New Sovietskiy Su-37R Flanker R Multi-Role Fighter:


Before the original collapse of the Soviet Union, several excellent fighters were developed. These included the Mig-29, Mig-31, and Su-27 fighters. Many of these aircraft continued to be operated in large numbers in the Russian military which replaced it. Several interesting aircraft designs were developed from the Su-27 including maritime versions, versions with canard wings, versions with vectored engines, and an aircraft with forward swept wings. The Su-27 and derived designs were exported to many nations around the world including China, who produced the fighter in large numbers, and India. The version with forward swept wings became the prototype for the Su-47 fighter with was produced in large numbers in the later part of the Twenty-First Century.


By the time the Communists retook control in Russia, the air force was in very bad shape and most of the Su-27 fighters were unserviceable and could not be refitted. Because of this, the New Soviet air forces were not a patchwork of refitted designs like the army. None of the development programs for advanced fighters ever even went to prototype stage and it was decided that using already existing designs as a basis for faster development. A development of the Mig-29 became the prototype for the main fighter but a smaller number of fighters were produced based on the Su-27. The Su-37 had been produced in limited numbers as a test bed design and was used for the new fighter.


The main change the Su-37R is the replacement of the original composites and aluminum-lithium alloys with the new super strong alloys and composites which were being developed around the same time the new fighter was. The new materials are stronger and allow for a heavier ordnance load. New and more powerful engines were mounted in place of the original engines which produce around twenty-five percent more power than the original engines and with thrust vectoring and forward canards make the fighter very maneuverable. The engines were much more fuel efficient than the original engines and can attain mach speeds without engaging afterburner. Many Western fighters mounted engines with the same feature and there is debate that the Soviet Government did not develop the engines on their own but instead either stole it from Western Nations or had French assistance. The fighter carries an improved phased array radar system and has a host of other improvements in the electronics as well including a better integration of the thrust vectoring system into the fly by wire system. The United States and NATO considered the fighter to be for the most part simply a modified Su-27 so it retained the code name Flanker.


While not produced in as large numbers as the Mig-39, it was still produced in considerable numbers. The United Stated did not consider the fighter to be the equal of the F-22 but the Soviet Fighter was still deadly and much cheaper than the American fighter. Many nations around the globe expressed an interest in the new fighter and was sold to a great many nations. China modified their Su-27 design and produced a very similar fighter. In the incidents between China and the Soviet Union, there were several engagements between the two fighters. A Naval version of the fighter was developed but was never adopted and a Naval version of the Mig-39 was carried instead. The initial version of the fighter carried a 30 mm Gsh-301 cannon but this was later replaced by twin rail guns although some early versions retained the conventional cannon. When fusion turbines were developed, the simple replacement of the engine was considered but the Su-47 was under development and became the new Soviet fighter. When the Su-47 was adopted, production of the Su-37 was discontinued and over the next decade the old fighters were replaced by the fusion powered fighter. Some retained in reserve units but most were either scrapped or sold to other nations.


Designation: Su-37R
Vehicle Type: Twin Engine Multi-Role Fighter
Crew: One


M.D.C. by Location:

[1] Forward Canard Wings (2):25 each
[2] Wings (2):100 each
[3] Elevators (2):45 each
[3] Rudders (2):45 each
Cockpit:80
[4] Engines (2):100 each
Landing Gear (3):5 each
[5] Main Body:150


Notes:
[1] Destroying one or both Canards will result in reducing bonuses to dodge by 2
[2] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash
[3] Destruction of rudders or one elevator will still allow the fighter to be controlled by the varying of power levels and changing the direction of the engines but fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of both of the elevators will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject to survive.
[4] The destruction of one engine will reduce the fighter’s top speed by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10% penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines will cause the aircraft to crash. Pilot may attempt a emergency landing or pilot can choose to eject.
[5] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.


Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when traveling and not on take off or landing. Because of the vectoring of the thrusters, the fighter can take off in a short distance.
Flying: The Su-37 Flanker R has a top speed of Mach 2.65 (1,964.9 mph/ 3,162.1 kph). Because of the fighter’s super cruise engines and the fighter can run at afterburner for extended periods (assume in game terms up to thirty minutes). The Fighter can also cruise up to Mach 1.1 (815.6 mph/1,312.6 kph) but fighter’s cruise speed depends on mission and situation. Maximum altitude is 65,616.8 feet (20,000 meters)
Maximum Effective Range: 2,832.9 nautical miles (3,262.2 miles/5,250 km) on internal fuel. The fighter can carry 3 fuel tanks that extend range by about 215.8 nautical miles (248.5 miles/400 km) each (One on each engine and one centerline).
The fighter has approximately 25% better range when the fighter is carrying no ordnance. The Su-37 Flanker can be refueled in the air.


Statistical Data:
Height: 21.0 feet (6.4 meters)
Wingspan: 48.2 feet (14.7 meters)
Length: 72.8 feet (22.2 meters)
Weight: 40,785.5 pounds (18,500 kg) empty, 56,879.3 pounds (25,800 kg) lightly loaded, and 79,366.4 pounds (36,000 kg) fully loaded.
Power System: Conventional, Two Saturn Lyul´ka AL-55FR high efficiency super cruise turbofans, uses aviation fuel
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include hard points
Black Market Cost: 5.3 million credits (Can sometimes sell for double that price). Can be found scattered around the world having been sold by the Soviet government. It is also operated by some mercenaries.


Weapon Systems:

  1. Forward Mounted Guns (1 or 2): A fixed forward weapon is mounted on the base of the fighter’s starboard wing if the 30 mm cannon is carried and the base of both wings if the rail guns are carried. It serves as the one of last line of defense against enemy planes and missile volleys, although some pilots use it for strafing runs against ground targets when they are out of missiles. Many pilots do not like being exposed to ground weapons fire so it is an uncommon practice.
    1. One DP GSh-301 30 mm cannon: Mounted on the original version of the Su-37 but replaced by a rail gun in later models and many older fighters were refitted with the rail gun as well. The standard ammunition has been replaced by high density ramjet ammunition which inflicts heavy damage and enables the fighter to hold its own against other fighter weapons.
      Maximum Effective Range: 6,560 feet (2,000 meters / 2 kilometers).
      Mega Damage: 1D6x10 for a short burst of 10 round burst and 2D6x10 for a long burst of 20 round burst, 3D6 for each round.
      Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
      Payload: 150 rounds (17 short bursts or 7 long bursts)
    2. Standard 20 mm Railguns (2): Replaces the 30 mm cannon on later models of the Su-37 and refitted on many of the earlier fighters. The rail gun has the same range as the conventional cannon but has a much higher payload. Rail gun fires standard 20 mm rail gun rounds at a very high speed and is very effective against both other aircraft and ground targets.
      Maximum Effective Range: 6,560 feet (2,000 meters / 2 kilometers).
      Mega Damage: 1D4x10 for a half-burst of 10 rounds, 2D4x10 for a full burst of 20 rounds or for both cannons firing linked 10 round bursts, and 4D4x10 for a full burst from both cannons firing linked.
      Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 5 or 6).
      Payload: 250 rounds (25 half-bursts/12 full bursts) per gun, 500 rounds total.
  2. External Hard Points (14): The Su-37 has a total of fourteen hard points with one hard point on each wingtip, four hard-points on each wing, and four hard-points on the fuselage of the aircraft. Each hard points must carry the same type of ordnance but different hard points may carry different ordnance types but ordnance is normally carried in symmetrical pairs. Both unguided and guided bombs can be carried by the aircraft. Fuel tanks can be carried on fuselage and hard points. Fuselage hard points cannot carry mini-missile pods and towed decoys and wingtip hard points cannot carry bombs.
    1. Bombs and Missiles: The only restriction is that a hard point must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided bombs can be carried. In two pilot versions, short range missile racks are controlled by either the pilot or the weapons officer.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
      Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
      Rate of Fire: Missile can be fire and bombs can be dropped one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley.)
      Payload: 4 short range missiles or light bombs, 2 medium range missiles or medium bombs, or 1 long range missile or heavy bomb (all ordnance on a hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance) each hard point.
    2. Mini-Missile Pod: Large capacity mini-missile pod. The mini missile pods are normally carried for ground strafing, anti-troop, and anti-emplacement attacks. Normal missile used are armor piercing, plasma, or fragmentation mini-missiles. In two pilot versions, mini missile pods are controlled by the pilot.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
      Mega-Damage: Varies with mini-missile types (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
      Rate of Fire: Each pod can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or sixteen (16) mini-missiles and can be linked with other mini-missile pods for greater number of missiles (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in volley.)
      Payload: Each pod carries sixteen (16) mini-missiles.
    3. Towed Decoys (4): The pod takes place of all ordnance on the Hard Point. The aircraft can carry a special pod that carries four advanced towed decoy drones. These drones are dragged about 328 feet (100 meters) behind the aircraft on a thin cable. Each is a specially designed radar lure that creates a radar image to mimic the aircraft. If decoys are not destroyed, they can be recovered and repaired. Rifts Earth decoy systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World weapons due to technological difference.
      M.D.C.: 5
      Effects: The decoy has an 65% chance of fooling ordinary non military radars and non smart guided missiles, the decoy has a 35% chance of fooling military level radars (like those of the Coalition), and the decoy has a 10% chance of fooling advanced military radars (Like those of the New Navy and Triax) and smart missiles.
      Maximum Effective Range: Not Applicable although the decoy is deployed 328 feet (100 meters) from the aircraft
      Rate of Fire: One can be deployed at a time and requires 15 seconds to deploy (Reel Out) another decoy
      Payload: 4 Decoys each pod.
  3. Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser (1): Use the same effects as the TRIAX model. However, each time the system is engaged, the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares. Rifts Earth decoy systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World missiles due to technological difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart missiles.)
    Effect:
      01-50 Enemy missile or missile volley detonates in chaff cloud - Missiles are all destroyed.
      51-75 Enemy missile or missile volley loses track of real target and veers away in wrong direction (May lock onto another target.)
      76-00 No effect, enemy missile or missile volley is still on target.
    Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half.
    Duration: 1D4 melee rounds.
    Payload: 20 chaff, 40 flares. Each time the system is engaged, the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares.


Special Equipment:
The fighter has all the standard features of a standard fighter (same as standard robot minus loudspeaker and microphone) plus these special features listed below.:

Combat Bonuses:


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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2003, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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