FMA SAIA 90
Encyclopedia
The FMA SAIA 90 was an air superiority aircraft designed by the FMA (Fabrica Militar de Aviones) with the collaboration of Dornier
in the mid-1980s. The SAIA 90 which was the last stage of the ACA (Avión Caza Argentino) project, which was started by the Proceso de Reorganización Nacional to develop an Argentine fighter aircraft.
The three stages of the project were:
within the year for the production, marketing and associated support services of their products.
The development of a trainer was the first step of three in the strategy of Fabrica Militar de Aviones, elaborated after the development of the IA 58 Pucará by the middle of those ' 60, the steps of this strategy contemplated: Nro.1, the Pampa, Nro.2, an airplane of light transport and Nro.3, a combat airplane.
This way, the German maker gave some sketches of the preliminary design, which contemplated generic aspects for a combat airplane, that then the air force should adapt to its own requirements.
The study of the Germans foresaw some analyses that allowed to formulate those basic requirements as being: air combat under imaginary operative conditions, and characteristic of the weapons that this aircraft probably have. This way it could be defined the call of field of aerial fight.
Taking as reference the Vietnam War
, the combats were carried out in inferior bench marks than the 8000 mts and most pilots tried to neutralize the threat of SAM
. Although in both sides they had Mach 2 airplanes, the combats got rid to speeds of among Mach 0.5 and 0.9, overcoming few times the supersonic speed.
It is probable that to those regimens they were achieved the best turn speed and the pilots surely found in those ranges a high yield of their airplane.
These parameters were taken into account in the design of the airplane to achieve high values of Mach, for what achieves a more enlarged curve of the régime of sustained turn, but the maximum values are conserved in the region transonic
, in this aspect it also takes into account the load factors determined by the pilot that can define the régime of instantaneous turn.
27mm Gun
with 150 cartridges.
- 2 AAM
InfraRed
(type AIM-9 Sidewinder
)
- 4 AAM
radar guided located under the fuselage maybe AIM-120 AMRAAM.
- Up to 5000 kg of air to surface armament.
The avionics
Air to air radar on board in way to be able to detect 5m2 targets at a distance of 90km without been detected by the enemy CME
, and it should also have capacity to make the multiple pursuit of 6 targets that could be identified with an associate IFF
. For the way it attacks, air-earth, was convenient a radar able to capture the profile of the earth.
of a wing of arrow variable, was impossible to gather all these qualities in a wing.
The opposing solution of commitment for the pattern, was the continuation of the border of attack of the wings that generated a vortex of high energy (apex
) and it improved the aerodynamic
yield notably in big angles of incidence. Another characteristic of the design was the artificial longitudinal stability that allowed equilibrating the airplane by means of the application of positive forces on the line planes.
This way a direct wing was configured with big arrow angles, continuations in the union wing-fuselage and a double derives located before the stabilizers that it keeps certain likeness to the F/A-18C Hornet.
Engines: 2 turbofan of 5600kg of push (possibly GE F-404)
Maximum speed: About Mach 2
Weight (empty): 7.800kg
The weight calculated for the airship was reasonably low, achieved by means of the use of compound materials. The experience of Dornier
in these materials was wide (Alpha Jet
and Do 228). In the proposal for this airplane suggested the use in the wing of 65% reinforced plastics with fibers of carbon (PRFC), 20% aluminum and the rest in several materials as the titanium, the front fuselage would have 60% of PRFC, the central 18% and the bottom 10%, being completed with other materials employees in the wing, and the stabilizers would have 55% of PRFC, while the fin would take 70%, the same materials would be used for the admission nozzles and the landing train. (aeroespacio 1982/83)
It was evident that the factory could not complete the project by itself and it maintained diverse contacts, such as Aermacchi
-Aeritalia
, McDonnell Douglas
and Fairchild, with the intention of attracting a partner with whom to share the project.
Although the intention of the air force was to add McDonnell Douglas
, which maintained negotiations for a possible license of production of the A-4M Skyhawk II (now, the A-4AR Fightinghawk
) and another one of ejection seats for the trainer IA 63 Pampa, but the American company resisted assuming the risk, because its offer of fighters was covered.
Another possibility was explored then with Aeritalia
-Aermacchi
, but the financial problems that it crossed the country they made finally abandon the project.
that this project would represent, as being the obtaining of machineries and technologies, and regarding structures and compound materials, such as the fibers of carbon and the titanium, they had served as industrial base to the project and Fábrica Militar de Aviones.
Role: multirole.
Crew: 1, although there also would have been a 2-seat trainer version.
Length: 15.53 m.
Height: 3.96 m.
Wing span: 10.95 m.
Wing area: 30 m².
Wheelbase: 6.60 m.
Empty weight: 7,800 kg.
Max take-off weight: 14,500 kg.
Max wing loading: 266.67 kg/m².
Max speed: Mach 2.25.
Max climb rate: 15,000 m/min.
Ceiling: 15,000 m.
Range: 3380 km.
Engine: 2 GE F404 turbofan.
Armament: 11 hardpoints for a total of 5.000kg : 4 under the fuselage, 2 under each wing, 2 wingtip and 1 central harpoint. It'd also had one revolver cannon 27 mm.
Avionics: air to air radar capable to detect 5m2 targets in a range of 90 km, 6-target multiple pursuit, 3D air to surface radar capable to receive the earth shape, digital flight control system, multi-function nav/attack system and secure communications.
Cost: unknown but cheaper than 4.5th generation aircraft.
http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=35690&st=80&gopid=247675&#entry247675
Dornier Flugzeugwerke
Dornier Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer founded in Friedrichshafen in 1914 by Claudius Dornier. Over the course of its long lifespan, the company produced many notable designs for both the civil and military markets.-History:...
in the mid-1980s. The SAIA 90 which was the last stage of the ACA (Avión Caza Argentino) project, which was started by the Proceso de Reorganización Nacional to develop an Argentine fighter aircraft.
The three stages of the project were:
- The IA 63 Pampa, a trainer/attack aircraft, which was the only of the three to reach production. The Vought Pampa 2000FMA IA 63 Pampa|-See also:-References:*Flores, Jackson, . "The Pampa...A Tutor with a Teutonic Flavour". Air International, February 1987, Vol 32 No. 2. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll. ISSN 0306-5634. pp. 59—66, 90....
version was entered into the US JPATSJoint Primary Aircraft Training SystemThe Joint Primary Aircraft Training System was an aircraft procurement program of the United States in the 1990s by the United States Air Force and United States Navy, a merger of 1980s era training aircraft programs. The winner was declared in 1995 and entered service a few years later as the...
competition in the 1990s, losing to the T-6 Texan IIT-6 Texan IIThe Beechcraft T-6 Texan II is a single-engined turboprop aircraft built by the Raytheon Aircraft Company . Based on the Pilatus PC-9, the T-6 is used by the United States Air Force for basic pilot training and by the United States Navy for Primary and Intermediate Joint Naval Flight Officer and...
. - The IA 67 Cordoba, a light attack bomber project that remained unbuilt.
- The SAIA 90, an air superiority aircraft with minimum radar cross sectionRadar cross sectionRadar cross section is a measure of how detectable an object is with a radar. A larger RCS indicates that an object is more easily detected.An object reflects a limited amount of radar energy...
, an "stealthy"Stealth aircraftStealth aircraft are aircraft that use stealth technology to avoid detection by employing a combination of features to interfere with radar as well as reduce visibility in the infrared, visual, audio, and radio frequency spectrum. Development of stealth technology likely began in Germany during...
aircraft.
Phases of the project
By the middle of 1980 the Fabrica Militar de Aviones and Dornier had a flowing relationship as a result of the combined development of the IA 63, and both contemplated a cooperation agreement for the production of future airplanes. This agreement called to both parties to establish a common office in the city of Córdoba, ArgentinaCórdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
within the year for the production, marketing and associated support services of their products.
The development of a trainer was the first step of three in the strategy of Fabrica Militar de Aviones, elaborated after the development of the IA 58 Pucará by the middle of those ' 60, the steps of this strategy contemplated: Nro.1, the Pampa, Nro.2, an airplane of light transport and Nro.3, a combat airplane.
This way, the German maker gave some sketches of the preliminary design, which contemplated generic aspects for a combat airplane, that then the air force should adapt to its own requirements.
The study of the Germans foresaw some analyses that allowed to formulate those basic requirements as being: air combat under imaginary operative conditions, and characteristic of the weapons that this aircraft probably have. This way it could be defined the call of field of aerial fight.
Acting in combat
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the combats were carried out in inferior bench marks than the 8000 mts and most pilots tried to neutralize the threat of SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
. Although in both sides they had Mach 2 airplanes, the combats got rid to speeds of among Mach 0.5 and 0.9, overcoming few times the supersonic speed.
It is probable that to those regimens they were achieved the best turn speed and the pilots surely found in those ranges a high yield of their airplane.
These parameters were taken into account in the design of the airplane to achieve high values of Mach, for what achieves a more enlarged curve of the régime of sustained turn, but the maximum values are conserved in the region transonic
Transonic
Transonic speed is an aeronautics term referring to the condition of flight in which a range of velocities of airflow exist surrounding and flowing past an air vehicle or an airfoil that are concurrently below, at, and above the speed of sound in the range of Mach 0.8 to 1.2, i.e. 600–900 mph...
, in this aspect it also takes into account the load factors determined by the pilot that can define the régime of instantaneous turn.
Characteristics
According to this analysis the margins of design of the airplane should be: sustained turn speed of Mach 0.9 at 6000m of height; great capacity of acceleration among Mach 0.9 at 1.5 to 9000 m: high deceleration, independent of the relative speed; reasonable combat autonomy with integral deposits; and minimum radar silhouettes and to IR (Stealth).Possible armament
- 1 MauserMauser
Mauser was a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt-action rifles and pistols from the 1870s to 1995. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces...
27mm Gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
with 150 cartridges.
- 2 AAM
Air-to-air missile
An air-to-air missile is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
InfraRed
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
(type AIM-9 Sidewinder
AIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...
)
- 4 AAM
Air-to-air missile
An air-to-air missile is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
radar guided located under the fuselage maybe AIM-120 AMRAAM.
- Up to 5000 kg of air to surface armament.
The avionicsAvionicsAvionics are electronic systems used on aircraft, artificial satellites and spacecraft.Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to meet individual roles...
Air to air radar on board in way to be able to detect 5m2 targets at a distance of 90km without been detected by the enemy CMECME
- General :* Chief Mechanical Engineer, persons in charge of building or maintaining locomotives* Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express , formerly CallManager Express , a telephony system...
, and it should also have capacity to make the multiple pursuit of 6 targets that could be identified with an associate IFF
Identification friend or foe
In telecommunications, identification, friend or foe is an identification system designed for command and control. It is a system that enables military and national interrogation systems to identify aircraft, vehicles, or forces as friendly and to determine their bearing and range from the...
. For the way it attacks, air-earth, was convenient a radar able to capture the profile of the earth.
Configuration
Although it was desirable to achieve a combination of the advantages that a very loaded wing delta and little weight offers; the turn capacity to régime transonic/subsonic of one darted with small lengthening, the stability of a wing delta without line plane and the character STOLSTOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
of a wing of arrow variable, was impossible to gather all these qualities in a wing.
The opposing solution of commitment for the pattern, was the continuation of the border of attack of the wings that generated a vortex of high energy (apex
Apex
Apex may refer to:- Biology :* Apex , the tip of the spire of the shell of a gastropod* Apex is the Apical meristem or its remnant on a flower...
) and it improved the aerodynamic
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
yield notably in big angles of incidence. Another characteristic of the design was the artificial longitudinal stability that allowed equilibrating the airplane by means of the application of positive forces on the line planes.
This way a direct wing was configured with big arrow angles, continuations in the union wing-fuselage and a double derives located before the stabilizers that it keeps certain likeness to the F/A-18C Hornet.
Engines: 2 turbofan of 5600kg of push (possibly GE F-404)
Maximum speed: About Mach 2
Weight (empty): 7.800kg
The weight calculated for the airship was reasonably low, achieved by means of the use of compound materials. The experience of Dornier
Dornier Flugzeugwerke
Dornier Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer founded in Friedrichshafen in 1914 by Claudius Dornier. Over the course of its long lifespan, the company produced many notable designs for both the civil and military markets.-History:...
in these materials was wide (Alpha Jet
Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet
The Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet is a light attack jet and advanced trainer aircraft co-manufactured by Dornier of Germany and Dassault-Breguet of France.- Origins :...
and Do 228). In the proposal for this airplane suggested the use in the wing of 65% reinforced plastics with fibers of carbon (PRFC), 20% aluminum and the rest in several materials as the titanium, the front fuselage would have 60% of PRFC, the central 18% and the bottom 10%, being completed with other materials employees in the wing, and the stabilizers would have 55% of PRFC, while the fin would take 70%, the same materials would be used for the admission nozzles and the landing train. (aeroespacio 1982/83)
Terms of the project
The Fábrica Militar de Aviones estimated in about 12 to 15 years until crystallizing it from the moment the specifications they were approved, that in 1987 they were very high. In that time, the airplane would be able to replace the existent fighter fleet. The first flight of the prototype was foreseen later for 1989 and the deliveries two years later.Looking for partners
By the middle of 1980 Fábrica Militar de Aviones, was already facing serious financial difficulties, with a deficit of U$S 50 million annually and it was in the search of partners to face diverse business that they allowed him to survive giving 49% of their property.It was evident that the factory could not complete the project by itself and it maintained diverse contacts, such as Aermacchi
Aermacchi
Alenia Aermacchi is an Italian company designing and producing trainer aircraft for military pilots.-Profile:Alenia Aermacchi has sold about 2,000 trainers to more than 40 countries and has collaborated in major international military programs....
-Aeritalia
Aeritalia
Aeritalia was an aerospace engineering corporation based in Italy, originally Fiat Aviazione before merging with Aerfer, and now part of Alenia Aeronautica....
, McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
and Fairchild, with the intention of attracting a partner with whom to share the project.
Although the intention of the air force was to add McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
, which maintained negotiations for a possible license of production of the A-4M Skyhawk II (now, the A-4AR Fightinghawk
A-4AR Fightinghawk
The Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk is a major upgrade of the McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft developed for the Argentine Air Force which entered service in 1998...
) and another one of ejection seats for the trainer IA 63 Pampa, but the American company resisted assuming the risk, because its offer of fighters was covered.
Another possibility was explored then with Aeritalia
Aeritalia
Aeritalia was an aerospace engineering corporation based in Italy, originally Fiat Aviazione before merging with Aerfer, and now part of Alenia Aeronautica....
-Aermacchi
Aermacchi
Alenia Aermacchi is an Italian company designing and producing trainer aircraft for military pilots.-Profile:Alenia Aermacchi has sold about 2,000 trainers to more than 40 countries and has collaborated in major international military programs....
, but the financial problems that it crossed the country they made finally abandon the project.
Conclusion
The benefits for ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
that this project would represent, as being the obtaining of machineries and technologies, and regarding structures and compound materials, such as the fibers of carbon and the titanium, they had served as industrial base to the project and Fábrica Militar de Aviones.
Specifications
Crew: 1, although there also would have been a 2-seat trainer version.
Length: 15.53 m.
Height: 3.96 m.
Wing span: 10.95 m.
Wing area: 30 m².
Wheelbase: 6.60 m.
Empty weight: 7,800 kg.
Max take-off weight: 14,500 kg.
Max wing loading: 266.67 kg/m².
Max speed: Mach 2.25.
Max climb rate: 15,000 m/min.
Ceiling: 15,000 m.
Range: 3380 km.
Engine: 2 GE F404 turbofan.
Armament: 11 hardpoints for a total of 5.000kg : 4 under the fuselage, 2 under each wing, 2 wingtip and 1 central harpoint. It'd also had one revolver cannon 27 mm.
Avionics: air to air radar capable to detect 5m2 targets in a range of 90 km, 6-target multiple pursuit, 3D air to surface radar capable to receive the earth shape, digital flight control system, multi-function nav/attack system and secure communications.
Cost: unknown but cheaper than 4.5th generation aircraft.
External links
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