In May 1964, the USSR GCAT received proposals from the Air Force on the main directions of the development of aviation and space technology for 1966-1970. These directions provided not only… “the completion of the development of the strike and reconnaissance version of the aircraft T-4 and the creation on its base of a reconnaissance aircraft with a pre-reconnaissance and a complex-reconnaissance aircraft of the aircraft from the aircraft (Jammer) with a set of means of group protection of aircraft”, but also “Research work on the creation of an interceptor-raider on the basis of the same aircraft…. ”
At the beginning of 1970 MZ «Kulon», having carried out preliminary investigations, prepared a proposal for the creation of a modification of the aircraft T-4 in the variant of the aviation missile system of long-range interception (ARC DP) T-4P performed in accordance with the TTT of air defense of 1968.
The T-4P complex was intended to cover the northern and northeastern regions of the Soviet Union and areas of the Ice Ocean without a deployed network of ground radar facilities, from the penetration of enemy strategic, tactical and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as air-to-ground missiles.
The long range of the interceptor and the high speed of flight also allowed it to be used to eliminate the breakthrough of enemy aircraft in the event of the suppression of the air defense system in areas with a developed network of ground support facilities.
The T-4P also intercepted aerial targets flying at speeds of up to 4,500 km/h at altitudes of up to 35,000 m, as well as targets flying at ground altitudes of up to 50 m at speeds of up to 1,600 km/h. The weapon system allowed the aircraft to carry out attacks under any angle with the target exceeding up to 17000 m and with its reduction relative to the interceptor up to 15000 m.
The AP ARC included:
a) two-seat fighter-interceptor T-4P with 4 RD-36-41 engines;
b) combined heat-radiolocation control system of jet weapon “Smerch-100” or “Zaslon” (Shutter);
c) guided missile weapon system, which consists of 6-8 missiles K-100 with CSG.
The T-4P was also a two-seat low-plane with a front horizontal feather, with a triangular variable sweep wing along the leading edge, with a deflectable front fuselage, with a three-wheeled retractable landing gear and a sealed cockpit.
Aircraft structure is mainly made of titanium and steel.
Aircraft landing gear – retractable three-leg and consisted of NLG and two main ones installed in the engine nacelle.
The aircraft was controlled by means of elevons and rudder. Elevons and rudder were deflected by four-fold duplicated electrohydraulic remote control system (SDU-4).
The aircraft’s power plant consisted of four RD-36-41 engines with a static thrust of 16000 kg each, installed in a package in the engine nacelle under the central part of the wing. The engine nacelle had two air intakes with adjustable panels, makeup flaps and bypass flaps. Engines were controlled by automatic remote ASDU-30 system and automatic control of AFT thrust, which provides stabilization and control of aircraft speed during approach to landing. Fuel with weight of 53000 kg was placed in four sealed tanks-compartments of fuselage and service soft tank located in engine nacelle.
Aircraft equipment of ARK DP included: aircraft radar, navigation and radio communication equipment.
The composition of navigation equipment included:
- – on-board digital computer (MC) for processing of all information received on the aircraft and generation of commands;
- – inertial system for determination of aircraft position location (MIS);
- – Doppler track speed and angle meter (DISS);
- – radio-technical system of short-range navigation and landing;
- – automatic aircraft control system (ACS);
- – speed sensor;
- – low altitude radio altimeter;
- – high altitude radio altimeter;
- – Rainbow line equipment;
- – Aircraft transponder СО-69;
- – air signal system.
The radio communication equipment included:
- – Password-2 public identification system;
- – communication radio station “Eucalyptus-SM”;
- – Proton shortwave radio station;
- – SPU-9 aircraft talking device;
- – MS-61 tape recorder;
- – Diamond voice command block;
- -The radiation warning system.
The weapon system consisted of 6-8 Type K-100 air-to-air missiles. The missiles were placed in three special containers suspended under the fuselage and outer wings. Each container contained two missiles. The sub-body container was made in two versions with the placement of two or four missiles. Inside each container there were two (four) retractable independent launchers, missile equipment cooling system, container doors opening mechanism and launcher extension mechanism. After issuing the command to prepare for the missile release, the container flaps were opened and retracted inwards, the launcher together with the missile was extended outside the container by means of a parallelogram mechanism. After the “release” command, the missile was separated from the launcher and its cruise engines were launched in 3-4 seconds. The missile had a combined guidance system with telecontrol on the initial section and with a transition to self-guidance on the final section of the trajectory.
Methods of search and attack of APC PS target depended on the nature of information about the target. The main sources of information in the proposed area of use of the complex were medium-range ground radar (up to 600 km) of the Altai, Pamir, Lena type located on the islands, as well as aircraft and radar watch ships, which could create a radar field with large “failures.” Therefore, the interception of targets could be carried out in two ways. The first provided for a straight search for the target, in which case the attack was carried out on counter courses under the view. At the same time, the interceptor could carry out three or four attacks. The second method involved searching by selecting a corresponding trajectory, in which case the interceptor, having received information about the target, started moving to the calculated meeting point, and if the target was not detected, it was searched by a logarithmic spiral representing the geometric location of the meeting points of the target. In this case, the attack was carried out in the rear hemisphere of the target. The maximum interception limit was 2,400 km.
The work on the long-range interceptor T-4P not received further development.
| Main design characteristics of the aircraft | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions & Weight | |||
| take-off weight, kg | 101350 | ||
| Fuel, kg | 53000 | ||
| Performance | |||
| Speed, km/h (M=) | max | 3300 | |
| cruise | 3000-3200 | ||
| Maximum basic heights, m | 21000-25000 | ||
| Barraging time, h: | 4хK-100 & slipper fuel tank | 7 | |
| 6хK-100 | 5,5 | ||
| Take-off run, m | concrete runways | 900 | |
| unpoved runways | 1300 | ||
| Landing run, m | 1200 | ||
References and Credits:
- Attack reconnaissance aircraft T-4 / I.Bedretdinov, – M.: ID Bedretdinov & Co Ltd, 2005 /
- Long-range interception aircraft complex T-4P / V.Proklov, «Aviatsia i Kosmonavtika» №1 2018 /