- Yes
- No
Hey guys today I’ll be suggesting the F-CK-1C Goshawk/“Hsiang Sheng” fighter prototype.
History
After the successful completion of the F-CK-1 A/B fighters in 1999 the Taiwanese ministry of national defense started to look for new ways to improve it. In 2001 the “Hsiang Sheng” plan was put into effect and had three main phases:
- Increase the amount of TC-2 missiles from 2 to 4 and be able to install the new TC-2A anti-radiation missile and Wan Chien cruise missile.
- Upgrade mission computers, ECM’s, electronic warfare systems, Active Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) system, and terrain following radar.
- Ground and air flight tests
Along with the goals of the first two phases, plans for increased fuel capacity, strengthened landing gears, improved engines, and stealth technology were also in research and development.
The first single seat fighter prototype 10005 was completed in 2006 and the two seat fighter 10006 was launched in 2007. They were named F-CK-1C and D respectively. The aircraft had the improved armament mounting capabilities and improved avionics along with conformal fuel tanks for extra range. The improved engine and stealth technology plans however were apparently dropped. The plans to fully upgrade the F-CK-1A/B fleet to C/D had some trouble however as the Taiwanese government questioned why not all of the upgrades planned were not implemented into the project. As a result the only F-CK-1C/D fighters with most of the improvements planned were the two prototypes. The F-CK-1A/B fleet would be upgraded however but with some features from the Hsiang Sheng project removed. This project became known as the “Hsiang Chan” project and the fighters upgraded would be known as F-CK-1A/B MLU (though confusingly they are also sometimes referred to as C/D fighters, even by the AIDC). The two prototype fighters would be subsequently sent back and be reverted back to the original F-CK-1 fuselage as they were slightly different to accommodate the conformal fuel tanks. They subsequently became F-CK-1A/B MLU fighters as a result of this reversal.
Improvements of the F-CK-1 C/D Hsiang Sheng (ripped from Wikipedia):
Spoiler
Cockpit interface:
- A new Integrated color display system (ICDS) was introduced with the follow main components:
- A scanning/VECTOR HEAD-UP DISPLAY (Raster/Storke HUD)
- 3 large color LCD multi-function displays (CMFD)
- Color cockpit photography system (CCTVS)
- New integrated face-up control/input panel (UFCP)
- The 6 sets of engine monitoring instruments originally below the right panel have been updated to the electronic engine display system (EEDS).
- Backup Electronic Flight Instrument (STBY EFIS)
Improved computer:
- The BAE Systems 32-bit flight control computer replaced the old 16-bit 1750 standard flight control system from Astronics. The new computer has a new fly by wire control mode and more processing power.
Core Avionics system update:
- New color display processors, updated operational flight program and expanded the bus structure to 3 sets of 1553B military bus with reserve surpluses for upgrading to 4 sets of 1553B military bus.
Communication/Navigation/Emmy Identification System Update (CNI):
- New set of inertial navigation system(GPS/INS), two sets of AN/ARC-210UHF/VHF radios, and Improved APX-113(V) AIFF advanced enemy identification system
GD53 fire control radar update:
- The 5-piece LRU of GD-53 has been changed to a 3-piece LRU architecture (AN/APG-67(V4) Republic of China version).
- The old radar target processor, radar data computer, control/power supply, etc., have been replaced by a new radar data processor (RDP).
New operation mode of Xiangsheng’s GD-53 radio control radar:
- Combined radar mode (CRM)
- Track the target blind spot indicator (NOTCH Zone Indicator)
- Scan and Track Mode (TWS) Automatic Scan Adjustment
- Search target absolute height and speed vector display, Add flight trajectory recorder and fault diagnosis system
Electronic countermeasure function (ECCM) enhancement of GD-53 fire control radar (made by Han Xiang):
- Interference Source Detection (DOJ)
- Interference Source Tracking (TOJ)
There are four typical passive rangings:
- Angular velocity ranging
- Triangular ranging
- Signal strength ranging
- Third-party data
- Silence mode (Sniff)
Other ECCM functions:
- Rapid Relock
- Single receive beam (LORD)
- Pulse edge distance (LET)
- Single receive conical scanning (COSRO)
Flight control performance and range improvements:
Flight control software
With the new flight control computer, AIDC has rewritten the flight control software in C language to improve the low-altitude automatic flying ability of fighters.
- Take-off and landing performance improvement
- Nose wheel lifting speed improved
- Improved the crosswind capacity of the fighter to 56km/h
- Improved the angle of attack and shortened the runway distance
- The entry speed of the aircraft is reduced by 18.5km/h
- The landing distance is reduced by 10%
- Replaced the digital brake system
Cockpit changes:
Spoiler
https://i.imgur.com/BvH89Un.jpg
F-CK-1A cockpit
https://i.imgur.com/eUsbkFS.jpg
F-CK-1C cockpit
Conformal fuel tank (CFT)
The installation position of the two CFTs mounted by the Eagle is near the back of the fuselage. The total fuel carrying capacity of the two CFTs is 1,200lb (545kg, only 40% of F-16 Block50/52 CFT), which increases the range by an average of 20%.
Specifications:
Length: 14.48 m
Wingspan: 8.53 m
Height: 4.7 m
Wing area: 24.26 square meters
Empty weight: 6,492 kg
Load weight (max): 4,000 kg
Normal take off weight: 9,072 kg
Maximum take off weight: 12,530 kg
Engine: TFE-1042-70A (Honeywell F125-GA-100) turbofan engine x 2
Thrust: 54 kN, 12,200 lbs of thrust (total)
Maximum Afterburner thrust: 84 kN, 18,900 lbs of thrust (total)
Maximum fuel consumption: 2,111kg (2,656 kg with conformal fuel tanks (F-CK-1 C))
Performance:
Maximum speed: (Mach 1.8) 2,205 km/h (1,123 nautical miles, 1,372 mph)
Service Ceiling: 16,760 meters (54,986 feet)
Range: 1100 km (680 mi, 590 nmi)
Thrust to weight ratio: 1.01
Maximum overload: +9G to -3G
Armaments:
1 x M61A2 Vulcan
Air to Air missiles:
AIM-9P4
TC-1
TC-2
TC-1 specifications:
Weight: 90 kg
Length: 2.87 m
Width: 67.5 cm
Diameter: 12.7 cm
Warhead: High-explosive fragment warhead
(Active laser proximity fuse) & continuous rod warhead
Warhead: 10.34 kg (2,300 high-explosive pre-shard design, each piece can penetrate 3/8-inch steel plate)
Rocket propeller: low-smoke solid-state propulsion rocket with a maximum thrust of 14,000 pounds.
Speed: Mach 3.5
Range: 8 km
Detection range: 18.5 km
Guidance system: Dual spectral IR guidance, forewing control (Liquid nitrogen cooling indium antimonide infrared marker) (Within an elevation below 40 degrees, below 32G force)
Target detector: laser proximity, proximity fuze, collision fuze.
Tail wing group: with rolling aileron
Flight performance: The engagement time can last up to 1 minute
TC-2 specifications:
Weight: 184 kg
Length: 3.593 meters
Wingspan: 448/621 mm
Diameter: 19 cm
Warhead: 22kg (some sources say 30kg) high-explosion pre-made fragmentation warhead
Engine: Solid rocket propeller
Range: 60 km
Speed: Mach 4
Guidance system:
Mid-stage: Inertial navigation system
End-stage: Active radar homing
Air to ground:
TC-2A
Wan Chien cruise missile
LAU-60
LAU-69
MK 82
MK 82 SE
BDU-50
MK 20 Rockeye
MK 84
BLU-1
SUU-20
Anti-Ship:
2 x Hsiung Feng-2 anti ship missile
Possible but not really used anymore:
AGM-65B
GBU-12
MK 117 750 lb bomb
TC-2A specifications:
Weight: 183 kg
Length: 3.593 meters
Wingspan: 448/621 mm
Diameter: 19 cm
Warhead: HE fragmentation type
Engine: Solid-state propulsion
Range: 60 km (some sources say 100km)
Guiding system: Passive anti-radiation attribution
Passive radar detection distance: about 92 km
Wan Chien 2 specifications:
Length: 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)
Tail width: 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in)
Diameter: 630 mm (24.8 in)
Height: 320 mm (12.6 in)
Weight: 650 kg (1,433 lb)
Range: 129.6 nm (240 km), 400 km (improved version)
Warhead: 350 kg (771 lb) HE , 350 kg (771 lb) HE SAP, 100 sub munitions
Guidance mode: Inertial guidance and GPS
Propulsion: turbojet engine
Others:
TAS/ACMI Exerciser Pod
Smoker
AGTS
275 GL & 150 GL auxiliary fuel tank
Radar:
1× GD-53 X-band pulse doppler
Effective scanning range:
Look up: 57 kilometres (35 mi)
Look down: 39 km (24 mi)
Countermeasures:
Rear RWR (on the top of the tail)
Forward RWR (near LERX on wings)
AN/ALE-47
In game:
In game the F-CK-1 C would be great aircraft for the Chinese tech tree in the future. With the capability to mount a maximum of 4 TC-2 missiles and 2-4 short range AAM’s along with a plethora of air to ground suspended armament the improved F-CK’s would be a formidable aircraft to fly with in air, ground, and possibly naval battles.
More Images:
Spoiler
https://i.imgur.com/xBXZBOv.jpg
F-CK-1D in the foreground and F-CK-1C in the background with conformal fuel tanks
https://i.imgur.com/jTksrel.jpg
Backside shot of the F-CK-1C/D with conformal fuel tanks
https://i.imgur.com/FqR74S2.jpg
F-CK-1C 10005
https://i.imgur.com/jaN7NTY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/bpfoguj.jpg
Conformal Fuel Tanks closer view
Sources:
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-CK-1經國號戰鬥機#漢翔各年度F-CK-1A/B/C/D戰機交機數量
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/天劍二型飛彈
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/萬劍機場聯合遙攻武器
https://home.gamer.com.tw/creationDetail.php?sn=2703733
https://home.gamer.com.tw/creationDetail.php?sn=3764029
https://home.gamer.com.tw/creationDetail.php?sn=3567392
https://home.gamer.com.tw/creationDetail.php?sn=2687767
https://home.gamer.com.tw/creationDetail.php?sn=2687767
http://taiwanairpower.org/blog/?p=3259
http://taiwanairpower.org/blog/?p=232
https://forum.gamer.com.tw/Co.php?bsn=60076&sn=32321611
https://www.shs.edu.tw/works/essay/2009/03/2009033108575588.pdf