F-1 (Shadow)

=Overview=

As stated, the F-1 Shadow is a generation 5 fighter jet, and incorporates stealth technology, advanced avionics, and various technologies that allow it to maneuver past it's stall point, which, for most previous generations had been impossible. The forward swept wing and canard configuration, as well as the 3-D thrust vectoring give this aircraft a distinct advantage in dog fighting, allowing it to out-turn and out-maneuver almost any craft in the sky. At a distance, however, the Shadow can use it's stealthy design to keep a low profile while it fires missiles from it's internal bay. Alternatively, where stealth is of minimal importance, even more ordinance may be fired from external hard points. The avionics suite is entirely new, and takes full advantage of the Oiseau Futé CIP, which will be explain fully later in the document. The OF Central Integrated Processor is a system specifically built to grow, with only about 70% of each of the two processors used in the baseline product.

Because of the unusual stresses of the Forward Swept wing, the airframe is made out of composites that are much stronger than regular metals. The F-1 also makes heavy use of the new techniques in titanium casting, which also have the advantage of also reducing the amount of time needed to produce an aircraft. Finally, the fuselage also takes advantage of carbon-fiber composites, which offer great strength to weight ratios. However, these features will be explained more full later in the document.

=Airframe and Engine Design=

The design of the F-1 is unique in that it uses a highly unstable triplane configuration (although some may argue that it is in fact a highly unstable biplane configuration, because, unlike designs like the Su-47, the tail fins of the Shadow are slanted at an angle, much like the F-22 Raptor. However, since these tail fins do produce lift, the design is technically a triplane). The canards are made of cast titanium, as well as the leading edge flaps, while the fuselage is made of mostly carbon fibre composites as well as titanium and aluminum. The fuselage is oval in cross section, while the radome is flattened a bit and given a horizontal edge in order to optimize it's anti-spinning characteristics. The wings, as stated frequently before, have a relatively unique forward sweep, making the plane extremely unstable with out computer assistance. However, this also allows it to be extremely maneuverable, able to achieve angles of attack that would stall out jets such as the F-22 or F-35, and maneuver in ways that would make even an Su-37 jealous.

The Shadow is refueled via a probe and drogue system, where the probe is retracted inside the aircraft when not in use. This means that range is theoretically limited to the amount of aerial tankers and the endurance of the pilot. Also adding to the long range capability of the F-1 is the forward swept wing. With it's high aspect ratio, at subsonic speeds the Shadow has great fuel efficiency, allowing the Shadow a much higher maximum range than most other conventional fighters. Additionally, the wings give great low and high speed performance The rear fins are intentionally large in order to block the view of the engine from enemy planes when seen from the side (this is largely meant to combat IR scanners) as well as helping to deflect radar waves.

In order to make the aircraft stealthy, great emphasis was placed on the airframe. For instance, the air intakes are 'S' shaped, making them harder to manufacture, but greatly increasing their ability to scatter radar waves. The overall shape of the aircraft also does a great job of scattering radar waves, while the Radar Absorbent Material, or RAM, prevents it from being reflected in the first place. However, it should be noted that RAM was intentionally made a very minor part of the aircraft as a whole, due to it's maintenance intensiveness. RAM painted aircraft often have to be stored in climate controlled hangars, which is obviously out of the question for a front line fighter. In addition to the features that improve stealth versus radar, the Shadow is given a camouflage paint job in order to make it harder to spot, whether on the ground or in the air.



The Aeromarine AmTF-1191 turbofan was developed exclusively for the project, with the possibility of it being used in future fighters as well. The design takes notes from the F-119-PW-100 in that it vastly reduces the number of parts as much as 40%, which leads to a large amount of advantages, including cutting drastically the amount of support required to maintain it, easing logistics, and of course being much more reliable. In almost all of the stages the engine blades are made from a single piece of metal, which cuts the amount of air leakage, adding to the performance of the engine. The fan blades are made wider, and therefore stronger, eliminating the need for a shroud, making the engine lighter and more efficient. A major material of the fan blades are "Alloy C" developed for Pratt and Whitney, which permit the engines to run hotter while protecting key components, making them more rugged and durable. In order to cut maintenance further, and to make the combustion chamber more durable, a high colbalt titanium alloy was used due to it's high temperature and oxidation resistance. Additionally, all components, harnesses and plumbing are located on the bottom of the engine for easy access when maintenance is needed. Further, the digital engine controls are extremely redundant. Finally, normal running of the engine produces no visible smoke, making detection by smoke trail much harder. Although the engine is highly reliable, it does not do this at the expense of performance. Many of the features that make the AmTF1191 more durable also increase it's efficiency. Each engine produces 180kN of thrust, for a combined total of 360kN. Of course, as mentioned, the engines make use of thrust vectoring nozzles. Due to wing stress worries, and the fact that several prototypes had issue with the not yet entirely resolved using modern materials, a committee of the Imperial Air Force looked at current doctrine, and realized that they rarely used anything past mach 1.8, and therefore a decision was made to govern the engines. Currently the engines can push the plane past 2.4, however unless the owning nation tampers with the governor, the maximum this plane can reach is mach 1.83. Should a foreign air force tamper with the engines, it is advised not to make turns at such a high speed, and to fly as straight as possible, lest the wings twist due to the immense forces acting on them.

=Avionics=

The F-1 is notable for using integrated avionics, in which the major components of the software, such as the radar, electronic warfare systems, and weapons system all acting as a single unit. This allows a pilot to check on the fly system warnings, instruments, and information gathered by passive, active, or even outside means (outside means being defined as AWACs aircraft). The balance of accessibility and the rate at which one can consume information was a key problem that had to be addressed, and so engineers and software experts made extensive use of visual and aural cues which are not so subtle as to go unnoticed, but not so dramatic that it's distracts the pilot during combat. As an extention, managing this balance adds another layer of functionality to the combatant, allowing him to work at a level not possible under regular conditions.

As stated, the Oiseau Futé CIP allows the amount of resources required by the system to grow. Central to this are the module slots, each one of which is one of seven generic processors, and each runs with complete independence to the ones near it. Each module runs a different set of task, and should it fail, another module may emulate it, allowing for extreme redundancy with in the on board systems. Each of the two CIPs contains 70 module slots, with 24 and 25 empty slots, with provisions for a third CIP. Additionally, with future advancements in electronics miniaturization, it is theorized that a future upgrade may increase capacity by 350%.

The software is mission configurable, so that modules may be switched out as the roles change, shifting focus from it's main role of Air Superiority to Ground Attack to Mini-AWACs to Recon/EW with minimal effort aside from a change of weapons, easing to some extent the avionics side of the "Jack of all Trades, Master of None" issue.

In order to detect threats from range, the F-1 uses an Active Electronically Scanned Array, in addition to a passive radar system. As a supporting measure, an Optical Locator System, much like that found on the MiG-35's, which bolsters the previously underused system, putting it to use against stealthy enemies, and extensively in the ground attack role.

=Armament=

The armament capabilities of the Shadow are extremely versatile. The baseline version of the F-1 uses a 25mm ACY-25E linear action cannon, built with extremely tight dimensions that require more maintenance, but extend the range of the weapon to nearly 2 km. When used in conjunction with a laser range finder, or other such targeting system, the gun may destroy most targets with in seven to ten shots. As stated, the tight dimensions require barrel replacement every few thousand rounds, but at 450 rounds per mission, it may not be much of an issue. For most missions, in order to preserve it's stealthy profile, as many as 8 missiles can be stored internally, two short range missiles in missile bays along the side, and six long range missiles in a central bay. For the ground attack configuration, it can carry two long range missiles and two 500kg munitions fitting the dimensions of the Future Attack Munitions, although the FAMs may be replaced by 8 100kg bombs. Additionally, at the expense of stealth, up to 8 additional missiles and 4 external fuel tanks may be fitted, however for normal operation, 4 missiles and two fuel tanks are added, as the extra weight of 4 fuel tanks would require that the internal missiles be dropped (excluding the two short range missiles), while their dimensions would preclude their firing, in any case. Additionally, an EW pods may also be equipped.

=F-1E Export Variant=

To protect the lives of Imperial men and women the version for export will have some limitations. Therefore an export variant was designed in order to provide Imperial and it's allies a minor edge against it's possible enemies. First of all, it's avionics are mostly off the shelf equipment already designed by Imperial Aerospace, and available in many more languages than the current version. Additionally, it comes unpainted, meaning that the country it ultimately goes to will have to supply it's own radar reflective paint, however Imperial Aerospace will include a paint similar to the radar reflective paint used in the F-1 proper upon request.

Export of the F-1 in it's normal configuration will be prohibited, the F-1E is open for everyone but Allies get a cut.

=Statistics=

Length: 22.5m Wingspan: 16.7m Height: 6.2m Propulsion: AmTF-1191 turbofan (x2) Total Net Thrust: 360 Empty Weight: 23,500kg Maximum Take-Off Weight: 58,750kg Minimum Fuel Weight: 5,875kg Maximum Fuel Weight: 8,225kg Normal Payload: 1,200 kg Maximum Payload: 3,775 kg Normal Combat Weight: 32,925kg Thrust-to-Weight Ratio: ~1.09 Combat Range: 3,300km Ferry Range: 8,910km Operational Ceiling: 20,000m Max Altitude: 22,000m Cruising Speed: 1.5 Max Supercruising Speed: 1.8 Maximum Speed: 2.4 (governed at mach 1.83: see the last entry under Airframe and Engine Design) Crew: 1 Price: $150m($140m for Allies)