Gruening F7M Wedgetail

Gruening F7M Wedgetail
A pair of F7Ms of the Meridonian Air Forces, showcasing the distinctive foldable twin-tails.
Role	Stealth aircraft Multirole fighter
National origin	Meridon
Manufacturer	Gruening Defense Aerospace
First flight	14 August 2014
Introduction	30 March 2020
Status	In active service
Primary user	Meridon Defense Forces
Produced	2016-present
Number built	24
Unit cost	95.1 million MD (F7M)

The Gruening F7M Wedgetail is a Meridonian carrier-capable, supersonic, twin engine, single seat, twin tail, stealth jet fighter. Envisioned to supplement and replace older models of aircraft in service with the Meridon Defense Forces and increase commonality, the project is unique in that it is the first joint venture of a fighter aircraft from the initiation of the project to include both Air Forces and Navy design inputs since the 1960s- prior, Air Force fighter designs had fallen through, resulting to the utilization of Navy designs, as was the case for the F5M Lynx and the F6M Wasp programs.

The Wedgetail was designed from its inception to be a multi-role oriented stealth fighter capable of most combat mission sets required of fighter aircraft, including air superiority, ground attack, close air support, electronics warfare, maritime strike, reconnaissance, interdiction, and the employment of standoff weaponry. The Wedgetail is also unique in that it is one of the few aircraft globally that features compatibility for both 'probe and drogue' and boom- method refueling, owing to differing operational requirements from the Air Forces and Navy; this being along with the Ausaine F6M Wasp.

Marketed as a 5.5 generation fighter, the aircraft's software and airframe are designed with modular architecture to be capable of future upgrades, as this aircraft is planned to serve for the majority of the 21st century.

The Wedgetail is currently being introduced to flying squadrons in the Air Forces and Navy where it is replacing both F5M and F6M airframes in certain capacities.

Design

Cockpit displays of the F7M Wedgetail, seen here behind a B6M. Along with full-panel glass displays, the Wedgetail includes a number of innovative design features, including the lack of a traditional heads-up display for a helmet-integrated display and the utilization of a side-stick control mechanism.

Variants

F7M

Initial operational variant, first fielded 2023. Air Force variants are designated F7M A and feature a weaker tailhook and lighter wheel mechanism and lack folding wings; naval variants are designated F7M C and feature reinforced landing and arresting gear and feature folding wingtips.

A9M2 Strike Wedgetail

A lengthened modification of the F7M-A featuring a two-man cockpit, conformal fuel tanks, lengthened wings, and enlarged internal weapons bays and fuselage. It is intended to replace the A8M Gharial in interdiction roles.

Operators

Current Operators

• Meridon- 104 in service of F7M variant.

Specifications (F7M)

Production model Air Forces F7M with landing gear extended.

General Characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 61 ft 4 in (18.7m)
• Wingspan: 39 ft 4 in (12 m)
• Height: 16 ft (4.9 m)
• Wing Area: 790 sq ft (735 m2)
• Empty Weight: 45,624 lb (20,694 kg)
• Max Takeoff Weight: 76,820 lb (34,844 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Hollon AFT11 afterburning turbofans
• Fuel Capacity: 14,600lb internal, 2x optional 267gal (1,756lb/797kg) external tanks

Performance

• Maximum Speed: Mach 2.52 (3,112 km/h, 1,934 mph) at altitude
• Service Ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,288 m) +
• Rate of Climb: 45,000 ft/min plus (230 m/s)
• Wing Loading: 74 lb/sq ft (361 kg/m2)
• Thrust/Weight: 1.07, 50% fuel and internal stores

Armament

• Guns: 1 × Mark 40 25mm cannon with 450 rounds
• Payload: 8x internal hardpoints, with option for 6x wing-mounted hardpoints, capacity of 17,000lb (771kg)