Infinitos Mundos

The three variants of the Future Combat Air System are being unveiled in the Paris air show, these variants are designed in partnership between the Francophone Alliance, Japan, Italy, and Salish Confederation. While the unveiling is primarily intended for the program partners, other foreign Air Force and industrial interests are permitted to view as well.

The three variants being presented are the Francophone Rapace, Mitsubishi XF-3, and Westervelt Aerospace FW-5.





We will begin by introducing the Dassault Rapace, whose airframe will be the basis for all variants of the Future Combat Air System.


Dassault Rapace in FAAF livery


Dassault Rapace in FAN livery

Some of the primary design features are as follows:
-Able to supercruise at speeds greater than Mach 1.5
-Can carry many large diameter munitions in service with partner air forces
-Both carrier capable variants (Dassault Rapace and Mitsubishi XF-3) are capable of CATOBAR carrier operations
-Possesses thrust vectoring capability
-Has a range in excess of 1250 miles
-Capable of surpassing the turn rate of a Dassault Rafale at 10,000 feet at Mach 0.7

The Mitshubishi F-3 Raptor Zero will be a Japanese devolpment of the Dassault aircraft, containing 50% Japanese designed hull components, and key differences in wing design, especially tail design, the F-3 Raptor Zero will be caplable of very short takeoff and landing runs, and can be opperated from short decked or ramped deck carriers.



Compared to the Dassault aircraft, the F-3 will be;
Approx 1,300 kg lighter
Have approx 200 nmi greater range
have approx 20% higher payload capacity

This is due to approximently 10% higher wing area, and a tail design that generates more lift, however there are several design sacrafices, such as.

Approx 8% more rapid energy loss during sustained manuvers
Approx 2.2% larger radar cross section
Approx 5% larger IR signature (due to different tail and exhaust chute design for increased max downwards thrust vectoring to enable STOL capacity)
be approx 10% more expensive per unit

The Aircraft will share over 75% parts cominality and nearly 80% maintence comminality with the Dassault and Westervelt Aerospace platforms, and all aircraft will retain cutting edge EWAR, Sensors Fusion, and Engine technology, among other areas.

The Salish Confederation FW-5 Kestrel is the third variant of the FCAS program in partnership with Westervelt Aerospace & Whidbey Electronics.



The FW-5 lacks the heavier landing gear and tail hook components found in the Mitsubishi and Dassault variants for simplicity and weight savings, as the variant will be primarily used by land based airfields. The FW-5 Kestrel shares the leading edge and trailing edge wing design of the Mitsubishi variant to achieve the same effects when compared to the Dassault Variant. These changes should make the FW-5 an appealing offer to potential foreign customers who do not require the Short Takeoff or Carrier Capability of the other two variants.

The FW-5 will maximize the low RCS of the FCAS platform with a focus on all-internal weapon loadouts, while retaining the capability of storing external pylons for extra fuel, more Air to Air missiles, or strike munitions. Westerfelt estimates that an all-internal air to air loadout may contain between 4-6 AIM-120D AMRAAM missiles, alongside a pair of AIM-9X or IRIS-T missiles. External pylons are expected to at least double the number of AMRAAM's carried, if low RCS is not desired.

Leonardo S.p.A, responsible for the final assembly of the Repace, and Italian purchased XF-3s. As well contributing to the electronics and sensors, has little to show at a public airshow. A small display showing off the companies weapons systems, like the IRIS-T short range air to air missile, Ariete hypersonic long range air to air missile, and the air launched Dardo hypersonic cruise missile, has been set up for those interested. All of which will be equipped on the Italian versions of the aircraft, and are available to export customers.

The Dassault Rapace will be fabricated in the Francophone Alliance with final assembly completed in the Italian Republic, the engine and radar technology will be produced in Japan by Mitshibishi Heavy Industries along with minor submodules produced by Kawasaki, Panasonic, and Westervelt Aerospace. These modules will be shipped to Italy for final construction. The Final stake in the sale of the aircraft will go to 60% Dassault, 20% Fiat, 10% Mitshibishi, 5% Kawasaki, and 5% Westervelt Aerospace. Contribution from all countries enabled the best equipment production and will serve to devolved the capabilities of each nations ability in the areas in which they participated. After the initial production run of aircraft is completed Dassault R&D and Patents on the airframe will be shared with all partners, as will Mitshibishi technology from the Engine and Radar design, along with all other respective parties and technologies present on this model of aircraft to users and manufacturers involved.




The Mitshibishi F-3 will be used exclusivly by the JASDF and Marina Militare, with its wing design and geometry coming from the X-3 program. Mitshibishi technology and wings will be installed on Dassault hulls and assembled in Japan, Dassault will own a 40% stake on aircraft sold to the JSADF, with Mitshbishi owning 55%, the remaining 3% is held Leonardo S.p.A 1.5% to Whidbey Electronical.



The FW-5 will be the model in Salish use, and will be based on the Dassault model, as per an Agreement between Japan and the Confederation Mitshibishi will incorporate leading edge and trailing edge components to the aircrafts hull and wings to bring its performance more closely in line with the F-3. The Aircraft will be 75% Westervelt Aeorspace and 25% Dassault in final stake.



The Aircraft all exceed the performance of foreign common-use aircraft in the key areas agreed upon by all program members.

Today, the partnership announces the aircraft has completed trails and is ready for mass production.

The panel also makes public that in the last two months in air trails at the Advanced Weapons School in northern hokkaido the Mitsubishi version of the aircraft acheived a nearly 9.8g sustained manuver capacity at 40,000 feet.

In trails over France the Dassault aircraft demonstrated the ability to supercruise in excess of of Mach 1.8 and at an altitude of over 60,000 feet acheived a maximum test speed of Mach 2.599 with a simulated combat loading.

In the Mediterranean sea, Italian test pilots have successfully cleared the Mitsubishi aircraft for sloped deck short takeoff opperations with a 9,000 kg opperational payload and full combat fuel stores. Providing a great utility to the program.

Over the eastern Pacific, Salish test pilots have demonstrated a maximum altitude of greater than 63,000 feet with combat stores.