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Dispatch → Account → Military
by 
The Unitary Technocracy of Etoile Arcture.
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RQ-13A Vulture
RQ-13A Vulture |
|
Role | Uninhabited aerial vehicle |
National origin | |
Manufacturers | Aerodyne Inc. |
First flight | ? ? 2016 |
Introduction | ? ? 2018 |
Status | In service |
Primary users | See Operators |
Produced | 2015-present |
Number built | classified |
Unit cost | US$300 million |
Variants | RQ-13A |
Developed from | YQ-13 Vector |
The RQ-13A "Vulture" is a semi-autonomous very low-observable (VLO) high altitude, long endurance (HALE) Class 5 uninhabited aerial system (UAS)/Tier III uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for near real-time strategic reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. It performs communications relay and multi-spectral intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks to support military operations with persistent surveillance and situational awareness over large oceanographic and geographic areas in excess of 15,000 square nautical miles. It has a 6,000 nautical mile radius of action with a maximum loiter endurance at 72,000 feet above sea level of 48 hours and flight endurance including transit times in high and low density air of 80 hours. The aircraft has a twin fuselage structure that integrates high cruise lift–to–drag ratio coplanar joined-wings consisting of high-aspect-ratio tandem wings in a diamond arrangement of rear-swept front wings and forward-swept aft wings with long spans and sizeable internal fuel capacities for increased loiter and range endurance. Each fuselage has tandem retractable landing gear, buried high fuel-efficient low bypass ratio turbofan engine with low signature scoop inlet and flush exhaust, and integrated drive generator to supply electrical power to aircraft and mission systems. The RQ-13A operates in the upper stratosphere above the Earth's curvature to allow over-the-horizon (OTH) collection of signals, electronic and communications intelligence (SIGINT/ELINT/COMINT) data by omnidirectional passive radio frequency (RF) antenna with a 360° field of regard (FOR), and imagery intelligence (IMINT) data by twin staring-type stereoscopic parallax ranging electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) sensors with multiple field-of-views and automatic target recognition and tracking and geolocation capabilities. Beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) digital datalinks using secure digital radio and satellite communications (SATCOM) enable data dissemination/distribution of raw intelligence to battle force commanders for use in real-time decision-making across tactical and strategic levels. The air vehicle is operated by a ground control station (GCS) staffed by 4-6 personnel to allow uninterrupted 24-hour operations that is divided into a launch and recovery element (LRE) responsible for ground handling, and take-off and landing operations, and a mission control element (MCE) responsible for mission planning and execution.
The RQ-13A Vulture is based on the YQ-13 Vector remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) that experimentally tested the twin-fuselage/joined-wing concept in the early-2000s. The benefits of this design were seen to be a lighter and stiffer airframe better able to resist aerodynamic bending moments, with a lower induced drag and high flutter resistance, and high trimmed maximum lift coefficient and higher fuel capacity in the wings. This research ran concurrently with other projects based on unconventional wing geometries including the KC-99B Majestic nonplanar box-wing transport aircraft and E-20A Pontus nonplanar joined-wing airborne early warning and control aircraft.
Etoile Aerospace Forces
Etoile Arcture
Royal Joseon Air Force
The Great state of Joseon
Fortress State Royal Air Force New Chinese Federation Air Force
Animarnia
New Chinese Federation
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Fighters | |
Strike/ground attack | |
Bombers | |
Airborne early warning | |
Command and control | |
Electronic warfare | |
Maritime patrol/sea control | |
Trainers | |
Transport | KC-16A Cargoship - MV-28A Peregrine - MV-44A Pegasus - C-75A Albatross - C-75B Super Albatross - KC-99B Majestic |
Helicopters | AH-79C Anaconda - MH-80A Barracuda - MCH-120A Pelican - CH-151A Titan Skyscrane |
Unmanned | RQ-13A Vulture - AQ-20B Renegade - RAQ-39B Clarion - MQ-45A Privateer - AQ-46A Storm Petrel - BQ-50A Dominator - MQ-59A Mosquito |
