Russian aviation. Anti-submarine aircraft Anti-submarine aircraft
Anti-submarine aircraft of the main capitalist states
Colonel P. Ivanov
Anti-submarine aircraft, which are in service with the base patrol (BPA) and carrier-based aviation of the Navy1 of the capitalist states, are one of the important means of detecting, tracking and destroying not only submarines, but also surface ships (ships) of the enemy. The most significant forces of the BPA (in quantitative and qualitative terms) are concentrated in the USA, Japan, Great Britain and France. In addition, the United States and France have not only basic patrol aircraft (BPS), but also carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft, which are in service with aircraft carrier aviation. Below is a brief description of anti-submarine aircraft of the listed countries, and their main performance characteristics are shown in the table.
Basic patrol aircraft R-3 "Orion"(Fig. 1), developed by the Lockheed firm, has three main options: P-3A, B and C. The prototype P-3A took off for the first time back in 1958. A total of 157 of these machines were built. To search for submarines (PL), they were equipped with hydroacoustic buoys (RSB) systems "Julie" (active) and "Jezebel" (passive), a magnetic detector, radar and gas analyzer. As a weapon, the aircraft could carry torpedoes, depth charges, Bullpup missiles and 127 mm NAR.
The second version of the BPS (R-3V), developed in the period 1963-1965, differs from the R-3A mainly in more powerful and economical engines. This made it possible to increase the cruising flight speed and the duration of the patrol with two engines running (up to 8 hours at a distance of 1850 km). The range of the R-3V has also increased and amounted to about 4,000 km. In total, according to foreign press data, 144 such machines were built.
Currently, the R-3A and B aircraft remain in reserve units, and the main one is the R-3S, which began to enter service in 1969. In addition, R-3 Orion aircraft of various modifications were exported to a number of countries of the world: 20 R-3C - Australia, six - Iran, 13 - The Netherlands, six R-3K - New Zealand, 11 (R-3V and C ) - Norway, six P-3Rs - Portugal, seven P-3A - Spain. In addition, R-3S are manufactured in Japan (see color insert) under an American license (in total, it is planned to build about 100 aircraft2, partially equipped with nationally produced equipment), and 18 modified BPSs, designated SR-140 "Aurora", were delivered to Canada early 80s.
| Flight performance of the main anti-submarine aircraft | ||||||
| Aircraft name (country- developer), year of adoption |
Crew, people | Max. takeoff weight (empty), t | Max. speed, km / h (at height, m) | Ferry range (radius of action1), km | Dimensions: length x height x wingspan, m | Armament or useful mass, kg) |
| number of engines x thrust. kgf (or power, l. from.) | practical ceiling, m | patrol time, h (at a distance, km) | wing area, m2 | |||
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Basic patrol aircraft |
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| R-7A (USA) 2 1995 | * | 77,7(*) | *(*) | *(*) | 34.3x10x32.4 | PNR "Harpoon", torpedoes, mines, bombs, 150-300 RSL (12 860, including 3400 excluding external hardpoints) |
| 4 x (5150) | 10 670 | 4 (3500) or 6 (3000) | 133,5 | |||
| P-3C Orion (USA), 19693 | 10-12 | 64,4 (27,9) | 760 (4600) | 7600 (3100-4000) | 35.6x10.3x30.4 | 8 anti-ship missiles "Harpoon", torpedoes, bombs, mines. NAR. 87 RSL (9000) |
| 4 x (4910) | 8600 | 3 (2500) | 120 | |||
| Nimrod MR.2 (UK). 1979 | 12 | 87 (39) | 920 (10 000) | 9000 (*) | 38.6x9x35 | RCC "Harpoon", torpedoes, depth charges. UR AS.12 (6100) |
| 4 x 5500 | 12 800 | *(*) | 197 | |||
| Breguet 1150 "Atlantic" (France, Germany, Italy), 1965 | 12 | 43,5 (24) | 660 (6000) | 8000 (1000-3600) | 31.8x11.3x36.3 | Torpedoes, depth charges, RCC "Exocet" and UR AS.12 (5500) |
| 2 x (6100) | 9100 | *(*) | 120,3 | |||
| "Atlantic-2" (France, Germany, Italy), 1989 | 12 | 46,2 (26,5) | 590 (0) | 9070 (up to 3650) | 31.6x10.9x37.4 | 3 Torpedoes, bombs, anti-ship missiles AM-39 "Exocet" (3000) |
| 2 x (6100) | 9100 | 8(1100) | 120 | |||
| P-2.J 4 (Japan). 1969 | 12 | 34(19,3) | 400 (*) | 4500 (2200) | 29.2x8.9x30.9 | Torpedoes, depth charges, mines. NAR (3600) |
| 2x1550 and 2x (3060) | 9150 | (*) | 92,2 | |||
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Deck anti-submarine aircraft |
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| S-2E "Trekker" (USA), 1962 | 4 | 13,2 (8,5) | 430 (0) | 1600 (370) | 13.3x5.1x22.1 | Torpedoes, depth charges, NAR, 32 RSL (2200) |
| 2 x (1525) | 6400 | 6(*) | 46,1 | |||
| S-3A "Viking" (USA), 1974 | 4 | 23.8 (12) | 830 (0) | 5500 (850 - *) | 16.3x6.9x20.9 | Torpedoes, bombs, mines, NAR (4500) |
| 4 x 4080 | 10 700 | * (*) | 55,6 | |||
| "Alize" (France), 1959 | 3 | 8,2 (5,7) | 470 (3000) | *(600) | 13.7x5x15.6 | Torpedoes, bombs, UR AS.I2, NAR (980) |
| 1 x (1975) | 6250 | *(*) | 36 | |||
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1 Depending on the combat load and flight profile. 2 LRAACA project. 3 In the Canadian Armed Forces, this aircraft is designated the CP-140 Aurora. 4 Developed by Kawasaki on the basis of the American P-2V7 Neptune aircraft. |
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The armament of the P-3C aircraft is located in a compartment (2x0.8x3.9 m) and on ten external hardpoints. Loading options (in the fuselage armament compartment): one Mk25, 39, 55 or 56 mine (2000 lb. caliber); three Mk36 or 52 mines (1000 lbs); three Mk57 depth charges; eight Mk54 bombs; four torpedoes Mk44 or 46 (with a total mass of 3200 kg). Mines, torpedoes, NAR, Bullpup missile launchers and Harpoon anti-ship missiles can be suspended on the outer nodes. The aircraft is equipped with naval markers, two bathythermographic buoys and parachute-dropped lighting bombs.
Throughout the entire period of operation of the P-3C, their onboard radio electronic equipment (REO) was constantly improved. First there was the first modification (Update-I), then the second (Update-II), and after that the third (Update-Ill). The P-3C aircraft with equipment of the third modification entered service in 1984.
At present, the program of testing a new electronic equipment of the fourth modification (Update-IV) is being completed, which, according to Western experts, will have 5 times greater capabilities for detecting modern low-noise submarines. In particular, it is believed that its capabilities for processing data from hydroacoustic means will increase by 2.5 times, the storage capacity of the signal processing computer will increase by 8 times, the storage capacity of the computer for controlling display facilities will increase by 30 times, and the average time will increase by 5 times. MTBF. As a result, as reported by the foreign press, the probability of a successful solution to the problems facing the P-3C aircraft may increase to 0.97.
| Figure: 1. Silhouettes of the plane R-3C "Orion" |
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| Fig, 2. Silhouettes of the S-3A "Viking" |
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| Figure: 3. Silhouettes of the S-2E "Trekker" aircraft |
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| Figure: 4. Silhouettes of the plane "Nimrod" MR. 2 |
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| Rees, 5, Atlantic Plane Silhouettes |
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| Figure: 6. Basic patrol aircraft "Atlantic-2" |
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| Figure: 7. Silhouettes of the aircraft "Alize" |
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| Figure: 8. Silhouettes of the plane P-2J |
Update-IV is being developed by Boeing under a $ 244 million contract with the Navy in July 1987. The firm should deliver its experimental set in the middle of this year, and after a year or a year and a half, begin installing new equipment on existing aircraft (in total, it is planned to purchase at least 80 sets). In addition, similar equipment is planned to be installed on the promising base patrol aircraft P-7A, developed by Lockheed under the LRAACA (Long Range Air Antisubmarine Warfare Capability Aircraft) 3 program. It includes:
Data distribution system based on a significant number of "Motorolla" microcomputers, assembled on large and super-large integrated circuits. It is believed that the use of such computers will make it possible to cross-correlate data from various detection means, which will ensure greater reliability of tracking the identified target.
AN / UYS-2 computer for processing signals from the RSL, which can process signals simultaneously from 54 Difar buoys, coming through the AN / ARR-76 receiver, and from the new AN / SSQ-75 RSL. The high-performance buoy signal recording system will allow data recording at a speed of 30 Mb / s for 7.4 hours.
AN / APS-137 radar with an inverted synthetic aperture antenna, which allows detecting and identifying surface ships at significant distances and providing target designation for the Harpoon anti-ship missile system.
Forward-looking infrared station AN / AAS-36.
- Equipment for electronic intelligence AN / ALR-66 (V) 5, satellite communications, satellite navigation system NAVSTAR, radio navigation system "Omega".
Standard inertial navigation system.
Basic patrol aircraft SR-140 "Aurora" in fact, it is a modification of the P-3C Orion, created by Lockheed in the late 70s by order of Canada. Structurally (airframe, power plant, main systems) it is similar to its prototype. The main differences lie in the layout of the operator's compartment and the assembly of radio-electronic equipment, partly consisting of electronic equipment elements of the P-3C and S-3A Viking aircraft, as well as new systems.
The crew of the aircraft is 11 people: two pilots, a flight engineer, six operators of onboard systems and two observers.
The basis of the radio-electronic equipment of the CP-140 aircraft is the AN / AYK-10 central computer with a storage capacity of 65,500 words (it is possible to increase it by another 127,000 words). The search equipment includes the AN / APS-116 radar, the OR-89 / AA forward-looking IR station, the ASQ-501 magnetic detector and up to 100 RSL of the Lafar and Difar systems (with the OL-82 signal processing process). The onboard equipment also includes the LN-33 inertial navigation system, the APN-208 Doppler radar, the Omega and Takan radio navigation systems, as well as instrument identification and landing, the AN / ALR-47 electronic reconnaissance station, KB and VHF radio communications, radio altimeter. An aerial camera (AFA) KA-107 can also be installed on the BPS, which will be used both day and night (when the target is illuminated from an aircraft).
The armament of the BPS is located in the bomb bay (maximum load 2180 kg) and on ten underwing hardpoints with a design load of 280 to 1100 kg. The armament may include anti-ship missiles "Harpoon", torpedoes, depth charges and mines.
A total of 18 CP-140 - "Aurora" aircraft were delivered to the Canadian Air Force in 1981-1982.
Deck anti-submarine aircraft S-3A "Viking" (Fig. 2), developed by the American firm Lockheed, took off for the first time in January 1972, and serial production (187 aircraft) for the US Navy was completed in 1978. The S-3A replaced the outdated S-2 Trekker aircraft.
The wing of the "Viking" aircraft is trapezoidal, with a sweep along the leading edge of 15 °. For ease of placement on aircraft carriers, its consoles are folded. The power plant consists of two double-circuit turbojet engines TF-34-GE-2 with a thrust of 4080 kgf each. The capacity of the internal fuel tanks is 7190 liters. To increase the flight range under the wing of the aircraft, two suspended dropping fuel tanks of 1140 liters each can be installed.
The aircraft's search equipment is part of the A-NEW combat information and control anti-submarine system (along with flight-navigation and communication equipment, as well as a weapon control subsystem) and includes: AN / APS-116 radar, retractable forward-looking IR station, AN magnetic detector / ASQ-81, up to 60 RSL (systems "Lafar", "Difar", "Kass", "Dykes"), as well as panoramic AFA KV-18A. To process information, all A-NEW components are combined with an AN / AYK-10 computer.
The aircraft's armament is located in the bomb bay (four MkZ6 or Mk53 mines; four Mk46 torpedoes or four Mk82 bombs of 500 pounds; two Mk57 depth charges; four Mk54 depth charges) and on two underwing hardpoints (Mk52, 55 or 56 mines, Mk20 cluster bombs -2, NAR caliber 70 or 127 mm).
In order to increase the combat capabilities of Viking aircraft, the US Navy command signed a contract with Lockheed in 1986 to modernize them by equipping them with sets of more advanced electronic equipment. As reported in the foreign press, an improved radar signal processor is installed on the upgraded aircraft, designated S-3B, which increases its resolution, new equipment for receiving and processing signals from the RSL, radio intelligence and electronic warfare. It is also envisaged that two Harpoon anti-ship missiles can be suspended on the S-3B underwing units. The first set of new electronic equipment (of 22 ordered) was installed on the Viking aircraft at the end of 1987. In total, judging by the data of foreign press, about 160 such sets will be required for modernization.
In the longer term, it is possible to replace the S-3B "Viking" with a new aircraft - the SV-22A "Osprey" with rotary engines.
Deck anti-submarine aircraft S-2 "Trekker" (Fig. 3) developed by the American firm "Grumman". The prototype took off for the first time at the end of 1952. During the production period (until 1968), more than 1000 machines of various modifications of this type were built, which were supplied not only for the US Navy aviation, but also for export. The last of them (S-2E) entered service in 1962. In particular, it was reported that 26 such aircraft were delivered to the Netherlands, 40 - Italy, six - Argentina, 12 - Brazil, 60 - Japan, 14 - Australia, 25 - South Korea, 32 - Taiwan, seven - Thailand, 33 - Turkey, 8 - Venezuela, 11 - Peru. In addition, under license from Grumman, about 100 vehicles were built in Canada, where they received the designations CS-2F1 and CS-2F2. In the countries listed above, Trekker aircraft were included mainly in the coastal anti-submarine aviation.
The main aircraft search means for submarines (PL) are RSL systems "Julie" and "Jezebel", a magnetic detector, a gas analyzer, a radar and a searchlight. Its armament is located in the bomb bay (two torpedoes or two depth charges) and on six underwing hardpoints (torpedoes, depth charges, NAR). For ease of placement on the deck of an aircraft carrier, the wing consoles of the aircraft can be folded.
Basic patrol aircraft "Nimrod" created by the British firm Hawker Siddley on the basis of the Comet 4C passenger aircraft. The first version of the BPS ("Nimrod" MR.1) was built in 1968. A total of 46 such machines were delivered to the British Air Force, of which 11 were subsequently re-equipped with AWACS aircraft. The 35 remaining BTSs were upgraded and equipped with more advanced electronic and search equipment, after which they received the designation "Nimrod" M.R.2 (Fig. 4). The conversion program began in 1975, and in 1979 the first Nimrod MR.2 entered the Air Force.
By design, the BPS is a four-engined monoplane with a low wing, the sweep of which along the leading edge is 20 °. Rolls-Royce RB168-20 Spey Mk250 double-circuit engines. The two outboard motors are equipped with thrust reversing devices. The fuel is stored in the fuselage, integral wing and two external wing fuel tanks (total capacity 48,780 liters). To increase the flight range, up to six additional fuel tanks can be installed in the bomb bay.
The aircraft's crew includes 12 people - two pilots, a flight engineer, a navigator, a tactical situation control operator, a radio operator, a radar operator, two hydroacoustic control operators, a magnetic detector and electronic reconnaissance control operator, and two observers.
The onboard equipment of BPS "Nimrod" MR.2 includes:
- search radar "Searchwater" with a digital signal processor FM1600D, designed to detect surface ships and submarines under the periscope, which allows simultaneous tracking of several targets and can operate under conditions of electronic warfare;
- AQS-901 hydroacoustic signal processing system (it is based on digital computers of the 920-ATS type), which can process RSL signals from such systems of capitalist states, K £ to Barra (Australia), Tandem (Canada), Jezebel "," Dikass "," Difar "and" Ranger "(USA) and CAMBS (Great Britain); to receive signals from buoys, the aircraft is equipped with a 96-channel AD130 receiver operating in the frequency range 140-176 MHz;
- magnetic detector located in the tail boom of the aircraft;
- means of electronic intelligence;
- Doppler navigation radar;
- equipment of radio navigation systems "Takan" and "Loran";
- searchlight (luminous intensity 70 million cd), located in front of the right outer wing fuel tank);
- active and passive RSL and their launchers, located in the sealed compartment of the BPS (length 9.14 m).
The armament of the Nimrod MR.2 aircraft is located in an unpressurized bomb bay with a length of 14.78 m. In 1982, during the Anglo-Argentine military conflict over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), 16 Nimrod MR.2 BPS, and then the rest were upgraded, which made it possible to mount the Sidewinder missile air-to-air missile launcher (for self-defense), the Harpoon anti-ship missile system and the Stingray torpedoes on them. In addition, the aircraft were equipped with an in-air refueling system, which made it possible (with an additional pilot and navigator) to increase the duration of their flight to 19 hours.
Basic patrol aircraft Breguet 1150 "Atlantic" (fig. 5) was developed jointly by the firms Daseo-Breguet (Fraction), Dornier and MVV (Germany), Fokker (Netherlands) and Aeritalia (Italy). They also took part in the production of individual elements of the airframe, and the assembly of the BPS was carried out by the company "Dassault Breguet". The prototype aircraft made its first flight in 1961. Serial production began in 1965 and ended in 1774 m. A total of 87 machines were built, of which 40 were delivered to France, 20 to Germany (see color insert), 18 to Italy and nine to the Netherlands.
By design, the aircraft is a cantilever monoplane with a mid-wing. Its power plant consists of two Tyne Mk21 turboprop engines. The total capacity of the internal fuel tanks is 21,000 liters.
The crew of the aircraft is 12 people: two pilots (commander or first pilot, second pilot), tactical situation coordinator (chief operator), navigator, two operators of the RSL system, flight mechanic, radio operator, radar operator, operator of RTR equipment and two observers.
The search equipment of the Atlantic aircraft includes a radar, a magnetic detector located in the tail boom, an RSL system and naval markers.
The main armament of the aircraft, placed in the bomb bay, is standard bombs in service with NATO countries, American or French depth charges, NAR and torpedoes of the Mk44 and / or L4 types. In addition, one air-to-surface missile launcher can be placed on the four underwing suspension assemblies.
The basic patrol aircraft "Atlantic", created to replace the BPS Breguet 1150 "Atlantic" in 1989-1996, should, according to the French military leadership, more effectively solve the problem of combating modern enemy submarines and surface ships. It is developed on the basis of the airframe of its predecessor and differs from the latter in more advanced search equipment, weapon composition and improved anti-corrosion coating. In addition, during its design, new technological and design solutions were used, which made it possible to improve the operational characteristics of the BPS and increase its resource, at least up to 12,000 flight hours.
Development of BPS "Atlantic-2" (Fig. 6) began at the end of 1978, and already in 1981, its prototype (created by modernizing "Atlantic") made its first flight. The second, similarly created sample took off for the first time in 1982. The decision to launch serial production of the new BPS was made in 1984 (actually started in 1988). In total for the French Navy in the period up to 1996 it is planned to build 42 such aircraft with an average production rate of five to six aircraft per year. The production of "Atlantic-2" is also carried out on an international basis with the participation of firms that were involved in the implementation of the program for the construction of the BPS "Atlantic".
Since the "Atlantic" served as the basis for the new aircraft, its aerodynamic layout and power plant remained unchanged. However, the fuel reserve at the Atlantic-2 BPS, located in four integral wing fuel tanks, has been increased and amounts to 23,120 liters. Its crew is 12 people: two pilots, a navigator, a flight engineer, an operator of electronic warfare, RTR and a magnetic detector, a radar operator, a tactical situation coordinator, two operators of hydroacoustic equipment and three observers (one in the nose of the fuselage and two in the tail).
The search equipment of the new aircraft includes:
- Iguana high-resolution forward-looking radar (located on a retractable platform in the lower part of the fuselage in front of the bomb bay), which allows detecting large surface ships at ranges of 275-370 km, and submarines under the RDP - 40-65 km (with a quiet sea);
- a system of hydroacoustic buoys (up to 78 RSL) and marine markers;
- magnetic detector (in the tail boom) with digital signal processing;
- IR forward looking station (under the nose of the aircraft);
- means of electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare;
- aerial cameras;
- gas analyzer.
Signals coming from various detection means are processed using a 125X central computer with a storage capacity of 512 thousand words. The processed data is displayed on the corresponding indicators.
Other radio electronic systems of the aircraft are KB and VHF radio stations, a radio altimeter, a radio compass, two inertial navigation systems, equipment of the NAVSTAR satellite navigation system, an identification system and an instrument landing system.
The main armament of the aircraft, located in the bomb bay, includes: two Exoset anti-ship missiles (AM-39) or eight Mk46 torpedoes; seven Murena torpedoes or nine depth charges of 250 kg; can also be suspended conventional and depth charges, which are in service with NATO countries. One Exocet anti-ship missile (AM-39) and three torpedoes are considered a typical option for loading the bomb bay. In addition, under the wing of the BPS, there are four suspension assemblies for UR, NAR and containers with equipment. The total design load of these nodes is 3500 kg.
The foreign press notes that Atlantic-2 aircraft can be delivered (if ordered) to other countries, first of all to those that previously purchased the Breguet 1150 Atlantic aircraft. It is also reported that Germany has decided to replace the outdated Atlantic aircraft not with a new modification, but with the American R-7A (LRAACA) aircraft being developed.
French carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft Breguet 1050 "Alize" (Fig. 7) was put into service in 1959. In total, 75 of these machines were ordered for the French Navy, of which 30 remain to date (of which nine are training). The search equipment includes a radar with an antenna extending from the fuselage and a limited number of RSL located in the front parts of the wing nacelles of the main landing gear.
The aircraft's armament is located in the bomb bay (one torpedo or up to three bombs of 175 kg caliber) and on two underwing units (one AS-12 missile launcher or three 127 mm NARs). In general, the Breguet 1050 "Alize" aircraft is considered obsolete, since its equipment and armament do not allow for a successful fight against modern submarines.
Basic patrol aircraft P-2J(Fig. 8) was developed by the Japanese company "Kawasaki" on the basis of the American aircraft of a similar purpose P-2V7 "Neptune" and belongs to the outdated models. Its serial production began in 1969. In total, the company built 83 aircraft, the last of which was delivered to the Japanese Navy in 1979. They are currently being replaced by the new R-3S Orion BPS.
By design, the aircraft is a monoplane with a mid-straight wing. A feature of the power plant, which consists of four engines, is that two internal engines of the T64-IHI-10E type are turboprop, and the two external J3-IHI-7D types are turbojets. Fuel is stored in wing fuel tanks with a total capacity of 11,430 liters. The aircraft has a crew of 12, including two pilots and ten onboard systems operators.
The main elements of the search equipment are: AN / APS-80-N radar, HSQ-101 magnetic detector, Julie and Jezebel RSL systems, HSA-116 tactical situation display indicator and a searchlight in front of the container installed at the end of the right wing consoles.
The aircraft armament, located in the bomb bay and on the underwing hardpoints, can include up to 16 depth charges, four torpedoes, mines and NAR calibers 55 and 127 mm4 .
1 In some countries (Great Britain, Canada, Australia and others) basic patrol aircraft are organizationally part of the Air Force. - Ed.
2 For more details, see: Foreign Military Review. - 1989. - No. 12. - P. 61-64. - Ed.
3 For more details see: Foreign Military Review, - 1988. - No. 8. - P. 47 - 52; No. 9 - S. 52-57. - Ed.
4 For more on this, see: Foreign Military Review. - 1988. - No. 9. - C 55 - 56. - Ed.
Foreign military review No. 6 1990 P.53-60
Anti-submarine patrol aircraft are an important element of naval aviation. Vehicles of various types, carrying special search equipment and weapons, must patrol, look for enemy submarines and, if necessary, attack them. The existing grouping of anti-submarine aircraft as part of the Russian naval aviation no longer fully meets the requirements, and therefore the existing equipment is being modernized. Besides, aviation industry is engaged in the creation of new samples.
According to known data, at present the Russian Navy has several units, which are armed with anti-submarine aircraft of a number of types. Thus, the reference book The Military Balance from the International Institute for Strategic Studies for the past year indicates the existence of three squadrons, manned by Il-38 aircraft. Two more squadrons operate Tu-142 machines. Also, one of the units continues to operate several anti-submarine amphibious aircraft of the Be-12 model.
Upgraded Il-38N at the Naval Aviation Air Base
The same handbook gave the following data on the number of Russian anti-submarine aircraft. It was indicated that the fleet was served by 16 Il-38 aircraft and 6 modernized Il-38N. The number of aircraft of the Tu-142 family of various modifications was determined at 22 units. The presence of three Be-12s was also mentioned. In total, according to foreign estimates, at the beginning of last year, Russian anti-submarine aviation had less than fifty aircraft with special equipment and weapons. It should be noted that data from domestic sources indicate a larger number of aircraft - at least 80 units.
A short story about IL-38
According to other sources, the Russian fleet has a large number of Il-38 aircraft. Until recently, naval aviation had about 50-55 of these machines in the basic configuration. A significant part of such machines continues to serve, however, a certain proportion of the aircraft have been modernized and now show higher characteristics, and also have an increased potential in the context of solving combat missions.
It should be noted that the development of the Il-38 aircraft modernization project started back in the eighties of the last century. As part of the project with the code "Novella", some work was carried out, but soon the new anti-submarine complex was left without a future. Due to economic problems, the Russian fleet could not order the construction of new aircraft or the modernization of existing equipment for a promising project.
However, another customer was soon found. The Indian Navy became interested in the modernization of the Il-38. A contract was signed, according to which six Indian aircraft were upgraded to the Il-38SD version (Sea Dragon is the name of the updated complex of onboard equipment).
Only at the end of the 2000s did the Russian military leadership become interested in a new project for modernizing anti-submarine aircraft. This resulted in the appearance of an order for serial modernization of existing aircraft to the state of Il-38N (Novella). By 2015, it was possible to repair and update 5 existing machines, and work continues. The upgraded aircraft are delivered annually.
Earlier it was stated that under the existing order by the end of the decade, naval aviation will have to receive 28 modernized Il-38Ns. AT last years plans have been changed. Now about 30 existing aircraft are expected, but work on such an order will last until 2025. One way or another, in the foreseeable future, a significant proportion of the Il-38 in service will undergo repairs with the restoration of technical readiness, and will also receive new equipment.
The essence of the modernization of the Il-38 aircraft according to the project with the letter "N" is to replace the search and sighting complex "Berkut-38" with a new system "Novella-P-38". The latter includes only modern components, which leads to clear results. According to the developers of the Il-38N project, the new search and sighting system allows to quadruple the performance of the aircraft when searching for submarines. In addition, the main characteristics of the onboard equipment have been improved, which affect the solution of the main tasks.
IL-38 before repair and modernization
A characteristic feature of the Il-38N aircraft is the preservation of anti-submarine capabilities when other functions appear or improve. So, the presence of a radar station with a phased antenna array allows you to search and track surface or air targets. Large surface ships can be seen at a distance of up to 320 km, aircraft up to 90 km. Automation is capable of tracking up to 32 targets simultaneously. It should be noted that the radar station of the Novella-P-38 complex is the most noticeable innovation of the modernized aircraft. Its antennas are housed in a polygonal housing located on the fuselage roof.
After modernization, the aircraft retains the ability to use sonar buoys of different classes and types. Depending on the task at hand, the Il-38N is capable of carrying various torpedoes and anti-submarine bombs, both free-falling and corrected. The total mass of the payload is up to 5 tons.
The IL-38 modernization program continues and is bearing fruit. So, in July last year, the chief of the naval aviation of the Russian Navy, Major General Igor Kozhin, said that by that time 60% of the existing Il-38 fleet had passed the deep modernization procedure.
Anti-submarine "Bears"
An important element of the anti-submarine aviation of the Russian Navy is the aircraft of various modifications of the Tu-142 family. Less than three dozen Tu-142MR and Tu-142M3 modifications remain in operation. Aircraft of these types are equipped with a significant amount of special equipment used in the search for submarines. For these purposes, on-board devices and dropped sonar buoys are used. A characteristic feature of the Tu-142MR aircraft, capable of communicating with its submarines, is an ultra-long-wave radio station with a cable antenna 8600 m long. The long flight range, increased by air refueling, is able to ensure the operation of aircraft at a distance from bases.
In the spring of 2015, the Defense Ministry announced its intentions to repair and modernize the existing Tu-142 family aircraft. It was reported that new project modernization will have to affect mainly the onboard electronic equipment. It was planned to replace the search and targeting complex, modify the navigation equipment and install new weapons control devices.
According to reports from the recent past, aircraft of both modifications, which remain in service, were to be upgraded. It was proposed to mark the updated equipment with an additional letter "M" in the title. Thus, after modernization, the Tu-142MR aircraft were to be called Tu-142MRM, and the Tu-142M3 turned into Tu-142M3M.
Tu-142 at the airport
In mid-2016, some details of the Tu-142MRM project became known. So, in accordance with the order of the command of the Navy, the modernized aircraft were supposed to retain the ability to communicate with submarines, as well as receive new functions. With the help of advanced equipment, it was proposed to provide the ability to transfer data to ballistic missiles of the Bulava submarines, as well as to products of the Caliber family. First of all, these functions were planned to be used to issue target designation to a flying rocket.
It was planned to spend about 4-5 years on repair and modernization of the existing equipment. At the same time, it was about the modernization of the entire aircraft fleet. Thus, by the beginning of the next decade, about 30 Tu-142 aircraft with extended service life and new equipment could be operated in naval aviation. The development of the modernization project was entrusted to several enterprises of the Russian aviation industry. Work with the equipment was entrusted to the TANTK them. G.M. Beriev.
Anti-submarine aircraft of the future
In the middle of last year, the chief of the naval aviation of the fleet, Major General I. Kozhin, spoke about the plans of the military department to develop a group of anti-submarine aircraft. According to existing plans, in the future the fleet will have to receive not only modernized vehicles, but also new types of equipment. Moreover, the development of a promising anti-submarine patrol aircraft has already begun.
Earlier it was argued that the command of the Navy wants to get not just an aircraft with anti-submarine equipment and weapons, but a unified platform. On the basis of such a versatile aircraft, it will be possible to build machines for one purpose or another with a certain specialization. The emergence of such a multipurpose aircraft will make it possible to replace all existing equipment of several types. According to General Kozhin, in many respects, a promising domestic aircraft will surpass foreign equipment of its class.
It is curious that already in July 2017, I. Kozhin spoke not only about the very fact of the development of a new project. The chief of naval aviation also noted that work on the creation of the next generation patrol aircraft is already nearing completion. However, no technical features of such a project, which are of particular interest to specialists and the public, were not specified.
The last time the development of a promising anti-submarine patrol aircraft was mentioned by official sources a few weeks ago. Not so long ago, the United Aircraft Corporation issued a regular issue of the corporate magazine "Horizons". It published new article "Snoopers" of submarines ", dedicated to the current work on updating the Il-38 and further development anti-submarine aviation.
In the context of renewing the fleet of equipment, the magazine again cited the statements of Major General I. Kozhin, made back in July last year. Quoting the commander, the publication "Horizons" did not provide any new information about the project being developed. It recalled the desire of the command to create a unified platform and the expected soon completion of design work. New information, as well as technical details of the project were not published. However, the mere reminder of a promising aircraft caused a certain stir in the relevant circles.
Tu-142 in the air
The timing of the completion of development work and the start of deliveries of serial aircraft of a new type has not yet been specified. If in the middle of last year the aviation industry really completed the development of a new project, then the first prototype of a promising model can take off in the air for several next years - including until the end of the decade. It will take several years to test and fine-tune the project, after which it will be possible to start mass production.
The patrol aircraft of the new type will not be able to go into production until the mid-twenties. It is noteworthy that it is by this time that it is planned to complete the upgrade of most of the existing Il-38. Thus, for a certain time, the promising machine and the new Il-38N will serve together. The replacement of the Il-38N and the modernized Tu-142 will take place only in the distant future.
It is too early to talk about the number of anti-submarine patrol aircraft required. At the moment, naval aviation, according to domestic data, has at least 80-85 similar aircraft of several modifications. To fully replace them, it will be necessary to mass produce new equipment, possibly in comparable quantities. It remains to be seen by what time the aviation industry will be able to transfer such a number of aircraft to the armed forces.
Dark past and bright future
Just a few years ago, the current state of the anti-submarine aviation of the Russian navy raised just concerns. The basis of the grouping of such equipment was made up of Il-38 vehicles, equipped with the outdated Berkut-38 search and sighting complex. The modernization, planned back in the eighties, was not carried out in time, which significantly worsened the potential of anti-submarine defense in general. The situation with Tu-142 aircraft deteriorated mainly due to the gradual reduction in the number of such aircraft.
Fortunately, the Department of Defense was able to find opportunities and resources to upgrade the most important component of the Navy. The Novella project was launched, which provided for a deep modernization of the existing Il-38. A little later, the development of projects for updating aircraft of the Tu-142 family began. Finally, the development of a new aircraft is already underway, which will first supplement and then replace existing aircraft.
Currently, there is a gradual modernization of the anti-submarine aircraft fleet, carried out through the repair and renewal of existing equipment. This approach will be used at least until the mid-twenties. Later, the construction of completely new machines will begin. It cannot be ruled out that for some time the construction of new and the renewal of existing aircraft will go on in parallel. Then all the efforts of the industry will be focused only on the construction of advanced technology.
The events of recent years and plans for the near future clearly show the attitude of the command to the development of anti-submarine aviation. A number of important projects have already been launched, and a list of further works has been determined. Thus, the potential of the Russian group of anti-submarine aircraft will grow every year. After a long period of dubious prospects, a bright future is opening up for this component of naval aviation.
Based on materials:
http://uacrussia.ru/
http://ria.ru/
http://tass.ru/
https://tvzvezda.ru/
http://armstrade.org/
"Snoopers" of submarines // Horizons. United Aircraft Corporation, 2017. No. 4.
At the moment, the basis of Russian patrol and anti-submarine aviation are Il-38 and Tu-142 aircraft. Projects for the repair and modernization of such equipment exist and are being implemented, which make it possible to extend its service life with a noticeable increase in combat potential. At the same time, work is already underway to create a promising anti-submarine aircraft, which in the future will have to replace the existing equipment. Recently, new information about such a project appeared, to some extent complementing the existing picture.
Several days ago, the press service of the Ilyushin Aviation Complex sent out a new press release describing the current work in the field of military aviation. It is argued that currently the aircraft building organization is proactively exploring the possibility of creating a new anti-submarine aircraft. The preliminary study of such a project involves, among other things, the choice of an approach to its development and subsequent construction.
According to the press release, Ilyushin's specialists are considering the possibility of creating a new anti-submarine aircraft based on one of the existing machines of its own design. At the same time, an alternative version of the project is being worked out, it is envisaged to create a completely new air platform that has no direct connection with existing projects.
So far, we are talking only about finding the best ways to develop anti-submarine direction, as well as choosing an approach to design. Most of the technical details of the project have not yet been determined. In addition, there is still no order from the Ministry of Defense, in accordance with which the development of a full-fledged project should begin. As a result, at present it is too early to speak even about the approximate timing of the appearance of a promising aircraft.
However, the current situation in the field of naval aviation still allows the defense industry to work at an optimal pace and without haste. Such a situation will allow to work out and determine the best appearance of the anti-submarine aircraft and - upon receipt of an official order - to establish its construction in a timely manner.
It should be recalled that the renewal of the fleet of anti-submarine aircraft in recent years has repeatedly become the topic of new messages. So, back in the middle of 2015, the command of the naval aviation of the Russian Navy spoke about the planned replacement of some types of equipment in the future. Then it was a question of replacing obsolete Il-20 and Il-38 aircraft with a promising model with the required characteristics and capabilities.
According to reports from 2015, by the beginning of 2016 it was planned to select a new aircraft to equip naval aviation in the future. The next few years were planned to be spent on the development of the necessary projects, as well as on the construction and testing of prototypes. By 2020, a promising platform equipped with one or another equipment for solving various problems was to be commissioned. It was believed that the new aircraft could replace all existing patrol vehicles.
For some time, new reports on the development of patrol anti-submarine aircraft did not appear. Only at the beginning of 2018, the United Aircraft Corporation spoke about some of the current work and the successes achieved. As it turned out, the UAC enterprises at that time were completing work on the creation of a new generation anti-submarine aircraft. In the foreseeable future, an official order from the military department is expected, which will allow the implementation of new stages of an important program.
Let us remind you that at present the basis of the anti-submarine aviation of the navy is the Il-38 and Tu-142 patrol aircraft. These machines are very old and have long ceased to fully meet modern requirements. As a result, repair and modernization works are planned or carried out, thanks to which the existing machines not only improve their condition, but receive new opportunities. Part of the fleet of naval aviation has already been modernized, while other aircraft have yet to receive new equipment.
At the end of the last decade, the industry received an order for the modernization of combat units equipment for the Il-38N Novella project. In the first few years, by 2015, five cars were rebuilt according to this project. Then some more repairs and renovations took place. According to current plans, the modernization of the obsolete IL-38 will continue until the mid-twenties; about 30 planes will pass it. Last summer, Major General Igor Kozhin, Chief of Naval Aviation of the Russian Navy, said that 60% of the existing Il-38s had already been modernized.
Within the framework of the project with the letter "N", the Il-38 aircraft receives a new sighting and search complex Novella-P-38, built on the basis of modern components. A four-fold increase in efficiency in the search for submarines is declared in comparison with the old complex "Berkut-38". Also received some new features and improved a number of characteristics. After modernization, the aircraft retains the ability to carry and use torpedoes or depth charges with a maximum combat load of up to 5 tons.
Several years ago, the military department decided to continue operating the Tu-142 patrol aircraft, for which they had to be modernized. In 2015, official reports appeared about the upcoming repair of such equipment. All Tu-142MR and Tu-142M3 aircraft had to go through the procedures for restoring technical readiness with the simultaneous replacement of equipment. At the same time, they should have received updated designations Tu-142MRM and Tu-142M3M, respectively.
According to known data, projects for the modernization of equipment of the Tu-142 family provided for the use of new communication and control equipment. In particular, it was planned to retain devices for communication with submarines, but at the same time to expand their capabilities. The new equipment was supposed to provide communication with modern ballistic and cruise missiles of the fleet. With the help of this function, it was planned to issue target designations to already launched missiles.
The Tu-142MRM and Tu-142M3M projects do not provide for a radical restructuring of aircraft, and therefore no more than five years were given for their implementation. According to 2015 data, three dozen updated aircraft with new functions could return to service by the end of this decade.
The current modernization projects will be completed in 2020-25 and will keep the existing equipment in service for a long time. Nevertheless, already now the command of naval aviation and industry are planning to replace existing aircraft with a completely new machine. According to the latest reports, work on such a project is ongoing, but the timing of its completion is still unknown. The preliminary study of the aircraft is carried out on an initiative basis, which imposes certain restrictions on it.
A few days ago, the Ilyushin Aviation Complex revealed the approaches under consideration to the creation of new technology. According to official data, the possibility of building an anti-submarine aircraft of the future on one of the existing platforms or developing a completely new machine is being studied. This information does not disclose the details of the project, but it can still become a reason for predictions and estimates.
As has been repeatedly mentioned in the past, one of the main problems of the existing Il-38 and Tu-142 machines lies in moral and physical obsolescence. These aircraft were developed on the basis of existing models and were built in the distant past. So, the basis for the Il-38 was the Il-18 passenger aircraft, and the Tu-142 was developed on the basis of the Tu-95 bomber of one of the old modifications. The newest of these aircraft were built in the early nineties. Very old basic platforms and a significant age of equipment can negatively affect its technical, operational and combat qualities.
An obvious solution to this problem is the transfer of modern equipment from, for example, the Il-38N to a glider of a suitable type. In the recent past, assessments were made about the possibility of creating a promising anti-submarine aircraft based on the passenger Il-114-300. The latter in the current situation can indeed be a good base for a specialized military vehicle. Moreover, as far as is known, the Ilyushin company once studied the possibility of using the Il-114 platform for the construction of a new anti-submarine aircraft.
However, it should be noted that a hypothetical patrol aircraft based on the Il-114, equipped, for example, with the Novella complex, can only replace the aging Il-38. An equivalent replacement for Tu-142 family machines is simply ruled out. Due to the several times lower take-off weight, the Il-114 will not be able to take on board all their equipment and, as a result, will not receive some of the most important capabilities. However, such problems can be partially solved by using modern instrumentation, which differs from obsolete systems in small dimensions and weight with at least comparable performance.
An alternative to using the IL-114 could be the development of a completely new specialized platform. Naturally, this will deprive the project of obvious advantages, but at the same time it will allow designers to do without compromise solutions and get all the desired results. At the same time, unification with other models of technology is not excluded.
The Naval Aviation Command has already mentioned its plans for the distant future. A promising anti-submarine aircraft, which is currently being developed, will eventually become the basis of patrol aviation. In the distant future, even the modernized Il-38N, Tu-142MRM and Tu-142M3M will run out of service and will not be able to continue service. By this time, combat units will have to master the new technology, and its subsequent deliveries will ensure the replacement of decommissioned aircraft.
According to the news of recent months, the Ministry of Defense intends not only to modernize the existing patrol aircraft, but also to build completely new ones. In parallel with the repair and updating of existing machines, a promising model is being developed. This project is still being worked out on an initiative basis and without an official order, but in the near future all required documents... After that, the industry will start full-scale work.
Ongoing projects are being created with a focus on the distant future. The exact timing of the appearance of a promising anti-submarine aircraft has not yet been specified, but, most likely, it will go into production no earlier than the middle of the next decade. Serial aircraft of a new type will not appear soon, but work has already begun on their creation. This means that in the near and distant future, naval aviation will retain the ability to search and destroy modern submarines of a potential enemy.
Based on materials from sites:
http://ilyushin.org/
http://redstar.ru/
https://rg.ru/
http://tass.ru/
https://tvzvezda.ru/
Designed for patrolling sea areas, reconnaissance and destruction of surface ships and submarines.
The Nimrod MR aircraft is based on the Comet 4C passenger airliner, which has been used by the Royal Air Force since 1955 as a military transport aircraft. Work on the modernization of the Kometa 4C aircraft began in 1964, and the first flight of the prototype took place on May 23, 1967.
Structurally, the "Nimrod" MR Mk.1 differed from the base model by a fuselage shortened by 1.98 m with a leaky ventral basket to accommodate search equipment and the presence of a 14.78 m weapons compartment. The wing, tail unit and landing gear remained practically unchanged, except for individual landing gear units that have been reinforced to handle large flight weights. External differences included a large dorsal keel, a container with electronic equipment mounted on top of the keel, a beam for a magnetic detector protruding in the aft fuselage, a searchlight attached to the front wall of the fuel tank, and underwing pylons for air-to-surface missiles.
The aircraft is equipped with 4 turbofan engines, the power of which makes it possible to fly at cruising speed and gain altitude even with one operating engine.
The onboard sighting and search equipment is similar to the R-3S equipment and includes an Elliot EZ inertial platform, a Decca 67M Doppler radar, a Sperry CM7 duplicated gyromagnetic compass, an EMI ASV-21D surface target detection radar, an ASQ-10A magnetic anomaly detector, an electronic warfare system and a search engine a searchlight (with a capacity of 70 million candles), but unlike R-3S, it does not have an IR survey station.
The aircraft's armament consists of torpedoes, depth charges and mines, which are placed in the weapons compartment. In addition, each wing console has one unit for the suspension of the "air-to-surface" missile launcher, NUR, as well as containers with guns and mines. The aft section of the sealed fuselage compartment contains acoustic buoys, nautical markers and other identification means.
The Nimrod aircraft can also be used as a transport aircraft - it can accommodate 45 military personnel.
Since 1975, the modernization of the Nimrod MR Mk.1 aircraft into the Nimrod MR Mk.2 with more advanced avionics began. In addition, the latter has been modernized for the use of new types of weapons (high-explosive bombs of 450 kg, BL 755 cluster bombs, Stingray torpedoes and Harpoon anti-submarine missiles). In 1982 g.
16 aircraft were equipped with fuel rods. Several Nimrod MR Mk 2 aircraft were equipped with Saiduinder air-to-air missiles (two on each underwing pylon)
The aircraft is capable of patrolling in the near zone for up to 12 hours, and at a distance of 1850 km from the point of departure - up to 6 hours. The flight range can be increased by placing additional fuel tanks in the weapon compartment.
In 1973, work began on a version of the AWACS aircraft based on the Kometa 4C to replace the Avro Shackleton patrol aircraft, and in March 1977 the British government began to finance the project by refusing to purchase E-ZA aircraft. The first flight of a prototype aircraft with only a forward fairing took place on June 28, 1977, and the second, already fully modified, on July 16, 1980. 11 aircraft were ordered, but malfunctions related to the functioning of the systems led to a reduction in the aircraft production program and subsequently an order reoriented to the purchase of aircraft E 3D AWACS systems
The main purpose of "Nimrod" AEW.3 - detection, recognition and classification of aircraft, ships and missiles, control of actions of fighters and attack aircraft, and leadership of search and rescue operations.
Kawasaki P-1 anti-submarine and patrol aircraft.
Japan, being a "seemingly" peace-loving state, devoid of any militarism and having a provision in the Constitution prohibiting the use of military force as a political instrument, nevertheless has a powerful military industry and large and well-equipped armed forces, formally considered the Self-Defense Forces.
To characterize the latter, here are a couple of examples.
So, the number of warships of the distant sea and ocean zones of the Naval Self-Defense Forces exceeds that in all russian fleets put together. And also Japan has the largest anti-submarine aircraft in the world after the USA... Neither Britain, nor France, nor any other country other than the United States can even come close to comparing with Japan in this parameter.
And if in terms of the number of basic patrol aircraft the United States surpasses Japan, then who is superior in quality is an open question.
From the point of view of assessing what the real military-industrial potential of Japan is, a lot of information is provided by one of the most ambitious military projects of this country - basic patrol aircraft Kawasaki P-1... The largest, and possibly the most technically advanced anti-submarine and patrol aircraft in the world.
Let's get acquainted with this car.
Having suffered defeat in the Second World War and being occupied by the United States, Japan for many years lost its independence both in its politics and in military development. The latter was reflected, including in a strong "bias" of the Navy of the Self-Defense Forces towards anti-submarine warfare. This "imbalance" did not arise out of nowhere - just such an ally near the USSR was needed by the owners of the Japanese - the Americans. Required because Soviet Union made an equally strong "roll" into the submarine fleet, and in order for the US Navy to fight the Soviet Navy without diverting excessive resources to the anti-submarine defense forces, the American satellite Japan raised such forces at its own expense.
Among other things, these forces included base patrol aircraft armed with anti-submarine aircraft.
At first, Japan simply received obsolete technology from the Americans. But in the 50s, everything changed - the Japanese consortium Kawasaki began work on obtaining a license for the production of the already known to the Self-Defense Forces. anti-submarine aircraft P-2 Neptune... Since 1965, Japanese-assembled "Neptunes" began to enter the naval aviation and until 1982, the Navy of the Self-Defense Forces received 65 of these vehicles assembled in Japan using Japanese components.
Since 1981, the process of replacing these aircraft with aircraft P-3 Orion... It is these machines that make up the backbone of the Japanese base patrol aircraft to this day. In terms of their tactical and technical characteristics, the Japanese Orions do not differ from the American ones.
However, since the 90s, new trends have appeared in the creation of combat aircraft, including sea ones.
First of all, the USA made a breakthrough in methods of radar detection of disturbances on the sea surface generated by a submarine moving under water. This has already been written many times, and we will not repeat it.
Secondly, the methods of processing information collected by the aircraft through various channels - radar, thermal, acoustic and others - have stepped forward. If earlier the operators of the anti-submarine complex had to independently draw conclusions from the analog signals on the radar screens and primitive heat direction finders, and the acoustics had to listen attentively to the sounds transmitted by hydroacoustic buoys, now the on-board computer complex of the aircraft independently "spliced" signals coming from different search engines, converted them to graphical view, "Cut off" the interference and displayed ready-made zones of the alleged location of the submarine to the operators on the tactical screen. It only remained to fly over this point and drop a buoy there to control.
The development of radars has stepped forward, active phased antenna arrays have appeared, in the development and production of which Japan has been and remains one of the world leaders.
It was impossible to upgrade the Orions so that all this wealth could fit on board. The computer complex alone promised to "eat" all the free space inside, and a full-fledged radar of the level that Japan could afford would simply not fit on the plane at all, and in 2001 Kawasaki began work on a new machine.
The project was named R-X.
By that time, the Japanese industry was already cramped within the existing framework, and in addition to the anti-submarine, the Japanese, within the framework of the same project, began to make a transport aircraft partially unified with it - the future C-2, the Japanese replacement for Hercules. The unification turned out to be rather strange, only for secondary systems, but it didn't matter, because both projects, as they say, turned out.
Anti-submarine R-1 and transport S-2. See the unification? And she is! The glasses of the cabins, for example, are the same. Saved 7% on common systems
The project was developed almost simultaneously with the American Boeing P-8 Poseidon, and the Americans offered the Japanese to buy this aircraft from them, but Japan rejected this idea, citing - attention - the inadequacy of the American aircraft to the requirements of the Self-Defense Forces. Given how sophisticated the Poseidon platform was (not to be confused with the insane nuclear torpedo), that sounded funny.
On September 28, 2007, R-1 (then still R-X) made its first successful hour-long flight... No noise, no press and no pompous events. Quiet, like everything the Japanese do in terms of increasing their combat capabilities.
First prototype P-X in TRDI colors.
In August 2008, Kawasaki had already transferred a test aircraft to the Self-Defense Forces, by that time it had already been renamed XP-1 in the American manner (X is the prefix meaning “experimental”, everything that goes on is the serial index of the future aircraft) ... In 2010, the Self-Defense Forces already flew four prototypes, and in 2011, based on the experience gained during testing, Kawasaki repaired and modernized the already built machines (it was necessary to strengthen the airframe and eliminate a number of other shortcomings), and made changes to the documentation for new ones.
The aircraft was ready for serial production and it did not take long to arrive, and On September 25, 2012, the first production aircraft for the Maritime Self-Defense Forces took to the skies.
Let's take a closer look at this car.
The aircraft fuselage is built using a large number of composite structures. The wing and aerodynamics in general are optimized for low-speed flights at low altitudes - this distinguishes the aircraft from the American P-8 Poseidon, which operates from medium altitudes. The fuselage itself is jointly created by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (nose section of the fuselage, horizontal stabilizers), Fuji Heavy Industries (vertical stabilizers and wings in general), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (middle and aft fuselage), Sumimoto Precision products (chassis).
R-1 is the first aircraft in the world whose EDSU transmits control signals not through digital data buses on stub cables, but through optical fiber. This solution, firstly, accelerates the performance of all systems, secondly, it simplifies the repair of the aircraft if necessary, and thirdly, the optical signal transmitted via the optical cable is much less susceptible to electromagnetic interference. The Japanese position this aircraft as having an increased resistance to the damaging factors of nuclear weapons, and the rejection of wires in the key circuits of the control system certainly played a role.
The airframe is unique in the sense that it is not a rework of a passenger or cargo vehicle, but was developed from scratch as an anti-submarine. This is an unprecedented decision at present. Now the Japanese are developing other versions of this aircraft, from the "universal" UP-1, capable of carrying any measuring, communication or other equipment, to the AWACS aircraft. The first flight prototype has already been converted into the UP-1 and is being tested. Modern aviation knows no other such example.
By its dimensions, the plane is close to 90-100 local a passenger plane, but has four engines, which is atypical for machines of this class, and a reinforced structure, which is logical for a specially designed machine. The P-1 is significantly larger than the American Poseidon.
The core of the aircraft's sighting and search system is the Toshiba / TRDI HPS-106 AFAR radar. This radar was jointly developed by Toshiba Corporation and TRDI, the Technical Research and Development Institute - a technical design institute, a research organization of the Japanese Ministry of Defense.
The specificity of this radar is that, in addition to the main antenna with an AFAR installed in the nose of the aircraft, it has two more canvases installed along the sides, under the cockpit. Another antenna is installed in the tail section of the aircraft.
Nose fairing and side grille of radar with AFAR
The radar is all-mode, and can operate in the aperture synthesis mode and in the inverse aperture synthesis mode. The characteristics and locations of the antennas provide a 360 degree view at any given time. It is this radar that "reads" those wave effects on the surface of the water, and above it, thanks to which modern anti-submarine aircraft simply "see" the boat under water. Naturally, the detection of surface targets, periscopes, submarine-fired RDP devices, or air targets for such a radar is not absolutely a problem.
A retractable rotary turret with the FLIR Fujitsu HAQ-2 optoelectronic system is installed in the nose of the aircraft.... It is based on an infrared television camera with a target detection range of 83 kilometers. A number of other TV cameras are installed on the same turret.
It can be seen that the turret can not only be raised and lowered, but also rotated.
An ordinary magnetometer is installed in the tail of the plane - unlike the Americans, the Japanese have not abandoned this search method, although it is rather needed for verification, and not as the main instrument. The aircraft magnetometer responds to a typical steel submarine within a radius of approximately 1.9 km. The magnetometer is a Japanese replica of the Canadian CAE AN / ASQ-508 (v), one of the most efficient magnetometers in the world.
The bar of the magnetometer is very visible.
Naturally, in order to instantly convert the signals from the radar, infrared camera and magnetometer into some single intended target, and to draw this intended target on the screens displaying the tactical situation, large computing power is needed and the Japanese have placed a rather large computing complex on the plane, good the sit is here. This, by the way, is a powerful trend - they put really big computers on airplanes, and they need to foresee both the location and the power supply in advance, work on their cooling and electromagnetic compatibility with other aircraft systems. Poseidon does the same thing.
The cab is equipped with high-quality Japanese-made equipment. It is noteworthy that both pilots have ILS. For comparison, in Poseidon only the commander has it.
Cockpit. Do you need comments here?
At the same time, the Americans have implemented a blind landing mode, when a virtual image of the terrain over which the aircraft is flying is displayed on the HUD, as if the pilot actually saw it through the window, and relative to this picture, the aircraft is positioned perfectly accurately and without time lags.
Thus, in the presence of virtual models of the terrain around the airfield at which the landing is made, the pilot can land the aircraft with absolutely zero visibility and without the help of ground services. For him, there is simply no difference whether there is visibility or not, the computer will in any case give him a picture (if it is stored in memory for this place). It is possible that the R-1 has such functions, at least the computing power on board allows them to be provided.
The aircraft is equipped with a Mitsubishi Electric HRC-124 radio communication system and a Mitsubishi Electric HRC-123 space communication system. The MIDS-LVT communication and information distribution terminal is installed on board, compatible with Datalink 16, with the help of which the aircraft can automatically transmit and receive information from other Japanese and American aircraft, primarily from the Japanese F-15J, P-3C, E-767 AWACS, E-2C AEW, deck helicopters MH-60, F-35 JSF.
Small terminal of the multifunctional information distribution system MIDS-LVT for integrating the aircraft into the Datalink 16 system of mutual information exchange. The really important things sometimes look unassuming.
The "brain" of the aircraft is the Toshiba HYQ-3 Combat Control System - the core of the search and targeting system. Thanks to it, there is a "splicing" of disparate groups of sensors and sensors into a single complex, where each element of the system complements each other. Moreover, the Japanese have compiled a huge library of tactical algorithms for performing anti-submarine missions, and have developed “ artificial Intelligence"- an advanced program that actually does part of the work for the crew, giving ready-made solutions to search for and defeat a submarine.
However, the working post of a tactical coordinator - a living officer capable of commanding an anti-submarine operation, controlling the entire crew based on the data received and processed by the aircraft - is also there. It is not known whether there is a radio intelligence operator on board, but, according to the experience of the Americans, this cannot be ruled out. The standard crew of 13 people exclusively for hunting submarines is, frankly, too big.
Battle posts
On the plane, as befits an anti-submarine, there is a stock of sonar buoys, but the Japanese did not copy the American scheme - neither new nor old.
Once upon a time, the Americans loaded buoys into launch silos mounted in the bottom of the fuselage. One mine - one buoy. Such a scheme was needed so that the readjustment of the buoys could be carried out directly in flight, which favorably distinguished the Orion from the Russian Il-38, where the buoys were located in the bomb bay and where they could not be adjusted to excitement during the flight.
Charging buoys to the Orion silos. With R-1, this is also possible, and the main thing is that the buoy can be adjusted before dropping.
In the new Poseidon, the United States, having mastered new methods of warfare, abandoned this method of staging, limiting itself to three 10-charge rotary launchers and three manual discharge shafts. And the Japanese had rotary installations, and shafts for manual discharge, and a rack for 96 buoys, and, at the same time, a 30-charge launcher in the bottom of the aircraft, similar to Orion. Thus, the R-1 has certain advantages over its American counterpart.
On the left, two rotary launchers for sonar buoys are visible. It is very convenient when setting up a small number of buoys in one gulp - 4-5 pcs. You can and one at a time.
Rack for buoys. Mount like the Americans, maybe even a purchased one. The buoys are located so that they can be configured before dropping directly in the rack - and immediately into the launcher.
And these are launching shafts for setting up the "field" of buoys. This field can work as one huge antenna.
Buoy placement
The aircraft is equipped with the Mitsubishi Electric HLR-109B electronic reconnaissance system, which allows detecting and classifying the radiation of enemy radar stations, and can be used as a reconnaissance aircraft.
Antenna system
The defense system of the Mitsubishi Electric HLQ-9 aircraft consists of a radar exposure warning subsystem, a subsystem for detecting approaching missiles, a jamming system and fired IR traps.
On the defensive
The aircraft engines are also of interest. Engines, like most aircraft systems, are Japanese, designed and manufactured in Japan. At the same time, interestingly, the Ministry of Defense of Japan was declared the developer of the engines. The manufacturer is Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries - IHI, another major Japanese corporation, producing a huge range of industrial products, including a wide range of aircraft engines.
The engine of the F7-10 model has a small size, weight and thrust of 60 kN each. With four such engines, the aircraft has good take-off characteristics, and increased survivability compared to a twin-engine aircraft. The nacelles are equipped with sound reflective screens.
In terms of noise level, the plane surpassed the Orion - the P-1 is 10-15 decibels quieter.
The aircraft has an auxiliary power unit Honeywell 131-9.
APU
The first hole is the APU air intake, the second is the exhaust.
The weapons that an aircraft can carry and use are quite diverse for a patrol car.
The weapon can be located both in a compact weapons compartment in the front of the aircraft (intended mainly for torpedoes), on eight hardpoints, and on removable underwing pylons, the number of which can also reach eight, four per wing. The total mass of the payload is 9000 kg.
Torpedo "Type 97"
ASM-1C ASM
AGM-65 Maverick
The recently adopted supersonic "three-fly" ASM-3 anti-ship missile system has not been announced as part of the aircraft's weapons, but this should not be ruled out. To defeat small targets at a short distance, the aircraft can carry the AGM-65 Maverick missile launcher, also of American production.
Torpedo armament is represented by the American small-sized anti-submarine torpedoes Mk. 46 Mod 5, some of which may still remain with the Japanese, and the Japanese Type 97 torpedoes, caliber 324 mm, like the American torpedo. The future torpedo, now being developed under the GR-X5 index, has already been announced in advance in the armament.
There is no information that the plane can use torpedoes equipped with a planning device, like the Americans, but this cannot be ruled out, given the complete identity of the Japanese and American communication protocols on which military electronics and weapon suspension devices work. It is also possible to use depth charges and sea mines from an aircraft. It is not known whether the aircraft is adapted to use depth charges with a nuclear warhead.
Interestingly, the Japanese seem to have abandoned the use of in-flight refueling. On the one hand, the flight range of 8000 km makes it possible to do this, on the other hand, it reduces the search time, which is an extremely negative factor. One way or another, the plane cannot take fuel in the air.
P-8 Poseidon and Kawasaki P-1 nearby. It can be seen that the Americans have more successful entrances to the plane, and therefore an emergency exit is more convenient. On the other hand, until it falls, Kawasaki could be better.
All P-1s are currently based at Atsugi Air Force Base in Kanagawa Prefecture.
As you know, as part of the militarization course, Japan plans to abandon a significant part of the restrictions on its own military-technical development in 2020. Both Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and members of his cabinet have talked about this more than once. As part of this approach, Japan has repeatedly offered a new aircraft for export (while Japan's export of weapons is prohibited by its own Constitution). But it is still impossible to defeat the American Poseidon - both in terms of political factors and technical, Poseidon is at least somewhat simpler in some way, but in terms of cost life cycleapparently wins.
However, the history of the P-1 is just beginning. Experts are confident that the R-1 will be one of the means by which Japan will fight its way into the world arms markets, along with the Soryu-class submarines equipped with an air-independent power plant and the US-2 ShinMayva seaplane.
It was originally planned that 65 such aircraft would be ordered. However, after receiving the first 15 cars, purchases stopped. The last time the Japanese government substantively discussed an increase in production was in May 2018, but a decision has still not been made. In addition to the P-1, Japan has 80 modernized American-made P-3C Orions.
It is all the more surprising that the Chinese submarine fleet is growing. It is a common conviction of any analyst working on the military development of Asian states that the growth of Japanese military power is a response to the growth of that of China. But for some reason, there is no correlation between the development of the Chinese submarine and the Japanese base patrol aircraft, as if in reality Japan has a different enemy in mind.
However, as Ryota Ishida, a high-ranking official of the Japanese Ministry of Defense, said in the spring of 2018, up to 58 vehicles will sooner or later be put into service "in the long term," but now Japan has no plans to increase the number of anti-submarine defense aircraft.
One way or another, the Kawasaki P-1 is a unique program that will still leave its mark on the Japanese naval aviation. And it is quite possible that this plane will also fight.
To know, against whose submarines.