VF-22 Sturmvogel II
From Macross Compendium
General Galaxy VF-22 Sturmvogel II
Contents
Program
- Type: UNS special operations variable fighter.
- Equipment Type: Variable Vehicles
- Manufacturer: General Galaxy
- Government: U.N.
- Customers: UNS
VF-22 developed from General Galaxy YF-21 design after UN Forces' decision not to adopt the earlier design as the main variable fighter in the Super Nova (AVF) competition but its active stealth capabilities and payload abilities were evaluated and was adopted in small numbers as the special operations forces machine. Brainwave control system not implemented as primary control system in VF-22 design due to test results on the YF-21 in the Super Nova competition. The main improvement from the YF-21, the brainwave control system BDI (Brain Direct Image), which was its greatest feature, was significantly simplified, accompanying a manual operating system within a corresponding cockpit. Due to these changes, it succeeded in reducing the enormous cost, improving maintanence, and in simplifying the equipment, the weight was also reduced. Decision made to adopt VF-22S as special operations fighter successor to General Galaxy VF-17 2042 December. Two fighters used in final stages of Protodeviln War 2046 February.
Variants
- VF-22: Advance production version with no additional series letter designation
- VF-22S: Production version adopted by United Nations as special operations fighter. First manufactured by Macross 7 fleet factory ship Three Star under experimental license for two fighters.
Design Features
Implementation of Zentradi technology (due to the implementation of a revised version of the Quimeliquola Queadluun-Rau battle suit's special inertia vector control system, the VF-22 has a similar silhouette to the battle suit in Battroid mode); low observables stealth configuration and construction; stealth/agility trade-off decided by design team; two flight configuration modes (cruise and high speed) achieved via varying the cant of the wing and tail surfaces; supersonic cruise and maneuvering in region of Mach 5+ below the stratosphere; sufficient thrust for attaining orbital velocity over a Earth-class planet; vertical T-O and landing (VTOL); fighter-carried pin-point barrier system (PPV); trapezoidal combined variable-cant tail stabilizing surfaces; active stealth system; three-dimensional thrust vectoring with three independently pivoting exhaust nozzle flaps on each engine; head unit and legs enhanced from earlier YF-21 design; under-fuselage micro-missile launchers and gunpods internalized; option of external fold booster; BDI system for assistance; engine block remains on main body in GERWALK and Battroid modes, enabling effcient use of main engine thrust and providing high mobility compared to past VFs.
- Landing Gear: Retractable tricycle undercarriage. One steerable nose-wheel and two main-wheels.
Flying Controls
Inertia vector control system improved upon and derived from Zentradi battle suit Quimeliquola Queadluun-Rau. Conventional digital flight control system. Outward-canted combined tail slab stabilizers/ruddervators. Two ventral fins below and to the sides of the air intakes.
Powerplant
- Two 41200 kg [x g] class (maximum instantaneous thrust in atmosphere; 65200 kg [x g] class in space) Shinnakasu Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2450B thermonuclear engines. In atmosphere, the engines use air as coolant/propellant, but due to problems of cooling efficiency (caused by exceeding output and melting the core) the maximum thrust is limited to 40% to 60% of thrust in space.
- Two trapezoidal air intakes with retractable shutters for Battroid mode or space use and four dorsal overflow outlets.
- Three-dimensional independent turning exhaust nozzle vanes, for enhanced V/STOL performance and maneuverability.
- Four dorsal sub-nozzles above main exhaust nozzles. Two banks of pivoting underfuselage slits acting as main nozzles for VTOL hovering in GERWALK mode.
- P&W HMM-6J high-maneuverability vernier thrusters.
- Special equipment hard point station for optional external fighter fold booster on special pylons.
Accommodation
Pilot only in g-endurance zero/zero ejection seat and wearing Tactical Life Support System with upper and lower g-suits and pressure breathing; completely shielded, pressurized cockpit with external view maintained by overhead spherical canopy, one forward panel, and two side panels in cockpit hatch; conventional digital flight control system with side-stick controller.
Avionics
Side-stick controller, imaging monitor screens. Primarily manually controlled but is equipped with the brainwave control system for assistance with non-contact connector for brain-wave operation installed in seat. BDI system functions as a sub-system, assisting in weapons control, chaff, or smoke during air-combat maneuvers where high G's are required. Active stealth system. Six cameras, one on the top, one on the bottom, and four on the sides of the nose. Two sensor units (one hybrid to the rear) mounted on head turret.
Armament
- Fixed OTEC XX-2C high-powered converging beam cannon OR Erlikon AAB-7 anti-aircraft high-powered converging beam cannon; mounted rearward on forward dorsal fuselage in Fighter and GERWALK modes or on head turret in Battroid mode.
- Two Mauler REB-22 converging energy cannons with forward and rearward barrels mounted underneath tail stabilizers in Fighter mode or in the lower arm section in GERWALK and Fighter modes.
- Fixed fighter-carried Howard PBS-03F pin-point barrier system for use in GERWALK and Battroid modes.
- Two Fighter-mode tail stabilizers act as shields in GERWALK and Battroid modes in concert with barrier system.
- Three Stonewell-Royce B-6 standard internal pallets.
- Bifors BMM-24 all-environment high-manueverabilty micro-missile cluster OR four Bifors BML-02S internal micro-missile launchers. Micro-missile launchers with four exit ports on the forward dorsal section to the sides of the engine nacelles. Micro-missile launchers with four exit ports on the ventral fuselage to the rear of the engine nacelles in Fighter mode or on leg storage bay cover panels in GERWALK and Battroid modes.
- Four B-21A exclusive internal pallets (exclusive for YF-21 and VF-22S).
- Eight hard point weapon stations for two Howard BP-14D multipurpose gun pods OR two Hughes/GE GV-17L internal cartridge-less gatling gun pods; each with retractable grip and retractable stealth cover mounted below fuselage and to the rear of fuselage in Fighter mode or on leg storage bay cover panels or in manipulators in GERWALK and Battroid modes.
- Reaction warheads and other armaments can be applied.
Dimensions, External
Fighter mode:
- Wing span: 15.36m
- Length overall: 19.62m
- Height overall: 4.04m
Masses and Loadings
- Mass empty:
- VF-22S: 9340 kg [9550 kg]
Performance
Fighter Mode
- Cruising speed
- standard in atmosphere at 10000 m: Mach 5.06
- VF-22S (standard in atmosphere at 10000 m): Mach 5.07
- Max Cruising speed
- at 30,000+ m: Mach 21
- VF-22S (at 30000+ m): Mach 22+
- Ceiling : Unlimited (Capable of launching into satellite orbit over an Earth-class planet)
- Maximum rate of climb at S/L: 61900 m/min
- Combat action radius (in atmosphere): Nearly unlimited
- g limits: +60/-45
GERWALK mode
- Minimum T-O/Landing run: 0 m (VTOL capable)
Appendices
Appearances
- Debut: Macross 7
- Other appearances: Macross Dynamite 7
Background
- Designer: Shoji Kawamori, Kazutaka Miyatake (cockpit)
The VF-22 Sturmvogel II was named after the Messerschmitt Me 262A-2a Sturmvogel (Stormbird), a variant of the first operational jet fighter-bomber placed in actual combat.