The Country must divert it's attention in manufacturing its
own military hardware to benefit both its security and economy. We cannot do
the buying forever.
Ching-Kuo fighter programme
The programme to develop the aircraft, known as the An
Hsiang or Safe Flight programme, started in 1982 with identification of the
requirements for an air-superiority fighter. The rollout ceremony of the first
prototype took place in December 1988, when the aircraft was named after the
late President Chiang Ching-Kuo. The Ching-Kuo made its first flight in May
1989.
Ching-Kuo air superiority fighters are operational in the
RoC Air Force of Taiwan (Republic of China) since January 2000 and the last of
a total of 130 entered service in July 2000.
AIDC has developed an upgrade package which includes a
digital cockpit, upgraded radar and countermeasures. BAE Systems supplied the
new 32-bit digital flight control computer. Two F-CK-1 prototypes were upgraded
to F-CK-1 C/D in 2006. The upgraded C/D aircraft made its first flight in
October 2006. It was renamed as F-CK-1 C/D Hsiung Ying (Brave Hawk) in 2007.
Other improvements in the upgrade package included increased internal fuel
capacity, improved avionics, renovated electronic warfare capabilities and
strengthened landing gear. Production of the C/D version began in 2009 as part
of the $588m Mid Life Upgrade (MLU) programme.
AIDC will upgrade the initial 71 of 130 IDFs under the MLU
programme. The first batch of six upgraded F-CK-1 C/D IDFs were delivered to
the ROCAF in June 2011. The remaining 65 are expected to be delivered by the
end of 2012.
"The aircraft can be armed with rocket pods, bombs,
cluster bombs or air-to-surface missiles."
Weapons
The aircraft has an integrated avionics and weapons control
system.
A 20mm M61A Vulcan cannon is installed on the starboard side
of the fuselage with a Photo-Sonics gun camera.
The aircraft has six hardpoints for carrying external
stores, with two under the fuselage, one under each wing and one at each
wingtip. The Tien Chien I (TC-1) or Skysword I short-range and the Tien Chien
II (TC-2) or Skysword II medium-range air-to-air missiles are supplied by the
China State Arsenals. TC-1 has a range of 5km and has an infrared seeker. TC-2,
with a range of 60km, has active radar guidance and is armed with a
high-explosive warhead weighing 22kg.
For ground attack, the aircraft can be armed with rocket
pods, bombs, cluster bombs or air-to-surface missiles such as Maverick. The
fighter can also be adapted to carry the TC-2A air-to-surface anti-radiation
missile, which uses both active and passive radar guidance. TC-2A is being
developed by the Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology in Taipei
Anti-ship missiles such as the Hsiung Feng II, similar to
the Israeli Gabriel missile and supplied by the China State Arsenals, can be
carried on the fuselage or underwing hardpoints.
Hsiung Feng II has a range of 80km, carries a dual-mode
active radar and imaging infrared (III) seeker for terminal guidance and is
armed with a 225kg semi armour-piercing, high-explosive warhead.
Three Hsiung Feng II missiles can be carried - one under the
central fuselage and one under each wing.
Fuselage
The airframe design was developed under the YingYan or
Soaring Eagle programme. The aircraft is of shoulder-wing monoplane
(single-wing) design, incorporating composite structure materials. The aircraft
is built to withstand 9g loading.
Cockpit
The pressurised and air-conditioned cockpit has a Martin
Baker Mark 12 zero zero ejection seat and a single-piece bubble canopy. The
cockpit is equipped with three multifunction displays and a head-up display.
Avionics
The Tien Lie or Sky Thunder programme covered the
development of the avionics. The design of the avionics suite is configured in
Line Replaceable Units (LRU) to allow for system growth and the easy upgrade of
systems as new technologies become available.
The aircraft uses a BAE Systems (formerly Lear Astronics)
fly-by-wire control system and a Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton) inertial
navigation system.
Radar
The aircraft's radar is the Golden Dragon CD-53. The
multi-mode pulse Doppler radar has look-down, shoot-down capability and can
operate in air and sea search mode. The radar has a range over 80 nautical
miles.
"The Ching-Kuo fighter can be adapted to carry the
TC-2A air-to-surface anti-radiation missile."
Engine
The TFE1042 engine has been developed by the International
Turbine Engine Corporation (ITEC), a joint venture between the Aerospace
Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) and AlliedSignal. The programme to
develop the engine was named Yun Han or Cloud Man.
The engine, weighing 1,360lb, delivers 41.1kN maximum
thrust. The modular-designed engine has full digital electronic controls.
The kidney-shaped air intakes are mounted low on the centre
section of the fuselage, and the two engines are mounted side by side at the
rear of the fuselage. The inspection schedule calls for a 2,000-hour hot
section and 4,000-hour cold section inspection intervals. The fuel consumption
is 0.81lb/h per pound of thrust.
The aircraft is equipped with a variable speed constant
frequency electrical power generator, which is supplied by Westinghouse.
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