Breaking News: Boeing Soars High

The Battle of Titans

F-47 - rendering, image credit U.S. Air Force

Dollar Signs and Debate

Dark Clouds Over the F-47: Why Trump's New Superjet Faces Criticism

President Trump has surprisingly announced that Boeing has been awarded the contract to build the next sixth-generation fighter jet. While the military and business sectors celebrate, critical voices are growing louder.

Controversial Decision Raises Questions

Air Force F-47 in flight (rendering - image Credit U.S. Air Force)

Just a year ago, the Chief of the U.S. Air Force, David Allvin, spoke of "difficult options" and decisions within the NGAD program (Next Generation Air Dominance), the construction of a new air superiority fighter. Now, Trump unexpectedly announced that Boeing has received the contract. The new jet bears the name F-47, which critics see as an allusion to Trump as the 47th president. Social media users are mocking that a "genius" at the Air Force revived a dead arms program by naming it after Trump. Simultaneously, Boeing's stock price on the U.S. stock exchange jumped by over 10 percent. The contract value is estimated at several hundred billion dollars, with Trump not providing details of the costs for security reasons. Speculation about insider trading arose, as the stock price had already risen significantly two days before the announcement.

The Critics Are Buzzing

1. Lobbying First, Expertise Second?

2. Boeing’s Fighter Jet Know-How: Rusty at Best

3. Trump’s Marketing Mishaps

The Verdict?

The post Boeing Wins F-47 NGAD Contract- Growing Criticism appeared first on Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine.

The German Lockheed F-104G ZeLL with it's rocket booster as a static display

What Made the ZeLL F-104 So Extraordinary?

F-104G Starfighter ZeLL

The Drama and Challenges

A Footnote in Aviation History

The Soviet Project SM-30. It was a "MiG-19 ZeLL"

See It in Action

Original footage of a Luftwaffe F-104G Starfighter being rocketed off its zero-length launcher:

The post The daring rocket-boosted F-104 Starfighter ZeLL. appeared first on Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine.

1. KM Ekranoplan - The Caspian Sea Monster

KM Ekranoplan, nicknamed "Caspian Sea Monster" by the CIA

When Boats Learned to Fly (Sort Of)

Imagine a vehicle so bizarre, so utterly out there, that it makes a submarine riding a unicycle look normal. That's the KM Ekranoplan, or as the CIA dramatically dubbed it, "The Caspian Sea Monster." This wasn't your run-of-the-mill plane or boat; it was a glorious, gravity-defying hybrid, a "boat that flies," and it debuted in the Soviet Union in 1966 with a ceremonial champagne smash. So, how did this beast of a machine pull off its aerial acrobatics? It harnessed the "ground effect," a nifty little trick where air gets squished under low-flying wings, creating a high-pressure cushion. Think of it like a hovercraft, but way, way cooler. Seabirds use it, airplanes use it (just before landing), and the Soviets decided to weaponize it. When the CIA's satellites spotted this monstrosity skimming across the Caspian Sea, they freaked out. Seriously. They were so spooked, they cooked up a plan to strap a camera to a robotic bird to get a closer look. (Spoiler: the robotic bird kept face-planting, proving that even spies have bad days.)

Speed, Stealth, and a Potential San Francisco Surprise

The Lun - able to fire six nuclear-capable Moskit missiles

Why the panic? Well, the Caspian Sea Monster could hit a blistering 650 kilometers per hour (that's 400mph), skim over minefields like they were daisies, and fly so low that most radar systems couldn't even see it coming. One analyst even suggested that the Soviets could invade San Francisco in three hours, and nobody would know until they were sipping vodka on the Golden Gate Bridge.

From Monster to Missile Platform to Demise (Sort Of)

The Lun in 2010

And if that wasn't terrifying enough, the Soviets decided to upgrade their monster. After the original Ekranoplan crashed in 1980 due to pilot error (oops!), they unveiled the Lun in 1987. This bad boy wasn't just fast; it was armed to the teeth with six nuclear-capable Moskit missiles, turning it into a flying battleship straight out of a Cold War fever dream. Sadly, the Ekranoplan project was shelved as the Soviet Union crumbled and the money dried up. But here's the kicker: one of these beasts, the Lun, is still out there, rusting away on a barge along Russia's southern coastline. It's a relic of a bygone era, a reminder of a time when the Soviets were pushing the boundaries of technology to truly wild extremes. In July 2020, the massive Lun-class ekranoplan, destined for a Russian military theme park in Derbent, was towed from its naval base. However, its journey hit a snag when it got stuck on a sandy beach, just short of its destination. Despite attempts to free it, the "monster" remained beached, attracting curious onlookers and media attention. Concerns arose about hull damage from waves. Finally, in December 2020, it was successfully pulled further ashore, and by December 2021, fully onto dry land.

So if you're ever near the Caspian Sea, keep an eye out. You might just spot a monster lurking.

2. Mil V-12: The Unreal Giant

A Giant Takes Flight

Stats and Stature

Aeroflot Mil V-12 - Western observers could only guess the purpose of this giant helicopter. By the 1970s the Soviets did not have a purpose for that monster (other than impressing crowds).

Breaking Records

The Shift in Strategy

In 2009, the Mil V-12 made a comeback as "World’s first Hotelicopter", an April Fool's joke with photoshopped images.

The Mil V-12 in the Central Airforce Museum in Monino, near Moscow. Having been there several times in the early days of MiGFlug, let us assure you that this beast is rather impressive.

3. Zveno Project: The Flying Aircraft Carrier

The Zveno Project - a TB-1 or a TB-3 heavy bomber as mothership, carrying two to five fighter aircraft.

Development and Design

The Zveno-2: Tupolev TB-3 and three Polikarpov I-5, with the ramp for loading the fighters.

The Genesis of the Zveno Project

All variants of the Zveno project

The post The Craziest Soviet Machines appeared first on Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine.

From Fighter Pilot to Jetman

Difficult to fly

Yves Rossy

The Jetman still loves flying fighter jets

The post Yves “Jetman” Rossy appeared first on Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine.

15 Awesome and Interesting Facts About Military Aircrafts

The post 15 Awesome and Interesting Facts About Military Aircraft appeared first on Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine.

M2-F1 lifting body

The HiMAT

Remote: The HiMAT (Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology) experimental aircraft built by Rockwell in 1979 for NASA and the US Air Force, It was a scaled down remotely operated aircraft built to explore new technology for future fighter aircraft

The X-36 - tailless fighter

Look ma, no tail! The McDonell Douglas X-36 aircraft, scale model prototype jet aircraft built to test the flying ability of a tail-less aircraft which was built in 1997 and was operated remotely from the ground

The AD-1

Lopsided: The AD-1 oblique wing aircraft built in 1979 by Ames Industrial for NASA. The AD-1 could pivot its entire wingspan from zero to 60 degrees during flight

The VZ-2

Rotating wing: The Vertol VZ-2 aircraft, this aircraft was a tilt-wing VTOL (vertical take-off and landing), on a runway, this aircraft first flew on 13 August 1957, and was retired in 1965 in Virginia

Mil V-12

The Russian-built Mil V-12 is the world's largest helicopter, at a stunning 28 metres in length and 4.4 metres in width and height.

 Northrop XP-79B - The flying chainsaw

Weird-looking: The Northrop XP-79B flying wing aircraft, built in 1945 by Jack Northrop for the US Army; It was designed as a flying wing fighter aircraft powered by two jet engines

The (cool) X-48B

The X-48B Blended Wing Body aircraft model - prototype, a cross between a conventional plane and a flying wing design, was created based on a need for a multi-role, long-range and high-capacity military transport aircraft

The Nasa Hyper III

Futuristic look - The NASA Hyper III aircraft was built in 1969 as part of the lifting body program Lifting body aircraft had short, bulbous or curved fuselages and featured minimal wings or were wingless

The Vought V-173 - "Flying Pancake"

The Vought V-173 built in 1942 for the US Navy. The semi-circular all-wing design earned it the nick-name of flying pancake. The compact design made the V-172 structurally strong, offered high manoeuvrability and could fly at very slow speeds

The HL-10

Top Gun Pilot Jerauld Gentry standing in front of the HL-10. This was one of a series of experimental space re-entry aircraft known as lifting body designs. The design increased the aerodynamic capabilities of the aircraft.

Vertol VZ-2

Buzzy bee: Vertol VZ-2 aircraft, this aircraft was a tilt-wing VTOL. This aircraft first flew on 13 August 1957, and was retired in 1965 in Virginia. The wings are designed to tilt to allow the rotors to lift the aircraft the way they would on a helicopter

The SU-47 Berkut

Red star: The Su-47 Berkut is an experimental fighter jet built by Russian company Sukhoi in 1997, it features a pair of fixed wings that sweep forwards. The high lift-to-drag ratio of the wing design provides enhanced manoeuvrability at supersonic speeds

 The 'pregnant guppy'

 The Douglas X-3

To the point: The Douglas X-3 Stiletto experimental jet aircraft built in 1952 for the US Air Force, It featured a narrow fuselage, tiny wings and a long tapered nose making it the sleekest aircraft for its time

The X-wing (Sikorsky S-72)

X marks the spot: The X-Wing was an experimental hybrid helicopter/fixed wing aircraft built in 1986 by helicopter maker Sikorsky for NASA. It could fly with or without rotor blades which would act as an additional pair of wings

The Ryan X-13

Part plane, part rocket: The Ryan X-13 Vertijet, built by Ryan Aeronautical in 1955 for the US Air Force, would take off vertically, fly horizontally and land vertically

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The A400M

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Author - Jake Meilak

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Its first flight was on December 30, 1947 with the original British engine, later manufactured as "Klimov RD-45".  The first MiG-15 manufactured in series appears in December of 1948 and the first Regiments of MiG-15 are ready for 1949.  During September of the 1948, the aircraft did its first flight of the modified MiG-15bis, with a different motor, RD-45F, copy of the Rolls-Royce Nene-II, of 2,700 kg of pushing.  Its production began in the 1950s. 

The MiG-15 banking to the right!

Operational History

When the ongoing Korean War escalated with the North Korean offensive of 25 June 1950, the Northern Air Force was equipped with World War II-vintage Soviet prop-driven fighters, including 93 Il-10s and 79 Yak-9Ps. The North Korean Air Force had roughly 93 Il-10s, 79 Yak-9Ps, and 40–50 assorted transport/liaison/trainer aircraft". The vast range of numerical and technical superiority of the USAF, led by advanced jets such as Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star and Republic F-84 Thunderjet fighters, quickly brought air superiority, thus laying North Korea's cities bare to the destructive power of USAF B-29 bombers which, together with Navy and Marine aircraft, roamed the skies largely unopposed for a time.

The aircraft

The MiG-15 was the first ever Soviet fighter to be equipped with an ejection seat, pressurised cockpit, and swept wing.

The rear seat of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 feels like a booby-trapped cage compared to the spacious Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros (More info about the L39) with its bulbous canopy. Unlike the L-39 that I flew as an introduction to jet warbird training, the MiG-15 has hot ejection seats.

Even though the pin is still in my seat as I strap in, I’m careful to manoeuvre the belts away from the ejection handle, conscious that I’m sitting above a canister filled with gunpowder (the 1940s-1950s era technology for an ejection seat

The cockpit

Seated in the rear cockpit, one of the few placards that I can easily read is an aftermarket sticker straight ahead that says “Face this direction.” Other placards and markings are in Cyrillic. That would be why he encourages me to “stay visual” in the aircraft. To a U.S. pilot, some of the instrumentation can create confusion: The Soviet-era attitude indicator is the opposite—brown on top and blue on the bottom. That could spell disaster for an unfamiliar pilot trying to recover from an unusual attitude in instrument meteorological conditions.

The turbojet “burns as much fuel on the ground as it does in cruise,” an expert says, explaining that this aircraft, which holds 450 gallons with the drop tanks, burns about 5 gallons per minute. That gives the pilot in command 1.5 hours of fuel on board, or about a 45-minute flight counting start-up, taxi, and required landing reserves. “My watch starts when the engine starts,” he says, “and you fly the MiG with your watch.” Winds are another limiting factor, Salganek says. Because the ailerons are ineffective at slow airspeeds, the MiG doesn’t have enough aileron effectiveness to land in strong crosswinds. The MiG can cover easily 350 nautical miles in one hour, but cross-country planning is very difficult  and challenging because of the runway lengths and services it requires. Jet fuel and nitrogen must be available at each point of landing. (The wheels’ drum brakes operate off nitrogen that must be replenished before every flight.) The MiG-15 needs at least 5,000 feet of runway at sea level, and 8,000 feet at 6,000-feet elevations like in Santa Fe. If a pilot experiences a problem shortly after takeoff, a safe landing could be precluded. “The brakes are OK for 1947, but they aren’t made to come back and land with full fuel,” he continues.

The aircraft is less responsive and difficult to handle at low airspeeds, A pilot would learn during a slow flight maneuver. After he makes gentle turns at 140 knots, the pilot takes the controls for a moment, deflecting the stick full left and full right. The MiG just wallows, barely rolling a few degrees. If you'd try it yourself, expecting that you're not an experienced MiG15 pilot, you'd end up with the same results. Even with two stall fences on each wing, the ailerons are ineffective at slow airspeeds (A third row was added to the MiG-17, which considerably helped the low-speed handling characteristics, Salganek says.). It’s an eye opener of what to expect on final approach to landing 10 knots slower at 130 knots. (That's why it can’t handle more than a 20-knot crosswind.)

The turbojet is slow to accelerate; on takeoff the average pilot use 1,500 feet of runway before rotation versus 1,000 feet in the L-39 Albatros. Once the engine starts accelerating, however, it leaves the L-39 in the dust. As we approach 120 knots to 125 knots, the pilot should prepare to rotate. Pilots have a tendency to over-rotate the MiG-15, which can put the aircraft in a dangerous attitude—an angle of attack so high the jet can’t climb or accelerate, causing it to crash off the end of the runway.

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The joint training was targeted at improving integration between the two most advanced radar-evading planes in service with the U.S. Air Force. Flying mixed formations, the F-22s and the F-35s flew offensive counter air, defensive counter air and deep air support missions. This maximized the capabilities provided by operating two fifth-generation platforms together.

Fifth Gen capabilities had their combat debut with the Raptor in the air to ground role during the early stages of Operation Inherent Resolve, against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria. The successful baptism of fire reaffirmed the pivotal role played by stealth technologies and sensor fusion capabilities, pulled together by 5th generation warplanes in current scenarios.

A mixed formation with the two mentioned aircraft.

Both fighters have had a rough turbulent development and the F-35 is still far from complete, but this was the vision. The F-35 and F-22 teamed up to combat against first world air

force like China or Russia. Air Force officials didn’t release many details from the training missions, but the images sort of speak for themselves. Even the largest cynics of the program have to stop and reconsider the history of the two controversial stealth fighters flying training missions together.

The F22 Raptor

The F-22 is the only fighter worldwide with a capability of simultaneously conducting air-to-air and air-to-ground combat missions with near impunity. This is reached and accomplished with a never-before-seen, state of the art standard of survivability even in the face of sophisticated airborne and ground-based threats.

Before its selection as the winner of what was previously known as the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) competition, the F-22 team conducted a lengthy 54 month long demonstration/validation program. The effort consisted of the design, construction and flight testing of two YF-22 prototype aircraft. Two prototype engines, the Pratt & Whitney YF119 and General Electric YF120, were also developed and tested thoroughly during the program. The demonstration/validation program was completed in December 1990.

A $9.55 billion contract for Engineering and Manufacturing Development of the F-22 was awarded to the industry of Boeing and Lockheed Martin in August 1991. Contract changes since then have elevated the overall contract value to a total estimate of around $11 billion. Under terms of the contract, the F-22 team would have completed the design of the aircraft, produced production tooling for the program, and would have built and tested nine flightworthy and two ground-test aircraft.

The F-22's avionics and software system is one of the most advanced software integrated into an aircraft. It is the first aircraft to use integrated avionics, where the weapons management system, electronic warfare system and the AN/APG-77 radar work together as one, giving the pilot unprecedented situation awareness. The AN/APG-77 radar was designed for air superiority and strike operations and features a low observable, active aperture, electronically-scanned array including multi-target, all-weather capability.

Vapor trails disperse in the wake of a U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptor aircraft at the 42nd Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Air Show at Point Mugu, Calif., April 1, 2007.

The F-22 uses a newer and improved version of the ACES II (Advanced Concept Ejection Seat) ejection seat that is used widely in nearly every other Air Force jet combat aircraft (ex. F-16, F-117, F-15, A-10, B-1 and B-2). The seat has a centre mounted ejection control which is situated in between the pilot’s legs. The F-22 version of the McDonnell Douglas-built ACES II includes various improvements over the previous seat models. These improvements include:

• The addition of an active arm restraint system to discard any arm flail injuries during high speed ejections.
• An improved fast-acting seat stabilization drogue parachute system to help provide increased seat stability and safety for the pilot during high-speed ejections.
• The previously mentioned drogue is located behind the pilot's head, rather than in the back of the seat and is mortar deployed.
• A new electronic seat and aircraft sequencing system that improves the accuracy of the timing of the various events that have to happen in order for the pilot to eject safely (Initiation, canopy jettison, and seat catapult ignition).
• A larger oxygen bottle gives the ejecting pilot more breathing air to support ejection at higher altitudes, when required.

The F-22 ACES II ejection system utilizes the standard analogue three mode seat sequencer that automatically detects the seat speed and altitude, and then selects the proper mode for optimum seat performance and safe recovery of the pilot.

• Mode 1 is low speed, low altitude;
• Mode 2 is high speed, low altitude;
• Mode 3 is high altitude.

Several operational problems have been experienced and some have caused costly fleet-wide groundings. Critically, pilots have experienced a decreased mental status, including losing consciousness, which is a big problem. There were a few reports of instances when pilots found to have a decreased level of alertness or memory loss after landing. F-22 pilots have gone through lingering respiratory problems and a chronic cough; other symptoms include irritability, emotional liability and neurological changes. A number of possible causes were investigated, including possible exposure to noxious chemical agents from the respiratory tubing, pressure suit malfunction, side effects from oxygen delivery at greater-than-atmospheric concentrations, and oxygen supply disruptions. Other problems include minor mechanical problems and navigational software failures. The fleet was grounded for a staggering four months in 2011 before resuming flight, but reports of oxygen issues persisted.

The F35 Lightning II

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Due to investments in highly expensive gear and budget cuts, the Air Force was forced to discard one of three so called Aggressor squadrons that fly front line jets like the F-15C or the F-16 that are painted in enemy colors and use enemy tactics.

More than a half-dozen senior Air Force Officials say that the reason for the new initiative is pure desperation. One senior Air Force official said that the red air situation is one total mess. “There are band-aid fixes being applied to areas around the community, but it’s not enough.”

This is a sign of the system-wide stress that the Air Force is currently under. More than 10 years of war, combined with unwise investments in unsatisfactory stealth jets, has put the service in a bind. “Demand for our services is way, way up. But we are meeting those demands today with the smallest Air Force in our history,” Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told reporters “And when you couple that smaller force against the backdrop of austere budgets, and with the huge demand, what we have is we have a total force that is under significant strain.” Most have said that the Air Force has little choice, the short answer was “Contractor-provided red air is overpriced and underwhelming, but at the end of the day there isn’t much choice in utilizing it,” The Air Force is still gathering pricing information regarding how much it would cost for contractors to fly approximately 180 training sorties over a two-week period later this year.

The contractors would have to operate supersonic “fourth generation” fighters similar to the F-15, F-16 or the Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet. The negotiated jets would have to be capable of reaching over Mach 1.0 and have to be equipped with:-

• Radar
• Radar Warning Receivers (RWR)
• Electronic Attack

According to the posting.

The need for outsourced enemies is the result of the wars in the Middle East. Since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Air Force has recently been cutting its existing fighter force of fourth generationF-15s and F-16 to pay for super pricey hardware similar to the fifth generation F-22 and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

F35 during a preflight.

“After we brought the F-22 on line, and subsequently started cutting Aggressors, we met the intersection of high ops tempo in Afghanistan and Iraq,” explained briefly one senior Air Force official. “At this intersection we found several fifth-gen (specifically the F-22 Raptor) fighters doing nothing but air shows and all the fourth gen fighters like the F-15E and F-16 were dropping bombs in Afghanistan and Iraq.” Even as the Air Force’s previous aircraft flew overseas combat missions, the service started to cut the fleet to pay for its higher priorities. “Now, we have so few fourth gen fighters left and they’re just crushed again… Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan,” the senior official complained. “Fifth-gen, and most fourth-gen fighters need to train in the air-to-air role. And if you want to be realistic, we need to be equally matched or preferably outnumbered. We don’t have the inventory to do that.”

Probable contractors

There are many Air Force officials who put into question if the private military companies have the ability to realistically simulate the most realistic enemy fighters, like the Russian Sukhoi Su-30 or Mikoyan MiG-29. Most of the existing private military companies are flying older jets that have long been retired from active service. “It’s 1970s technology trying to replicate a fourth-gen red air fighter,” one Air Force official said. A company called Airborne Tactical Advantage Company flies the Israeli F-21 supersonic fighter, Hawker Hunter, and Czech-built L-39 Albatross. Another firm - Tactical Air Support flies the F-5B Freedom Fighter supersonic fighter and an Embraer EMB-314 light attack aircraft. In the early 2000s, the company attempted to buy some top-of-the-line Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker air superiority fighters from the Ukrainian air force. In fact the company sent pilots to train on the powerful Russian-built fighters. Yet another firm, Draken International, which boasts a fleet of more than 50 jets, actually succeeded in importing some 27 Russian-built MiG-21 fighters to use for training purposes. In addition to the MiGs, the company operates some 11 Douglas A-4K Skyhawk attack aircraft—but those aircraft are upgraded with electronics including a radar from upgraded European-operated versions of the F-16 fighter jet. Draken’s extensive fleet additionally includes nine Italian Aermacchi MB-339CB advanced trainers, 28 Czech-built Aero Vodochody L-159E light combat jets, and five L-39s.

That sounds rather impressive, but unfortunately for them, private companies don’t have the required equipment to train the Air Force’s squadrons - neither does the service have the money to pay the expensive contractor’s fees. “They are really expensive though and you have to pay for them with operations and maintenance money, which, is the first thing people lose in budget cuts,” a senior Air Force fighter pilot said. However, another senior official totally disagreed. The private military companies can provide additional jets and trained pilots that jets like the F-22 and F-35 can beat up on without wasting time taking turns to act as an enemy aircraft. “We’ve proven that fifth-generation red air in the form of F-22s is not good, as it’s hard to ‘dumb down’ a Raptor,” another senior Air Force official said. “The problem is even worse with the F-35.”

Ultimately, the official said, it’s highly unlikely that the Air Force will not be able to somehow afford the contractors’ fees. “I suspect we’ll continue to limp along, use simulators and talk about how great they are, and fight T-38s,” the official added. “I doubt we will use these guys. They expensive and we don’t have the cash.”

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The brand new A400M has been designed cautiously to meet the contemporary equipment transport needs of modern armed forces around the world. The A400M is capable of undertaking missions which previously required two, or more, different types of aircraft, and which even then provided a somewhat imperfect solution. Its fuselage external width of 5.64 meters (18ft 6in) is equal to that of the A330/A340 family wide-body. Its cargo hold has an interior usable width of four meters (13ft), height of up to four meters (13ft), and usable length of 17.71 meters (58ft).

With a maximum payload of up to 37tons (81,600lb) and a volume of 340m³ (12,000 ft³), the A400M can carry various pieces of outsized cargo including, vehicles and helicopters that are too large or too heavy for previous generation tactical airlifters, for example, an NH90 or a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, or two heavily armored vehicles for military purposes. It can also carry a heavy truck, or even a rescue boat, or large lifting devices, such as excavators or mobile cranes needed to assist in disaster relief which have happened numerous times before.

 The A400M can carry around 116 paratroopers, or simply personnel, which is more than an A318. They can be seated in four rows, all along the two sides of the fuselage, and back along the center line, thanks to the aircraft’s width.

The A400M, a collaborative venture involving governments and even Industries of around six European Countries, will support the deployment of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force and will give the Royal Air Force (RAF) a strategic and tactical aircraft which is capable of supporting all three services and be capable of interoperability with other Forces.

The A400M shut down.

No let's talk about the A-400M performance.

High Speed/Altitude abilities of the A400M

Due to the aircraft’s new state of the art technology, including its unique for engine set up of Europrop International TP400 turboprop, which will be the most powerful turboprops developed to date in the western world, they will be lighter, easy to maintain and will consume 20% less fuel per mission. Thanks to this, the aircraft holds the capability of flying long distance (up to 4,700nm or (8,700km). At a cruising altitude of up to 37,000ft, and a speed of Mach 0.72, this is very similar to the performance of a turbofan powered airlifter. It can even fly up to an altitude of 40,000ft in special operational situations.

The A400M interior

A new, state of the art Defensive Aids Suite will be fitted into the aircraft, incorporating radio and infrared frequency detectors, electronic-countermeasure equipment and flare\chaff dispensers. The cargo bay of the Atlas will be controlled by a single air loadmaster and can be configured for numerous roles including:

• Pure troop carrying, or a mixture of troops and support equipment;
• A mixture of light and heavy engineering equipment;
• Palatalized cargo or military wheeled and tracked vehicles;
• Two attack helicopters such as the Apache or Puma;

The A400M features two Head-up-Displays (HUDs) which provide the pilots with all the necessary primary flight information together with Flight Director (FD) orders and flight guidance help during critical mission phases, such as tactical landings at unequipped airfields, in-flight refueling or low-level flying. The Atlas’ cockpit also features eight large interchangeable liquid crystal head-down displays. Six of these, three per pilot, feature primary flight displays (PFDs), navigation displays, management or video, while two of them are for the general systems monitoring. These modern Flight Management System (FMS) screens are programmed using alpha-numerical keyboards for simple entering of data needed. The optional Enhanced Vision System (EVS) based on Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) technology generates a high tech sensor based image of the environment in front of the aircraft in low visibility conditions. The EVS image is displayed on the HUD to provide the pilots at the flight deck with additional visual cues, which at times, are HIGHLY crucial.

The cockpit of the Atlas.

Another key feature of the A400M is its computerized “fly-by-wire” flight controls already widely being used on other state of the art civil transport aircraft. Replacing the conventional cables and pulleys by electrical wires linked to the four independent flight control computers which send signals to actuators, not only reduces weight significantly, but also maintenance time, which is crucial when the number of missions taking place are on the high side. This also gives a greater precision to the aircraft’s commands. Furthermore, when in normal flight law, fly-by-wire controls permit the implementation of “flight envelope protection” which, by preventing the aircraft from stalling and ending up in a critical situation, allows the pilot to achieve the aircraft’s optimum performance in a critical escape maneuver by simply pulling the stick back. The fly-by-wire system then manages the whole aircraft configuration. The fly-by-wire flight envelope protection is a great contributor to the survivability of the aircraft in a hostile situation, enabling the aircraft to achieve extreme escape maneuvers, saving money and lives. Thanks to fly-by-wire, the cumbersome central control column can be replaced by light and easy to handle side-stick-controllers, providing the pilots with a free view to the large TV-like screens in front of them, while also allowing for a foldable table to be pulled out as needed.

Cost

The A400M has been thoroughly designed to be the most reliable airlifter ever. By using proven Airbus commercial design concept, its availability benefits from high component reliability. Its new maintenance concept, which is largely inspired from commercial civil airliner experience, will translate into a very high dispatch reliability of 98.7 per cent at entry into service. This will greatly reduce the current life cycle costs. Over a total of 12 years operation, the mandatory down time will require the A400M to be on the ground for just 84 days.

Lower Life Cycle Costs and Higher Productivity

Thanks to its carefully designed performance and capabilities, a fleet of eight A400Ms offers the same productivity (measured in tons per nm each year) as a fleet of eighteen previous tactical airlifters. The Life Cycle Cost of these eighteen previous generation tactical airlifters is more than 50% higher than the one of the eight new A400M fleet and they are unable to transport outsize loads such as helicopters or armored vehicles including MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles, which can be transported by the A400M.

The negative side.

Additional Readings -

• What it's like to fly close air support on a mission against IS militants
• The largest Defense companies in the world
• Is the Russian Navy bigger than US’s?

Author - Jake Meilak

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