Encyclopedia of non american stealth planes

Because many people have problems with stealth development at the world (except USA) during latest 15 years, and because of many mistakes and fake planes, I made a short tables describing the subject.


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At the mid 70s, soviets created three big aeronautical projects. First was I-90 (istrebitel ? fighter) with requirement for heavy mulitrole fighter MFI and light combat fighter LFI. MiG and Yakovlev responded to MFI. MiG proposed heavy canard plane izdeje (object, thing) 1.42 with 16 manoeuvring surfaces, wedged air intake and nozzle with 2D thrust vectoring. Other differences between MiG 1,42 MFI and prototype demonstrator MiG 1,44 was in refueling probe, slightly different shape of the wing and modified dielectric radome with circular cross section. Yakovlev also proposed the canard fighter, but only with one engine. This was a big problem for soviet air force and later it became a reason, why Yakovlev lost to MiG. Sukhoi did not respond, because they believed that Su-27 is so timeless, that it will be best fighter at the world till next century. However when work on MiG MFI progressed, they saw that it will be a big rival. So they proposed their own fighter. It was not a MFI proposal, because this competition ended with MiG as a winner two years before Sukhoi began work on heavy fighter. Designers used pure experimental project S-32, which was meant as a competitor to american Grumman X-29A and transformed it into the most advanced 5th generation fighter with forward swept wing. The new project S-32 Berkut had later problems with weight and so radical changes in concept were made, that it acquired new designation S-37. But people misleaded it with Su-37 and it acquired the definitive designation Su-47 Berkut. None of the MFI planes will be serial produced.



Situation in LFI project was slightly different. The most developed concept was MiG izdeje 33 which at a glance resembled General Dynamics F-16, but it was much more advanced. MiG does not have money to develop both MFI and LFI at stroke, so they dropped LFI and work continued only on MFI. Concept was later sold to China and it become FC-1/JF-17 fighter. Yakovlev proposed modified fighter Yak-41 with designation Yak-43. It had some changes for better stealth characteristics and more powerfull engine. Sukhoi did not joint the MFI program, so they concentrated their attention on LFI design. It was a single engined canard fighter in many aspects similar to swedish SAAB JAS-39 Grippen. Its designation was S-37 LFI, but the work was dropped in 1992 because soviet air force was interested only in MFI program. At the mid. 90s, when Russia was at big economic crisis, progress on MFI was stopped. Later the VVS officials realized, that they do not have enough money for investment and operation costs of advanced heavy fighter. So the attention switched to lighter, simpler and primarily cheaper plane LFS. Change I (istrebitel - fighter) to S (samoljot - aircraft) meant that the new plane must have real multirole capability not only for air-to-air but also for air-to-ground attack. The work started around 1994, however the program was officialy launched at april 1999. MiG proposed one and two engined variant of its new fighter called I-2000. The design requirements for I-2000 call for reduced radar and infrared visibility and very high manoeuvrability, as well as short take-off and landing. The aircraft will have a blended fuselage/centre wing and a thick wing centre-section, with curved leading and trailing edges. Take-off and landing runs are short thanks to a specially designed landing gear that permits approaches at high angles of attack. The plane was not selected in Russia, but MiG sold the one engined design to Iran and it become iranian fighter Shafagh. Sukhoi proposed family of light aircrafts, derived from S-54 trainer. The S-54 is essentially a smaller, single-engined Su-35, with a more conventional layout than the I-2000. Redesigned single seat S-55 has more advanced weapon systems intended for air comat. The final design was a stealthy S-56 tandem triplane with twin delta wing. Yakovlev proposed advanced supersonic STOVL fighter with power system similar to Lockheed F-35. In some aspects, it resembled the later BAe JSF design. In 2001 the LFS was transformed to Pak-Fa program. Later the VVS informed, that the new 5th generation plane for russian air force will be Sukhoi design T-50 Pak-Fa. Both MiG and Yakovlev have 15 percent share on development and manufacturing.

Second big program Sh-90 (for Shturmovik for the 1990s) was intended to develop a successor to the Su-25 Frogfoot. Only Sukhoi proposed stealthy plane with forward swept wing called T-12. Featuring an unusual configuration employing twin forward fuselages housing separate cockpits, the design included V-tail. The left side forward fuselage was to provide the pilot's station and carry the radar sensors in the nose, whereas the other forward fuselage was to accommodate the weapons operator and an electro-optical fire-control system. The design called for a maximum takeoff weight of 20 tonnes, and the type was to be powered by one or two non-afterburning engines developing 100 kN of thrust. All weapons were to be carried in two large bays inside the fuse lages instead of on wing-mounted or fuselage-mounted pylons. The aircraft would have been approximately 16 m long, with a wingspan of 19.5 m. Reports suggest that work on the Sh 90 was progressing seriously and that a production line was planned at Irkutsk. However, aspirations for the aircraft were dashed by the developments that overtook Russia in the early 1990s. Low-cost successors to the Su-25 could come as ground attack versions of new Russian jet trainers like the MiG-AT or Yak-130. However, the air forces have shown little interest in such a solution. Still, Mikoyan plans to develop two variants in the shape of the two-seat MiG-ATC combat trainer and the singleseat MiG-AC light-attack aircraft. Yakolev has offered a series of Yak-130 derivatives (dubbed Yak-131, Yak-133 and Yak-135) in single- and twoseat configurations. They are to be equipped either with the Moskit-2 or FIAR Grifo radar.

The third program was B-90 for a new advanced bomber. However this made more questions than answers. The only presented design was not very successful Sukhoi T-60. It is possible, that Tupolev worked on some advanced Tu-160 concepts (that were too ambicious at the mid 70s), but the more probable is that the stealth concept was abadoned and attention switched to high speed and hypersonic concepts like Tu-360, Tu-2000 or MiG 3.01.

There was also extensive Myasischev M-67 project with all stealthy manned and unmanned planes developed for high altitude reconnaissance and spy missions. It started in mid 80s by order of Ministry of Deffence as a respond to USA SDI program.


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You can find more on my web at www.hitechweb.szm.sk/stealth4c.htm /stealth4d.htm /fightersSF02.htm /fightersSF03.htm /berkut.htm ......



edit: resized images/photos

[edit on 20-5-2005 by Seekerof]

Are you saying that any of these craft actualy exist or existed, or are they just concept drawings?

Planes that physicaly exist: MiG 1.44, Sukhoi Su-47, FC-1/JF-17, Shafagh

Sukhoi T-50 will be ready around 2006, MiG-AC or Yak-131 will be build as prototypes, when VVS find some money.

All european manned planes exist [MAKO only as a mockup - will be ready at 2008]

European UCAV planes, that physicaly exist: SAAB Sharc, SAAB Filur, Dassault Petit Duc, Alenia Sky-X, BAe HALO

EADS UCAV concepts only as a mockup.

Shenyang J-XX is now in development phase, WZ-9 and Denel Seraph are mockups in development, MAV-1 and SAT 800 Falco physicaly exist.

Some amazing looking aircraft mixed in there. But I notice many of those concepts seems very simular to older American idea's and techs

Since when has aircraft development NOT been about stealing successful ideas???

Did you know that in your first huge picture,the MiG-35/1.42 MFI was actually a toy? Sorry to burst your bubble,but it has been known to be a picture of a highly detailed model which has been mistaken a lot of times.

That is not true. This serie of photos was taken during summer 1994 from hangar of Zhukovskoje/Ramenskoje at MiG plant 04.

very simular to older American idea's and techs

Yeah especially the Ho 229


The SU T 12 looks interesting. Are there any details on that plane?

Originally posted by matej
That is not true. This serie of photos was taken during summer 1994 from hangar of Zhukovskoje/Ramenskoje at MiG plant 04.

I'm not sure what to believe,i've read plenty about this photo.

I can say for certain that those designs listed as being BAe UCAV designs are all wrong.

Every sigle one of those was produced by a company called avpro and they are nothing more than concept art.

As for the picture of the MiG I.42/44 (I forget which is the correct term) then it is absolutely genuine, no model shot could be THAT convincing anyway, model shots are, by their nature, easily spotted.

Originally posted by waynos
I can say for certain that those designs listed as being BAe UCAV designs are all wrong.

Every sigle one of those was produced by a company called avpro and they are nothing more than concept art.

As for the picture of the MiG I.42/44 (I forget which is the correct term) then it is absolutely genuine, no model shot could be THAT convincing anyway, model shots are, by their nature, easily spotted.

Maybe it was a computer designed picture. Look at the airbus 380 section.
airbus.com...

see the pictures they look like the real thing, yet the first aircraft is not even off the assembly line.

Tell if thats a model or a real one?

Yes I can, its a model. But a good one I'll grant you. Like I said, you can always tell. If you know what to look for

Shots, I'm not saying that model shots are in any way shoddy, the one Warlord just tested me with is an excellent shot, just that there is usually a way to tell when it is not real, I have become pretty good over several years at spotting real from fake in this way. The MiG shot was real.


Edit; warlord, just in case you think it was a lucky guess I will tell you just two of the things I spotted;

1, canopy framing is too thick and thus out of scale by just enough to tell.

2, Camouflage tones are darker than those actually used by Spanish AF.

Now, am I good?

[edit on 30-12-2004 by waynos]

I don't know about the PICTURES of the MFI, but I know it was really build and even flown...

but that is irrelavant...

So why are we automatically being bashed for stealing things?

America stole the English/German Jet project didn't they? you don't hear us bitching about that, it's just natural evolution in aircraft designs...

As for the NH-90, it's a similar helicopter to the UH-60 and Lynx helicopters, it is supposedly stealthy, but I dunno, I have seen it fly my self...

www.airforce-technology.com... for more info.

[edit on 30/12/2004 by GrOuNd_ZeRo]

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This is why you shouldn't drink or smoke while designing aircraft.

Also, GrOuNdZeRo- what jet project are you referring to?


Edit: resized image/photo

[edit on 20-5-2005 by Seekerof]

India's MCA

The twin-engined Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA) is a stealthy Gen-5 combat aicraft optimised for strike missions. It will complement LCA and Su-30MKI as India's leading combat planes. If given the go-ahead, it should fly before 2010 and be inducted by 2015. Right now its in design stage

Propulsion
The State owned Gas Turbine Research Establishment [GTRE] was to indigenously develop the Kaveri engine to power the LCA and MCA. But there have been major slippages in all the milestones. GE, SNECMA, and Klimov had all offered to provide the engines for this aircraft.



The Kaveri engines in the MCA will have a slightly higher dry thrust than in the LCA engine. These engines will also have thrust-vectoring nozzles. It is unknown which company will be providing this technology, or whether it will be developed in India itself. A supercruise capability is not being sought. The twin engined aircraft is planned to have a thrust ratio of 7:8:1. The MCA will use India's own radar-absorbent material to reduce radar cross-section.

Kaveri
Air-mass flow 78 kg/s
By-pass ratio 0.16
Overall pressure ratio 21.5
Turbine entry temperature 1487-1700 K
Maximum dry thrust 52 kN (5302 kg)
Maximum dry SFC 0.78 kg/hr/kg
After burner maximum power thrust 81 kN (8260 kg)
After burner maximum power SFC 2.03 kg/hr/kg
Thrust-to-weight ratio 7.8

Kaveri engine is a two-spool bypass turbofan engine having three stages of transonic low pressure compressor driven by a single-stage low pressure turbine. The core engine consists of six-stage transonic compressor driven by single-stage cooled high pressure turbine. The engine is provided with a compact annular combustor with airblast atomisers. The aerothermodynamic and mechanical designs of engine components have been evolved using many in-house and commercially developed software for solid and fluid mechanics.

Kaveri three-stage transonic fan, designed for good stall margin and bird strike capability, handles an air mass flow of 78 kg/s and develops a pressure Combustion Chamber Liner ratio of 3.4. The six-stage variable capacity transonic compressor of Kaveri develops a pressure ratio of 6.4. The variable schedule of inlet guide vanes and two rows of stator is through FADEC control system to open the stator blades in a predetermined manner. High intensity low UD ratio annular combustor of Kaveri engine incorporates air blast injection of fuel for uniform outlet temperature profile and reduced carbon emission.

Kaveri high pressure turbine is provided with an efficient cooling design incorporating augmented convection-cum-film cooling for the vanes and combination cooling for the rotor blade to handle up to 1700 K turbine entry temperature. Kabini engine comprising high pressure compressor, combustor and high pressure turbine has undergone high altitude test at facilities abroad successfully demonstrating the flat rating concept of Kaveri engine assembly and in particular the combustor high altitude ignition and stability performances.

Kaveri engine has been specifically designed for Indian environment. The engine is a variable cycle-flat-rated engine in which the thrust drop due to high ambient, forward speed is well compensated by the increased turbine entry temperature at the spool Kabini altitude test speed. This concept has been already demonstrated with high temperature and pressure condition in DRDO's High Mach Facility. Kaveri engine is controlled by Kaveri full authority digital control unit [KADECU), which has been developed and successfully demonstrated at DRDO's test bed.

Stealth

Stealthiness will be a priority and hence the MCA will have two small, outward-canted fins and the external fuel tanks will be mounted above the wings. Absence of a vertical fin improves stealth. However, not all weapons will be internal and hence will compromize the stealth.

If all progresses according to plan, MCA will become first military fighter that has no tail - at all. USA is the only country to have seriously pursued such aircraft. It experimented with tail-less design in X-36. F-16X concept is another tail-less concept.


Tail-less design has been seen in Flying Wings, but these represent a separate class of aeroplanes. To realize the MCA, India will have to develop cutting edge technology. US help in this area is obviously expected.



China's J-12

China's Jian-12 or J-12 (F-12 for foreign markets) is 5th generation multirole jet due to fly by 2012 and enter service by 2015. It has been codenamed XXJ by US's Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI). J-12 is destined to be China's top-end fighter along with the Su-30MKK when it will be introduced.

Not much is known about J-12 right now - the aircraft is still going through initial work. The project is at is where the USAF ATF (Advanced Tactical Fighter) Program, which lead to the F-22A, was in ~1983. Virtually everything is still wide open. Sources within combat aircraft manufacturer Chengdu confirm that it is looking at a twin-engined design and that they are examining both single and two crew configuration.


Stealthiness is an integral part of all new fighter designs and J-12 is no exception. The engines are most likely to be Russian with Thrust Vectoring. Stealth and thrust vectoring are two features that are a must in all aircraft being designed today. Interestingly, Chinese aircraft designers will actually perform a 'generation leap' if J-12 goes into service with PLAAF. All aircraft produced in China before (apart from licenced Su-27) have been 3rd generation aircraft. Chengdu will have to take Western/Israeli/Russian help to make J-12 truly 5th generation.

J-12's immediate rival will be India's MCA (Medium Combat Aircraft). It too is expected to be a 5th generation aircraft. The J-12 is probably under active development.

Originally posted by shots

Maybe it was a computer designed picture. Look at the airbus 380 section.
airbus.com...

see the pictures they look like the real thing, yet the first aircraft is not even off the assembly line.

None of the A380 pictures look real, its obvious that they are all fake. If you cant tell that, then youve been looking at too many 'confirmed' pictures of the Aurora.

Oh, and the A380 flies in 3 months time! Yay!

Well, to anwer Murcielago.

I was trying to get a point acrossed, you can call it stealing, but I believe other countries rather reinvented these stealth much like America reinvented Jet technology...Stealing is a bit harsh...

So, shortly to answer:

tsuribito: The Horten Ho-229 was built (but not flown) in 1944 and american B-2 was flown at 1990. Who is copying whom? The details and pictures of Sukhoi T-12 are available at my web www.hitechweb.szm.sk/stealth4c.htm Unfortunatelly, text is only in slovak language. There was also another design - flying wing concept - that I will add to my page sometime at the end of february. By the way, Soviet designers also used flying wing concept in Tu-202 project - competitor to B-2. I forgot to tell about it in one of my previous topics. It will be also add to my page at the end of february.




waynos: The MiG 1.42 or MiG-39 in VVS designation is a serial configuration of MiG MFI proposal. MiG 1.44 is a simplyfied flying demonstrator. The main difference is in air intake, different shape of the wing, circular cross section of the radome and refueling probe. The MiG 1.42 was not built.

That actual picture of the mig 1.42, can be seen as a model on this website : www.globalaircraft.org...

The lines on the floor look like someones kitchen tiles

There are some other real pictures of it there too.