HelAux F17
| |
|---|---|
 | |
| Official name |
HelAux Fighter 17 |
| Other titles |
F17 |
| Designers | |
| Status |
Cancelled |
| Predecessor | |
| Type |
Air superiority |
| Announcement | |
| Introduction |
(planned) October 21, 2013 |
| Last production |
(cancelled) December 15, 2012 |
| Shield name |
Magnu-designed |
| Sensors |
ADR-designed |
| Targeting |
AG-F-designed |
| Navigation |
ADR-designed |
| Communication |
Navo Works-designed |
| Computer |
ADR-designed |
| Power |
EIE-designed |
| Crew |
1 (pilot) |
| Propulsion |
Iona Engines-designed:
|
| Armaments |
|
The HelAux F17, often shortened F17, was a jet-powered air superiority craft design entered in to the Gammetan RFP 1-CA by HelAux. The design failed to win over the military: while it had superior aerodynamics to its competitors, it was slower, had less protection and did not have enough prioritization on weapon systems. Instead, MPI's Mechal Fi-1 was selected as winner, though HelAux made significant aerodynamic improvements and provided parts to the Fi-1.
In February 2012, HelAux accepted the request after a mere few days of its announcement. It signed contracts with numerous companies to use their products, with two of the five main systems (aerodynamics, weapons, propulsion, protection and other) being designed from new.
The F17, as with its competitors the C1 and Fi-1, was to be explicitly air superiority craft, and HelAux aimed to have no systems that did not prove useful in air-to-air combat at all. As per all craft of the Gammetan Civilization, the F17 had two main engines for propulsion. Flight control surfaces, repulsors and flusters were to be used for maneuvering (the former two only for in-atmosphere), whereas an afterburner was to be used for extended, short-term propulsion for the first time since Gammeta's founding. It was also planned to include the standard five avionic systems (computers, navigation, communication, sensors and targeting), and some newly-designed weapons.
Development[]
Its development started on February 3, 2012, when HelAux hastly accepted the RFP 1-CA less than week afterit was issued. The Gammetan military made the request as they lacked a dedicated air superiority craft. The only other air-to-air craft then in use was the HelAux F16, however the F16 was dual-purposed, so air-to-air was not prioritized to the degree of an air superiority craft.
- Central computer, navigation and sensor systems were designed by ADR
- Targeting systems were designed by AG-F
- Communication systems were designed by Navo Works
- Shield systems werw designed by Magnu
- Main engine systems were designed by Iona Enignes
- Flusters, repulsors and afterburners were to be designed by Iona Engines
- New rapid-fire short-range weapon systems were to be designed by Gatalon Industries
- Power systems were designed by Enthusia Industrial Estates
Design[]
As per the request for proposals, the craft had one cockpit for one crew member and the four propulsion systems (main engines, flusters (reaction control systems), repulsors and an afterburner). It was also to have two weapon systems: One or two short-range, rapid-fire Gatalon Photon Cannons (though the model was never decided), and air-to-air AIM missiles.