SD.Net World Redux Comment Thread V

[Lonestar]

oooooooooooo....Wilkins has been a bad monkey!

[PeZook]

What's your requirement for that? Planning on violating people's airspace(located far away from you)?

No, actually. I need them to be able to photograph MESS and Japanistani shoreside facilities without actually violating anybody's airspace

[Beowulf]

How does the Spectre compare to the SR-71?

Ryan and I never really discussed the specifics of the craft, but I've been treating it as an SR-71 with better onboard computers, all-modern avionics and sensors, some fancy composites to reduce weight and consequently a minor increase in its top speed, and an internal fuselage bay capable of holding three AA missiles.

Reducing weight won't increase top speed. The internal weapons bay also is weight and space taken from it's primary duty of reconnaissance.

[Siege]

Reducing weight won't increase top speed. The internal weapons bay also is weight and space taken from it's primary duty of reconnaissance.

Fair enough; top speed will be roughly that of the SR-71 then. Would it be possible for the fuselage bay to be dual-use, e.g. you can either stick missiles or recon equipment in there?

[PeZook]

Reducing weight won't increase top speed. The internal weapons bay also is weight and space taken from it's primary duty of reconnaissance.

Plus it will need to slow down to release them, and will need a fire control radar to guide them.

And when push comes to shove, three missiles really won't save it from anything...

[Lonestar]

No, actually. I need them to be able to photograph MESS and Japanistani shoreside facilities without actually violating anybody's airspace

You can do that with Global Hawks. Hell, you can do that with P-3s.

[Siege]

And when push comes to shove, three missiles really won't save it from anything...

The proper way for the SR-71 to evade a threat is "accelerate", not "shoot missiles" . The weapons bay is just there in case you want something shot out of the sky.

[CmdrWilkens]

oooooooooooo....Wilkins has been a bad monkey!

Wait...what? How?

[Siege]

Wait...what? How?

Look at your last post in the story thread, you evil bandwidth thief!

[PeZook]

You can do that with Global Hawks. Hell, you can do that with P-3s.

Higher ceiling = better look inside.

[Lonestar]

80,000 ft is plenty high.

[PeZook]

80,000 ft is plenty high.

125 is even better!

EDIT: Thinking some more, I guess buying both hi-speed hi-altitude and low-speed high-endurance planes may be a good idea, so that one system complements the other.

But since this is a bid, I'll give people 24 hours before making a decision.

[K. A. Pital]

Planning on violating people's airspace(located far away from you)?

Nice to be able to operate the craft in mission-critical environments even versus advanced foes.

For example: Wilkonia bitchslaps the Caymans with large ships fitted with SM-2 missiles. Intruders into the battlezone can be subject to accidental downings, and a drone is by no means secure from that. Something with over 30 km ceiling and a large speed is more secure.

To PeZook: depends on what you really want to do A MiG-31 with a titanium frame such as me and Byzantium produce are stock-standard stuff and they can be used for recon of both air and ground, especially with their hideously overpowered radars.

However, they don't have the option of "shit, we've gone to a critical situation, elimiated the enemy target (ship or ground) with heavy ALCMs!!!" - neither do the drones, as well. Only a bomber-recon plane can do it.

[K. A. Pital]

So, entries from the CSR:

1) A T-4 with slightly expanded fuel capacity at the expense of weapons (I'll build new M3 planes anyway, so might as well sell off some of that equipment I used)

2) A MiG-31T (titanium-hulled) with refuelling capacity and new high-powered AESA radars.

3) Old DBR-1 supersonic drones - huge hulks which are unmanned but also, um... irretrievable, essentially a way to violate enemy airspace in the "brunt force" fashion and feel cool about nobody dying - unless the drone falls on someone's head

[CmdrWilkens]

What's your requirement for that? Planning on violating people's airspace(located far away from you)?

No, actually. I need them to be able to photograph MESS and Japanistani shoreside facilities without actually violating anybody's airspace

Within that note, as Lonestar said, a P-3 or any other decent current gen recon bird should do the job. Trying to go high or fast is really kinda silly given the levels of IADS in the world right now. A truly fast moving target would likely attract a crapload more attention and may be deemed to have violated MESS/Japanistani airspace. Since the plane's records would be lost well...when there is only one story what can you do but believe it

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

So, entries from the CSR:

1) A T-4 with slightly expanded fuel capacity at the expense of weapons (I'll build new M3 planes anyway, so might as well sell off some of that equipment I used)

2) A MiG-31T (titanium-hulled) with refuelling capacity and new high-powered AESA radars.

3) Old DBR-1 supersonic drones - huge hulks which are unmanned but also, um... irretrievable, essentially a way to violate enemy airspace in the "brunt force" fashion and feel cool about nobody dying - unless the drone falls on someone's head

Do you have exact specs on the bombload and range on the T-4MS? I am planning to acquire some. Also, the MiG-31T already has AESA? That's cool. I thought there wasn't.

[PeZook]

Within that note, as Lonestar said, a P-3 or any other decent current gen recon bird should do the job. Trying to go high or fast is really kinda silly given the levels of IADS in the world right now. A truly fast moving target would likely attract a crapload more attention and may be deemed to have violated MESS/Japanistani airspace. Since the plane's records would be lost well...when there is only one story what can you do but believe it

Granted, ceiling is more important for me than speed, but as I understand it, these go hand-in-hand.

Furthermore, a fast recon airplane can react to interesting things faster than a Globalhawk. It's good to have a couple on standby to buzz the latest MESS excercise from time to time, which is why I'm buying 6-12 (more likely 6) of them, rather than twenty.

EDIT: And while a Mig-31 would be able to do recon, its range is way too short for the strategic reconeissance role.

[Lonestar]

Old Dominion Bid:

Dominion Hawk
-High flying(80,000 ft+) high endurance(30hrs+) UAV. Comes equipped with a variety of sensors, both optical, radar, and signal-collecting ones.
-Cheaper to operate than manned and extremely high speed aircraft.
-Flyaway price is $120mil per unit. 6-10 units will drop the price to $115mil. 10-15 units drops the price to $105mil per unit.
-Combat Optics will be offering a 5-year guarantee maintenance parts and support package for $150mil. The support package actually starts with the entering of service with the first aircraft, and the "5-year" part of the package starts after the last aircraft enters service. Note: If you decided to buy additional units after the initial order, a new package would have to be negotiated to include the additional units.

F-34(Copy of the Japanistani JP-34, which itself is a analog of the MiG-31)
-Short-medium range(900Km) interceptor that has a top "performance" speed of Mach 2.9(it can break the Mach 3 barrier).
-Default sensors(on ODAAF aircraft) are the APG-79 AESA for both recon and defense. Recon Package is the CO-15 Integrated Surveillance System, which includes a variable aperture day-camera, and a variable aperture nightvision camera.
-Unit cost is $65mil per unit. 6-10 units will drop the price to $62mil. 10-15 will drop the price to $58mil. Combat Optics offers a 5-year guarantee maintenance parts and support package for $110mil. The support package actually starts with the entering of service with the first aircraft, and the "5-year" part of the package starts after the last aircraft enters service. Note: If you decided to buy additional units after the initial order, a new package would have to be negotiated to include the additional units.

[Ryan Thunder]

How does the Spectre compare to the SR-71?

Ryan and I never really discussed the specifics of the craft, but I've been treating it as an SR-71 with better onboard computers, all-modern avionics and sensors, some fancy composites to reduce weight and consequently a minor increase in its top speed, and an internal fuselage bay capable of holding three AA missiles.

For reference, that was all his idea. I didn't even know the YF-12 ever existed, myself.

[Beowulf]

Tian Xia bids:

Lockheed RF-12P: This variant of the F-12 returns to it's roots as a recon aircraft. Capable of M3.2+ flight at > 80k feet. Includes the APG-71v2 AESA radar, which provides ground radar mapping modes. Also capable of swapping reconnaissance equipement into the weapons bays, allowing optical surveillance to be undertaken as well. $160 million/aircraft, cost dropping with larger orders.

Douglas RC-42P: Based on the proven 767 airframe, and provides plenty of space and power for avionics. Very long range.

[Siege]

San Dorado offers:

Ralson Aerospace F-161B ‘Spectre’



Supersonic strategic reconnaissance/interceptor aircraft. Cruising speed of Mach 3.2; range of 5.500 kilometres; crew of two. AESA radar. RISAR sensor package. Jamming system. Maximum payload of 1,800 kg in multi-purpose fuselage bay (either a swappable sensor package or missiles on a rotary launcher). $170 million per airframe. And because you’re our very special first foreign buyer we’ll train your pilots for free .

[TimothyC]

Tell you what Ryan, come up with a prototype ABL that I can stick on a Hustler, and Alaska will buy into it. In Spades.

Uh, OK, just a quick question; these Hustlers are similar to the B-58 Hustler, right?

A Touch Longer (It's the TBO version), but mostly the same plane. which brings me to this next post:

BTW: I want to buy myself a small fleet (10-12) of strategic reconeissance aircraft.

The obvious choice is a modern version of the T-4 right now, but perhaps somebody can make me a better offer?

What? The Global Hawk is a U-2 Replacement that can stay aloft for 30 hrs. It's hardly "niche" or "Local needs".

And it still doesn't fly at Mach 3+ higher than 30 kilometers, which is what I'm currently looking for.

While not quite as fast, or as high flying, the B/RB-58P would fit your needs:

Maximum speed: Mach 2.9 at 60,000 feet, Mach 0.99 at sea level.
Cruising speed 1,620 knots.
Takeoff ground roll 5250 feet at 195,000 pounds.
Landing ground roll 3115 feet at 68,100 pounds.
Maximum initial climb rate 45,550 feet per minute at sea level.
An altitude of 30,000 feet could be attained in 6.1 minutes.
Normal cruise altitude 65,450 feet.
Target area altitude was 75,200 feet.
Combat ceiling 78,400 feet.
Maximum ferry range 5200 nautical miles.
Weights: 63,150 pounds empty (without pod).
Maximum gross weight 216,890 pounds (in flight). 69,100 pounds landing weight.
Dimensions:
Wingspan 58 feet 9.9 inches,
length 110 feet,
height 31 feet 2 inches,
wing area 1564.69 square feet.
Armament: One General Electric M-61 remotely-controlled cannon in tail with 1200 rounds. Offensive weapons consisted of up to 12 air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles.
AESA Radar (Standard)

Pods:
1. SEAD Pod - 2 six-point rotary launchers ( 3 million)
2. RECE Pod - 1 Six point Rotary launcher, and upgraded sensors ( 5 million)
3. STRIKE Pod - 2 hardpoints for AIM-47 sized weapons, and 1 hardpoint for a 10,000 lbs weapon ( 4 million)
4. Fuel Pod - 2 hardpoints, the rest being fuel ( 3 million)
5. Transport Pod - Unarmed, but carries up to six passengers in shirt-sleeve comfort while cruising at mach 2 ( 2 million)
6. ABL Pod (Projected) ( Unknown cost)
7. Tanker Pod - Think Buddy-refueling. ( 3 million)

Cost: 100 Million per plane, this includes pilot conversion training, some spare parts, a year of service, and two mission pods per aircraft (additional mission pods are charged at the above rates [with a 15% discount if five or more pods of the same type are ordered]). We can even set up final assembly in Pezokia if you wish. Also, we have excellent financing if you wish. The contracts for service and the domestic production of spare parts can be negotiated.

It is important to remember that the Hustler has been in Alaskan service for over 25 years now, and has a very good safety record

[RogueIce]

Ahoy PeZook! Time to say hello! And take a tour aboard a STAR destroyer!

[Raj Ahten]

Thanks for the updates, for those who gave them. I should be able to get back into the game later this week.

[PeZook]

Ahoy PeZook! Time to say hello! And take a tour aboard a STAR destroyer!

Ahoy! Like the welcoming party we threw?