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The story of how 25 people defied the system.
In the competition for the future carrier-based fighter for the US Navy, a participant suddenly appeared, which had previously been almost unheard of. A small company, Stavatti Aerospace, proposed the SM-39 Razor project for the F/A-XX program, according to which the fleet selects a new generation aircraft to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Prior to this, the race was seriously considered mainly by large defense manufacturers, so the appearance of a new application immediately caused discussion and controversy.
The F/A-XX program should determine what carrier-based aviation will be like in the coming decades, with a view to approximately the 2040s. We are talking about the sixth generation fighter. The US Air Force has its own project for a new aircraft, but the navy has made it clear in advance that it needs another machine. Operation from an aircraft carrier imposes separate requirements on strength, size, and layout, so naval aviation is looking for a specialized option rather than a redesign of the land-based version.
The future carrier-based aircraft is designed as a multi-purpose aircraft. He must conduct aerial combat, deliver long-range strikes against sea and land targets, and perform electronic warfare tasks. He will have to work in areas with a dense network of radars and missile systems. A separate requirement is the functions of the air control center. The new fighter should coordinate groups of unmanned wingmen, known as Collaborative Combat Aircraft, which carry additional sensors and weapons. Hence the increased requirements for flight range, payload, and on-board computing systems. All this must be combined with the harsh modes of ejection and landing on deck.
Against this background, Stavatti Aerospace introduced the SM-39 Razor as a variant of the Next Carrier Air Dominance Fighter for the fleet. The description refers to a six-generation twin-engine stealth aircraft with adaptive turbofan engines with afterburners. The developer attributes them to the power plants of the new adaptive cycle.
The layout attracted the most attention. The renders show an aircraft with three fuselages and a wing of variable curvature combined with the body in a single scheme. Outwardly, it looks more like an experimental futuristic project than a conventional carrier-based fighter. It was the unusual shape and stated characteristics that made the concept noticeable in the professional environment.
The stated parameters look very ambitious. The company indicates a maximum speed of up to 4 Mach, which is about twice as high as the estimates that are usually heard for other variants of the F/A-XX. Cruising supersonic mode without afterburner is stated at Mach 2.5. The advantages in terms of combat radius, practical ceiling, payload mass, climb rate and thrust are also listed. It is proposed to use titanium foam in the construction instead of the usual carbon fiber composites.
It is these figures that arouse the greatest doubts among industry experts. According to their estimates, it is extremely difficult to accelerate a deck-based aircraft with turbofan engines to Mach 4 from the point of view of aerodynamics and the operation of air intakes. At speeds close to hypersonic, complex shock waves and flow stability problems occur, and the multi-fuselage design only adds to the complexity.
There are also questions about stealth. When flying at such speeds, the skin can heat up to about 400%C. Under these conditions, it is difficult to maintain the properties of radio-absorbing coatings. In addition, the highly heated housing is clearly visible in the infrared range, which makes it easier to detect. Critics point out that in this mode, the aircraft risks becoming too visible a target.
Doubts are reinforced by the story of Stavatti Aerospace itself. The company was founded in 1994 and operates in Niagara Falls, New York. She calls herself a developer of projects from scratch. Over three decades, the company has presented many concepts, but has not yet built a single full-size flight prototype. According to open estimates, the annual revenue is about $ 3 million, and the staff consists of approximately 25 employees. Financing consists of private investments, government benefits, contract applications, and work with intellectual property. Compared to large defense contractors, this is a very small scale.
The US Navy has not yet confirmed receipt of an official application for the F/A-XX from this company. In the history of aviation, there have been cases when unexpected participants have succeeded, but the SM-39 Razor now remains a concept without a flight model and confirmed characteristics.
In the competition for the future carrier-based fighter for the US Navy, a participant suddenly appeared, which had previously been almost unheard of. A small company, Stavatti Aerospace, proposed the SM-39 Razor project for the F/A-XX program, according to which the fleet selects a new generation aircraft to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Prior to this, the race was seriously considered mainly by large defense manufacturers, so the appearance of a new application immediately caused discussion and controversy.
The F/A-XX program should determine what carrier-based aviation will be like in the coming decades, with a view to approximately the 2040s. We are talking about the sixth generation fighter. The US Air Force has its own project for a new aircraft, but the navy has made it clear in advance that it needs another machine. Operation from an aircraft carrier imposes separate requirements on strength, size, and layout, so naval aviation is looking for a specialized option rather than a redesign of the land-based version.
The future carrier-based aircraft is designed as a multi-purpose aircraft. He must conduct aerial combat, deliver long-range strikes against sea and land targets, and perform electronic warfare tasks. He will have to work in areas with a dense network of radars and missile systems. A separate requirement is the functions of the air control center. The new fighter should coordinate groups of unmanned wingmen, known as Collaborative Combat Aircraft, which carry additional sensors and weapons. Hence the increased requirements for flight range, payload, and on-board computing systems. All this must be combined with the harsh modes of ejection and landing on deck.
Against this background, Stavatti Aerospace introduced the SM-39 Razor as a variant of the Next Carrier Air Dominance Fighter for the fleet. The description refers to a six-generation twin-engine stealth aircraft with adaptive turbofan engines with afterburners. The developer attributes them to the power plants of the new adaptive cycle.
The layout attracted the most attention. The renders show an aircraft with three fuselages and a wing of variable curvature combined with the body in a single scheme. Outwardly, it looks more like an experimental futuristic project than a conventional carrier-based fighter. It was the unusual shape and stated characteristics that made the concept noticeable in the professional environment.
The stated parameters look very ambitious. The company indicates a maximum speed of up to 4 Mach, which is about twice as high as the estimates that are usually heard for other variants of the F/A-XX. Cruising supersonic mode without afterburner is stated at Mach 2.5. The advantages in terms of combat radius, practical ceiling, payload mass, climb rate and thrust are also listed. It is proposed to use titanium foam in the construction instead of the usual carbon fiber composites.
It is these figures that arouse the greatest doubts among industry experts. According to their estimates, it is extremely difficult to accelerate a deck-based aircraft with turbofan engines to Mach 4 from the point of view of aerodynamics and the operation of air intakes. At speeds close to hypersonic, complex shock waves and flow stability problems occur, and the multi-fuselage design only adds to the complexity.
There are also questions about stealth. When flying at such speeds, the skin can heat up to about 400%C. Under these conditions, it is difficult to maintain the properties of radio-absorbing coatings. In addition, the highly heated housing is clearly visible in the infrared range, which makes it easier to detect. Critics point out that in this mode, the aircraft risks becoming too visible a target.
Doubts are reinforced by the story of Stavatti Aerospace itself. The company was founded in 1994 and operates in Niagara Falls, New York. She calls herself a developer of projects from scratch. Over three decades, the company has presented many concepts, but has not yet built a single full-size flight prototype. According to open estimates, the annual revenue is about $ 3 million, and the staff consists of approximately 25 employees. Financing consists of private investments, government benefits, contract applications, and work with intellectual property. Compared to large defense contractors, this is a very small scale.
The US Navy has not yet confirmed receipt of an official application for the F/A-XX from this company. In the history of aviation, there have been cases when unexpected participants have succeeded, but the SM-39 Razor now remains a concept without a flight model and confirmed characteristics.
