Mikasa Gallienus MiK-58
| Mikasa Gallienus MiK-58 | |
|---|---|
| |
| MiK-58 | |
| Role | Lightweight fighter bomber |
| Manufacturer | Mikasa Gallienus |
| First flight | 1957 |
| Introduction | 1959 |
| Status | In service |
| Primary user | Elatian Air Force |
The Mikasa Gallienus MiK-58 (NATA reporting name: Fishhook) is a lightweight fighter-bomber originally developed by Elatia in the late-1950's based on the Velikoslavian Fishbed. It was Elatia's first fighter capable of attaining Mach 2 speed in level flight. This simple fighter was produced in very large quantities and until the late-1970's formed the backbone of the Elatian Air Force. Its international counterparts include the Talaharan N65 Vindicator, the Arthuristan Greenwich Super Tigress, the Ghantish E-35 Draco and the Mutulese K'akmul 5.
Design
The MiK-58's designers were impressed by the Fishbed's high power-to-weight ratio. However, they were not minded to adopt the delta-wing of the latter, which conferred significant acceleration and climb rates, but at the cost of turning ability as well as take-off length. What Elatia needed was not so much a dedicated interceptor, but an all-purpose fighter. Accordingly, Elatian designers decided to use the more mature technology of swept-back wings in order to improve the aircraft's prowess in a traditional dogfight, which in the era before reliable radar-guided beyond-visual-range missiles, guns and heatseekers remained the primary weapons of air-to-air combat.
In its first mature form, the MiK-58M of the 1960's, its most advanced feature was its turbojet engine which, aside from its normal reheat function, had a second fuel pump to allow for the use of an 'Enhanced Power Rating' (EPR) mode. The latter, which could only be sustained for two minutes, produced up to 97.5kn of thrust and allowed the MiK-58 to attain a power-to-weight ratio of nearly 1:1, an impressive achievement for its time. Its disadvantages included the primitive ranging radar mounted within the small shock cone (which was incapable of being used to direct radar-guided missiles), small payload and in particular its limited combat endurance. Despite periodic upgrades in both internal and drop tank fuel capacity, the MiK-58's role throughout its service life remained primarily that a short-range fighter optimised for providing local tactical air cover over the battlespace, highly reliant upon Ground-Controlled Interception ('GCI').
In the air-to-air role, the early model MiK-58 was usually equipped with two short-range heat-seeking missiles, plus three drop tanks. Later, as internal fuel capacity was enhanced, they were often flown with four missiles and one drop tank. It was also designed from the outset with a secondary ground-attack capability, carrying bombs between 250-500kg in weight as well as rocket pods.
Modernisation
The Elatian Air Force had intended to replace the MiK-58 with the Mikasa Gallienus MiK-70 'Flopper' and other models. However, for a variety of reasons this has not happened and in fact the MiK-58 has remained in service after the retirement of the fighter variants of the MiK-70.
The latest version of the Fishhook is the MiK-58M2, which inccorporates a new pulse-doppler radar that allows the fighter to track eight targets at beyond visual range and engage two with radar-guided missiles. It is also equipped with tactical data-link and two multi-function displays to create a partial-glass cockpit, radar-warning receiver, a dual-screen HUD, helmet-mounted display to enable the use off modern high off-boresight heatseeking short-range misiles, as well as an optional targeting pod for the use of precision-guided ground attack munitions and wing-tip dispensers for chaff and flare. Ejector rails increase the number of heatseekers it can carry to four in addition to external fuel.
A simpler upgrade, the MiK-58M1, omits the new radar and is primarily intended as a strike aircraft with secondary air-to-air capabilities.
Specifications (MiK-58MSF)
- Length: 14.5m
- Wingspan: 9.01m
- Wing area: 23.33m2
- Height: 4.1m
- Crew: 1
- Gross weight: 8.8 tonnes
- Powerplants: 1 x Nekota-33 turbojet engine, 44kn dry, 70kn with afterburner, 97.5kn emergency power
- Range: 1,500km
- Combat radius: 650km (CAP with three drop tanks and two heatseekers)
- Top speed: Mach 2 at altitude
- Armaments: 2x 30mm autocannons with 60 rounds each, 2,000kg external stores, 5x pylons