Falcus Designs Me-550

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Falcus Designs Me-550
Me-550.jpg
Me-550 aircraft in 4th Air Defense Regiment Livery
Role Fighter
Manufacturer Falcus Designs
First flight 1995
Introduction 2001
Status In service
Primary user Imperial Sea Legion, Imperial Air Legion
Number built 524
Unit cost
30-40 million

The Falcus Designs Me-550 is a single engine 4.5 generation Multirole combat aircraft produced by Falcus Designs of Tarsas. It features an overpass intake with a slender cropped delta wing, which makes it the only Tarsan fighter of its kind to feature such a layout. The Me-550 has a Relaxed stability design and fly-by-wire controls. It is powered by a R270 low bypass after burning turbofan. The aircraft was also built with capability for aerial refueling.

In 1979, Legionary High Command began development studies for an aircraft capable of fighter, attack and reconnaissance missions to replace the aging Me-510 and Me-520. A new design from Falcus was selected and developed as the Me-550. Initial testing and development proved that a lighter, more maneuverable single engine design would function well for the role envisioned. With alterations to avionics and software, the aircraft entered production in 1998 and began to arrive at front line regiments in 2001.

A further version, designated Me-560, is under development as of 2014, which is designated to allow the aircraft to be used well past its original service end date. The changes include the adoption of a new powerplant, an active electronically scanned array radar, and significantly increased internal fuel capacity. Other variants have been, including a navalised variant for carrier operations and an optionally manned aircraft for unmanned operations.

Development

With enemies such as Marad and Intermaria gaining access to newer and more capable fighters from the international arms market, a Tarsan response was necessary to avoid the possibility of a new Latin or Arthuristan fighter gaining a serious technological advantage over existing fighters. Thus the development of a new air superiority platform became a priority. In 1982, the Legionary High Command issued a requirement for a new air superiority fighter. Specifications were extremely ambitious, calling for long range, good short-field performance (including the ability to use austere runways), excellent agility, Mach 2+ speed, and heavy armament.

By 1985, however, studies began on a new type of fighter that could fulfill multiple roles. The program was supplemented with changed requirements for a more versatile platform. It was initially thought that the two fighters would work side by side but this was eventually chaqnged. Detailed design work on the resultant Falcus Product 9, designated Me-550A, began in 1988, with the first flight taking place on 6 October 1995. The Me-550 directly replaced the Me-520 in the frontal aviation role. Features such as rugged landing gear and protective intake grates allowed operations from damaged or under-prepared airstrips that Tarsan war planners expected to encounter during a rapid armored advance.

Successor

Despite its resounding success, Falcus announced that it would be working on a new fifth generation fighter to compete with the Accipitrem Legion Na-6 design. Designated as the Me-560, the new aircraft is said to be a 4++ generation fighter with many of the same capabilities of a fifth generation without the massive costs involved in producing the Na-6. Additional work on an aircraft, tentatively designated as the Me-570, was said to also be taking place side by side as a true fifth generation produced by Falcus. Though prototype mock ups are being worked on, it is likely the 550 will remain in service until at least 2040.

Design

The Me-550 is a multirole fighter aircraft, intended as a lightweight and agile aerial platform with advanced, highly adaptable avionics. It has canard control surfaces that contribute a positive lift force at all speeds, while the generous lift from the wings for the rear stabilizer producing negative lift at high speeds, increasing induced drag. Being intentionally unstable and employing digital fly-by-wire flight controls to maintain stability removes many flight restrictions, improves maneuverability, and reduces drag. The Me-550 also has good short takeoff performance, being able to maintain a high sink rate and strengthened to withstand the stresses of short landings. A pair of air brakes are located on the sides of the rear fuselage; the canards also angle downward to act as air brakes and decrease landing distance. It is capable of flying at a 70–80 degrees angle of attack.

To enable the aircraft to have a long service life, Falcus designed it to have low maintenance requirements. Major systems such as the engine and radar are modular to reduce operating cost and increase reliability. The Me-550 was designed to be flexible, so that newly developed sensors, computers, and armaments could be integrated as technology advances. The modular systems also allow local and domestic suppliers from potential export customers to be substituted in instead of Tarsan components. This system was determined as ideal to make the fighter more attractive to export clientele. The modular nature of the frame also allows the cost of producing individual units to be reduced as necessary for poorer nations and even at home provided lower cost variants are needed for reserve formations.

Avionics and sensors

All of the avionics are fully integrated using five DB34 digital data buses, in what is described as "sensor fusion". The total integration of the avionics makes the fighter a "programmable" aircraft, allowing software updates to be introduced over time to increase performance and allow for additional operational roles and equipment. The python programming language was adopted for the vessel and is used for the primary flight controls on the final prototypes from 1996 onwards and all subsequent production aircraft. The software is continuously being improved to add new capabilities, as compared to the preceding Me-520, which was updated only in a 24-month schedule.

Much of the data generated from the onboard sensors and by cockpit activity is digitally recorded throughout the length of an entire mission. This information can be replayed in the cockpit or easily extracted for detailed post-mission analysis using a data transfer unit that can also be used to insert mission data to the aircraft. The Me-550, like the 520, was designed to operate as one component of a networked national defense system, which allows for automatic exchange of information in real-time between Me-550 aircraft and ground facilities. The vessel's GC342 tactical navigation system combines information from multiple onboard systems such as the air data computer, radar altimeter, and GPS to continuously calculate the aircraft's location.

The Me-550 entered service using the DRS423 pulse-Doppler X band multi-mode radar, which is based on the same radar which eventually served as the base for the Na-6's highly advanced radar. The all-weather radar is capable of locating and identifying targets 120 km (74 mi) away, and automatically tracking multiple targets in the upper and lower spheres on the ground and sea or in the air. It can guide several beyond visual range air-to-air missiles to multiple targets simultaneously. Falcus stated the DRS423 is able to handle all types of air defense, air-to-surface, and reconnaissance missions. A new active electronically scanned array has been slated for deployment on future upgrades. This radar has a 150% increase in high-altitude air-to-air detection ranges, detection and tracking of smaller targets at current ranges, 140% improvement in air-to-air mode at low altitude, and full integration of modern weapons. Among other improvements, the new radar is to be capable of scanning over a greatly increased field of view and improved range. In addition, newer versions of the aircraft integrate the Skyward-G Infra-red search and track sensor, which is capable of passively detecting thermal emissions from air and ground targets in the aircraft's vicinity. The sensors of the are claimed to be able to detect low radar cross-section (RCS) targets at beyond visual range. Targets are tracked by a "best sensor dominates" system, either by onboard sensors or through the Transmitter Auxiliary Unit (TAU) data link function of the radar.

Cockpit

The primary flight controls are compatible with the Hands On Throttle-And-Stick (HOTAS) control principle – the centrally mounted stick, in addition to flying the aircraft, also controls the cockpit displays and weapon systems. A triplex, digital fly-by-wire system is employed on the Me-550's flight controls with a mechanical backup for the throttle. Additional functions, such as communications, navigational and, decision support data can be accessed via the up front control panel directly above the central cockpit display. The Me-550 includes the EP-17 cockpit display system, developed by Anacom Industries to provide pilots with a high level of situational awareness and reduces pilot workload through intelligent information management. The aircraft features a sensor fusion capability with information from onboard sensors and databases combined and automatically analysed. Useful data is presented to the pilot via a wide field-of-view head-up display, three large multi-function colour displays, and optionally a helmet mounted display system (HMDS).

Me-550ES Cockpit

Of the three multi-function displays (MFD), the central display is for navigational and mission data and the display to the left of the center shows aircraft status and electronic warfare information. The display to the right of the center has sensory and fire control information. In two-seat variants, the rear seat's displays can be operated independently of the pilot's own display arrangement in the forward seat. Falcus has promoted this capability as being useful during electronic warfare and reconnaissance missions and while carrying out command and control activities. In May 2010, Tarsas began equipping their Me-550's with additional onboard computer systems and new displays. The MFDs are interchangeable and designed for redundancy in the event of failure and flight information can be presented on any of the displays.

Falcus and Anacom developed the Venti HDMS By 2008, the Venti HMDS was fully integrated on operational aircraft and is available as an option for export customers. It has been retrofitted into older aircraft as well due to the modular structure of the avionics and design. The HMDS provides control and information on target cueing, sensor data, and flight parameters, and is optionally equipped for night time operations and with chemical/biological filtration. All connections between the HMDS and the cockpit were designed for rapid detachment, for safe use of the ejection system.

Engine

All in-service Me-550s as of January 2014 are powered by an R270 turbofan engine that is based off of the highly successful R series turbofans from previous fighters that is fed by a Y-duct with splitter plates. Changes include increased performance and improved reliability to meet single engine use safety criteria as well as a greater resistance to bird strike incidents. Several subsystems and components were also redesigned to reduce maintenance demands. By November 2010, the Me-550 had accumulated over 143,000 flight hours without a single engine-related failure or incident. Later variants under development are to adopt the R280 powerpant, a variant of the R270. The F414G can produce 20% greater thrust than the current engine, enabling the Me-550 to supercruise at a speed of Mach 1.1 while carrying an air-to-air combat payload. In 2010, Anacom stated it was capable of further developing its R270 engine to better match the performance of the R280 and claimed that developing the R270 would be a less expensive option.

Equipment and Armaments

The Me-550 is compatible with a number of different armaments beyond the aircraft's single 30 mm Reaper cannon including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and anti-ship missiles. In 2010, the Air Force's Me-550 fleet completed the MS19 upgrade process, enabling compatibility with a range of weapons including the long-range MF423 Comet missile, the short-range IRIS-T missile and the GBU-49 laser-guided bomb.

In flight, the aircraft is typically capable of carrying a significant amount of assorted armaments and equipment. Equipment includes external sensor pods for reconnaissance and target designation, such as Alder's Farsight targeting pod, Falcus' Modular Reconnaissance Pod System, or Anacom's Digital Eclipse Pod. The Me-550 has an advanced and integrated electronic warfare suite capable of operating in an undetectable passive mode or to actively jam hostile radar. A missile approach warning system passively detects and tracks incoming missiles. In November 2013, it was announced that Falcus will be the first to offer the DD372 decoy system, an expendable Active jammer developed by Anacom Industries. In June 2014, the Enhanced Survivability Technology Modular Self Protection Pod, a defensive missile countermeasure pod, performed its first flight on the Me-550

Falcus describes the Me-550 as a "swing-role aircraft", stating that it is capable of "instantly switching between roles at the push of a button". The human/machine interface changes when switching between roles, being optimized by the computer in response to new situations and threats. It is also equipped to use a number of different communications standards and systems, including SATURN secure radio, Link-16, ROVER, and satellite uplinks. Equipment for performing long range missions, such as an aerial refueling probe and onboard oxygen generation system (OBOGS), were integrated in later variants.

Usability and Maintenance

The Legion is continuously ready to defend against invasion from hostile states such as Marad. Aircraft were to be ready to defend against a possible invasion. This scenario required that combat aircraft disperse to maintain an air defense capacity. Thus, a key design goal during the development was the ability to take off from landing strips of only 800 metres (2,600 ft). Furthermore, a short-turnaround time of just ten minutes during which a team composed of a technician and five conscripts would be able to re-arm, refuel, and perform basic inspections and servicing inside that time window before returning to flight was considered a must.

During the design process, great priority was placed on facilitating and minimising aircraft maintenance. In addition to a maintenance-friendly layout, many subsystems and components require little or no maintenance at all. Aircraft are fitted with a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) that monitors the performance of various systems and provides information to technicians to assist in servicing it. Falcus operates a continuous improvement programme and information from the HUMS and other systems can be submitted for analysis. According to Falcus, the Me-550 provides "50 % lower operating costs than other Tarsan aircraft".

Variants

  • Me-550A - Initial variant introduced in 2001 in service with the Air Legion. Most have been upgraded to the D standard.
  • Me-550B Twin seat variant with additional frame lengthening and reinforcement to support an additional cockpit and life support systems. Produced in small numbers and mostly assigned to training and certain specialized mission roles.
  • Me-550C - Upgraded base variant introduced in 2003 with improvements to avionics. Production switched to the C variant upon its introduction.
  • Me-55Cr - Reconnaissance variant proposal that was built in small numbers for dedicated missions. Determined to be unnecessary due to the specialized equipment that a regular airframe could already mount.
  • Me-550D - New base production model introduced in 2005 with slight improvements to the engine.
    Underside of Me-550C as it takes off from Salona Air Legion Base
  • Me-550ES - Comprehensive upgrade introduced in 2010 featuring a new electronically scanned array in place of the previous radar and several major avionics upgrades. New R270S turbofans were included as well with increased efficiency and speed. Two additional hardpoints and increased fuel capacity round out the ES upgrades.
  • Me-550F - Single seat production variant of the ES.
  • Me-550G - Twin seat variant of the ES with primary roles in pilot training and air battle management.
  • Me-550Fc - Carrier variant introduced in 2012 for naval service aboard the Hellenic class aircraft carrier and to replace older aircraft aboard the Apostle-class carrier. Seven air wings have been produced so far with one backup.

Operational History

The Imperial Air Legion currently has 220 aircraft in front line service across various Regiments. The aircraft has been in continuous small batch production since 1998. The vast majority of older Me-520 aircraft have left front line service and been replaced by Me-550s. The last Me-510 left service eight years before production began. Almost the entirety of the Tarsan fighter fleet is made up of Me-550s with small numbers of other aircraft.

Operators

Specifications

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1 (2 for Me-550D)
  • wikipedia:Payload: 5,300 kg (11,700 lb)
  • Length: 14.1 m (46 ft 3 in); two-seater: 14.8 m (48 ft 5 in)
  • Wingspan: 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in)
  • Height: 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
  • Wing area: 30.0 m² (323 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 7,800 kg (17,196 lb)
  • Loaded weight: 9,500 kg (20,943 lb)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 20,000 kg (44,092 lb)
  • Wheel track: 2.4 m
  • Powerplant: 1 × R270 afterburning turbofan
    • Dry thrust: 75 kN (16,8607 lbf)
    • Thrust with afterburner: 95 kN (21,356 lbf)

Performance

Armament

Avionics

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