Avimimus
ACCESS: Top Secret
- Joined
- 15 December 2007
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Hello all,
I thought it would be interesting to discuss what a PAK-DP could look like using PAK-FA components.
Some serious thoughts:
The PAK-DP requirement doesn't necessarily require speed or manoeuvrability - since the targets are primarily bombers or cruise-missiles. Even against high and fast targets, the necessity of the interceptor closing to within a few kilometres no longer exists, since missile performance has increased significantly (even if launched at mach 2 rather than mach 2.55).
The PAK-FA is already pretty well suited for this role. Especially when operated as a 4-ship sharing radar information via data-link, it should be able to sweep a huge area. It should also have pretty good range and super-cruise.
Conclusions:
- Range on internal fuel (>5000km) and supercruise are the main requirements. This allows effectively patrolling Siberia and threatening cruise-missile platforms over the ocean. Supercruise is beneficial because it allows the aircraft to sweep a larger area (requiring less aircraft on station) and reduces the amount of time required to get on station.
- Since the speed isn't increased the aircraft wouldn't need to be redesigned to handle increased heating, and the redesigned fuselauge could also act as a lifting-body to handle the increased weight.
- This likely requires an increase in engine power. Engine power would likely be provided by two larger engines (keeping maintenance manageable) - but it might be more amusing to imagine a three engined design (which is very unlikely, but at least we do know that multicore variable bypass was looked at in the last days of the Soviet Union - besides - if one is planning on only ever building 120 airframes the added cost in engines might not be as high as developing a new engine might be).
Possible additional requirements:
- To fully replace the Mig-31 in its current roles an ability to use a missile like the Fakel 95M6 against very high/fast targets is tempting. This would also allow the heavy air-to-ground weapons like the Kinzhal... providing an additional faster strike platform (other than the PAK-DA). However, this would require at ~4500kg hardpoint and would have to be carried externally or would require a huge bay. If range was required for such a payload the aircraft would also massively increase in weight. That said, having a larger payload than the PAK-FA might also allow more missiles to be carried for intercepting cruise missiles.
P.S. I do not know the actual PAK-FP requirements, or how they've changed over time.
I thought it would be interesting to discuss what a PAK-DP could look like using PAK-FA components.
Some serious thoughts:
The PAK-DP requirement doesn't necessarily require speed or manoeuvrability - since the targets are primarily bombers or cruise-missiles. Even against high and fast targets, the necessity of the interceptor closing to within a few kilometres no longer exists, since missile performance has increased significantly (even if launched at mach 2 rather than mach 2.55).
The PAK-FA is already pretty well suited for this role. Especially when operated as a 4-ship sharing radar information via data-link, it should be able to sweep a huge area. It should also have pretty good range and super-cruise.
Conclusions:
- Range on internal fuel (>5000km) and supercruise are the main requirements. This allows effectively patrolling Siberia and threatening cruise-missile platforms over the ocean. Supercruise is beneficial because it allows the aircraft to sweep a larger area (requiring less aircraft on station) and reduces the amount of time required to get on station.
- Since the speed isn't increased the aircraft wouldn't need to be redesigned to handle increased heating, and the redesigned fuselauge could also act as a lifting-body to handle the increased weight.
- This likely requires an increase in engine power. Engine power would likely be provided by two larger engines (keeping maintenance manageable) - but it might be more amusing to imagine a three engined design (which is very unlikely, but at least we do know that multicore variable bypass was looked at in the last days of the Soviet Union - besides - if one is planning on only ever building 120 airframes the added cost in engines might not be as high as developing a new engine might be).
Possible additional requirements:
- To fully replace the Mig-31 in its current roles an ability to use a missile like the Fakel 95M6 against very high/fast targets is tempting. This would also allow the heavy air-to-ground weapons like the Kinzhal... providing an additional faster strike platform (other than the PAK-DA). However, this would require at ~4500kg hardpoint and would have to be carried externally or would require a huge bay. If range was required for such a payload the aircraft would also massively increase in weight. That said, having a larger payload than the PAK-FA might also allow more missiles to be carried for intercepting cruise missiles.
P.S. I do not know the actual PAK-FP requirements, or how they've changed over time.
Last edited:
But your more ambitious dreams are quite interesting.
