Aigios/Arthuristan Dynamics Whirlwind
| Aigios/Arthuristan DynamicsWhirlwind | |
|---|---|
| |
| Aigios/Arthuristan Dynamics Whirlwind | |
| Role | Fighter-bomber |
| Manufacturer | Aigios Defence / Arthuristan Dynamics |
| First flight | 1998 |
| Introduction | 2004 |
| Status | In service |
The Aigios/Arthuristan Dynamics Whirlwind is a model of supersonic STOVL tactical fighter-bomber, jointly developed between Arthurista and Belfras. It is in addition in service with the armed forces of Gristol-Serkonos.
Origins and design
The Whirlwind was conceptualised in the early-90's, as the Admiralty recognised the limitations of the Sea Kestrel as an air defence fighter deployed from small carriers, such as vessels of the Helios Class, which bear the brunt of most Commonwealth Navy overseas deployments. Similarly, the Commonwealth Air Force was concerned that, in a major conventional war, they would rapidly lose the ability to provide local air superiority as airfields are knocked out by enemy ballistic missile forces - Air Force Kestrels were adequate in the air to ground role, but were at a major disadvantage in air combat against high-end fighters. What both services required were larger, supersonic aircraft with a longer range and able to carry a heavier load. The Belfrasian Navy had a similar requirement for an advanced STOVL aircraft which could operate from its new, ski-jump equipped Agamemnon-class amphibious assault ship .
The Whirlwind can reach mach 2 at high altitudes and carry up to 8,500 tonnes of ordnance to a combat radius of 1,200km with drop tanks, making it a far more potent aircraft than the original Sea Kestrel. They are equipped with the APG-73 multifunction radar installed on the Aigios Ifrit, as well as IRST and helmet-mounted display, making them highly effective in air-to-air combat against likely adversaries.
As light carriers and large-deck amphibious assault ships cannot deploy dedicated tanker aircraft, Whirlwinds are designed to be capable of 'buddy-refuelling'.
FGR.2 upgrade
The FGR.2 upgrade is offered to all Whirlwind operating services. The primary new feature is the Blue Wolf AESA radar. The FGR.2 upgrade also includes a complete overhaul of the aircraft's electronic warfare and countermeasures suite, leveraging upon technology developed for the UFC Tempest. It features the Hydra Receiver Array, composed of a network of radar-warning receivers. While primarily intended as a defensive suite, its ability to detect low-powered beams from LPI AESA radars also allows it to be used as a powerful passive sensor with all-round, spherical coverage. This is complemented by the Silver Bow, featuring an array of IR detector apertures and laser warning receivers placed around the fuselage to provide all-round passive surveillance and missile-launch detection capability. Like the upgraded AEOTS, the Silver Bow features QWIP technology. Aside from their defensive function, they can also assist the pilot in acquiring targets through entirely passive means and cue weapons towards these targets.
The upgrade also introduced the ERIS EW Suite. Eris controls the aircraft's phased array radar jammer and, aided by the DASS system, can detect, sample, track and jam radar signals using DRFM technology. Also known as ‘Active Cancellation’, this technique works by sampling and analysing incoming radar, then transmitting the signal to the enemy’s radar slightly out of phase, thereby cancelling out the returning radar signal. This upgrade is aimed at allowing the CAF to retire specialist electronic warfare aircraft such as the Mercury ECR, as well as significantly reducing reliance on expensive 5th-generation fighters to penetrate highly protected airspace defended by integrated air defence systems.
Another new feature of the FGR.2 upgrade package was the BriteCloud Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) jammer, a disposable smart radar decoy device which is a direct replacement of legacy chaff systems, although it makes use of legacy old chaff-dispensing devices. Instead of flares, which are increasingly ineffective against thermal imaging technology, the FGR.2 makes use of a Directional Infrared Counter Measures suite, which utilises infra-red lasers to jam, degrade or destroy the IIR-guidance package on the tip of a missile through its aperture. Britecloud is intended to complement more a more traditional towed decoy system to maximise protective coverage.
The Commonwealth Armed Forces have been slow to transition to the FGR.2, mostly because the FGR.1 model remains highly competitive. Nevertheless, plans to press ahead with the upgrade in the 2016-2022 timeframe have been budgeted.
Joint STOVL Strike Wing
The Joint STOVL Strike Wing ('JSSW'), also known as the 'Joint Jump-jet Force', is an inter-service administrative structure constituted by four Commonwealth Air Force squadrons and three Fleet Air Arm squadrons, which enables the two main operators of the Whirlwind to pool valuable maintenance, logistical support and training resources. Whirlwind pilots and maintenance crew are cross-trained to operate in joint operational environments. For instance, CAF pilots are able to deploy from navy carriers, whereas navy personnel can operate in a CAF dispersed forward base.
Specifications
- Length: 17.03m
- Wingspan: 10.36m
- Height: 3.78m
- Empty Weight: 11,208kg
- Maximum takeoff weight: 21,050kg
- Maximum speed: Mach 1.71
- Service ceiling: 15605.76m
- Combat radius: 1,200km (air defence, internal plus boom modules fuel)
- Powerplant: 1 x Rollers Engineering EVA-1 turbofan (124kn dry thrust, 180kn with afterburner), fitted to a plenum chamber and three nozzles
- Armaments: 1x 25mm rotary cannon, 2 x wingtip hardpoints, 6 x underwing hardpoints, 3 fuselage hardpoints, maximum 8,500kg of disposable stores