Features
The Raven back-packable system which features two air vehicles or AVs, a ground control unit, remote video terminal, transit cases and support equipment. Two specially trained Airmen operate the Raven AV. The AV can be controlled manually or can autonomously navigate a preplanned route.

The Raven includes a color electro-optical camera and an infrared camera for night operations. The air vehicle is hand-launched, weighs less than 5 pounds and an endurance of up to 80 minutes.

History
The Raven UAS has proven itself in combat supporting U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and other areas of conflict. The Raven is now used by all of the military services. The Air Force purchased the Raven UAS to replace the Desert Hawk UAS.

UAV RQ-11B Raven Technical Specifications

Design Features

The helicopter features a state-of-the-art ballistic tolerant composite high efficiency fully articulated five-blade main rotor and a four-bladed tail rotor granting smooth riding together with high speed and low vibration and noise signature. The roomy unobstructed cabin, capable of hosting up to 18 troops, has large sliding doors allowing easy and quick access and egress for troops and the loading of bulky equipment.

With a fully digitised avionics with open architecture and fully integrated mission equipment, a modern glass cockpit and a 4-axis auto-pilot reducing pilot workload and helping the crew concentrate on the mission, the TUHP 149 is specifically designed for the modern battlefield with redundant critical systems.

The helicopter is characterised by a rugged construction incorporating crashworthy features, armoured pilot seats, crashworthy troop seats, and self sealing fuel tanks to maximise survivability.

Easy ground handling and taxiing as well as operation from unprepared terrain is made possible by the heavy-duty nose-wheel high energy absorbing, semi-retractable landing gear for higher speed.

Two 2,000 sph GE CT7-2E1 turboshafts engines with FADEC deliver high performance in hot and high conditions with outstanding one engine inoperative capabilities.

The TUHP 149 is endowed with the latest all weather day-night operational capabilities, dedicated avionics and a NVG-compatible cockpit while icing protection will be available as an option.

The TUHP 149, by its open architecture design, would be fitted with role kit equipment and systems according to customer demand to fulfil the existing as well as prospective new roles undertaken by the final operator.

The TUHP 149 features low signatures (acoustic, IR and radar) and an advanced integrated self-protection suite. Advanced sensors, communication and data sharing systems provide the crew with high situational awareness and enable the TUHP 149 to perform the mission in the today and tomorrow network-centric environments.

Role Capabilities

The aircraft can be configured to carry a variety of multiply combined stores, comprising external auxiliary tanks and weapon systems, on external pylons including rocket launchers, air-to-surface and machine-guns. Pintle-mounted machine-guns can be fitted on fixed frame windows or in relation to the doors. Structural provisions for the installation of external cargo hook, heavy duty rescue hoist and all the other mission dependent equipments are provided.

The TUHP 149, thanks to the modular concept design for rapid role re-configuration, is perfectly suited to perform an impressive number of duties such as troop transport, battlefield and logistic operations, fire support, SAR and combat SAR, special forces operations, reconnaissance, surveillance, CASEVAC, command control & communication, external load lifting as well as VIP military transport.

The TUHP 149 has been conceived to ease support services and reduce cost of ownership optimizing aircraft effectiveness and minimizing maintenance requirements within the whole helicopter life-cycle and dedicated support and training services package can be provided on a cost effective through life support basis. A full “Level D” flight simulator is also envisaged.

Turkish Utility Helicopter TUHP 149

With a maximum takeoff gross weight of 114,000 pounds, the FB-111A was 75.5 feet long, 17 feet high, and had a wing span of 34 feet with the wings fully swept or 70 feet with the wings forward. The bomber version had a 3.5 foot extension on each wingtip for range improvement, additional avionics equipment, new engines, and a reinforced landing gear and fuselage to accommodate a heavier gross weight. The FB-111A was a two-engine jet bomber with afterburner. The engines ware integral to the fuselage. The variable geometry wings were attached high on the fuselage and can be swept back from 16 to 72.5. The crew consists of a pilot and a navigator sitting side by side in a cockpit that is designed as an emergency escape module.

The initial flight of FB-111A took the sky in July 1967 with the first production aircraft delivered in August 1968. The F-111 had cost overrun problems and bad publicity; so only 76 were built. It was later labeled as an interim bomber to provide a better, low-level penetration capability until a B-52 replacement was built.

Although the range of the FB-111A is better than the fighter version, it is still only a medium-range bomber that requires both additional tanker support and preferential basing. Due to its small size, there is little space for modification, thereby limiting adaptability and flexibility. For example, it is impossible to expand its ECM capability to counter new threats or to enhance its offensive avionics by adding new technology electronics. There are, however, some advantages to the FB-111A over previous medium-range bombers. Its design is optimized for performance both at high and low altitude. It has a smaller RCS with a terrain following capability, making it a very effective low altitude penetrator. It also has an improved survivability due to its ability to get airborne quickly and away from its ground alert location. The two engines of the FB-111A can be started quickly, and it has a shorter takeoff roll than its predecessors. Further, the payload is not as limited as the B-58 since the FB-111A can carry up to 24 conventional bombs. However, this requires external carriage which restricts the wing sweep and degrades the range. The nuclear payload is two internal SRAM/gravity bombs and up to four external pylon-mounted weapons.

The cost overruns, bad publicity and range limitation stacked poorly in comparison to the B-52 and the new B-1 on the drawing board resulted in the FB-111 program being scaled back. The FB-111 however could adapt to different roles because mission flexibility was designed in, but its very size limited its range, modification space available, and payload. To overcome some of these drawbacks, SAC initiated several studies to stretch the FB-111A to improve its capabilities, but none resulted in a modification program. The modified design would have lengthened the existing FB-111A so as to increase fuel load capacity, space available for electronics, and internal and external weapons payload. The more powerful F-101 engine would have replaced the existing engines. It was estimated that the FB-111' s range would have been increased by about 1,200 nm by this modification and that the aircraft's total payload would have been increased to 15 nuclear weapons.

Interest for the aircraft developed again in 1980 with the Long Range Combat Aircraft (LRCA) studies. FBl-111A and F-111D aircraft were examined for conversion to an FB-11lB/C version. Again, the fuselage was to be lengthened to allow fuel, payload, electronics, and engine thrust enhancement. This proposal was dropped when the Air Force chose a modified B-l for the LRCA over the FB-111B/C design. But it should be pointed out that even with these improvements, the FB-111 could not match the range or payload of the long-range B-52 or the B-1.

The Australian government ordered 24 F-111C aircraft in 1963 to replace the RAAF's English Electric Canberra. The British government ordered 50 F-111K aircraft in 1967. The F-111K was based on the F-111A, modified for British equipment and weapons. This included weapons bay changes, compatibility with the Martel anti-shipping missile, and the addition of a retractable refueling probe and the use of FB-111A landing gear for a higher gross take off weight. Prototypes of both the strike and TF-111K trainer aircraft were started and were in the final stages of build when the order was cancelled just over a year later. Updated estimates of performance indicated that range and speed at altitude would be worse than expected and fall short of the specification. Cost increase together with devaluation of the pound meant that the cost would be around £3 million each and this was the reason cited for cancellation.

In a nutshell, The F-111 was in service with the USAF from 1967 through 1998. It entered active service with the Royal Australian Air Force in 1973 and is currently scheduled to remain with the RAAF until 2010.

F-111F Technical Specifications

The XB-70A program came out from the Boeing Aircraft Corporation's MX-2145 Project after Boeing along with the Band Corporation conducted studies relating to the type of weapon system required to deliver high-yield special weapons. The study included intercontinental bombers, delivering both gravity bombs and pilot-less parasite bombers; manned bombers, air-refueled by tankers to attend their ranges and cover round-trip intercontinental distances; manned aircraft and drone bomber combinations; and unmanned bombers. During the study, the Air Force requested to further include possible trade-off information on weight for speed, weight for range and speed for range. Boeing managed to present the requested information on 22 January 1954, pointing out the possibilities of a bomber aircraft powered by chemically augmented nuclear power plants. It was B-70.

In May 1946, the Army Air Forces signed a treaty with the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation, conferring on the highly classified

The aircraft was designed for all weathers at speeds above Mach one.

The crew of the aircraft was designed to seat at a pressurized compartment, cooled with refrigeration at Mach speeds. The features of the aircraft included boundary-layer diverter, windshield defogging, detachable aerial refueling probe, single-point ground refueling, integral fuel tanks, rotary bomb bay door serving as weapon carrier combination, tip ailerons and short cord spars, dive brakes, liquid oxygen system, variable horizontal tail and two deceleration chutes. 

The design immediately ran into serious difficulties over the inertial guidance bombing and navigation system, which, had the bomber been approved for production, would have pushed deployment back to at least 1963.

None of the XB-68 prototypes were built after recognizing the fact that the medium tactical bomber design was still years away. 

Existing B-36s were swept-wing, all-jet aircrafts. Earlier, a letter issued by the Air Force supplemented the basic B-36 contract and authorized Convair to convert two B-36Fs into prototype B-36Gs, entirely outfitted with turbojets but capable of accommodating turboprop engines.

The proposed B-36G however had very little in common with the B-36F, forcing the Air Force to determined that the B-60 level would be assigned to the aircraft, because of the striking change in physical appearance and upgrading in performance over that of the conventional B-36 aircraft. 

In August 1951, confusion about the configuration of the B-60 prototypes obliged the manufacturer to recommend that at first only two stripped aircrafts will be developed. Accepting responsibility for the error, the manufacturer also proposed that the second YB-60 later be completed as a full tactical model. This meant that separate specifications would have to be developed for each prototype aircraft. The Air Force agreed to this proposal. 

The B-60 prototype differed significantly from the B-36 by featuring swept-back wings and swept-back tail surfaces, a new needle-nose radome, a new type of support power system, and 8 Pratt & Whitney J57-P-3 jet engines, fit in pairs inside pods suspended below and forward of the leading edge of the wings. Another special feature of the YB-60 was that its extended tail, which enabled the aircraft to remain in a level position for a considerable period of time during takeoff, with a gross weight of 280,000 pounds, after only 4,000 feet of ground roll.

Convair was able to use the J57-P-3 Boeing designed nacelles and engine pods, which seemed to be a distinct advantage over other aircrafts of the time. This was particularly true, since the J57 engine was itself the product of an intensive effort to develop a high-thrust turbojet with low fuel consumption. In 1952, production of the aircraft started but the engines were in short supply. The prototype's eighth J57-P-3 engine finally arrived at the Convair's Fort Worth plant in April 1952. 

On 18 April 1952, B-60 first flew from the Convair's Fort Worth plant. The 66 minute flight was hampered by bad weather, but two subsequent flights proved successful. The B-60 displayed excellent handling characteristics. Convair test-flew the first YB-60 for 66 hours, accumulated in 20 flights; the Air Force, some 15 hours, in 4 flights. This encouraging start however, did not prevail in the long run. Flight testing of the aircraft ended on 20 January in the following year as the second YB-60, although 93 percent complete, was not flown at all. This was due to worrisome test results and a number of deficiencies including engine surge, control system buffet, rudder flutter, and problems with the electrical engine-control system.

The US Air Force canceled the B-60 program as it could not compete with similar aircrafts of the same time. The project's sole purpose was to be a B-36 successor. The YB-52 demonstrated better performance and greater improvement potential than the YB-60. The YB-52's first flight on 15 April 1952; 3 days ahead of the YB-60's; was an impressive success and generated great enthusiasm. The Convair prototype's stability was unsatisfactory because of the high aerodynamic forces acting upon the control surfaces and the low aileron effectiveness of the plane.

The B-60 program was canceled in 1952, and testing of the stripped prototype ended in January 1953. Convair even though tried to convince the Air Force, that the YB-60s should be used as experimental test-beds for turbo propeller engines. Budget constrains and the YB-60's several unsafe characteristics forced the Air Force to turn down Convair's tempting proposal.

The cost of the two B-60 prototypes was set at $14,366,022. This figure, included Convair's fee, the contract termination cost, and the amount spent on the necessary minimum of spare parts.

The Air Force destroyed the two YB-60s in June 1954.

The initial Convair design, as recommended by Dr. Alexander M. Lippisch, an eminent German scientist, predicted a ‘delta configured’-1, 00,000 pound bomber. The Boeing on the otherhand designed the aircraft as a conventional 200,000 pounded bomber. The two contractors followed two different development approaches, and drastically opposed each other’s concepts.

Three decisive personalities of that time were, Henry "Hap" Arnold, Commanding General of the Army Air Forces, Maj. Gen. Curtis L.eMay, the first Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and Development and Von Karman, the AAF’s chief scientific advisor. All of these men opted for an aircraft that will move with speeds far beyond the velocity of sound. On 14 October 1947, the impressive test flight of the Bell X-1 rocket airplane, a flight that shattered both the sound barrier and the speculation, became infinite. Development of the single place, air-launched X-1 was a major achievement for the US. Production of this 3 seat aircraft, capable of constant speeds approaching the ‘muzzle velocity’ of a 30 caliber bullet and of functioning effectively as a strategic bomber, would be a challenge of monumental proportions. The controversial B-58 program that ensued was to illustrate the dangers of untested technology in opposition to the necessity of pioneering state-of-the-art developments. Where to draw the line between the two remained open for a long time.

In late 1952, the US Air Force selected the Convair design over that of Boeing as it promised supersonic speed. Analysts said, the choice was not unexpected. In the Convair design, its reduced size cut the radar reflectivity and therefore, the probabilities of interception by surface-to-air missiles. Additionally, the Air Force's development directive had reemphasized on the importance of high-speed and high-altitude performances. Moreover, Convair was familiar with the weapon system development technique.

Among the many revolutionary advances embodied in the B-58 Hustler was the use of new procedures and materials in constructing the aircraft. Special demands were made on the airframe structure, not only in terms of aerodynamic loads, but also by virtue of its high speed, which through skin friction at Mach 2 could heat the exterior surfaces above 250 degrees F. With the inboard jet engines venting their exhausts beneath the wing, there was also concern over sonic fatigue at high sound levels affecting the wing structure. Internally, the B-58 is framed like a Navy destroyer, with transverse duralumin spars, corrugated for strength, spaced only 11 to 15 inches apart running from one wing margin through the fuselage to the opposite wing. There are no chordwise ribs, only chordwise members or bulkheads to serve as attachments for elevons, engine nacelles and landing gear.

There is no physical communication between the three cockpits arranged in tandem, and except for the intercom each crew member is on his own, in cramped quarters which do not permit standing, for missions lasting 7 to 8 hours. The pilot has vision ahead and to the sides through a six-window wrap-around windshield, plus two small windows in the canopy for overhead vision. The navigator and defense systems operator have a minute window measuring not more than 4 x 6 inches on each side of their compartments.

Between 1962 and 1964, necessary but expensive modifications at B-58 took place. Technological advances had changed the anti-air defenses of the B-58. Significant problems remained there after. Defensive nuclear-tipped ‘air-to-air’ and ‘surface-to-air’ missiles appeared to prevent penetration of enemy airspace at high altitude. When flying at low level, the B-58 structure suffered significant fatigue damage. Manufacturer did not go on with extensive modifications due to excessive cost. Soon after, all theB-58s were phased out of the Air Force inventory by early 1970, less than 8 years after the last ones rolled off the assembly line.

The Air Force all together purchased 116 B-58s, less than half than it initially planned. Eight were equipped as TB-58A training aircraft. It broke 12 world speed records and won almost every major aviation award in existence. The supersonic B-58 Hustler, derived from a new concept took into account the greatly increased capability of ground defenses, including radar tracking and ground-to-air missiles.

Though the expensive B-58 program did not fulfill all of US Air Force’s requirements, it did express an important technological achievement. The Air Force took a risk with the $3 billion price tagged airline but achieved limited but revolutionary progress.

Although the B-57 was originally procured by the USAF as a night intruder, it has been successfully used in many other roles, including photoreconnaissance and strategic bombing. No distinctive design innovations were incorporated in the purely subsonic B-57; however, its pertinent design parameters were chosen in such a way that the aircraft was readily adaptable to a variety of roles calling for diverse characteristics.

Adopting a foreign made aircraft was not easy for the manufacturer, so it suffered several difficulties. Methods of production were different, so were the materials and tools. Another problem centered around the Wright J65 turbojets, during replacement of the Canberra's 2 Rolls Royce Avon turbojet engines. Though the US Air Force was completely aware of these potential drawbacks, it had no better option; as an immediate requirement for a light jet bomber was in line, with a 40,000 foot service ceiling, a 1,000 nautical mile range, and a maximum speed of 550 knots. 

The US Air Force wanted the new bomber to be capable of operating from unimproved airfields, at night and in every kind of weather with atomic weapons. High altitude reconnaissance was another necessity. The existing B-45 was too heavy; the Navy AJ-1 was too slow; and the Martin experimental B-51's range was too short; so the emergence of B-57 Canberra became inevitable. The desire for a night intruder was so strong that it took just a few days to endorse the production of it. The Glenn L. Martin Company was recognized as the most qualified contractor for the production of this aircraft and to deal with the likely engineering difficulties involved in manufacturing. 

The B-57 was basically considered as a light bomber. The performance characteristics of the B-57B and the B-45C have many similarities. With a gross weight of 53,721 pounds, the B-57B was 2,000 pounds lighter than the Boeing B-17G, one of the standard heavy bombers of World War II. Mission radius of the B-57B was 948 miles with a payload of 5240 pounds, and ferry range was 2722 miles. Maximum speed was 598 miles per hour; Mach 0.79; at 2500 feet and cruising speed was 476 miles per hour. Being about twice as heavy as the B-57B, the B-45C carried nearly twice the payload for approximately the same mission distance.

Even though the USAF did foresee problems with the development of the B-57, the magnitude of it crossed all limits. Testing of two imported Canberras revealed design faults that could affect the safety, utility, and maintenance of the aircraft. Then, one of the British planes crashed; Martin's subcontractors could not meet their commitments; and the J65 prototype engines consistently failed to satisfy the requirements set by the USAF. 

In June 1952, further test flights had to be postponed for a year because of continuing engine and cockpit troubles. As a result, the Korea bound B-57 did not fly before 20 July 1953, just 7 days before the conflict ended. 

Later, the manufacturer converted these aircrafts into reconnaissance version. The new RB-57 had more powerful J65 engines and added equipments. These aircrafts entered service in mid 1954. The increased improvements however increased the aircraft's weight, in turn reducing the speed, distance, and altitude of both the B-57 and the RB-57.

Douglas B/RB-66s was in the horizon but there were no sign that the USAF would cancel the production of the disappointing B/RB-57 program. Steps were taken to ensure that the deficient B/RB-57s would be operational. This turned out to be expensive; later and considerably improved models still carried flaws, but in the long run the program's retention proved sound. In 1955, the B/RB-57s program justified its cost when it served overseas after the B/RB-66 deliveries fallen behind schedule.

Deliveries of the RB-57 in May 1963 and the B-57 in February 1965 started to show under fire in Southeast Asia and justified the Canberra's original selection. In 1970, other reactivated and newly equipped B-57s, known as Tropic Moon III B-57Gs, were deployed to Southeast Asia, where they made valuable contributions until April 1972. The WB-57Fs flew in high altitude radiation sampling missions in 1973. At the same time, EB-57Es, and related adaptations of the versatile B-57, continued to play significant roles.

The Canberra B-57 series was deployed in many wars, including in Vietnam and in the undeclared war with Britain in the Falkland Islands. 

The B-57 was not easy to fly. Moreover, prior to modification of its longitudinal control and stabilizer systems, the B-57 was uncontrollable if 1 of its 2 engines failed during takeoff or landing. About 47 aircrafts were destroyed in major accidents. The Air Force found out that 50 percent of the major accidents resulted from pilot errors, with 38 percent of the accidents occurring upon landing. 

Production of B-57 ended in early 1957.

The US Air Force accepted a total of 403, B-57s, all of which were produced in Baltimore, Maryland. The program comprised 8 B-57As, 202 B-57Bs, 38 B-57Cs, 68 B-57Es, 67 RB-57As, and 20 RB-57Ds. Other B-57s, such as the B-57Gs, RB-57Fs and WB-57Fs, were the result of extensive post production modifications.