Yukimo Yuk-31
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| Yuk-31 | |
|---|---|
| File:Yuk-31 sideview.png | |
| Yuk-31M | |
| Role | V/STOL multirole fighter |
| National origin |  DSRA
|
| Manufacturer | Yukimo Design Bureau |
| First flight | 1 May 1983 |
| Introduction | 1987 |
| Status | In production |
| Primary user | DSRA  Anikatia
|
| Produced | 1983–present |
| Number built | 200+ |
| Unit cost |
Yuk-31MX: UR$41 million (flyaway cost, 2014)
|
The Yukimo Yuk-31 (CDI reporting name: Fowler) is a V/STOL multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Yukimoh Design Bureau . In the late 1970s, the Anikatian Air Force and Navy were seeking to replace and consolidate their current fleets of aircraft. The Yuk-31 is designed as a successor and replacement for the earlier the Yuk-29, which was to work with the Aymovski Ay-04 on the new carrier for the Anikatian Naval Aviation. The Yuk-31 entered service with the Anikatian Air Force in 1987 and Navy in 1988 onward. Later models frequently feature improved uprated engines, glass cockpits with HOTAS-compatible flight controls, modern radar and IRST sensors, some aircraft have also been equipped for aerial refueling.
History
While the previous Yuk-29 V/STOL aircraft was always believed to be an interim aircraft, developed to gain experience designing and developing military VTOL aircraft. Even before the Yuk-29's introduction, the Navy desired a more comprehensive aircraft, with greater capabilities. The result was a design contract offered to Yukimoh in 1977 without any competition. The requirement was for an aircraft with only one mission: air defense of the fleet. Unlike the Yuk-29, this aircraft was to have sustained supersonic speed. Maneuverability, radar and weapons loads were expected to be similar to those of current front-line fighters. For the Navy this aircraft was to be their next generation VTOL fighter. The difficulties with the Experimental Lightweight Fighter Program (XLFP) after a number of design studies and experimentation with existing fighters. The Navy thought the Yuk-29 and future design could help support the strike role while supporting the Ay-04 interceptors as were beginning to age. The new socialist government that took power in 1980 accelerated the work on V/STOL aircraft by 1981 a very early prototype heavily derived from the Yuk-29 called the Y-30A was demonstrated. By 1983 pre-production testbeds were entering limited service with the Navy and Airforce. It proved a far more successful design than the previous Yuk-29. In 1987 the production Yuk-31 entered service with the Airforce and Naval Aviation.
Design
The Yuk-31 is supersonic V/STOL multi-role tactical fighter aircraft. The Yuk-31 was designed to perform various kinds of missions and maintain around-the-clock readiness, using a vector able thrust engine in the rear used during flight, one smaller, and less powerful, engine housed in the front portion of the fuselage which is used purely for take-off and landing allowing to operate very close to the battlefield.
Variants
- Y-30A ("Fowler")
- Initial prototype.
- Yuk-30M ("Fowler-A")
- Pre-production version used as testbeds, entered service in 1983.
- Yuk-31 ("Fowler-A")
- Initial single-seater multirole fighter/attack version that entered service with the Anikatian Air Force and Anikatian Naval Aviation in 1987. Fitted with a weapons system derived from that of the Aymovski Ay-05 and including AKI/RAL K05 radar and advanced nav/attack suite, includes IRST and helmet mounted sights.
- Yuk-31UB ("Fowler-B")
- Initial production two-seat operational conversion trainer version. This version differed from the standard aircraft in having an enlarged fuselage to accommodate a two-seater cockpit.
- Yuk-31M ("Fowler-C")
- Advanced modernisation of the single-seater multirole fighter/attack variant, mechanical flight controls replaced by a fly-by-wire system. Upgraded flight control system. Cockpit has been updated with an enhanced HOTAS design, two colour liquid crystal MFDs and two smaller monochrome LCDs, avionics and weapons upgrade, systems now compatible with night vision goggles. Engines have been improved and uprated along with aerial refueling added.
- Yuk-31MX ("Fowler-C")
- Advanced multirole export variant, identical characteristics to Yuk-31M with fly-by-wire system. Upgraded flight control systems and avionics, weapons and cockpit along with aerial refueling.
Operators
Current
- Anikatian Navy – Naval Air Arm – 168 Yuk-31M aircraft in operation as of 2011.
- Anikatian Air Force – 60 of 96 Yuk-31M aircraft in operation as of 2011.
Former operators
- Template:Country data Democratic Socialist Republic of Anikatia Anikatian People's Navy – Anikatian People's Naval Aviation - Passed on to successor states.
- Template:Country data Democratic Socialist Republic of Anikatia Anikatian People's Air Force - Passed on to successor states.
Specifications (Yuk-31M)
General characteristics
- Crew: One / Two (UB)
- Length: 17.31 m (56.79 ft) ()
- Wingspan: 9.75 m (31.98 ft) ()
- Height: 5.25 m (17.22 ft) ()
- Empty weight: 10,196 kg (22,480 lb) ()
- Loaded weight: 15,093 kg (33,274 lb) in fighter configuration
- Maximum takeoff weight:
- Rolling:19,200 kg (42,328 lb)
- Vertical:15,800 kg (34,833 lb) ()
- Powerplant: 1 × Arsanukayev AVT-R-16 TVC31 thrust vectoring control (TVC) afterburning turbofan, Dry: 110 kN (11,217 kgf, 24,729 lbf), Wet:172 kN (17,539 kgf, 38,667 lbf)
- Lift engines: 1x Bulgakov K31R-104OVT turbofan 64 kN (6,506 kgf, 14,343 lbf) thrust ()
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 1.8 (1,915 km/h, 1,190 mph) at altitude
- Combat radius: 945 km (510 nmi) on hi-hi-hi interception mission with 2 x Ryk-6, 2 x Ryk-12s and two 1,200 litre external fuel tanks ()
- Ferry range: 3,045 km (1644 nmi) with external fuel ()
- Service ceiling: 15,500+ m (50,853+ ft) ()
- Thrust/weight: 0.91 (1.16 at loaded weight with 100% internal fuel)
Armament
- 1 x 30 mm Esk-30-K1 cannon with 170 rounds
- 9 total hardpoints (6× under-wing, 2x under-fuselage, 1× centre-line) with a capacity of up to 4,330 kg of weapons and fuel tanks, including:
- Rockets
- Rockets from 80 to 240 mm
- Air-to-air missile
- Air-to-surface missile
- Bombs
- Incendiary, bunker buster, high-explosive, laser-guided, nuclear, cluster and general purpose bombs up to 500 kg
- Training bombs up to 500 kg
- Others:
- Countermeasures (Flares, Chaff)
- Up to 3 external drop tanks (2× under-wing 1,200 litres, 1× under-fuselage 1,100 litres for extended range/loitering time)
Avionics
- AKI/RAL K05R-31-M2 all-weather multimode active electronically scanned array (AESA) Radar system
- Tagirbekov General Industries Tgk-77M sophisticated multi-channel Infrared search and track (ISRT) sighting system
- Rykovatia Weapon Systems Rtk-6QMP Datalink communications system
- QB-44 Active staging radar jamming systems.
- RAL-05KPG Rakovski RWR
See also
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era