Design Characteristics
The vehicle, is essentially, a VTOL jet powered aircraft that utilizes two
F-35 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines with vertical lift fans. The vehicle is capable of being launched from small boats, vehicles, aircraft carriers, and other transport craft, of substantially smaller size and variation, due to it's ability to take off vertically. The VTOL capability drastically changes the performance of the aircraft, allowing it to full fill roles traditionally only available to helicopters, yet with the same enormous strength, speed, and range afforded to jet engine aircraft. The role of the vehicle is that of a medium strategic airlifter, capable of dropping off medium sized armored personnel carriers and light tanks that normal helicopters are incapable of, fulfilling the role similiar to that of a Mil-26. The vehicle design is overall extremely similiar to the F-35, using the same engine, material construction and incorporating others features used in the F-35, being designed instead for cargo transportation, endurance and maximum payload. The aircraft is much larger than the F-35, and it also sports heavier armor, which makes it substantially higher in weight. While it has different aerodynamics and stealth capabilities in general than the F-35, it incorporates numerous lessons learned from the F-35, such as thermal vision missile detection systems, the use of numerous flares and anti-thermal defense systems, is made of a material which is naturally radar resistant, has automatic maintenance systems which can detect vehicle damage and lower maintenance in general, and sophisticated electronic systems. A stealth variant of the aircraft does exist, known as the MV-64k, which is optimized for stealth performance, but is much more expensive. All variants of the vehicle have stealth capabilities, albeit with a much larger radar cross section than the F-35, and an internal weapon bay which both allows for more weapons to be carried and better stealth performance. The vehicle, while expensive (on the order of 100-120 million dollars per aircraft), offers capabilities far beyond that of ordinary cargo aircraft, including vertical take off abilities, supersonic speed, radar and infrared stealth capabilities, as well it's raw payload, capable of transporting 35 tons, enough to carry a full sized APC or light tank. The speed of the average helicopter is around 160-200 mph, while the speed of the V-22 is approximately 300-400 mph, while in comparison the speed MV-64 is capable of cruise speeds of over 600 mph, and a maximum speed of 1500 mph, nearly 3-6 times faster than a helicopter. The payload capacity of helicopters typically varies between 5-20 tons, and is approximately 17.5 tons for the V-22, while it is 35 tons, or nearly double that, for the MV-64 allowing it to carry full sized APC's. It's stealth capabilities due to a lack of rotors is much higher, and it's higher altitude helps makes it harder to target and hit with antiaircraft weapons (up to 60,000 feet, in comparison to 20,000 to 40,000 feet for other VTOL aircraft). Finally, the vehicle possesses the same vertical landing and take off abilities, while being larger, faster, and more powerful. In extreme cases, the vehicle can travel up to 1200-1500 mph, delivering up to an entire platoon of soldiers 6 times faster than a helicopter would, and giving extremely fast response capabilities. If placed at the center of a warzone, such as in Afghanistan or Iraq, it can reach the edges of the country in a less than an hour, providing immediate medical aid, reinforcements, evacuation, or firepower in short periods of time.
The vehicle's construction is similar to the F-35, although the vehicle has superior aerodynamic performance at low altitude, as it uses a
tandem wing design to increase aerodynamic drag in flight, similar to the Scaled Proteus, as well as a longer wing span. The vehicle is designed to take advantage of it's lower subsonic flight speeds, which is done in part by using a longer wingspan than it's predecessor. Flying at low velocities inherently decreases aerodynamic drag and thus increases fuel efficiency, which is in part how it possesses superior fuel efficiency than a standard F-35 despite being much larger. The engines allow for vertical take-off, and generate sufficient thrust to lift off without the need for a runway, allowing the aircraft to be deployed in a manner similar to a helicopter, but with significantly greater payload. Typically between 60-94 soldiers are deployed in the aircraft, although less can be carried when used with vehicles.
The F-35 program's maintenance concept is to allow any F-35 to be maintained in any F-35 maintenance facility, and that all F-35 parts in all bases will be globally tracked and shared as needed. The commonality between the different variants has allowed the USMC to create their first aircraft maintenance Field Training Detachment to directly apply the lessons of the USAF to their F-35 maintenance operations. The aircraft has been designed for ease of maintenance, with 95% of all field replaceable parts "one deep" where nothing else has to be removed to get to the part in question. For instance the ejection seat can be replaced without removing the canopy, the use of low-maintenance electro-hydrostatic actuators instead of hydraulic systems and an all-composite skin without the fragile coatings found on earlier stealth aircraft. The F-35 Joint Program Office has stated that the aircraft has received good reviews from pilots and maintainers, suggesting it is performing better than its predecessors did at a similar stage of development, and that the stealth type has proved relatively stable from a maintenance standpoint. This reported improvement is attributed to better maintenance training, as F-35 maintainers have received far more extensive instruction at this early stage of the program than on the F-22 Raptor. The F-35's stealth coatings are much easier to work with than those used on the Raptor. Cure times for coating repairs are lower and many of the fasteners and access panels are not coated, further reducing the workload for maintenance crews. Some of the F-35's radar-absorbent materials are baked into the jet's composite skin, which means its stealthy signature is not easily degraded. As the MV-64 is based on the F-35, naturally it shares in these features, and thus this reduces maintenance times and costs in a similiar function.
The engines are placed closer to the wings, rather than in the middle of the aircraft, as in the F-35. Due to the position of the turbines, being close to the body of the vehicle, the frame can take the stress of the turbines. The exact rate of climb is classified, but it is roughly equal to the F-35. Unlike the F-35, this vehicle is intended to be a sub-sonic aircraft, which reduces fuel consumption drastically, both due to reduced aerodynamic drag and lowered speed. However, as it much heavier, and suffers somewhat as a result of a less aerodynamic design, it only has roughly twice the range and capabilities of a standard F35C. The vehicle suffers somewhat aerodynamically as a result of it's size, but due to it's design and the tandem wing design is slightly more efficient than the F-35. The vehicle uses gyro stabilization software and hardware similar to that on the V-22 and other similar vehicles, giving it performance more akin to a helicopter than to jet aircraft despite the high speed. The thrust vectors are semi-flexible and can vent the exhaust in a variety of directions, giving it a degree of
super maneuverability, which assists dramatically in being able to land. As well, the two engines can work against each other to provide additional stabilization, giving it a slightly easier time taking off and landing.
Despite the similarities with the F-35, the average vehicle has a larger radar cross section, lacks sophisticated anti-air targeting systems, and does not require as much agility and precision as the F-35 to operate. As a result, the aircraft is substantially cheaper, as it is optimized for low speed, high payload performance. However, due to it's size and the complicated nture of the engine, it is around the same cost, at 100-120 million dollars per aircraft. While expensive, particularly compared to aircraft in the same field of operation, it's payload by comparison is significantly larger, and far outclass equivalent aircraft, such as the
V-22 or
Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion, with similar price ranges. The vehicle's payload capacity is similar to the C-130 Hercules, as it's role, as the C-130 is known for landing in to difficult terrain that is not accessible by ordinary aircraft, and the purpose of the VTOL aircraft is to do the same. The vehicle, in it's standard condition, can carry 60-90 soldiers, dependent on configuration, or can carry a single heavy APC or light tank, at around 30-35 tons. With an alternate, lightly armored, extended cargo bay, the vehicle can carry a total of 138 standing soldiers, in a roughly roughly 24 feet across by 70 feet long cargo bay, resulting in a configuration of 6 x 23 soldiers. Without this, the vehicle can only carry 48 standing/sitting soldiers, or a total of 16 sitting soldiers (8 on each side).
The armor on the vehicle is significantly greater than the F-35, and roughly equivalent to the Apache Helicopter. The size of the cargo bay varies, but can add substantial weight due to it's need for being armored depending on the configuration. Much of the weight is taken up by the armor, which on the outside is similar to the Apache AH-64 helicopter, and can stop rounds up to 14.5mm x 114mm rounds. The pilots of the vehicle are fully shielding from such rounds, in addition, and also have additional protection via a titanium tub similar to the A-10 warthog. The vehicle utilizes the same
AGM-114 millimeter wave (MMW) radar seeker, as on the Apache, and so it can engage just as many targets in that respect, and can operate the same weapon systems as the Apache (4 missile pods, 16 hellfire, 4 pods of hydra etc.). Also, like the apace, it can be outfitted with a 30mm M230 cannon. Unlike the Apache, this can be replaced by the 40mm bofors chaingun or twin Bk-27 revolver cannons, and it sports an additional two GAU-19 .50 caliber miniguns with 2000 rounds each. In this way each aircraft is essentially a gunship as well as a cargo aircraft, and has substantially better transportation capabilities, but given the limitations of armor and maneuverability it is primarily used to assist other dedicated gunships.
EnginesThe vehicle is similar to the F-22, in that it possess two modern aircraft engines; however, the vehicle possess two F-35 engines, which are more powerful and capable of vertical take off and landing. The vehicle uses two
F-135 engines, over the Pratt & Whitney
F119 engines for the F-22. The F-119 produces 35,000 lbf (160 kN) of thrust, while the F135 produces 40,000 lbf (180 kN) of thrust. However, the engines are designed for reliability over performance. The aircraft is only designed to travel at 600 mph, compared to 1200 mph, which increases it's range considerably, as faster speeds means significantly more fuel consumption. Despite this, the vehicle is roughly twice the weight of a standard F-35, at over 140,000 pounds, compared to 50-70,000 pounds. Thus the vehicle has a shortened range as a result of the increased weight, comparatively to the F-35. At half the speed, the vehicle should theoretically have 4 times the range; at double the weight, the vehicle should have roughly 2 times the range if possessing the same amount of fuel as a standard F-35. Given it's slower speed, it's aerodynamic drag is slightly less than a typical F-35 or F-22; however, this leads to largely insignificant gains due the generally poorer aerodynamics of the vehicle in comparison.
The engine, by itself however, is perhaps the single most powerful fighter aircraft engine to date, and also allows for VTOL capabilities, giving the unique ability to land without the need for a runway, in a similar manner to a helicopter, while possessing an incredibly long range and drastically increased speed, as well as carry weight.
Carrying CapacityThe engines are close to the wings, but still within the primary frame of the vehicle. They stick below the craft, to make sure the force is directed downwards, with the vertical take off and landing units to the side, on the wings. The aircraft has multiple hard points for weapon attachment or extra fuel pods, although typically the craft cannot carry as many weapons as a standard F-35 or F-22. It also possess an internal bomb bay, that can also be used to store extra fuel or ammunition for the main gun. There are 6 hardpoints on the wing, and 12 in the internal bomb bay, giving it the ability to carry an assortment of 18 different weapons, including anti-aircraft weapons, AGM-114 hellfire missiles, and JDAM bombs. Because the aircraft is designed for long ranges, it typically tends to fly at less than half the speed of a regular F-35, despite both engines allowing the craft to match the speed of an F-35, at it's empty weight (the aircraft being twice as heavy, but possessing twice as many engines). This reduced speed allows the aircraft to travel considerably more efficiently than a standard F-35 (about twice as much, travelling half the speed), but due it's substantially increased weight, causes it to possess around the same range. The fuel alone weighs some 13 tons with 3800 gallons, or 20.4 tons with 6000 gallons, which significant limits the cargo the aircraft can carry. This makes up a considerable part of the weight of the aircraft, nearly a third or more, which is already substantially heavier than an F-35, due to it's increase in size and armor.
Flight control CharacteristicsDual flight mechanics software allows for the use of both engines at the same time to land; this process is largely automatic, and the plane will use an array of sensory data to attempt to land in the most ideal manner possible; still, it is possible for a pilot to manually effect landing, although this is smoothed out, much as in the F-22, which flight prediction software. It is possible to pilot the aircraft without even having a pilot, and landing and take off are largely automated to avoid pilot error.
This is somewhat similar to the V-22, which needs advanced flight control software to balance to the two wings. Since the engine turbofans are present on the wings, this is somewhat more similar to how the V-22 operates, however, these are closer to the body of the aircraft than in the V-22. The enhanced range and speed over the V-22 are significant and notable, as well as the carry payload. These advanced software and hardware are required due to increased complexity and danger of flying the aircraft, and due to it's hybrid role possess a mixture of both forms of electronics.
ElectronicsThe vehicle utilizes the
AGM-114 millimeter wave (MMW) radar seeker, similar to the tracking system in the Apache Helicopter, allowing the vehicle to identify and engage targets with the AGM-114 missile and other weapons.The vehicles shares similar electronic capabilities with the F-22, although some features are lacking or dumbed down. The F-22 has a threat detection and identification capability comparative with the RC-135 Rivet Joint. The F-22's stealth allows it to safely operate far closer to the battlefield, compensating for the reduced capability. The F-22 is capable of functioning as a "mini-AWACS", however the radar is less powerful than dedicated platforms such as the E-3 Sentry. Because of it's shape and purpose, most MV-62's do not possess stealth capabilities, however a limited number intended for special forces or search and recovery teams do possess stealth capabilities, at a significantly greater cost. Being subsonic, the vehicle already possesses a number of innate stealth capabilities, and with the design basis of the F-35 and F-22, various radar, infrared, and noise counter measures are already designed into the aircraft. The vehicle also can be used to scan for mines or IED's, which prepares the soldiers for landing beforehand, and is used in tandem with more sophisticated systems, such as drones.
