Design Characteristics
The vehicle, is essentially, a VTOL jet powered aircraft that utilizes two
F-35 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines with vertical lift fans. The vehicle is capable of being launched from small boats, vehicles, aircraft carriers, and other transport craft, of substantially smaller size and variation, due to it's ability to take off vertically. The VTOL capability drastically changes the performance of the aircraft, allowing it to full fill roles traditionally only available to helicopters, yet with the same enormous strength, speed, and range afforded to jet engine aircraft. The vehicle's engines overall operate the same as those used in the F-35 except for the fact it has two engines on the wings, and is designed more for endurance and maximum payload rather than speed, giving it roughly the same capabilities in VTOL.
The engines are placed on the wings of the aircraft; rather than in middle, as in the F-35. Due to the position of the turbines, being close to the body of the vehicle, the frame can take the stress of the turbines, which produce relatively low thrust. The exact rate of climb is classified, but it is roughly equal to the F-35. Unlike the F-35, this vehicle is intended to be a sub-sonic aircraft, which reduces fuel consumption drastically, both due to reduced aerodynamic drag and lowered speed. However, as it much heavier, and suffers somewhat as a result of a less aerodynamic design, it only has roughly twice the range and capabilities of a standard F35C. The vehicle suffers somewhat aerodynamically as a result of it's design, and is therefore slightly less fuel efficient than the F-35. The vehicle uses gyro stabilization software and hardware similar to that on the V-22 and other similar vehicles. The thrust vectors are semi-flexible and can vent the exhaust in a variety of directions, giving it a degree of
super manoeuvrability , which assists dramatically in being able to land.
Despite the similarities, the vehicle posses no stealth capabilities, little on board targeting systems, and does not require as much agility and precision as the F-35. As a result, the aircraft is substantially cheaper; the engine does not also need to be able to use low infrared fuel, or attempt to reduce it's signature anywhere near the level. However, due to it's size and the complications of the engine, it is around the same cost, at 100-120 million dollars per aircraft. While expensive, particularly compared to aircraft in the same field of operation, it's payload by comparison is significantly larger, and far outclass equivalent aircraft, such as the
V-22 or
Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion, with similar price ranges.
The vehicle, in it's standard condition, can carry an array of 48 soldiers, and 1 M90 Scorpion, 2 MRAP, 4 FED BRAVO's or 8-10 HUMVEE's, 4-5 unmanned tanks, 4 155m howitzers, or 13 105mm howitzers. With an extra cargo hold present, the vehicle can carry a total of 138 standing, 6 x 23 soldiers, roughly 24 feet across by 70 feet long. Without this, the vehicle can only carry 48 standing/sitting soldiers, or a total of 16 sitting soldiers (8 on each side).
The armor on the vehicle is quite large. The engine takes up roughly 4 tons, while the thrust vectoring tons up another 4 tons, and various other parts of the vehicle take up another 4 tons. The size of the cargo bay, is not necessarily large (except when extended). Much of the weight is taken up by the armor, which on the outside is similar to the Apache AH-64 helicopter, and can deflect rounds up to 14.5mm x 114mm rounds. The inner part of the armor is chobam
AMAP ceramic armor, utilizing and aluminum-titanium frame matrix, which is capable of deflecting a single 57mm round in tandem with the outside armor. Each tile is roughly 4 x 4 inches and surrounding tiles are relatively unaffected by the impact of 57mm or lower rounds. While it can survive hits from larger rounds, such as the 57mm anti-aircraft rounds, larger rounds can penetrate the hull and as a result is likely to cause damage to the individuals inside. As far as the upper limits of the vehicles strength, it varies considerably given the strength of the projectiles, but it's generally considered a risk against projectiles past 57mm anti-air catridges. The pilots of the vehicle are fully shielding from such rounds, in addition, and also have additional protection via a titanium tub similar to the A-10 warthog.
The vehicle utilizes the same
AGM-114 millimeter wave (MMW) radar seeker, as on the Apache, and so it can engage just as many targets in that respect, and can operate the same weapon systems as the Apache (4 missile pods, 16 hellfire, 4 pods of hydra etc.) Also, like the apace, it can be outfitted with a 30mm M230 cannon. Unlike the Apache, this can be replaced by the 40mm bofors cannon, and it sports an additional two GAU-19 .50 caliber miniguns with 2000 rounds each.
EnginesThe vehicle is similar to the F-22, in that it possess two modern aircraft engines; however, the vehicle possess two F-35 engines, which are more powerful and capable of vertical take off and landing. The vehicle uses two
F-135 engines, over the Pratt & Whitney
F119 engines for the F-22. The F-119 produces 35,000 lbf (160 kN) of thrust, while the F135 produces 40,000 lbf (180 kN) of thrust.
However, the engines are designed for reliability over performance. The aircraft is only designed to travel at 600 mph, compared to 1200 mph, which increases it's range considerably, as faster speeds means significantly more fuel consumption. Despite this, the vehicle is roughly twice the weight of a standard F-35, at over 140,000 pounds, compared to 50-70,000 pounds. Thus the vehicle has a shortened range as a result of the increased weight, comparatively to the F-35. At half the speed, the vehicle should theoretically have 4 times the range; at double the weight, the vehicle should have roughly 2 times the range if possessing the same amount of fuel as a standard F-35. Given it's slower speed, it's aerodynamic drag is slightly less than a typical F-35 or F-22; however, this leads to largely insignificant gains due the generally poorer aerodynamics of the vehicle in comparison.
The engine, by itself however, is the single most powerful fighter aircraft engine to date, and also allows for VTOL capabilities, giving the unique ability to land without the need for a runway, in a similar manner to a helicopter, while possessing an incredibly long range and drastically increased speed, as well as carry weight.
Carrying CapacityThe engines are close to the wings, but still within the primary frame of the vehicle. They stick below the craft, to make sure the force is directed downwards, with the vertical take off and landing units to the side, on the wings. The aircraft has multiple hard points for weapon attachment or extra fuel pods, although typically the craft cannot carry as many weapons as a standard F-35 or F-22. It also possess an internal bomb bay, that is usually filled with the cannon or automatic weapon, that makes it more modular than weapons that are generally integrated into aircraft. Because the aircraft is designed for long ranges, it typically tends to fly at less than half the speed of a regular F-35, despite both engines allowing the craft to match the speed of an F-35, at it's empty weight (the aircraft being twice as heavy, but possessing twice as many engines). This reduced speed allows the aircraft to travel considerably more efficiently than a standard F-35 (about twice as much, travelling half the speed), but due it's substantially increased weight, causes it to possess around the same range. The fuel alone weighs some 13 tons with 3800 gallons, or 20.4 tons with 6000 gallons, which significant limits the cargo the aircraft can carry. This makes up a considerable part of the weight of the aircraft, which is already substantially heavier than an F-35, due to it's increase in size and armor.
The vehicle, in it's standard configuration, can carry an 48 equipped soldiers (assuming a weight of 400 pounds each, totalling 9.6 tons), or 1 M90 Scorpion, 2 MRAP, 4 FED BRAVO's or 8-10 HUMVEE's, 4-5 unmanned tanks, 4 155m howitzers, or 13 105mm howitzers. When using an extra cargo hold, the vehicle can carry a total of 138 standing soldiers (taking up far less space, but less comfortable), in a 6 x 23 pattern, roughly 24 feet across by 70 feet long. Without this extra addition, the vehicle can only carry 48 standing/sitting soldiers, or a total of 16 sitting soldiers (8 on each side). Because soldiers are not weightless, this configuration does still nearly max out the aircraft in terms of weight, as well. The extra length cargo bay is also armored, which makes it several tons in weight. The vehicle, can, essentially, carrying 30-35 tons of equipment, from various cargo, to specific vehicles which it is outfitted to carry. The craft's only limitation is weight, but it's VTOL capabilities and armor allow it to carry it's cargo straight on to the battlefield, making larger craft and groups of soldiers much more rapidly deployable.
Flight control CharacteristicsDual flight mechanics software allows for the use of both engines at the same time to land; this process is largely automatic, and the plane will use an array of sensory data to attempt to land in the most ideal manner possible; still, it is possible for a pilot to manually effect landing, although this is smoothed out, much as in the F-22, which flight prediction software. It is possible to pilot the aircraft without even having a pilot, and landing and take off are largely automated to avoid pilot error.
This is somewhat similar to the V-22, which needs advanced flight control software to balance to the two wings. Since the engine turbofans are present on the wings, this is somewhat more similar to how the V-22 operates, however, these are closer to the body of the aircraft than in the V-22. The enhanced range and speed over the V-22 are significant and notable, as well as the carry payload. These advanced software and hardware are required due to increased complexity and danger of flying the aircraft, and due to it's hybrid role possess a mixture of both forms of electronics.
ElectronicsThe vehicle utilizes the
AGM-114 millimeter wave (MMW) radar seeker, similar to the tracking system in the Apache Helicopter, allowing the vehicle to identify and engage targets with the AGM-114 missile and other weapons.
The vehicles shares similar electronic capabilities with the F-22, although some features are lacking or dumbed down. The F-22 has a threat detection and identification capability comparative with the RC-135 Rivet Joint. The F-22's stealth allows it to safely operate far closer to the battlefield, compensating for the reduced capability. The F-22 is capable of functioning as a "mini-AWACS", however the radar is less powerful than dedicated platforms such as the E-3 Sentry. Because of it's shape and purpose, most MV-62's do not possess stealth capabilities, however a limited number intended for special forces or search and recovery teams do possess stealth capabilities, at a significantly greater cost. Being subsonic, the vehicle already possesses a number of innate stealth capabilities, and with the design basis of the F-35 and F-22, various radar, infrared, and noise counter measures are already designed into the aircraft.
