In late 1957 the threat of USAF strategic bombers able to
cruise at Mach 2 (B-58) and Mach 3 (B-70) demanded a major upgrade in the PVO
defence system. At the start of 1958 a requirement was issued for manned
interceptors with a speed of 3,000km/h (l,864mph) at heights up to 27km
(88,583ft). Mikoyan and Sukhoi responded. Creation of the T-3A-9 interception
system was authorised by the Council of Ministers on 4th June 1958. The air
vehicle portion of this system was a derivative of the T-3 designated T-3A, and
with the OKB-51 factory designation T-37. Detail design of this aircraft took
place in the first half of 1959. In February 1960 the single flight article was
approaching completion when without warning the GKAT (State Committee for
Aviation Equipment) terminated the programme and ordered that the T-37 should be
scrapped. The role was temporarily met by the Tu-128 and in full by the
MiG-25P.
Though derived from the T-3 the T-37 was an entirely new
aircraft which, because of aerodynamic guidance by CAHI (TsAGI) and the use of
the same type of engine, had more in common with the MiG
Ye-150. The T-3A-9
system comprised this aircraft plus the Looch (ray) ground control system, the
ground and airborne radars, a Barometr-2 data link, Kremniy-2M (silicon) NPP
(sight) system and two Mikoyan K-9 (R-38) missiles. The aircraft had a wing
which was basically a strengthened version of the T-3 wing, with no dogtooth and
with anhedral increased to 3° (ie, -3° dihedral). Each flap could be extended
out on two rails to 25° and did not have an inner corner cut off at an angle. A
more important change was that to avoid scraping the tail on take-off or landing
the main landing gears were lengthened, which meant that the wheels were housed
at an oblique angle in the bottom of the fuselage. The fuselage was totally new,
with a ruling diameter of 1.7m (12ft 7in). This was dictated by the Tumanskii
R-l5-300 afterburning turbojet, with dry and reheat ratings of 6,840kg (15,080
Ib) and 10,150kg (22,380 Ib) respectively. The TsP-1 radar was housed in a
precisely contoured radome whose external profile formed an Oswatitsch
centrebody with three cone angles to focus Shockwaves on the sharp inlet lip.
The whole centrebody was translated to front and rear on rails carried by upper
and lower inlet struts. Surplus air could be spilt through two powered doors in
each duct outer wall at Frame 8. The pressurized cockpit had a KS-2 seat and a
vee windscreen ahead of a lowdrag upward-hinged canopy with a metalskinned fixed
rear fairing. The detachable rear fuselage was made mainly of welded titanium,
and terminated in an ejector surrounding the engine's own variable nozzle.
Initially a sliding ring, this ejector was changed to an eight-flap design
during prototype manufacture.
Ram air cooling inlets 166 Sukhoi T-37 were provided at Frames 25 and 29, and in
the detachable rear section were four door-type airbrakes. Under this section
were two radial underfins, each incorporating a steel bumper. Pivoted 140mm
(51/2in) below midlevel the tailplanes had 5° anhedral and did not need
anti-flutter rods as they were irreversibly driven over a range of ±2°. Each
main landing gear had levered-suspension carrying a plate-braked KT-89 wheel
with an 800 x 200mm tyre. The long nose gear had a powersteered lower section
with a levered-suspension K-283 wheel with a 570x140mm tyre, and retracted
backwards. A total of 4,800 litres (1,056 Imperial gallons) of fuel could be
housed in three fuselage tanks (No 3 being of bladder type) and Nos 4 and 5
between wing spars 2 and 3. Provision was made for a 930 litre (204.6 Imperial
gallon) drop tank. Missile pylons could be attached ahead of the ailerons.
Avionics included the radar, RSIU- 5A vhf/uhf with fin-cap antennas, RSBN-2 Svod
(arch) navaid and SOD-57M transponder (both with fin slot antennas), Put
(course) longer-range navaid, MRP-56P marker receiver, SRZO-2 Khrom-Nikel
(chrome-nickel) IFF, Lazur (azure) beam/beacon receiver of the Looch/Vozdukh
(rising) ground control system, KSI compass system and a ventral blade antenna
for the flight-test telemetry.
Like the rival Mikoyan Ye-150 series (which were produced
more quickly) this weapon system was overtaken by later designs.
Description | ||
---|---|---|
Design | OKB P.O.Sukhoi | |
Type | Т-37 | |
Year | 1960 | |
Function | all-weather interceptor | |
Crew | 1 | |
Dimensions & Weight | ||
Length, m | 19,413 | |
Wing Span, m | 8,56 | |
Wing Area, m2 | 34 | |
Take-off weight, kg | normal | 10600 |
max | 12000 | |
Power-plant | ||
Engine | Turbojet R-15-300 | |
Thrust, kgf (kN) | max | 6840 |
in afterburner | 10150 | |
Performance (project) | ||
Speed at altitude 15 km, km/h (M=) | 3000 (3) | |
Practical ceiling, m | 25000...27000 | |
Range, km | w/a drop tank | 1500 |
with drop tank | 2000 | |
Armament | ||
GM AA | K-9 |
References and Credits: