History of the YF-25 Dragon: The flagship of Erusan aeronautics

Project Background

The YF-25 Dragon is the result of two decades of research and development by Alpha Project and the Erusan military. Designed as a fifth-generation fighter, it was to embody air supremacy, capable of competing with aircraft such as the American F-22 Raptor or the Russian Su-57. The project officially began in 1990, in a context where stealth and maneuverability superiority were becoming essential in military doctrines.

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Key development milestones

1. The beginnings (1990-2000)

The initial objective was to design a stealthy and multi-role aircraft. Two prototypes were developed simultaneously:

The Erusan military's EXP-25: inspired by variable geometry fighters such as the F-14 Tomcat.

Alpha Project EXP-25: Based on a more modern configuration, with optimized fixed wings.

Both designs were tested extensively, and while the Army prototype impressed with its speed performance, its low-speed stalling issues in dogfights were a turning point. After close-quarters combat trials, the Alpha Project design was chosen as the basis for final development.

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1. Improvement and Research (2000-2010)

During this phase, several technical challenges were overcome:

Radar Stealth:
The fuselage was redesigned to reduce radar signature, using advanced composite materials.

Maneuverability:
The integration of fly-by-wire controls and vectored engines allowed for unprecedented agility.

Armament:
The YF-25 was designed with an internal cargo bay to reduce drag and maintain stealth. It could carry up to 6 medium-range air-to-air missiles and 2 short-range air-to-air missiles.

In 2006, the first prototype of the YF-25 Dragon made its first flight. However, problems with stability and integration of sensor systems delayed its production.

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1. Development and testing (2010-2016)

Improvements focused on:

Electronic systems:
The Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar was integrated, allowing detection and lock-on to multiple targets at long range.

Engines:
New generation engines with vectored thrust and supercruise were developed, allowing the YF-25 to fly at Mach 1.8 without afterburner.

Dogfight tests:
The YF-25 faced several Erusean and foreign fighters, demonstrating superior maneuverability and impressive stealth.

In 2016, the YF-25 Dragon officially entered service after outperforming its competitors during final trials.

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YF-25 Dragon Characteristics

Role: Air superiority and multi-role.

Crew: 1 pilot.

Engines: Two thrust-vectored turbojets, allowing exceptional maneuverability.

Maximum speed: Mach 2.3.

Super-cruise: Mach 1.8.

Range: 3,200 km (without refueling).

Armament:

6 air-to-air missiles (internal hold).

2 air-to-ground missiles (optional).

Internal 20 mm cannon.

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Reviews and Reactions

Positive:

Unparalleled maneuverability: Its vectored thrust gave it a clear advantage in close combat.

Stealth: Effectively reduced radar signature, making it difficult to detect.

Versatility: Although optimized for air superiority, it could perform air-to-ground missions.

Cons:

High Cost: The unit cost reached 125 million Esterse, limiting the number of units produced.

Complexity: Its maintenance required sophisticated infrastructure.

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Impact on the Erusean military

The YF-25 Dragon quickly became the backbone of the Erusean air force, with 260 units produced between 2016 and 2025. It played a central role in several conflicts, demonstrating its capabilities against a variety of adversaries. Its design also influenced the development of other sixth-generation fighters.

The YF-25 Dragon remains a symbol of Erusean technological superiority, cementing its position as the world's leading military power.