)
• Max Takeoff Weight: 126,000 kg (277,782 lbs)
• Max Takeoff Weight, Rocket-Assisted: 126,400 kg (278,664 lbs)
• Powerplant: 2 × VulAer ATE-1990 Afterburning Turbofans
• Fuel Capacity: 54,000 kg (119,050 lbs)

Performance

• Maximum Speed: Mach 1.88 (2,300 km/h, 1,400 mph) at altitude
• Range: 6,800 km (4,200 mi, 3,700 nmi)
• Combat Range: 2,410 km (1,500 mi, 1,300 nmi) with standard weapons load
• Ferry Range: 7,000 km (4,300 mi, 3,800 nmi)
• Service Ceiling: 13,300 m (43,600 ft)
• Rate of Climb: 15 m/s (3,000 ft/min)
• Wing Loading: 688 kg/m² (141 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/Weight: 0.45

Armament

• Guns: 1 × 23 mm cannon in remotely controlled tail turret
• Payload: 24,000 kg (53,000 lb) across wing and fuselage pylons and internal weapons bay