Sukhoi Su-86 "Milar" DEW (Defensive Early Warning) Plane

  The Sukhoi Su-86 is a new development of DEW craft. It features a Forward Swept Wing (FSW) layout, with canard foreplanes and a vertical tail. The long fuselage mounts in the middle, the 150km "Dog Ear" N045 mulimode radar, which includes pulse Doppler ranging and acquisition. This provides telemetry data to friendly units and also directs missiles, much like the E-260 "Watcher" AWACS plane does, with no difference in range in the "direct" mode. This has been developed to be jettisoned by explosive bolts if necessary, as the DEW craft is more likely to be deployed near a border area, to provide the best information on the airspace around it. The radar can also track low level flying aircraft, with a 90% reliability of acquisition reported to be done. However, against stealth fighters (such as the F-117) the system has a 50% chance of detecting one. A SLAR (Side Looking Airborne Radar) is also mounted on the aircraft, as well as high grade ECM/ECCM gear, for defensive electronic protection. Chaff and flare dispensers are also mounted on the aircraft to provide more defense. Development of the N045 radar utilized microprocessor systems to reduce the overall size of the system (compared to the E-260, the Su-86 is reportedly at least 35% smaller in size, allowing the Su-86 to remain a small target as well) as well as other methods. However, the radar is about the size of the radar mounted on the old E-2C "Hawkeye" carrier based AEW plane in the late 20th century. The N045 can track up to fifty targets, and in the "direct" mode, can provide designation for up to ten targets, all selectable by the RSO. Reports of a carrier based version of the Su-86 has been talked about, to be deployed on the aging Kuznetsov. All of the engines incorporate passive thermal masking to reduce the signature. Aural masking was rejected as the plane is not a strike aircraft.
  The whole design is completely unconventional, as it incorporates the forward canard design that seems to be a trademark with Sukhoi's fighter designs. Why a DEW plane would need them is strange, as well as the 2D vectored thrust engines with afterburning capabilities. This has led some to believe that it can also perform combat missions. This was denied by Chief Technical Designer Gregarin Rolov, who said: "The Su-86 is not designed to be a combat plane, although it is highly maneuverable. These were incorporated to allow it to achieve a high deployment time necessary for defensive operations, such as leaving the airfield by it’s high climb rate. The only offensive capabilities are the self defense missiles carried by the airplane. However, it does seem likely the Su-86 can be modified to expand it's roles in the future, there are possibilities"
  The Su-86 mounts two Saturn Layuka ALF-57F two dimensional thrust vectoring engines with afterburning are mounted in the mid wing. Mounted on the fuselage are two ALF-98 non afterburning turbofans. These provide the Su-86 with thrust necessary to provide the airplane with adequate thrust to perform the DEW mission. However, due to a fault in design, the wings are showing premature cracks in the wings do to the weight of the engines. So far the remedy is being fixed, but not as fast as some people would like. The defensive suite consists of the aforementioned ECM/ECCM gear, as well as hardpoints on the wings to carry missiles. The inner two hardpoints nominally carry "Anaconda" missiles, while two outer pylons mount "Assern" missiles, in which the pilot has a full HMS capability. These outboard pylons have been modified with multiple ejector racks to increase the carrying capacity. Other things such as a Threat Warning Display as well as the ability to catalogue the radar signals of threats, including a library of previously encountered threats, as well as the ability to add new ones. Inflight refueling gear is installed, to extend the time to around nine hours. Unfortunately for the crew, the size and configuration preclude this, resulting in early crew fatigue. The crew both sit in zero-zero ejection seats, in fully pressurized canopies. The pilot's cockpit features a HUD, and various displays. He/she controls the aircraft’s functions, in regards to flight, direction, etc. The RSO (Radar Systems Officer) sits in the higher stepped seat. The function of the RSO is obviously the direction of combat assets against an air threat that is coming. He/she also is able to fly the plane by the use of integrated controls in case of if the pilot gets killed or injured. Both cockpits have their own oxygen supply in case if one of the canopies are breached. The demands on an RSO are great, as they have to watch a 150km swath of air. The data is directly downlinked to friendly stations, as well as satellites, allowing ground and air commanders to receive up to the second data about the tactical situation. All data is encrypted, as well as the telecommunications system. The RSO receives the data on a large MFD in his cockpit. The screen shows all of the objects that is detected by the radar, as well as showing the percentage of acquisition and also the percentage of attacking the object, whether it be a fighter, or a bomber To ease some of the pressure, most of the functions are automated, allowing the RSO to concentrate on the task at hand. Provisions for small snacks are also added, to keep the crew satisfied and somewhat happy. Some pilots even take along a mini trid for use on boring missions. Current deployment has one to two squadrons of Su-56s or Su-50s with one Su-86. Nominal AWACS controllers usually try to overlap their detection coverage to get the best detection area as possible.

  Handling | Speed | B/A | Sig | Autonav | Pilot | Load | Cost
  3 | 130/1,000* | 9/15 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1200 | 43,542,000¥

  Seating: 1 + 1 bucket seats
  Access: 1 + 1 canopy
  Economy: .6 km per liter
  Fuel: 5,000 liters
  Cargo: 2 + 2 CF
  Landing/Takeoff Profile: STOL
  ECM/ECCM: Military II (9)/Military II (9)
  Sensors: Military I (8)
  Other Features: Forward Swept Wing Layout, DEW Radar, Retractable Probe (internal), Two Dimensional TVC, Signature Improvement (3, Stealth Shaping [1], Aural Suppression [2]), 2 Datajack Ports, Rigger Adaptation, EnviroSeal (gas), 2 APPS, Life Support (10 hours x 2), Thermal Baffles, Battletac FDDM, Electronics Port with Battletac Master Unit, Secondary Controls.
  Armament: 4 external hardpoints with maximum capacity of 4 CF and can carry a weapons load of 1,200 kilograms.
  *Increase speed to 1,800 kph on afterburner, and Economy is 6 liters per km.
  The Su-86 is as it says, an interesting machine. The reason for the 2D engines is more due to response time and maneuverability when cornered. DEW and AWACS assets are usually the "eyes" of fighter squadrons. No commander would throw away such an asset unless he/she really has to. Unlike the Su-56, it only gets a total -3 modifier to all maneuver rolls. It also gives the Su-86 a superior climb rate compared to most aircraft of it’s type. The N045 radar dome is fitted with explosive bolts in case of emergency. It requires a Simple Action to activate the explosive bolts. The bolts ensure that the radome will be clear of the aircraft and should not cause any problems.
  Comments?
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