DAS-9 Sparrow
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| Profile (n/a) | |
| DAS-9 Sparrow | |
|---|---|
| Design details | |
| Type | Attack helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Detmerian Aerospace |
| Design No. | DAS-9 |
| Unit cost | $26 million |
| Service dates | 2005-present |
| General characteristics | |
| Crew | 2 |
| Length Fuselage: |
15.82 m |
| Rotor diameter | 14.67 m |
| Width | 5.12 m (w/ stub wings) |
| Height | 4.26 m |
| Empty weight | 6438 kg |
| Payload | 1800 kg |
| MTOW | 10103.1 kg |
| Flight characteristics | |
| Engines | 2 × IMW ATG-12S |
| Speed | 370 km/h |
| Manoeuvrability | +3.54/-0.52g |
| Thrust loadings | |
| Fuel fraction | 0.39 |
| Range | km |
| Ceiling | m |
| Rate of climb | |
| Armament | |
| Internal | L41A2 30mm cannon |
| External | See Characteristics |
| Operators | |
| UKIN, USNSEA | |
This article has an avowed bias that will be corrected by the author as soon as possible.
Designed to replace the long-serving Apache Longbow helicopter, the Sparrow provides the Isselmere-Nielander Army with the latest technology to defeat enemy armour wherever it may be found.
Strength
The Sparrow offers your Army and Marines the opportunity to flex their muscle over vast ranges and with great striking power. Able to use a wide range of weapons systems such as Lyme and Martens’ Fulmar, Kite, Lark, Ostrich, Petrel, Pigeon, and Roc missiles as well as the usual AGM-114B/K/M Hellfire and AGM-71 TOW missiles, and guided and unguided rockets.
The Sparrow also has a heavy-hitting 30mm aircraft autocannon from Royal Isselmere-Nieland Ordnance (RINO) that fires 30 × 173mm high explosive-incendiary or armour piercing shells, selectable in-flight by the gunner. The gunner may also hand over control of the cannon to the pilot.
Fire Control Systems
A plethora of sensors are available to the crew, such as the Crossbow millimetric search and tracking radar atop the mast, the Blue Heeler nose-mounted optronic sensor array (OSA), and the pilot’s Cockerel day/night sight. Both pilot and gunner are equipped with helmet mounted display/sights (HMDS) that can be used to target either the turret mounted gun or the Sparrow’s wing mounted weapons.
The Crossbow is a low probability of intercept (LPI) pulse-doppler radar that is able to detect moving targets at a range of 12 km and static targets at over 9 km. It is capable of displaying, classifying, and tracking over 256 targets. The Crossbow uses synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology to find hidden targets. Underneath the Crossbow are radio frequency interferometers (RFI) to detect and classify radio and radar signals that are then fed into the AEQ.266 multi-source integration (MSI) system for possible prosecution by the Sparrow.
The Blue Heeler OSA is capable of designating targets from up to 24 km away with its neodymium laser designator/range-finder (LDRF). Its IIR system has a focal plane of platinum silicide with incredible definition capable of 18× magnification, whilst the optical sensors (charge coupled devices (CCD)) are able to magnify targets by 132×, day or night.
The crew stations are well-equipped with multifunction polychrome active matrix liquid crystal displays (MPAMLCD), as well as auxiliary analogue “steam gauge” dial instruments. The glass cockpit is night vision goggle compatible and has been designed with hands on collective and stick (HOCAS) as well as directed voice interface (DVI) technology in mind.
DVI may be used to alert squadron mates or connected ground units and to assign waypoints along with the HMDS.
Survivability
Forty-percent of the weight of the Sparrow comes from advanced ballistic polymers faced with ballistic ceramics (Hauberk, 13% stronger than steel) enabling the entire frame to sustain multiple hits from 23mm weapons. The entire aircraft is able to sustain hits from 12.7mm weapons. Additional parts of the helicopter, such as the self-sealing fuel tanks, the engines, the rotor blades (constructed entirely of high strength ballistic polymers), the ammunition drum, and avionics bays have received reinforced protection, permitting them to receive multiple hits from 30mm guns.
The crew have received additional protection from titanium-vanadium-aluminium (TVA) alloy plated-seats and the entire compartment has been reinforced with additional layers of Hauberk ballistic armour, enabling that area to sustain damage from 57mm to 35mm guns respectively. The electronics have likewise been hardened against electromagnetic pulses (EMP) and the crew can operate within a nuclear, biological, or chemical (NBC) environment either within protection suits (with five hours of oxygen provided by the aircraft) or without thanks to the over-pressure air conditioning system.
The seats have also been designed to minimise injury caused by hard landings by gradually compressing by means of an impact-activated hydraulic spring.
The threat of lasers has not been forgotten, either. The canopy has been coated with a gold surface film that reduces both the radar cross-section (RCS) as well as some of the harmful effects of powerful laser range-finders. A laser warning receiver system is standard issue on the Sparrow as well.
The rotor hub is forged of a very high strength titanium alloy, enabling it to operate effectively whatever stresses the environment or pilot puts upon it. The bearingless rotors and flexible hub, along with the sturdy main rotor blades — with five high strength titanium alloy spars, honeycomb structure of carbon-fibre and glassfibre, a ballistic polymer skin and composite trailing edge — make the Sparrow remarkably agile, enabling it to have a roll rate of over 96 degrees per second, loop, and travel in reverse at over 80 km/h.
The Sparrow’s craftiness doesn’t end there, however. The two ATG-12S turboshaft engines (1450 kW take-off rating, 1305 kW maximum continuous operation rating) are equipped with the Siberia exhaust cooling system further minimising the helicopter’s infrared signature. And whatever the Siberia system fails to prevent, the AAQ.245 infra-red countermeasures system and the ALE.209 flare and chaff dispenser system can dissuade.
Maintainability
The Sparrow has been designed with frontline operations in mind. Dogtoothed maintenance hatches enable ground crews ready access to components for swift repairs by field replaceable units (FRU) or for major overhauls. The self-diagnostic systems permit both the ground crew and flight crew vital information regarding the health of the aircraft, indicating which parts, if any, require replacement.
The outsides of the self-sealing tanks are covered with thin layers of a ballistic polymer fabric, further minimising the risk of rupture. Should one of the tanks be punctured, the damage control system can automatically vent fuel from damaged internal tanks or may, when possible, re-route fuel to other undamaged tanks, allowing the crew to gain some distance from their attackers.
The Sparrow is equipped with an auxiliary power unit (APU) enabling it to perform independent operations far from fully equipped bases, facilitating its use by frontline forces.
Characteristics
Crew: 2; pilot, weapons systems operator (WSO)
Rotors: Pennyfarthing-fenestron; Main rotor: diameter: 14.67m, blades: 5; Tail rotor (fenestron): blades: 8.
Fuselage: Length: 15.82m; width: 5.12m; height: 4.26 (with “Crossbow” radar)
Powerplant: 2 × Isselmere Motor Works ATG-12 (1582 kW (2,120.64 shp) take-off rating, 1450 kW (1,943.7 shp) maximum continuous operation rating), 1780 kW (2,386 shp) emergency rating
Mass: Empty: 6438 kg; Clean take-off: 8243.12 kg; Standard take-off: 9719.1 kg; Maximum take-off: 10,103.1 kg
Performance:
- Speed: 370 km/h (clean max.), 328 km/h (armed max.), 272 km/h (cruise, standard), 86 km/h (reverse)
- Range: 740+ km (internal fuel)
- Endurance: 3 hours, 5 minutes (mission, with 10% reserve); 3 hours, 45 minutes (max.)
- Hover out of ground effect (max.): 3,800 m
- Service ceiling: 5,800 m
- Climb rate: 16.2 m/s (max.), 8.4 m/s (max. vertical).
Internal weapons: Turret-mounted RINO 30mm (30 × 173) autocannon with 600 rounds (0.36 kg shell, either HE-I or AP rounds)
Hardpoints/Stations: 6; 4 wing hardpoints (575 kg each), 4 wingtip hardpoints (150 kg each)
Standard weapons loadout: 16 × GWS.80A Ostrich; 4 × GWS.66A Lark
Payload: maximum (max. internal fuel, take-off): 1800 kg
Fuel fraction: 0.25 (internal; 1545.12 kg)
Acceleration loadings: maximum: +3.54g to -0.52g
Electronics
- Computer system: AEI.7
- Threat management system: ARX.258 (identification friend or foe interrogation/response); AEG.259 (fire control system); AEQ.266 (threat collation system)
- Radar: ARS.281 Arquebus (millimetric LPI search and tracking radar; atop mast)
- Optronics: AAQ.274 Cockerel (pilot’s day/night sight); ASQ.279 Blue Heeler (gunsight; laser designator/range finder (APG.276), imaging infrared (IIR) camera (AAS.277), and low light camera (AVS.278); nose)
- Communications: ZSW.239 (drone control system); ASC.246 (secure datalink; may interface with JRC.129(V)2 Brono datalink); ARC.251 (secure radio)
- Navigation: ARN.238 (radar altimeter); ASN.268 (global positioning system); APN.271 (laser inertial navigation system)
Countermeasures: ALE.209 (chaff and flare dispenser); ALQ.227 (radar/signals countermeasures); AAR.239 (missile plume detector); ALR.241 (radar warning receiver system); APR.243 (laser warning receiver and direction finder system); AAQ.245 (infrared countermeasures (IRCM) “turret”)
Cost: $26 million
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