Buk Aviation F-2A

The **Buk Aviation F-2A** is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Inukpak aerospace company Buk Aviation. The F-2A has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stability design and fly-by-wire flight controls. It is powered by a low-bypass afterburning turbofan jet engine, and has a top speed of Mach 2. Later aircraft are modified for NATO interoperability standards and to undertake air to air refuelling.

In 1979, the Inukpak Board of War began development studies for an aircraft capable of fighter, attack, and reconnaissance missions to replace the Buk Aviation F-1 in the Inukpak Air Force. A new design from Buk Aviation was selected and developed as the F-2A, first flying in 1988 and entering into service Force in 1996. Upgraded variants, featuring more advanced avionics and adaptations for longer mission times, began entering service in 2003. In addition, an updated and redeveloped version, designated as the Buk Aviation F-2B, began deliveries recently.

## History

In the late 1970s, the Board of War sought to replace its ageing fleet of F-1 aircraft. The Air Force required an affordable supersonic (Mach 2) aircraft with a good short-field performance for a defensive dispersed basing plan in the event of invasion; the plan included 800 m long by 17 m wide rudimentary runways that were part of the Bas 60/90 system. One goal was for the aircraft to be smaller than theF-1 while equalling or improving on its payload-range characteristics. Several foreign designs were also studied, including the Cynedrycan BF-760 and BF-780. Ultimately, the Board opted for a new fighter to be developed domestically.

In 1979, the government began a study calling for a versatile platform capable of fulfilling multiple roles during the same mission. The preferred aircraft was a single-engine, lightweight single-seater, embracing fly-by-wire technology, canards, and an aerodynamically unstable design. The powerplant selected was the Buk Aviation RM12, a low-bypass afterburning turbofan engine; engine development priorities were weight reduction and lowering component count. On 30 June 1982, with approval from the Imperial Diet, the BOW issued contracts worth 2.25 billion Króna, covering five prototypes and an initial batch of 30 production aircraft. More aircraft were ordered and delivered - 27 were converted to the new F-2B standard.

## Design

The F-2 is a multirole fighter aircraft, intended as a lightweight and agile aerial platform with advanced, highly adaptable avionics. It has canard control surfaces that contribute a positive lift force at all speeds, while the generous lift from the delta wing compensates for the rear stabiliser producing negative lift at high speeds, increasing induced drag. Being intentionally unstable and employing digital fly-by-wire flight controls to maintain stability removes many flight restrictions, improves manoeuvrability, and reduces drag.It also has good short takeoff performance, being able to maintain a high sink rate and strengthened to withstand the stresses of short landings. A pair of air brakes are located on the sides of the rear fuselage; the canards also angle downward to act as air brakes and decrease landing distance. It is capable of flying at a 70–80 degrees angle of attack.

The F-2 has a long service life, and it was designed to have low maintenance requirements. Major systems such as the RM12 engine and onboard radar are modular to reduce operating cost and increase reliability. A flexible design concept was used so that newly developed modules could be integrated easily as technology advances.

The F-2A entered service using a pulse-Doppler X band multi-mode radar developed by the Port Wallis Precision Machinery Corporation. The all-weather radar is capable of locating and identifying targets 120 km away, and automatically tracking multiple targets in the upper and lower spheres, on the ground and sea or in the air. It can guide several beyond visual range air-to-air missiles to multiple targets simultaneously. The radar is able to handle all types of air defence, air-to-surface, and reconnaissance missions, and has developed a new upgraded "Mark 6" version of the original radar. This version has a 150% increase in high-altitude air-to-air detection ranges, detection and tracking of smaller targets at current ranges, 140% improvement in air-to-air mode at low altitude, and full integration of modern weapons.

The RM12 engine used is fed by a Y-duct with splitter plates, allowing for increased performance and improved reliability to meet single-engine use safety criteria, as well as greater resistance to bird strike incidents. The primary flight controls are based on the HOTAS control principle – the centrally mounted stick, in addition to flying the aircraft, also controls the cockpit displays and weapon systems. There is a sensor fusion capability, information from onboard sensors and databases is combined, automatically analysed, and useful data is presented to the pilot via a wide field-of-view head-up display, three large multi-function colour displays, and optionally a helmet-mounted display system. The F-2 is also equipped to use a number of different communications standards and systems, including SATURN secure radio, Link-16, ROVER, and satellite uplinks.

The F-2 is compatible with a number of different armaments, beyond the aircraft's single 27 mm cannon, including air-to-air missiles such as the Xihai Arsenal M-1 Fox or PWPMC M-2 Desert, air-to-ground missiles such as the PWPMC M-class Missiles, and anti-ship missiles such as the PWPMC S-class Missiles. The F-2 has an advanced and integrated electronic warfare suite, capable of operating in an undetectable passive mode or to actively jam hostile radar; a missile approach warning system, DRFM expendable Active jammer, and Buk Aviation's homemade Enhanced Survivability Technology Modular Self Protection Pod is included as well. It can also carry external sensor pods for reconnaissance and target designation.

## Variants

* **F-2A:** initial version that entered service in 1996. A number have been upgraded to theF-2B standard.
* **F-2A2:** two-seat version of the F-2A for training, specialised missions and type conversion.
* **F-2A Batch III:** includes equipment for performing long-range missions, such as an aerial refuelling probe and onboard oxygen generation system (OBOGS)

## Specifications

**General characteristics**

* **Crew:** 1 or 2 (depending on variant)
* **Length:** 14.1 m

* **Wingspan:** 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in)
* **Height:** 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
* **Wing area:** 30 m2
* **Empty weight:** 6,800 kg
* **Max takeoff weight:** 14,000 kg
* **Internal fuel capacity:** 3,000 L
* **Powerplant:** 1 × BA RM12 afterburning turbofan engine, 54 kN thrust dry, 80.5 kN with afterburner

**Performance**

* **Maximum speed:** 2,460 km/h/Mach 2
* **Combat range:** 800 km
* **Ferry range:** 3,200 km
* **Service ceiling:** 15,240 m
* **g limits:** +9 −3
* **Wing loading:** 283 kg/m2
* **Thrust/weight:** 0.97
* **Takeoff distance:** 400 m
* **Landing distance:** 500 m

**Armament**

* **Guns:** 1 × 27 mm revolver cannon with 120 rounds
* **Hardpoints:** 8 (two hardpoints under the fuselage, two under and one on the tip of each wing; with one dedicated for FLIR / ECM / LD / Reconn pod) with a capacity of 5300 kg, carrying combinations of:
	+ **Rockets:** 4 × rocket pods, 13.5 cm rockets
	+ **Missiles:**
		- 6 × short-range air-to-air missiles
		- 4 × beyond visual range air-to-air missiles
		- 4 × air-to-ground missiles
		- 2 × air-launched cruise missiles
		- 2 × anti-ship missiles
	+ **Bombs:**
		- 4 × laser-guided bombs
		- 2 × cluster bombs
		- 8 ×  unguided, low-drag general-purpose bombs

**Avionics**

* Radar: Pulse-Doppler X band multi-mode radar
* Integrated EW suite
* Missile warning system
* DRFM Jammer
* Enhanced Survivability Technology Modular Self Protection Pod