Chapter 857 New Supersonic Reconnaissance Aircraft (Additional Update 1)

What aircraft needs a faster speed? Of course not fighters! Fighter aircraft must integrate all aspects of technical conditions. If only speed is focused, it will inevitably lead to a reduction in other technical indicators. The MiG-25 is an example. Although it flies very fast, its body is extremely bulky. For ordinary pilots, using it for dogfighting is definitely not as good as the small and flexible MiG-21.

However, there is another type of aircraft that requires the highest possible speed, and that is the reconnaissance aircraft!

Although with the continuous development of reconnaissance satellites in space, there is a trend of replacing reconnaissance aircraft, but in some aspects, reconnaissance aircraft are still very useful. For example, the satellite orbit is fixed, and changing the orbit consumes a lot of fuel. At the same time, it is impossible for satellites to pass over the target quickly at the same time. If you want to conduct a more detailed reconnaissance of the target, reconnaissance aircraft are still very useful.

For example, if a satellite detects a ballistic missile launcher in the target area, the reconnaissance aircraft can quickly conduct a reconnaissance, accurately locate the target area, and react quickly.

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As for reconnaissance aircraft, of course the higher and faster they fly, the better, which means they will not be threatened by the opponent's air defense system!

At the beginning, after the MiG-25 was finalized, a reconnaissance version was developed immediately. This aircraft dominated the sky and was invincible. It could arbitrarily invade the airspace of any country and then conduct reconnaissance. Even if it encountered the opponent's air defense missile shooting, it could use the magic weapon of speed to dodge the missile.

Now, the MiG-25 is out of date, but the Soviet Union still needs newer strategic reconnaissance aircraft!

In a more confidential area behind the Gromov Flight Test Institute, Andrei and Ustinov saw the director Sergei Nikolayevich Anokhin hurrying over. Sergei expressed his welcome to their arrival.

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"I'm sorry, there were some problems with our test flight, and the technicians are working on it." Sergei said, "Comrade Marshal, Comrade General, are you here to see our Tu-260 reconnaissance aircraft?"

Tu-260? Hearing this number, Andrei was immediately excited. In the declassified information of later generations, these projects seemed to be projects on paper. Now, there are actually prototypes?

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As a test pilot in later generations, Andrei was interested in a lot of declassified information from the Soviet Union, including this high-speed strategic reconnaissance aircraft.

This aircraft is very large, almost the same size as the Tu-144, which is the Soviet Union's supersonic passenger aircraft. It is also called Concorde, which is a satire that the Soviets plagiarized the Concorde's technology to build this supersonic passenger aircraft.

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This is a large aircraft, with a maximum take-off weight of 180 tons, which is much larger than ordinary reconnaissance aircraft. At the same time, this aircraft has some similarities with the Tu-144 in aerodynamic shape, but also some differences, mainly in that the nose has no moving parts and will not droop, and at the same time, it is equipped with a larger engine.

After all, the prototype Tu-144 has good supersonic capabilities. During operation, it once flew at a speed of Mach 2 for a long time, demonstrating the huge potential of this aircraft.

It is quite an idea to transform this supersonic passenger plane into a supersonic reconnaissance plane.

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"Yes." Ustinov said, "How is the test flight of this aircraft going?"

"The test flight has met our expectations. However, this aircraft is not suitable for mass production and it cannot cope with future threats." Sergei said as he led everyone to a hangar nearby, where a large aircraft lay quietly!

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The shape is slender, the engine is placed at the lower rear of the fuselage, the high aspect ratio rear slightly double-winged and tailless design, all of which are prepared for supersonic flight.

The shell is shining, it is made of titanium alloy!

Regarding the materials used in supersonic fighter jets, the United States used titanium alloy to build the SR-71, while the Soviet Union used stainless steel to build the MiG-25. The SR-71 was extremely delicate and was widely criticized during its use, while the Soviet MiG-25 was seen as a model of the correct choice of materials.

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However, that was the 1960s, when the United States did not master the processing technology of titanium alloys, and the Soviet Union was the major producer of titanium alloys.

Now, with the passage of time, the Soviet Union has become adept at using titanium alloys, and can even use titanium alloys to make submarine hulls. At the same time, the use of titanium alloys in fighter jets is also increasing. For example, the MiG-31 uses a large amount of titanium alloy materials.

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Therefore, it is not surprising that the Soviet Union’s new supersonic aircraft are built with titanium alloy.

What Andre was curious about was its engine. If you want to fly at a higher speed, the engine is the key!

"General Andrei, your question is very crucial. The Tu-260 we are seeing now, which has completed its test flight, uses four Surolov D-80 turbojet engines. This engine allows the Tu-260 to have a maximum speed of 4 times the speed of sound, and a cruising speed of 3 times the speed of sound. However, it is still far from our requirements."

It is impossible for this kind of hypersonic aircraft to use a turbofan engine, and the turbojet can only reach four times the speed of sound. Although it is much faster than the MiG-25, it still cannot meet actual combat needs.

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After all, the threats in the future sky will be great. Now the West has developed missiles to counter aircraft with a speed of 3 times the speed of sound. It is possible that after discovering this kind of reconnaissance aircraft, the West will continue to develop missiles that can hit aircraft with a speed of 4 times the speed of sound!

It is for this reason that although this aircraft has completed its test flight, it does not have finalized equipment and is only a transitional model.

"A turbojet engine won't work. For high-speed flight, a ramjet engine is needed." Andre said, "The American Blackbird uses a ramjet engine."

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Sergei nodded and said, "Yes, General Andrei, you are absolutely right. If you want a higher speed, a ramjet is a good choice. However, using only a ramjet cannot adapt to take-off and landing conditions. Therefore, we are now testing a variable cycle ramjet engine, which uses liquid hydrogen fuel and can allow our current Tu-260 to fly at 6 times the speed of sound. In the plan, the model using this engine will be called Tu-360."

6 times the speed of sound! Andre instantly thought of the crazy Aurora Goddess project in the future. If it really reached 6 times the speed of sound, it would be an extreme! The existing air defense weapons, even after upgrading, could not effectively intercept it, unless it was a laser weapon!