Fleet Air defence fighter of 1980 challenge

[heuhen]

dang that's a beut

[Miklania]

Holy smokes Char, that's awesome!

[RaspingLeech]

I'm loving the 2037 variant, excellent job Char

[Hood]

Yakovlev Yak-45





During the late 1970s the Soviet Navy began considering a new multi-role interceptor to equip its forthcoming Project 1160 Orel class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, four of which had been ordered by the mid-1970s.

The Ministries of Defence and the Aviation Industry were initially wary of ordering a bespoke air superiority fighter for the Navy given that the industry was heavily engaged in the PFI and LPFI programmes. The Navy was adamant however that the Su-27 was too large, dismissed the aging and problematic MiG-23K project and argued that navalising the MiG-29 might delay the LPFI programme for the VVS. Therefore the Navy, having been reasonably impressed with the Yakovlev OKB's work on the Yak-38 VTOL fighter was given the task of designing a new fighter. The OKB therefore ditched its fledgling efforts for the new MFI programme for a 1990s fighter and began work on a twin-engine design designated Yak-45 in early 1980. The first of six prototypes flew on 28th October 1983 and the development programme went smoothly, the decision to use the Klimov RD-33 turbofans ensuring that engines were available and the snags were ironed out with the MiG-29 and Yak-45. The Yak-45 also shared the Phazotron RLPK-29 radar fire control system including the N019 Sapfir 29 look-down/shoot-down coherent pulse-Doppler radar with the MiG-29 in order to save time and money. The radar was paired with an S-31E2 KOLS IRST and a laser rangefinder. Shipboard trials aboard the Orel began in May 1984 and the Yak-45 entered service in July 1986, achieving full operational release in July 1988. Spotted by US sateliite reconaissance during trials at Ramenskoye, it was dubbed 'RAM-R', analysts first thinking it was a complement to the MiG-29. In 1986 it was given the NATO codename 'Featherfin'.

The economic conditions prevailing towards the end of the Soviet Union saw the naval plan curtailed before the collapse of Communist rule saw the defence programme collapse. Two of the four carriers were never completed and of the 200 planned Yak-45s, only 178 were completed. A planned Yak-45UBK trainer never materialised. They continued to see service in the Russian Federation and the Ukraine, although only briefly. By 1993 the Ukraine's fleet was grounded and despite plans to upgrade them, they were largely scrapped by 2000. The Russian used the Yak-45 aboard the sole remaining operational Pr.1160 carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov (ex-Tallinn) until replacement by new-build Su-33K fighters from 2003. The lack of money prevented much upgrading but some aircraft received N019M Topaz radars during the 1990s.

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 17.5m
Wingspan: 9.73m
Height: 4.97m (undercarriage down)
Wing area: 36 m²
Empty weight: 10,980 kg
Max. takeoff weight: 18,000kg
Powerplant: 2x Klimov RD-33 afterburning turbofans
Dry thrust: 50 kN each
Thrust with afterburner: 81.3 kN each


Performance

Maximum speed: At altitude Mach 2.5, at sea level Mach 1.22
Combat range: 1,500 km on internal fuel
Ferry range: 2,250 km with one external fuel tank
Service ceiling: 18,000 m
Rate of climb: 340 m/s
Wing loading: 473 kg/m² at MTOW
Maximum g-load: +9/−4g

Armament

Guns: 1× 23 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23L twin-barrel cannon with 260 rounds
Hardpoints: One centerline, two underintakes and six underwing with total capacity of 4,500kg
Missiles: in air-superiority role 4x R-27R and 2x R-23R or R-23T; in strike role 2x R-23R or R-23T and 4x Kh-29L or Kh-29T; in anti-ship role, x R-23R or R-23T and 2x Kh-31; 2x R-60 can be fitted on supplementary under-intake hardpoints in all roles
Bombs: various bombs up to 1,000kg on centreline and inboard underwing hardpoints, including laser and TV-guided weapons
Rockets: various types

[erik_t]

I'm very much enjoying some of these efforts. Excellent drawings all around.

[Gollevainen]

Nice nice, stakes just got higher...back to the drawing board it means (Yes, Im planning to participate in this also)

[eswube]

After seeing Hood's entry I'm almost sorry I deleted (entirely and definitely) my own WiP.

[Rowdy36]

Fantastic additions Hood and Charguizard, excellent looking aircraft This should be a very interesting challenge and I'm looking forward to seeing more designs

[reytuerto]

I give up! Hood´s fighter is the largest nail in my coffin!

[Ro-Po Max]

Yak-45 not the Soviet "school" of aviation. But as a separate project is interesting.