EndWar Wiki
Register
Advertisement
AF-4

Close Air Support, redefined.

Massive, larger than the F/A-57 by about twenty percent.

The UECAF fielded 400 of these before WWIV.

1 AIRCRAFT

Purpose[]

The AF-4 is built as a dedicated ground-attack armored fighter.

Capacity[]

Tornadoes have a crew of two pilots, but it can't carry anyone else.

Sensors[]

Equipped with a passive (E/O, thermal) sensor array in is canopy and an OWS AN/APG-210 X- and L-band AESA in its nose, which allows it to detect the traces of a HMCP I from 150 kilometers away. In addition, it carries an all-around infrared tracking system.

Anti-Surface Weaponry[]

203mm Rockets (48)[]

For swift anti-infantry firepower, the Tornado mounts two clusters of extendable 4-tube 203mm rocket launchers on the underside of its fuselage. Each tube gets six gravity-reloaded 203mm rockets in the waiting, mounted in staggered layers above each tube. Each 203mm rocket has laser guidance, although it requires a spotter for such accuracy, and a massive ablative-coated 40-kilo warhead. The rockets have an effective range of 20 kilometers.

Halberd ATGM (32)[]

To supplement the 203mm Howitzer's incapability of aiming at enemy tanks and AAA vehicles, the Tornado can carry 32 Halberd ATGMs in two side bays. Oceanic Weapon Systems built a big man-portable tube that fired a 152mm beam-riding missile. Instead of painting the target with a laser as with previous-generation designs, the design uses a receiver mounted atop the missile's exhaust nozzle, and as a result, is completely jammer-proof. The Halberd ATGM carries a 20lb shape-charge warhead, with two pounds being in the precursor charge. It can hit a target 10 kilometers away.

Anti-Aircraft Weaponry[]

None.

Anti-Submarine Weaponry[]

N/A.

Upgrades[]

Weaponry[]

D-THEL(1)[]

To increase its survivability in a dogfight, the AF-4 "Twirler" can mount a second D-THEL on the top of its fuselage. This effectively makes both the top and the bottom of the aircraft dangerous-- for both missiles and aircraft.

Protection[]

Passive[]

For lightness and durability, the AF-4 is coated in an outer layer of Supramolecular plastic, allowing it to quickly patch up a hole in the fuselage, allowing it to maintain its stealth even after taking some enemy fire. It is also designed to reduce its signature- Infrared and Radar included. Its RCS is as small as a golf ball, while its Infrared signature is reduced using a type of heat-dissipating coating. Treated ceramic plating cools off the engine exhaust.

Active[]

In terms of active protection, the Tornado carries a dedicated EW station, a next-generation standoff radar jammer, an “area denial” electromagnetic wave scrambler, can have its AESA double as a radar jammer, and also has a basic chaff-and-flares countermeasure set.

D-THEL(1)[]

Originally designed as a defensive laser, the D-THEL mounted in an aerodynamic turret on the plane's belly can also take up an offensive role-- to take out any airplane below the AF-4, even if the target is behind it. Thanks to it's near-instantaneous attack speed and excellent accuracy, it can fire on both aircraft tailing the plane or even missiles.

Locomotion[]

The AF-4 Tornado is powered by four IAE BKR-78-70 turbofans. With these quiet engines putting out 70,000lb of dry thrust each, the AF-4 can silently cruise through the air at Mach 0.9 at a height of just 300 meters, and then systematically eliminate enemies that is passes by. The engine intakes are mounted on the upper side of the fuselage, in order to not be affected by the plumes of smoke and fire the 203mm creates when it fires. Its reverse-geometry wings also allow it to preform steep dives with great stability.

Advertisement