Ausaine F6M Wasp
| Ausaine F6M Wasp | |
|---|---|
| |
| F6M Wasp | |
| Role | Multirole fighter |
| National origin |  Meridon
|
| Manufacturer | Ausaine Aerospace |
| First flight | 14 August 1977 |
| Introduction | 3 September 1986 |
| Status | In active service |
| Primary user |  Meridonian Navy  Meridonian Air Forces
|
| Produced | 1979-present |
| Number built | 2,012 |
| Unit cost |
51 million MD (F6M2)
|
The Ausaine F6M Wasp is a Meridonian carrier-capable, supersonic, twin engine, two seat, twin tail, multirole jet fighter built by Ausaine Aerospace. Designed to fit the needs of the Meridonian Navy to replace a variety of legacy aircraft conducting strike and air combat roles, particularly the A6M Raider and A7M Cutlass, it was designed to reduce operating costs by combining a large variety of roles into one aircraft. Adopted by the Meridonian Navy and later by the Meridonian Air Forces, the Wasp comprises the 'low' end of the 'high-low' mix of fighter aircraft.
The Wasp is designed and marketed as a multirole fighter aircraft, however it was designed with ground attack missions in mind- a role in which it complements the air warfare-oriented Gruening F5M Lynx in service. Wasp is capable of effectively conducting any missionset expected of a fighter aircraft, and is commonly used as a carrier-based refueler by the Navy. It pioneered a number of advancements, particularly in avionics, which became standard in the Meridonian aircraft. Designed for rugged operations from both carrier and land short fields and ease of maintenance, its well-balanced aerodynamic characteristics and versatility have also made it a popular escort aircraft, forming the mainstay of a number of foreign militaries. Meridonian variants have been upgraded to the F6M2 variant, which includes advanced avionics and the introduction of an infrared search and track system.
Development
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Design
Operational History
Variants
- F6M
- Initial production and operational variant, entering service with the Meridonian Navy in 1986. All variants serving with the Meridonian Armed Forces were upgraded to F6M2 standard by December of 2022.
- F6M2
- Upgraded variant of the F6M2 featuring an upgraded cockpit configuration and avionics,an active electronically scanned radar replacing the previous mechanically-steered radar, and an infrared search/track sensor (IRST).
- E6M2 Backwave
- Dedicated electronic warfare variant designed in tandem with the F6M2 upgrade, produced as new built airframes.
Operators
Current Operators
- Meridon- 1,600 have been built for the Meridon Defense Forces. All variants have been upgraded to F6M2 standard.
Seuria- Approximately 300 of both F6M and F6M2 delivered.
Matsumae- 60 F6M2 airframes.
Svetvostok- 160 aircraft in operation in the Navy. Introduced after the collapse of the military regime.
Specifications (F6M2)
General Characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 50 ft 10 in (15.5m)
- Wingspan: 39ft 6.6 in (12.05m)
- Height: 13 ft 10 in (4.2 m)
- Wing Area: 494 sq ft (45.9 m2)
- Empty Weight: 26,700 lb (11,203 kg)
- Max Takeoff Weight: 62,400lb (28,304 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Hollon FT94E afterburning turbofans, producing 13,500lbf (60 kN) each dry, 20,200lbf (90 kN) in afterburner
- Fuel Capacity: 15,500lb internal, up to 5x optional 480gal (3,260lb/1,478kg each) external tanks
Performance
- Maximum Speed: Mach 1.34 (1465 km/h, 909 mph) at altitude
- Service Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,240 m) +
- Rate of Climb: 45,304 ft/min plus (230 m/s)+
- Wing Loading: 126.2 lb/sq ft (617.6 kg/m2)
- Thrust/Weight: 0.647 at MGTOW
Armament
- Guns: 1 × Mark 40 25mm cannon with 520 rounds
- Payload: 13 hardpoints total: 4 per wing, 5 fuselage stations with total capacity of 20,000lbs of payload
Avionics
- TA-940C active electronically scanned array radar
- AE-161B radar warning receiver
- AI-50B infrared search/track
- AI-20B missile approach warning system
- AE-202C Electronic Warfare/ Defensive Electronic Countermeasures System
