The Western IslesBoard

F/A 7 Gargouille

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F/A 7

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Name	Gargouille (Gargoyle)
Role	Fighter, attack, and reconnaissance Aircraft
Origin	Dormill and Stiura
Manufacturer	Meissner Aerospace
Design Bureau	Meissner Aerospace, Kapolder Electric Works Aviation
Unit Cost	$60 million for 7-3
First Flight	15 July 1987
Produced	1990 - Present
In Service	1996 - Present
Status	In Service
Users	Dormill and Stiura (Retiring), Wellsia
Variants	Gargoyle 7-3

The F/A 7 Gargoyle is a single-engine, lightweight, fourth-generation multirole fighter designed by Kapolder Electric Works and manufactured by Meissner Aerospace for the United Republics Air Force and international customers. The F/A 7 was designed to improve on the F/A 5, introducing fly-by-wire technology and adopting a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stability in order to increase its agility, combining it with a high thrust to weight ratio with small size optimized for low drag. The model currently in service is the F/A 7-3, a radical evolution that adds the newest avionics, engine, and RCS reducing technologies to the platform alongside international interoperability standards and to undertake air to air refueling. The Gargoyle's primary user is the United Republics Air Force, but it has been very successful in the export market as well.

The main purpose of the aircraft was to serve as the basis for a large modern Air Force at a relatively low cost. While the newest models have many expensive systems, the base airframe is still very cost-effective, and an emphasis on low maintenance design results in low lifetime costs.

Development

At the end of 1981, the United Republics Air Force began operations to maintain security in its airspace from the ongoing Balniki Civil War after the disastrous Battle of Dryzan Peak where Democratic Balniki Alliance F-5s were soundly defeated by Valkoi National Front counterparts. Though successful, the massive loss of aircraft by the DBA prompted the Air Force to begin investigating the possibility of replacing their aging F-5 and F-3 aircraft for the same roles.

After a year of initial design work and consultations with foreign partners the eventual design that would become the F/A 7 followed the design philosophy of its predecessors and took plenty of similar concepts, most especially the delta wing and canards. In addition to the considerations put in place regarding the replacement of the F-3 and F-5, the Siskind Government added on an additional requirement to the design, requiring that the aircraft be capable of taking off from a runway surface of no better quality than an existing public highway at a distance of under 1000m, part of a pilot program to adapt Ardeda's dispersed air defense system for Doraltic use.

While it initially considered extant foreign designs that could be adapted for such a program, the Siskind government eventually determined that a newer design, using fly-by-wire, relaxed stability, and advanced sensors, combined with new manufacturing techniques was the preferable option, and subsequently tasked Meissner Aerospace of Kettingwier with the project.

Meissner quickly jumped to the challenge, assembling a consortium from among other manufacturers from aircraft parts to the Stiuraian Aerospace Design Bureau, forming the FX 7 Industrial Group. The Siskind government instructed the consortium that the design should be light, agile, supersonic (up to Mach 3), capable of ground/ship attack, dogfighting, STOL-capable, and long-range patrolling. After a few months of designs that seemed to fail to grasp the weight issue, the United Republics Air Force eventually set new design parameters for the aircraft, it had to be at the very least match the known capabilities of the P.112 Gadwall of Altera, and contracted Kapolder Electric Works Aviation, based in Mala, to design a separate aircraft that would resolve the issues in the consortium design.

The production of the Gargoyle involved three construction sites, all of which located in the central Kapolder valley, that specialised in different components. The wings were built at South Kapolder, and the fuselages were fabricated at Vroomensadt, with final assembly taking place at Mala. The first prototype, Gargoyle No. 01, though, was hand built at Mala, before being moved to Kapolder Electric's South Kapolder facility for assembly. At the hands of Jean Coureau, No. 01 made its first flight on 10 March 1978, a mere 27 months after the program's start. During the 65-minute flight, Coureau took the aircraft to Mach 1.02 without afterburner, before climbing to more than 12,000 m and accelerating the aircraft to Mach 1.3. By the end of May, the aircraft had surpassed Mach 2 and an indicated airspeed of 1,200 kilometres per hour (650 kn). On the other end of the speed spectrum, the Gargoyle proved to be a capable low-speed aircraft, as demonstrated at the Krassum Airshow in September 1978, during which Messiner pilot Guy Mitaux-Maurourd raised the aircraft's nose to 25° angle of attack (AoA) as the aircraft slowed to 190 km/h (100 kn). Later tests showed that the aircraft could attain 30° AoA while carrying fuel tanks and weapons.

The second prototype, No. 02, made its 50-minute first flight in September 1978 at the controls of Maurourd. The aircraft was to test some of the avionics systems and the carriage of weapons. Due to a flame-out while on a landing approach, the aircraft was lost in May 1984. No. 03 made its first flight in April 1979; equipped with a complete weapons system, it was used for radar and weapons trials. After 400 hours of flight, they were sent to the Enoire Air Base for formal military testing. Although three prototypes were ordered in December 1975, Messiner constructed an additional fourth single-seat demonstrator for its own purposes, which embodied lessons on the earlier aircraft, namely the reduction in fin height and an increased fin sweep, redesigned air inlets, and an FBW system. The only dual-seat Gargoyle F-7B of the test programme first flew on 11 October 1980. The dual-seat project was ultimately scrapped over weight and cost concerns.

The first production Gargoyle flew on 20 November 1982. Deliveries to the United Republics Air Force began in 1983. The first 37 Gargoyles delivered were fitted with the Thomson-CSF Radar Doppler Multifunction (RDM), and were powered by the Kapolder Electric Works Aviation's F2100 turbofan engine. The 38th Gargoyle had an upgraded Kapolder Electric Works F2101 turbofan engine, which was subsequently adopted for the original 37 and future aircraft. The Radar Doppler à Impulsion (RDI) built by [Non-Kapolder Electronics Designer] for the Gargoyle entered service in 1987. It has a much improved range of about 150 km, and is linked to Matra Super 530D missiles, which are much improved compared to the older Super 530F. Look-down/shoot-down capabilities are much improved, as well, but this radar is not usually used for air-to-surface roles.

Original concept art for the navalized Gargoyle, the 7-3N.

Structure

FX7 engineers never lost sight of the fact that the aircraft they were working on would, in the end, need to be easy to manufacture. Whenever possible, the attractions of advanced manufacturing processes such as chemical milling and exotic materials like titanium were eschewed. While based on an existing airframe, all of the components were designed from scratch, partly to meet the specific requirements of the Stiuraian, and later United Republics, Air Force, and partly from a desire to make the aircraft as distinct as possible from the F/A 5. The fuselage is made of very simple, prefab sections while the wings are fairly large deltas, which provide lots of lift for a better payload and performance. The wings additionally house large fuel tanks, ideal for the long stretches of ocean in the Isles. External tanks can also be stored in the center fuselage, behind the pilot, and in between and around the air intakes. The Dash 3 has had the landing gear moved under the wing roots to allow for additional internal tanks next to the engine. The cockpit structure was fairly orthodox with the original model. The Dash 3 model has a bubble canopy by comparison. The pilot's seat is reclined at 27 degrees to increase G force tolerance.

Another design element the Air Force insisted on was low maintenance time and costs. The engineers achieved this by automating most of the aircraft's systems, all of which are monitored by an onboard diagnostics computer. This allows the maintainers to spend less time checking systems. When maintenance crews do need to access the aircraft, their lives are made considerably easier by the 230 access panels that cover the airframe. These allowed easy access to the efficiently laid out internal systems. Many of the panels are interchangeable from side to side, reducing the number of panels that the Air Force needed to buy to provide maintenance for the fighter. The use of simple, modular avionics bays and the new standard connections made changing avionics systems a simple, easy process. The engine, designed specifically for the Gargoyle, was similarly laid out to place all of the parts that needed regular checking conveniently under the main access panels. It is also designed to be removed easily from the airframe. As a result of this simplified design, only a handful of maintainers, including one technician and five to six quickly trained Airmen, are theoretically required to prepare the aircraft for combat. The Dash 3 model has a bubble canopy by comparison. The pilot's seat is reclined at 27 degrees to increase G force tolerance.

Koolen's concept called for lots of excess power to provide as high a thrust-to-weight ratio as possible. The only engine that made the cut was Kapolder Electric Works Aviation's F2100 turbofan engine. When KEB joined the FX7 consortium, the F200 became the natural choice and was quickly modified for the program. The design was, like the rest of the aircraft, an example of perfected conventional technology, not a radical advancement that would have cost more, taken more time to develop, and suffer from more problems. It featured two low-pressure and one high-pressure compression stages. The compressor features two spools, three fans, and 7 high-pressure stages. The combustors are conventional annular designs. The engine weighs approximately 2,400 pounds. The F2101, used in the original model from the 38th airframe onwards, produced 21,500 foot-pounds of thrust. The F241, used on the newest Dash 3 models and all aircraft updated to Dash 3's standard, is KEB's greatest accomplishment to date, producing 25,700 pounds of thrust while weighing 340 pounds less, consuming 25 percent less fuel, and featuring longer-lasting parts than the F210. The F240 also produces higher levels of thrust at military power, allowing easier supercruise.

Technicians working on the F241

This massive improvement is due to the use of a variable bypass system, which allows the engine to operate efficiently at any combination of speed, altitude, or attitude. Unlike other turbofan engines, which can only have one bypass ratio (the amount of air directed around the compressor to be added back after combustion), the F240 can change the bypass to permit better efficiency. At supersonic speeds for example, low or zero bypasses, like a turbojet, is more efficient than a turbofan (a turbofan has bypass while a turbojet doesn't.), but at subsonic speeds, higher bypass levels are significantly better. Since the majority of a fighter's time is being spent subsonic, most are equipped with turbofans. But with the development of more powerful engines and lighter-weight materials, supercruise, or the ability to fly at supersonic speeds without afterburner, had become a reality. With fighters, like the F-7/3, able to operate at supersonic speeds more often, the need for increased efficiency at various speeds became necessary, resulting in the variable-bypass engine.

In practice, the range of the aircraft can be increased from 20-30 percent with this technology, finally allowing the Gargoyle to reach its original range specification. This technology was only a theory at the time of the FX7 program. It was determined that using it then would have delayed the program at least a decade and would have resulted in huge cost increases. The maturity of the technology was also questioned. Even if achieved, the engine would have been significantly less reliable than today. At the time, it wasn't even being seriously considered. Nonetheless, Kapolder Electric Works carried on with experiments as a separate private venture. The engine was ready by early 2014, and it was decided to implement it on the F-7/3 as planned by KEB leadership, but the Air Force had originally been skeptical about the technology and had originally asked for a simple improvement over the older engine family. When the engine performed far beyond expectations, the United Republics Air Force quickly decided to go ahead with it on board the fighter.

Avionics

All of the Gargoyle's avionics are fully integrated using five MIL-STD-2000B digital data buses, in what is described as "sensor fusion." The total integration of the avionics makes the Gargoyle a "programmable" aircraft, allowing software updates to be introduced over time to increase performance and allow for additional operational roles and equipment. The Ada programming language was adopted for the F/A 7 and is used for the primary flight controls on the final prototypes from 1996 onwards and all subsequent production aircraft. The Gargoyle's software is continuously being improved to add new capabilities, as compared to the preceding F/A 5, which was updated only in an 18-month schedule.

Much of the data generated from the onboard sensors and by cockpit activity is digitally recorded throughout the length of an entire mission. This information can be replayed in the cockpit or easily extracted for detailed post-mission analysis using a data transfer unit that can also be used to insert mission data into the aircraft. The F/A 7, like its predecessor, was designed to operate as one component of the Unified Battlefield Command and Control System, a networked national defense system that allows for automatic exchange of information in real-time between aircraft and ground facilities. According to Meinnser and White-Liang, the Gargoyle features "the world's most highly developed data link", though this has been disputed by other manufacturers and militaries, especially Verhun Defense System. The Gargoyle's Ternav tactical navigation system combines information from multiple onboard systems such as the air data computer, radar altimeter, and GPS to continuously calculate the aircraft's location.

Gargoyle's Active Electronically Scanned Array with a diagram of its capabilities over a mechanically scanned array

The Gargoyle entered service using the Horus IRST and the APG-995 Raptor pulse-Doppler X band multi-mode radar, developed internally, which served as the basis for White-Liang's CAPTOR radar that has seen used both on the Gargoyle Dash 3 and on the Gaelfighter. The all-weather radar is capable of locating and identifying targets 120 km (74 mi) away, and automatically tracking multiple targets in the upper and lower spheres, on the ground and sea, or in the air. It can guide several beyond visual range air-to-air missiles to multiple targets simultaneously. Meinnser and White-Liang stated their modified variant of the APG-995 and the CAPTOR is able to handle all types of air defense, air-to-surface, and reconnaissance missions, and is developing a Mark 4 upgrade to it. The Mark 4 version has a 150% increase in high-altitude air-to-air detection ranges, detection and tracking of smaller targets at current ranges, 140% improvement in air-to-air mode at low altitude, and full integration of modern weapons such as the AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM, AIM-9X Sidewinder, and MBDA Meteor missiles.

Mark 4 Helmet, currently in use with F/A 7-3 and F/A 9 Gaelfighter

The onboard computers are classified as proprietary designs, developed by Meissner initially then followed by White-Liang Defense. The original models were confirmed to have architecture based on Pentium after a report was released to Congress on the upgrade program to the Dash 3, but there are no confirmed reports of what powers the Dash 3, although White-Liang spokespeople have said that it is a "next-generation processor". The quick-change avionics compartments allow for quick removal and installation, which means the equipment types can be changed out as needed. Further upgrades will be easily swapped out as needs and technology evolve.

The cockpit of the F/A 7-3 features three-color multi-functional displays, a wide angle HUD, a dedicated monochrome LCD display for communications information, and center-mounted HOTAS controls. The cockpit systems still use buttons and switches, as some pilots have stated that they prefer them over touchscreen-only cockpits. The left display shows aircraft systems status and includes a digital instrument cluster. It can also display targeting pod or satellite imagery. The center includes a moving map, with plain and topographical backgrounds, that shows the locations, vectors, and sensor coverage areas of all aircraft, ground, and sea targets available through the plane's own sensors or the datalink.

The system color codes friendly, enemy, and unknown targets. The right display shows RWR, radar, and passive sensor suites. The display has graphs that display the three-dimensional locations and movement vectors of tracked targets. All models have featured a helmet-mounted cueing system, but the Dash 3 adds a true HMD, the WLD Scorpion II, to the mix. It uses the 360-degree sensor array to find and track threats, marking them for the pilots. This gives a massive boost to situational awareness in a dogfight. Other critical information, such as speed altitude, G's, etc., are displayed whenever the pilot's head looks out of the area covered by the HUD, to avoid annoying overlap.

An automated landing system and very close terrain-following modes are included in all models.

F-7 cockpit

The Dash 3 also features an improved countermeasures suite. These systems are offered as optional add-ons to customers but are usually ordered, as the fighters, though relatively cheap, are still very expensive machines to lose. The system is linked to the 360-degree sensor array and can choose what countermeasure to deploy, and when, to have the highest chance of defeating the threat. The main flare launchers are located in the fuselage, right below the airbrakes. Secondary dispensers are located on the inboard wing pylons, the high capacity BOL flare dispensers also have chaff on the opposite side of the pylon. The flares used in the Gargoyle utilize a highly advanced compound that is significantly better at distracting modern IR seekers than conventional flares.

The tail fin houses two towed infrared decoys. These can be deployed from what appears to be the engine, and when combined with high G turns, this can be a very effective way to defeat even the most sophisticated IR missiles. The wingtip launch rails have a bulge on the inside rear edge, this houses the towed radar decoys. The radar decoys give off a strong radar signal that looks like the return of a fighter. This signal is more powerful than the actual radar reflection of the fighter, so any incoming radar-guided missiles are drawn towards it, and not the fighter itself. The Dash 3 also features a highly sophisticated, yet simple, ECM solution. Instead of developing an external pod, like most other fighters of its generation use, it uses the increased processing power of the central computer to wield the AESA radar and a set of antennas in the skin and tail to effectively jam enemy sensors and missiles.

In the Dash-3 stealth build, exclusive to the United Republics Air Force, these systems are built internally to reduce radar cross-section and enhance the aircraft's stealth capabilities to compete with those of the P.123, F-8 Oorlogsman, and the Gaelfighter Tempest.

Specifications (F-7/3)

Physical
General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 14.36 m (47 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 9.13 m (29 ft 11 in)
Height: 5.2 m (17 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 41 m2 (440 sq ft)
Empty weight: 7,500 kg (16,535 lb)
Gross weight: 13,800 kg (30,424 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 17,000 kg (37,479 lb)
Fuel capacity: 3,950 l internal / 8,000 l maximal
Powerplant: 1x F241 VB Turbofan, 25,700 ft/lbs (34.8 kn) Afterburner; 15,000 lb/lbs (20 kn) Dry

Performance

Maximum speed: 2,336 km/h (1,452 mph, 1,261 kn) / M2.2 at high altitude
1,110 km/h (690 mph; 600 kn) at sea level
Range: 1,550 km (960 mi, 840 nmi)
Ferry range: 3,335 km (2,072 mi, 1,801 nmi) with auxiliary fuel
Service ceiling: 17,060 m (55,970 ft)
Rate of climb: 285 m/s (56,100 ft/min)
Wing loading: 337 kg/m2 (69 lb/sq ft)
Thrust/weight: 0.7

Armament

Guns: 2x 30 mm (1.2 in) DEFA 554 revolver cannon, 125 rounds per gun
Hardpoints: 9 total (4 under-wing, 5 under-fuselage) with a capacity of 6,300 kg (13,900 lb) external fuel and ordnance
Rockets: Matra 68 mm unguided rocket pods, 18 rockets per pod
Air-to-air missiles:
6x MBDA MICA IR/RF
2x Matra R550 Magic-II and 2x Matra Super 530D

2x AM.39 Exocet
Mk.82 Unguided Bomb
PGM 500 and PGM 2000 modular guided bombs
2x GBU-12, 1x-16, or 1x-24 laser-guided bombs