Vertega V-12

From Atlas
V-12 Tempest
V-12 Tempest Aircraft.
Role Stealth multiroleaircraft
National origin  Granzery
Manufacturer Vertega Aerospace Corporation
Sava Aerospace
First flight 28 March 1998
Introduction 2 September 2005
Status In service
Primary user Granzery Air Force
Produced 1999-present
Number built 164
Unit cost US$100 million

The Vertega Oppirus V-12 Tempest (Granzerian: Vertega V-12 Vihar) is a Granzerian supersonic, stealth multirole fighter developed by the Vertega Corporation during the late 1990s and early 2000s and entered service with the Granzerian Air Force in mid-to-late 2005. It is intended to eventually replace older interceptors and some multiroles. The aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The V-12 Project was a joint venture between the Granzerian and Elesarian government, with the Elesarian firm Sava Aerospace developing the engines.

The aircraft was variously designated K-12 and V-12 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the V-12A. After a protracted development, the GrAF considers the V-12 critical to its tactical air power, and says that the aircraft is unmatched by any known or projected fighter. The Tempest's combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness gives the aircraft unprecedented air combat capabilities.

Origins[edit]

Further Development[edit]

Design[edit]

Airframe[edit]

The V-12 is a large twin-engine aircraft, the design of which makes extended use of composite materials to increase structural strength and stability, as well as reduce its weight. The design shares many similarities with the Chazicarian F-7e, as the V-12 is partly based on the same basic design principles.

Stealth[edit]

A Granzerian V-12 in flight

The V-12 was designed to be highly difficult to detect and track by radar. Measures to reduce radar cross-section include airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets that prevent line-of-sight of the engine faces from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. The V-12 was also designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye. The aircraft's flat thrust vectoring nozzle reduces infrared emissions to mitigate the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles. Additional measures to reduce the infrared signature include special paint and active cooling of leading edges to manage the heat buildup from supersonic flight. Compared to previous stealth designs, the V-12 is less reliant on radar-absorbent materials, which are maintenance-intensive and susceptible to adverse weather conditions. The V-12 can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar, unlike many stealth aircraft which require climate controlled hangars.

Electronics, countermeasurs and Avionics[edit]

Key avionics on V-12 include the Vertega VAWLoR-03 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the Vertega VAT-S13 radar warning receiver (RWR). The VAWL LoR-03 is a multifunctional missile warning, ultraviolet and infra-red search-and-tracking, missile reporting and aircraft detection system, that provides spherical coverage around the aircraft. The VAT-S13 consists of 30 antennas blended into the wings and fuselage for all-round coverage. Jákob Tar, former V-12 program head at Vertega, described it as "the most technically complex piece of equipment on the aircraft."

Engines[edit]

The V-12 makes use of two powerful Sava TBA afterburning pitch thrust vectoring turbofan engines. The TBA provides the aircraft with a maximum speed of Mach 2.5.

Comparison[edit]

Comparison with other Atlasian fifth-generation fighters
Granzery V-12 Tempest Vazandia KFZ-9 Schwarzervogel Stasnov VeK-44 Gorbatov ViS-18 Bierkut
Role Multirole fighter Multirole fighter Multirole fighter Multirole fighter
Empty weight 19,700 kg 13,154 kg 18,000 kg 18,500 kg
Powerplant 2 × Sava TBA pitch thrust-vectoring afterburning turbofans 2 x Oberfeld Energie AG OE-850 afterburning turbofans 2 × Krasna AL-50M 3D thrust-vectoring afterburning turbofans 2 × Sobchak AL-50M2 3D thrust-vectoring afterburning turbofans
Maximum speed Mach 2.5 Mach 2.2 Mach 2.5 Mach 2.5
Combat radius 1,450 km 1,287 km 2,000 km 2,000 km
Service ceiling 20,000 m 20,000 m 20,000 m 20,000 m
Rate of climb 350 m/s 360 m/s 315 m/s 360 m/s
Guns 1 x 20 mm 081M 6-barrel rotary cannon 1 x 20 mm K-20 6-barrel rotary cannon 1 × 30 mm GSh-30-1 autocannon 1 × 30 mm SHK-18 autocannon
Hardpoints 6 internal and 4 external hardpoints 8 internal and 4 external hardpoints 12 internal and 8 external hardpoints 10 internal and 8 external hardpoints
Radar Vertega Advanced Weapons Lab VAW/LoR-03 AESA Radar Kaiserliche Waffenkammer XBPr-99 LPIR AESA Radar Krasna Nelka AESA Radar Ignatik Vichor AESA Radar

Operational history[edit]

Variants[edit]

  • VV-5118.3: Prototype variant. Three were built.
  • V-12A: Standard production variant.
    • V-12AK: Export version with downgraded radar and stealth. Currently only offered to select countries.
  • V-12S: Upgraded variant under development, expected to enter service in 2020.

Operators[edit]

  •  Granzery: The Granzerian Air Force operates approximately 130 V-12 fighters last unit was delivered in late 2016.

Accidents and losses[edit]

Specifications (V-12A)[edit]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 18.92 m (62 ft 1 in)
  • Wingspan: 13.56 m (44 ft 6 in)
  • Height: 5.08 m (16 ft 8 in)
  • Wing area: 78.04 m2 (840.0 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 19,700 kg (43,431 lb)
  • Gross weight: 29,410 kg (64,838 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 38,000 kg (83,776 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 8,200 kg (18,000 lb) internally, or 12,000 kg (26,000 lb) with two 2× 22.7 L tanks
  • Powerplant: 2 × Sava TBA turbofan engines with pitch thrust-vectoring, 120 kN (26,000 lbf) thrust each dry, 156 kN (35,000 lbf) with afterburner

Performance

  • Maximum speed: Mach 2.5 (3,087 km/h; 1,918 mph) at altitude
    • Mach 1.82 (1,963 km/h; 1,220 mph) at supercruise at altitude
  • Range: 3,000 km (1,900 mi, 1,600 nmi) or more with 2 VKU mtz. 1993 external fuel tanks
  • Combat range: 1,450 km (900 mi, 780 nmi) clean subsonic
  • Ferry range: 3,220 km (2,000 mi, 1,740 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 20,000 m (66,000 ft)
  • g limits: +9.0/-3.0
  • Rate of climb: 350 m/s (69,000 ft/min)
  • Wing loading: 377 kg/m2 (77 lb/sq ft)
  • Thrust/weight: 1.08 (1.25 with loaded weight and 50% internal fuel)

Armament

Avionics

  • VAWLoR-03
  • VAT-S13