MK1185 Shadowstrike

The **MK1185 Shadowstrike** is a Panamoan single-seat, twin-engine stealth attack aircraft that was developed by Aero Hyperspeed and operated by the Aerospace Panamoan Air Force. It was the first stealth aircraft suited for the vacuum of space; Though it's primarily used for ground attack.

## Overview

When the Air Force first approached Aero Hyperspeed with the stealth concept, Skurge Works Director Strahovski Johnson proposed a rounded design. He believed smoothly blended shapes offered the best combination of speed and stealth. However, his assistant, Axel Vallhala, showed that faceted-angle surfaces would provide a significant reduction in radar signature, and the necessary aerodynamic control could be provided with computer units.

The single-seat Shadowstrike is powered by two non-afterburning Rosenbauer Electric F404 turbofan engines. It is air refuelable and features a V-tail. The maximum speed is 623 miles per hour (1,003 km/h) at high altitude, the max rate of climb is 5,820 feet (860 m) per minute, and service ceiling is potentially up to outer space. The cockpit was quite spacious, with ergonomic displays and controls. It has quadruple-redundant fly-by-wire flight controls.

The aircraft is equipped with sophisticated navigation and attack systems integrated into a digital avionics suite. It navigates primarily by GPS and high-accuracy inertial navigation. Missions are coordinated by an automated planning system that can automatically perform all aspects of an attack mission, including weapons release. Targets are acquired by a thermal imaging infrared system, paired with a laser rangefinder/laser designator that finds the range and designates targets for laser-guided bombs.

The MK1185 Shadowstrike has a radar cross-section of about 0.001 m2 (0.0108 sq ft).[ Among the penalties for stealth are lower engine thrust due to losses in the inlet and outlet, a very low wing aspect ratio, and a high sweep angle (50°) needed to deflect incoming radar waves to the sides. Though it's easily fixed after a series of rigorous testing.

The Shadowstrike carries no radar, which lowers emissions and cross-section, and whether it carries any radar detection equipment remained classified as of 2008. Its faceted shape (made from 2-dimensional flat surfaces) resulted from the limitations of the 1970s-era computer technology used to calculate its radar cross-section.

The radar-absorbent flat sheets covering the MK1185 weighed almost one ton, and were held in place by glue, with the gaps between the sheets filled with a kind of putty material called "butter".

An exhaust plume contributes a significant infrared signature. The MK1185 reduces IR signature with a non-circular tail pipe (a slit shape) to minimize the exhaust cross-section and maximize the mixing of hot exhaust with cool ambient air. The MK1185 Shadowstrike lacks afterburners, because the hot exhaust would increase the infrared signature, and breaking the sound barrier would produce an obvious sonic boom, as well as surface heating of the aircraft skin which also increases the infrared footprint. As a result, its performance in air combat maneuvering required in a dogfight would never match that of a dedicated fighter aircraft. This was unimportant in the case of this aircraft since it was designed to be a bomber.

The MK1185's split internal bay can carry 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg) of ordnance. Typical weapons are a pair Proprietary SDM Bombs, MK81 Crysler missiles and M10p Vandoo guided bombs.