Gwŏn-Han GH-32 Byŏrakbul
| GH-32 Byŏrakbul | |
|---|---|
| File:GHZ 32B.png GH-32B in the "tan and black" color scheme used at demonstrations and airshows | |
| General information | |
| Type | light attack helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Garayev-Hwang design bureau |
| Status | In Service |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 2003-Present |
| Introduction date | 2003 |
The GH-32, later designated GHJ-32, is an advanced reconnaissance and attack helicopter designed by the Garayev-Hwang design bureau in Menghe. It possesses considerable speed and agility, and was designed to reduce noise and IR signature. It is also fitted with a built-in ESM suite for "Tactical Signals Intelligence." Originally intended as an attack helicopter in its own right, it now serves primarily as a forward reconnaissance platform, scouting ahead for heavier helicopters like the GH-34 Yumog-in and delivering fast strikes on targets of opportunity. This role is reflected in its Menghean language nickname: Byŏrakbul (벼락불), meaning "lightning strike."
Development
Design work on the "Byŏrakbul" began in 1991, when the Menghean government laid down a requirement for a modern attack helicopter to replace earlier gunship designs. In response, the Garayev-Hwang design bureau laid down two possible design options. The first focused on armor and armament, a continuation of a design program initiated under the DPR Menghe. The second was a lighter, faster, more agile helicopter which could execute combat missions independently or in small groups.
This required new work from the ground up, as neither Menghean regime had attempted to design such a helicopter (lightly armed scouts and civilian helicopters aside). Extra maneuverability was to be gained through the use of a tandem rotor, a similar layout to that used on the Menghean Navy's shipborne helicopters. Lightweight alloys and composite materials were used wherever possible to reduce weight. In time, this effort proved to be worthwhile: when the first prototype took to the air in November of 1996, it surprised military observers by exceeding all of the program's performance requirements.
As time passed, however, the reconnaissance portion of the program began to take precedence over others. In 1997 a second prototype was unveiled, this time featuring a longer, fuller nose and tail. The added space was used to accommodate a built-in ESM suite, including several signals-intercept antennas to monitor enemy communications at the tactical level. The added weight degraded the helicopter's performance when compared to the original prototype, and programming issues began to drive up costs.
In order to address the former of the two, Garayev-Hwang removed some of the cockpit armored plating and lightened the stub wings, reducing weight but also degrading combat capability. After a period of political review that threatened to shut down the project, it was decided that the existing design would be developed into a "light reconnaissance helicopter" to be accompanied by a heavier dedicated attack helicopter. The latter of the two would evolve into the GH-34 Yumog-in.
Design
Protection
Because the GH-32 is intended primarily for reconnaissance and fast attacks rather than sustained direct combat, its designers sacrificed armor in exchange for speed and maneuverability. Some vital components are duplicated in order to improve survivability if the helicopter is damaged, but most are single-piece. Of particular note is the engine layout: while most Menghean helicopters place the turboshaft engines on opposite sides of the rotor transmission, the GH-32 places them close together behind, reducing their exposure to fire from the forward arc but increasing the risk that a single missile or burst of autocannon fire will knock both engines out.
The lower section of the crew compartment is armored against 12.7mm ammunition, and the canopy is rated against small-arms fire of up to 10mm in caliber. The copilot/gunner is provided with a set of duplicate controls, allowing them to fly the helicopter to safety if the pilot is killed, but the bulkhead between the two crew areas is only protected against 12.7mm fire. In the event that the helicopter is critically damaged, either crew member can trigger an automated ejection sequence. Small explosive charges in the rotor hub detonate just before the seats themselves eject, releasing the blades to be thrown clear of the aircraft by centrifugal force. The crew are then launched clear of the vehicle in Zero-zero ejection seats, allowing survival even at very low speeds and altitudes. Crash protection is relatively poor, especially as the forward landing gear is stowed in flight to reduce RCS and drag.
Armament
While initial plans suggested that the GH-32 would be armed with a 30-millimeter autocannon, the need to conserve weight led to the use of lighter weapons in the revised prototypes. Production vehicles are armed with the GP-22 97-nyŏn, a 22mm autocannon designed in Menghe. This weapon is a revolver autocannon, designed to offer a higher rate of fire than a conventional autocannon but a lighter weight than a rotary autocannon. Ammunition is carried in the lengthened nose section.
Sensors and targeting systems
When it entered service in 2003, the "Byŏrakbul" was the first Menghean attack helicopter to feature built-in helmet sights for the gunner and co-pilot. When active, these can be used to calibrate the helicopter's targeting suite in the direction the user is looking. As on the Yumog-in, this sighting system is not considered accurate enough to directly lock individual targets, but instead to place an individual target within the display screen's field of view more quickly; it is expected that the weapons operator will still have to manually adjust the aim to achieve a lock. There are, however, some exceptions: hardpoint datalink upgrades on the GH-32Ch enable the helmet sight to lock heat-seeking missiles onto enemy aerial targets, vector anti-radiation missiles onto radar signals, and dispatch lock-on-after-launch air-to-ground missiles in the general direction of a target. This helmet sight can be used alone or in conjunction with night-vision goggles.
Another unique feature of the GH-32 is its built-in electronic warfare suite. This includes radar-warning receivers, laser-warning receivers, and a small radar jamming system, as well as several short-range Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) intercept antennas. The latter are intended to provide real-time updates on enemy maneuvers at the tactical level, and the information they produce can be recorded for manual upload at a base of operations or directly linked back over a secure channel. Despite the GH-32's high publicity in airshows and films, the exact capabilities of its SIGINT suite remain a closely guarded State secret, and all GH-32 derivatives offered for export have their SIGINT equipment removed. In addition to these organic features, the GH-32 can be fitted with a dedicated radar jamming pod for operations in a high threat environment, though this requires the use of one external hardpoint. GH-32s have also been seen in exercises with what appears to be a modified version of the dedicated SIGINT pod used by reconnaissance aircraft, though there is no official State information on this system either.
The bulk of the helicopter's sensors are located in the nose, which was lengthened to accommodate autocannon ammunition and SIGINT equipment. Visible at the very front is an electro-optical sight, the same model used on the GH-34 Yumog-in. This features high-magnification visual-band and infrared cameras, as well as a laser designator system for SALH and beam-riding missiles. This electro-optical sight is supplemented by a radar system, which is primarily intended for surface-scan but has a limited air-scan capability when searching for other helicopters and small UAVs. This radar set is placed on top of the rotor mast, allowing the helicopter to scan for targets beyond a hill or treeline without exposing itself. A smaller terrain-following radar is fitted under the nose to allow nap-of-the-earth flying in low-visibility conditions.
All of these systems are integrated into a central electronic warfare suite, allowing either the pilot or gunner to quickly analyze and respond to threats. When set in automatic mode, the system can autonomously analyze incoming missile threats and trigger a response, including jamming the threat and deploying chaff or flares from a dispenser in the tail. The crew can also perform these actions manually, or override the system if necessary. Both the pilot and co-pilot/gunner fly using HOTAS controls and glass-cockpit displays, the latter of which were intended to simplify flight information and reduce weight compared to earlier control systems. Navigation is performed by a GPS receiver programmed to follow the Oyashimese satellite navigation system, with a highly accurate laser-gyroscope inertial system serving as backup if this signal is spoofed or jammed. High Command of the Menghean Army has expressed concern over the cost and complexity of these electronic systems, which were cited as a reason for pursuing the heavier "Yumog-in" as a simpler and less fragile combat platform while reserving the "Byŏrakbul" for reconnaissance and interdiction missions.
Defensive Countermeasures
In addition to the built-in electronic warfare suite, the GH-32 features a flare and chaff dispenser near the end of the tail, which can be fired automatically when a lock or launch is detected or fired manually at the pilot or copilot's command. The helicopter's main defense, however, is passive. Special covers on the rotor hubs, as well as shielding around the transmission and engines, are intended to muffle engine noise, making it harder for enemy forces to detect the GH-32 before it passes into view. The hull shape also features some measures to reduce radar cross-section, including retractable landing gear, though the hardpoints, antennas, and rotor-mast radome still offer considerable radar returns.
The first production variant, GH-32A, featured engine muffling in the form of a BHO suppressor, with three rectangular outlets on the rear of each engine assembly mixing hot exhaust with ambient air. Testing of the GH-34, however, found that a lobed mixer-ejector with internal secondary-airflow foils was reduced exhaust temperature more effectively while minimizing the cost to engine efficiency. A modified design of this exhaust mixer was quickly developed for the GH-32; helicopters featuring this array, pictured in the infobox above, are known as the "B" variant. Later kits were also developed to allow workshop refitting of existing GH-32As to the B standard. As a result, by 2014 between 80 and 85% of operational GH-32s were fitted with the more advanced exhaust suppressor.
Service
The GH-32 was accepted for service with the Menghean Army in 2003, and by now it has almost completely replaced earlier scout helicopters in the forward reconnaissance role. GH-32 units are stationed along the western border with Maverica and Innominada. Following the Innominadan Crisis, these helicopters were transferred to units stationed in the Republic of Innominada and production was increased.
Variants
- GH-32A: Original production variant.
- GH-32B: Upgrade fitted with more effective infrared suppressors on the engine exhaust.
- GH-32Ch: The latest GH-32 variant, featuring more efficient Oyashimese engines for greater operational range.
- GH-32D: Export variant based on the GH-32B. The Menghean SIGINT electronic suite has been removed.
- GH-36 Jamjari: Military compound helicopter developed from the GH-32 airframe.
Role
Although it can carry a potent armament, the GH-32 is intended primarily as a forward reconnaissance helicopter rather than a combat support platform. If a large concentration of ground targets is detected, the "Ikchirei" will typically leave the bulk of the attack to heavier helicopters like the GH-34 Yumog-in. Even so, its four hardpoints can carry a surprising variety of weapons, including light anti-radiation missiles, air-to-air missiles, and fire-and-forget anti-tank missiles. In practice, these allow the "Byŏrakbul" to engage targets of opportunity on its patrol, clear out other helicopters ahead of an anti-tank flight, or set off on deep-interdiction missions.
Specifications
General Characteristics
- Crew: 1 pilot (rear seat), 1 copilot/gunner (forward seat)
- Hull Length: 15.05 meters
- Length Overall: 16.41 meters
- Rotor Diameter: 14.77 meters
- Wingspan: 4.23 meters
- Height: 4.18 meters (landing gear stowed)
- Empty Weight: 5,250 kg
- Loaded Weight: 7,120 kg
- Powerplant: 2x GHR-1350 turboshaft, 1375 kW each
- Rotor Arrangement: Co-axial main rotor with three evenly spaced blades per section
Performance
- Maximum Speed: 320 km/h
- Cruise Speed: 275 km/h
- Range: 720 kilometers (fully loaded, on internal fuel)
- Combat Radius: 310 kilometers with 10-minute loiter time and 5% fuel reserves
- Ferry Range: 1400 kilometers with external tanks
- Service Ceiling: 6,500 meters
- Rate of Climb: 15.2 meters per second
Armament
- Guns: 1x chin-mounted GP-22 97-nyŏn revolver autocannon
- Hardpoint Mountings: 2 per wing stub, for
- dual 22mm autocannon gunpod
- R-8/20BR rocket pod
- 4x YDCh-17 or YDCh-70 SACLOS ATGM
- 2x YDJ-82 ATGM
- 4x Nidŭl MANPADS as AAM