Rebirth of the 1980s: The Military Industry Empire

The Yun-10's maximum takeoff weight is over 100 tons, already in the ranks of large aircraft. But maritime patrol aircraft don't need such a large plane, as they don't need to carry large radar antennas like AWACS planes, nor do they need a large amount of electronic equipment.

The American P-3 patrol aircraft was modified from the Lockheed L188 Electra airliner, with a maximum takeoff weight of only 63 tons. The British Nimrod anti-submarine patrol aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 87 tons, both much smaller than the Yun-10.

Of course, there are exceptions. For example, the old Russian Tu-142 anti-submarine patrol aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight exceeding 180 tons, a record that has not been surpassed by any aircraft even in later generations. But this is just a special case. Ordinary patrol aircraft only need tens of tons. In China, the Yun-8 platform is the best choice.

However, Qin Yang was unwilling. Qin Yang spared no effort to promote the Yun-10. Now that the navy had this idea, how could he let them switch to other models?

"Big? How big? Bigger than the old Russian Tu-142 patrol aircraft?" Qin Yang asked.

Who could compare with the Tu-142?

Those present felt a bit awkward.

"Director Qin, the Yun-10 is an airliner platform, and the price is a bit high. Our navy is still poor. We think it's fine to modify the Yun-8."

"I don't think the Yun-8 is suitable," Qin Yang retorted. "If we are going to make a patrol aircraft, we will definitely put the radar in the nose. Can our Yun-8 accommodate it?"

The Yun-8 was designed based on the old Russian An-12. However, during the development process, it did not simply copy the An-12B's rounded glass nose. Instead, it was decided to use the nose of the Xi'an H-6 bomber. The reason for this was simple: these transparent glass pieces needed to be re-produced by opening new molds, while using the H-6's nose allowed for direct production, saving imitation time and reducing development costs.

In order to adapt to the H-6's nose, the Yun-8's forward fuselage frame was adjusted. After docking, the length of this nose became longer and more sharply pointed, which became the biggest external difference between the domestically produced Yun-8 and the old Russian An-12.

In this era, this transparent glass cover was very important because it was the navigator's position. In an era of backward technology, the navigator needed to stay in this nose, staring at the ground to see landmarks and use nautical charts to determine where they had flown.

If we were to build a patrol aircraft, the most suitable place to install the radar would be the nose. The nose of a fighter jet is used to house airborne radar. The nose of this type of large patrol aircraft can also house airborne radar, and can even directly copy the AWG-9 radar.

Of course, since we're going to do it, we have to do it well. The subsequent processing circuits can all use the AWG-9 radar, and the antenna diameter can be doubled, and the transmitter power can be quadrupled. This way, the radar performance can be stronger and fully meet the needs of the navy.

In short, the nose must be stuffed with radar.

"If the radar is placed in the nose, then there will be no rearward search capability, right?"

"Yes, these maritime patrol aircraft generally put the radar in the front, so that the patrol aircraft can directly search the sea in front," Qin Yang said. "There will definitely be a blind spot in the back, but searching the sea, taking care of the front is enough. There is no need to take care of the back, otherwise we would have to make a big butt like the Nimrod AEW, which is not necessary."

The British also wanted to be independent and autonomous. After they developed the Nimrod anti-submarine aircraft, they wanted to develop an AWACS, so they continued to modify the Nimrod anti-submarine aircraft platform, with a large nose in the front and a large butt in the back, each responsible for half of the airspace.

However, the British failed.

Although this AWACS has two antennas, it shares one transmitter, which is switched by a switch, and this switch often arcs and burns out. The most deadly thing is the later processing circuit. The computer's ability is not high, but it wants powerful performance. Their radar can even search for cars driving on the ground and display them on the screen.

As a result, every time the radar is turned on, there are many targets on the radar screen, but the computer cannot process them, so it can only drop the targets. As a result, when the radar turns around and searches for the original target for the second time, it continues to send it to the computer as a new target. As a result, the amount of data that the computer needs to process increases geometrically, and the computer is quickly overwhelmed by this mountain of data.

The British worked on it for many years without success. The military lost confidence and instead purchased E-3 AWACS.

And this radar was idle. In the 1990s, this radar was sold to the East in the name of anti-smuggling. The East continued to build a Yun-8 patrol aircraft, and the nose of the aircraft became a big nose.

Now, hearing everyone talk about the shortcomings, Qin Yang was also speechless. He recommended AWACS to you, but you thought it was too expensive. He installed radar on the nose, but you complained that you couldn't see the butt. Were there so many things to worry about?

Hearing Qin Yang say this, Old Liu smiled and said, "Yes, Director Qin is right, let's follow Director Qin's idea. We will choose the Yun-10 as the platform."

The Yun-10, a modern airliner, does not have a transparent glass nose. The space in the nose is perfect for installing advanced sea search radar, and there is enough space on the aircraft as well.

"That's right, the Yun-10 is the best choice. The airframe platform is wide and can carry a lot of equipment. It can also have enough space to accommodate multiple crew members to take turns to rest. One trip can perform more than a dozen hours of missions. Two aircraft can ensure uninterrupted mission execution, while the Yun-8 would require four aircraft. Which one is more suitable?"

"Director Qin is right. We will listen to Director Qin. We will order two Yun-10s as airframe platforms and ask your 960 Factory to help us modify them, how about that?"

Qin Yang shook his head: "The AWACS modification team is the most professional. Let them do it. Our 960 Factory can be responsible for researching special radar for your navy."

The engine was still a problem, but there was also a solution. After all, they were about to manufacture landing gear for European Airbus, and the required engines could be obtained from Europe.

Want us to process landing gear? Okay, exchange it for engines! A large number of Boeing 707 airliners are also flying in the European sky, and there are still a lot of matching engines. Even if the Americans know about it, there is no need to be afraid of them. Our Yun-10 uses its own engines. Where did those backup engines go? We don't know!

"Okay, then we will prepare the funds as soon as possible, but we also hope that your 960 Factory can develop it as soon as possible, and start this project before the funds are in place."

It is difficult to work without money in other units, but it is easy to do it here in Qin Yang. He nodded immediately: "No problem, I will let them develop it as soon as possible!"