The F-36A Silent Dragon is a 4.5th generation, single-engine, single-seat, low observable fighter aircraft.

Gallery:

Features:

• Realistic afterburner (engages at 95% throttle, increases thrust, greatly increases fuel consumption)
• Working conformal weapon bays
• Working enclosed weapon pods
• XML edited weapon performance

Nonstandard Controls:

• Action Group 8 to turn off lights
• Action Group 7 to emergency jettison the enclosed weapon pods
• Action Group 2 to open the enclosed weapon pods and arm the AIM-260B missiles
• Action Group 1 to open the conformal weapon bays and arm the AIM-9X Sidewinders.
• VTOL will raise and lower the flaps

Notes:

• This design is based on an aircraft called the FA-16STM STEALTH VIPER by Dayanx over on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/dayanx/art/FA-16STM-STEALTH-VIPER-793208012
• Recommend flying using mouse-as-joystick rather than with the keyboard.
• You’ll have to make frequent use of trim to tame this beast of an engine.
• This isn’t my first aircraft (in fact it’s somewhere around the 600th), just the first one I thought was good enough to upload :)

Background:

Rather than a clean sheet design, the F-36 is the result of an extensive modernization program undertaken to keep a much older airframe relevant into the 21st century. As a result, it is not a very low observable, or stealth, aircraft. However, some measures were undertaken to reduce its radar cross section as much as possible, including conformal weapon bays, enclosed weapons pods, and radar absorbent material coating the aircraft’s skin. Furthermore, the aircraft’s single vertical stabilizer was split into two and canted outwards. Conformal fuel tanks increase the aircraft’s range considerably. The aircraft’s engine was upgraded, though the significant extra weight and drag means that the change in speed is not significant. Additionally, the aircraft's wings and stabilators were reshaped. Finally, the wingtip missile rails were replaced with electronic warfare pods to allow the aircraft to not only provide air cover, but also jamming support for strike packages. However, these changes do diminish the agility of its legendary predecessor.

The aircraft in its current configuration is optimized for the air-to-air role. It is technically capable of carrying air-to-ground weapons, but doing so necessitates carrying the weapons on external pylons and nullifies many of the aircraft’s advantages. Furthermore, it has no targeting pod or electro optical targeting system, meaning it would have to rely on other aircraft to designate targets for smart weapons. The F-36 itself is limited to CCIP and CCRP usage of dumb bombs. As such, the Silent Dragon is best used as an air superiority fighter, escorting other aircraft that are better suited to the air-to-ground role.

The aircraft is formidable at both BVR and WVR combat. At long range, the AIM-260B and the aircraft’s reduced RCS makes this small fighter formidable. At close range, the AIM-9X is highly lethal and the aircraft remains fairly maneuverable. In emergencies, the external weapons pods can be jettisoned to lose weight.