Engineering Fiction: the B-3 combat aircraft.In the late nineties there was an agreement reached, to jointly develop and produce a combat aircraft for long range strategic missions, that uses the common resources of Europe,Russia and the USA. The need to provide for a network of international defense cooperation in a world of increasing turmoils has brought such unusual partners as the EU,the US Navy and Russia into this programme.Both EADS Military Air Systems, Northrop Grumman and Tupolev made logical use of their joint experience with the heritage of Horten and Northrop flying wing
designs and the famous Tu-160. New technology engines were being developed and produced by General Electric, MTU, Rolls Royce and Tumanski with worksharing partners in France, Italy, Sweden and Spain.The aircraft design specification requires “carefree handling” qualities at any stage of the challenging flight regime, to be realised, by the leading consortium partners, in a new Flight Control System, as a derivative development of available military hard- and software.
Likewise the suite of Avionic systems was to be developed by a consortium of Siemens,Thales,IAI, and their work sharing partners in Italy,Spain,Norway,the US,Russia,and the UK. These systems are comprising Navigation by Galileo, GPS and Glassnost, and global networked communication Systems.This European aircraft programme will also integrate the major nuclear components of
the Force de Frappe de France and of the British and Russian nuclear deterrent.After extensive flight testing this aircraft is now available for operational use by the European Defense Forces and has found very interested partners in Canada,Australia,Japan, Russia,Israel,and the US Navy.
This x-plane model has swing wings for better starting and landing characteristics, and for improved handling qualities at cruising speeds below Mach 1.It has fully operating bomb bay doors and can be loaded with a complement of weapons commensurate with the mission requirements placed by the participant nations onto this new technology aircraft.They will be loaded into roundels housed in three weapon bays for individual release and launching.For special long range missions it can also load a 45.000 liter fuel container.
It flies great distances at high speeds with the auto pilot set, at altitudes around FL 65 ( 65.000 ft + ).Power settings after the climb phase to 90-95%, afterburner switch to low, will allow cruise with some Mach 3.5 + over huge distances with a full weapon load and return likewise with weapon bays empty. In approach do not come in to slow. With wings forward, throttle to low, approach speed is best
around 250kts.There will be separate x-plane models in their respective liveries published for the EU (DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, SE, UK ), AUS, CND, IL, JP, NO, RU, the US Navy.
Aircraft specifications:
Weights (BME) : around 62,210 kg
Weights (MTOW) : around 188,810 kg
Length (m): 40
Span (m): 37
Height (m): 11
Payload : around 120,000 kg
Range (km): ca.4500 to 8000 nm
Cruising speed (Mach): 2.5 - 5.7 at altitudes 65000 ft +