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Aviation History
1983
1983 - 0040.PDF
DEFENCE Fulcrum: is this the MiG-29? The MiG-29 Fulcrum, when it enters service in the mid- 1980s, is expected to bear closer resemblance to its MiG-25 Foxbat stablemate than to any Western fighter. Similar in size to the MiG-23 Flogger, Fulcrum lies between the F-16 and F-18 in terms of take-off weight. The artist's impression and general arrangement drawing published here are based on strong evidence, but are still highly speculative. The gen eral layout is correct, how ever. Early impressions showed Fulcrum to resemble the F-18, but later information suggests that the aircraft is more con ventional in appearance, with F-15-style side inlets, a large, moderately swept wing with modest leading-edge root ex tensions (Lerx), and a tradi tional Soviet low-profile cockpit canopy. All-round visibility is essential in one-v-many air combat, but Soviet pilots can expect numerical superiority to be on their side, and the significant drag penalty of an F-15-type teardrop canopy might not be justifiable. This is borne out by the high maximum speed attrib uted to Fulcrum, Mach 2-8 according to some Western observers. In recent years less emphasis has been placed on maximum speed, with West ern designers preferring to pursue low weight and sim plicity. The Soviet Union, however, has maintained its requirement for dash speeds in excess of Mach 2. - ^ \ <^r Ay*» si^*^ m I ==3^^***'^ ¥SW^ sf- r?s^ l#k -»•»; *\ r\ j^3S^^HK# ir^l^^ 1 I Assuming Fulcrum has a take-off weight loaded of at least 35,0001b (heavier than the MiG-23, but lighter than the F-18), an installed thrust of some 35,0001b is required to match the thrust-to-weight ratios of current Western fighters. Output of the MiG-23's R29B turbofan is about 27,5001b. Growth to 35,0001b is a tall order, and it is not surprising that a twin-engine solution has been adopted. Given the high maximum speed and current Western trends, the MiG-29's engines are probably a pair of new afterburning turbojets, sacri ficing fuel efficiency for better high-altitude, high-speed per formance. The large, fixed-geometry wing provides loadings similar to those of current Western fighters. Useable lift is increased by the leading- edge root extensions. Lerx have already appeared on the MiG-27 Flogger J. Guessing the systems content of Fulcrum is more difficult. Indications are that Soviet flight-control tech nology has advanced far enough to reduce inherent stability by some degree; wit ness the reduction in fin fillet area between the Flogger B and G fighter variants. The radar will be a pulse- Doppler unit with a look- down capability into ground clutter. The MiG-23 already has limited look-down per formance equivalent to that of some F-4 variants, but the MiG-25M Foxhound is the first Soviet look-down/shoot- down weapon system, based on an F-14-type radar and the AA-9 semi-active radar- homing missile. In addition to a cannon, Fulcrum is likely to carry AA-7 Apex medium-range and AA-8 Aphid short-range missiles. If AA-9 is any bigger than Apex, it may be too draggy for Fulcrum, requiring development of a smaller look- down/shoot-down weapon. The MiG-23 and -27 are ex pected to continue in pro duction alongside Fulcrum. Manufacture of the MiG-21, which still continues, may be phased out, however, and Ful crum is expected to replace the MiG-21 as the primary Soviet home-defence air- superiority fighter. Japan pays premium for co-production Japan's locally produced F- 15s cost $48 million each in' 1982, compared with the $29 million unit price which would have applied under US foreign military sales (FMS) arrangements. Pentagon FMS officials told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the excess cost of produc ing 27 F-15s in Japan is $513 million—roughly half of the country's defence budget in crease for 1982. Similar price increases re sulted from licence- production of P-3Cs and Improved Hawk surface-to- air missiles. P-3C unit cost was $30 million, compared with an FMS figure of $24 million, and the missiles cost $225,000 each, compared with $150,000. One Pentagon source says that the Japanese F-15 sale is worth $1,900 million and 40,000 man-years of labour to the USA. So America does not refuse Japan's requests for co- production deals, otherwise suppliers such as France could step in, or Japan could try to develop its own, com peting systems. Anti-satellite F-15 missile costs rise WASHINGTON D.C. ~ The US Air Force has sus tained a $100 million rise in the estimated cost of the F-15-launched anti-satellite missile. The Service tells Congress that it anticipates no more in creases, and will spread the total cost over a period of, years to avoid affecting other programmes financially. The : prototype miniature air- launched system (Pmals) has already exceeded $1,000 mil- '• lion, including $726 million ( from 1981 to 1984 fiscal years. The FY84 request is for $179 s million. The USAF refuses to say when the system's first flight- - test will take place. It was, originally scheduled for the summer of 1980. i FLIGHT International, 8 January1 198$
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