Sukhoi S-37 "Berkut" (Golden Eagle)

(Version 2.00 - Last updated: 10/22/02)

Background and RPG Statistics by Kenneth Olson

Artwork by Ted Nomura, Pat Kelley, Pat Thornton, Katie Gillette, Ben Dunn

Published in Antarctic Press Robotech

BACKGROUND

The Sukhoi S-37 is an extremely maneuverable fighter using thrust vectoring and an innovated reverse canard design.  The S-37 was originally produced during the Global Civil War of the mid 1990's to replace Eastern Co-Prosperity Sphere (ECPS) MIG-29 and SU-27 aircraft and combat the newly introduced F-203 Dragon II fighter.  Fortunately for the Western Alliance, difficulties in producing the carbon fiber and AL-Li alloy frame and the powerful Saturn/Lyu'ka vectorable turbo fan engines allowed the ECPS forces to field only 5 squadrons of 12 aircraft a piece. 

Soon after the crash of the SDF-1, EBSIS intelligence agents were able to acquire key technologies from the crash site which allowed for mass production of the S-37.  The Berkut soon proved itself to be an extremely adept air-superiority fighter.  Within the first year, Sukhoi S-37's were flying combat missions against the then independent Ukrainian government.  The Sukhoi-37's were met in combat against older conventional MIG-25, MIG-29's and F-16 fighters which proved to be one sided as EBSIS forces quickly gained air-superiority and took a large portion of Ukraine before a UEG cease fire was brokered on 29-July 2008.

For much of the First Robotech War the S-37 saw little combat action, as the EBSIS forces tried to stay out of the fray; however, the eventual bombardment of the Earth by Zentraedi forces in 2011 destroyed nearly 80% of the entire EBSIS airforce.  Although EBSIS industry was shattered by the bombardment, new models of the S-37 were rolling off the reconstituted production lines outside the Ural Mountains six months later.  By the beginning of the Second Robotech War the EBSIS airforce had 1,729 Sukhoi-37's, roughly equal to that of the end of the first.  Once again the EBSIS forces tried to stay out of the Second Robotech War as much as possible to save themselves for the battle with the ASC that they were sure to come at the war's conclusion.  

After the end of the Second Robotech War in August 2030, the ASC were in such a depleted state that the EBSIS state had became the dominate power on the planet without a shot fired.   On 1-March 2033 EBSIS forces crossed into Germany thus beginning the Second Global Civil War.  Sukhoi-37's were among the first combat aircraft into United Earth Government airspace and finally meeting veritech mecha in combat.  Although the Sukhoi's did not perform as well against the veritech fighters as the EBSIS high command would have liked, the numerical superiority soon proved to be the decisive factor.  EBSIS forces quickly established air-superiority and looked to take over all of Europe.  However their plans soon came undone, when the Invid attacked on 15-March 2033 routing most of the EBSIS forces and completely destroying all of their conventional aircraft.

RPG STATS

Vehicle Type: Sukhoi S-37 "Berkut"

Class:

One Man All-Weather Multi-role Fighter

Manufacturer: Eastern Block Soviet Independent State
Crew: One pilot wearing Tactical Life Support System

Service History:

S-37: Served with the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Block Soviet Independent States from 1997 until 2025

MDC BY LOCATION:

NOTES:

1. Destroying the MDC of the main body or the Pilots Compartment will destroy the mecha
2. Destruction of either of the wings or tails will send the Berkut into and uncontrollable spin

SPEEDS:

MAXIMUM SPEED:

Sea Level:  760 kts (1400 kph)

At Altitude (10,000 m):  1,350 kts (2,500 kph)

CRUISE SPEED:

500 kts (926 kph)

STALL SPEED:

100 kph

CLIMB RATE:

over 13,800 m per minute

CEILING:

19,000 m

TAKE-OFF RUN:

1200 m

LANDING RUN:

400 m

RANGE:

Normal: 3880 km

Maximum:  4,200 km

Ferry:  7,000 km

Low Altitude:  1,000 km

DESIGNED G LIMITS:

+10.0/-5.0

 

STATISTICAL DATA:

HEIGHT:

6.3 m

WINGSPAN:

15.2 m

LENGTH:

22.0m

WEIGHT:

Empty: 24,000 kg

Max T-O:  34,000 kg

CARGO:

Small compartment behind pilot's seat for personal belongings

MAX ENGINE THRUST

[MAIN] 2 x SATURN/LYU'KA TURBOFAN AL-37 FU:  With Afterburning thrust-vectoring pitch from  ±20º at 30º degrees per second.  Each engine is rated at 84 kN (dry) or 142.2 kN with afterburning.

FUEL CAPACITY:

Normal:  7,000 kg

Maximum:  10,000 kg

 

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. 1 x GSH-6-30 SIX BARRELED 30 MM AUTOCANNON: A single 30mm autocannon is mounted on the right  hand side of the S-37.  The cannon can fire at a rate of 6,000 rounds per minute with an initial bullet speed of 851 m/s.  The cannon is capable of firing up to 6,000 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity in excess of 950 meters per second.  The cannon is fed from an internal 500 round storage drum which feeds the cannon with a double-ended hydraulically driven linkless feed system. 
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Assault
   • SECONDARY PURPOSE: Anti-Mecha
   • RANGE:  1500m
   • DAMAGE: 3D6 per short burst (10 rounds), 5D6 per long burst (25 rounds)
   • RATE OF FIRE: Single shots or bursts equal to the combined attacks of the pilot.
   • PAYLOAD: 500 rounds of internal ammunition or 50 short bursts or 20 long bursts. 
   • NOTES:  Critical strikes against conventional aircraft on 19 or 20

    

2. 8 x BODY/WING HARD POINTS:  Four fixed hard point are mounted under the fuselage and two on each of the wings (if necessary).  Each of the hard points can mount a single AA-10, AA-11, or AA-12 missile or if necessary up to 2,000 kg (for each under fuselage hardpoint) or 1,000 kg (for each wing hardpoint) of ordinance. 

    

   • AA-10 ALAMO (R-27):  The AA-10 "Alamo" was a contemporary of the American Sparrow AIM-7M missile.  The missile is equipped with a semi-active radar homing head; although, several variants using passive IR and active RF are known to exist.  The AA-10 was used extensively by Russian and Eastern Coprosperity forces during the Global Civil War; however, the missile was gradually phased out by the AA-12 in the early 21st century.   
     • PRIMARY PURPOSE:  Anti-aircraft
     • MISSILE SPEED:  3,000 kph
     • RANGE:  80 km
     • GUIDANCE:  Semi-active radar
     • DAMAGE: 2D6*10
     • BLAST RADIUS: 40 feet
     • RATE OF FIRE:  One Missile
     • STRIKE BONUS:  +2 to strike

      

   • AA-11 ARCHER (R-73):   The premier short range all-aspect IR missile of the former Soviet Union, Eastern Co-Prosperity Sphere Forces and EBSIS.  The missile is directly connected to the pilot's helmet which allows engagements lateral to the aircraft. 
     • PRIMARY PURPOSE:  Anti-aircraft
     • MISSILE SPEED:  2,000 kph
     • RANGE:  40 km
     • GUIDANCE:  All aspect infrared
     • DAMAGE: 1D6*10
     • BLAST RADIUS: 30 feet
     • RATE OF FIRE:  One missile
     • STRIKE BONUS:  +3 to strike

      

   • AA-12 ADDER (R-77):   A Russian missile similar to the American AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.  The AA-12 is inertially guided to the target from launch through mid-course and terminally guided by its own onboard active RF seeker.  The AA-12 missile was introduced during the global civil war of the mid 1990's and became the premier medium range missile for the Eastern-Co-Prosperity Sphere Forces.
     • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Anti-aircraft
     • MISSILE SPEED:  3,000 kph
     • RANGE:  100 km
     • GUIDANCE:  Inertial with terminal active radar
     • DAMAGE: 2D4*10
     • BLAST RADIUS: 35 feet
     • RATE OF FIRE:  One missile or in volleys of two
     • NOTES:  +4 to strike

      

3. 2 x CHAFF/FLARE DECOY DISPENSERS: Two chaff flare decoy dispensers are located in the rear of the aircraft.  Each dispenser can hold up to 30 decoys apiece with the standard load out consisting of  50% chaff bundles and 50% flares.  The type and number of each decoy is triggered manually by the pilot.
   • PRIMARY PURPOSE: Anti-missile
   • RANGE:  100 m
   • RATE OF FIRE:  Up to 10 decoys per attack
   • PAYLOAD:  30 decoys per dispenser
   • NOTES:    In game play only chaff bundles will affect RF missiles and flares affect IR missiles.  The player must declare after the missile strike, without knowledge of the natural strike roll of the missile attack,  which type of decoy he is deploying.  For each effective decoy deployed subtract -3 from the natural die roll for dumb missiles (those with strike rolls +2 or less), -2 from the natural die from for standard missiles (+3 to strike), -1 from the natural die roll from intelligent missiles (+4 or greater to strike).  If the natural die roll, with out any strike bonuses added falls below +5 then the decoys are effective and the missile(s) will miss their intended target.

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE BERKUT:

• ACTIVE SENSOR JAMMER SORBTSYS-S (L-006):  Internal ECM providing broadband protection.  Estimated system effective radiative power 30 dBW.
• AUTO-PILOT: The Berkut is equipped with a computerized auto-pilot, allowing the pilot to relax or even sleep during long voyages. The auto- pilot can be programmed with a single destination or a complex flight plan involving multiple speeds, directions, and destinations. The onboard computer will alert the pilot when the fighter is near its destination, and can also be set to automatically signal when sensors detect objects near the fighter.
• CHAFF AND FLARE DISPENSERS APP-55: 30 chaff and 30 flares in two dispensers located in the rear of the aircraft, see entry above for further details.
• COMBAT COMPUTER WITH HUD DISPLAYS: The combat computer tracks and identifies specific enemy targets and displays them on a heads up display.  The radar and combat computer can identify and track up to 50 targets simultaneously and engage with semi-active missiles up to 4.
• INFRARED SEARCH AND TRACK TARGETING SYSTEM:   The Berkut mounts a forward looking infrared search and tracking targeting system in a small housing immediately ahead of the windshield and laser ranging system.  The system can be used to engage inbound targets when use of the radar is prohibited because of restricted use of radar emissions.  The system has a range of 30 km and while in use the aircraft retains its strike bonus. 
• INFRA-RED WARNING RECEIVER MIKOYAN IR-8 (IRWR):    Providing rear aspect protection from IR guided missiles
• LASER TARGETING SYSTEM:  System has a range of 50 km and is used to increase the accuracy of onboard weapons. 
• RADAR PHAZOTRON ZHUK 27 X-BAND PULSE DOPPLER:  Detection radar against 0 dBsm target 80 km.  The radar has limited multi-targeting capability being able to track up to 50 targets but can engage only 4 at any given time. 
• RADIO/VIDEO COMMUNICATION: Long range, directional communications system with satellite relay capabilities. Range: 300 miles (960 km) or can be boosted indefinitely via satellite relay.
• RADAR-ABSORBING SKIN COVER: The Berkut is covered with RF absorbing material which reduces the aircrafts passive radar cross section. 
• RADAR WARNING MIKOYAN YR-7 (RWR):  Providing all aspect broadband protection from RF guided missiles. 
• STANDARD SURVIVAL KIT: All EBSIS fighters come equipped with a portable survival kit. Inside the small reinforced box is a medium-sized flashlight, two hand flares, one rocket flare, a compass, infrared distancing binoculars, a small mirror, a pocket knife, dehydrated and concentrated food (can be stretched into a five day supply for one person) and basic first aid items (aspirin, bandages, disinfectants, etc.)
• TACTICAL LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM: The Berkut cockpit is pressurized, and also provides additional air feeds to the pilot's flight suit that provides him with pressurized breathing. The EBSIS flight suit also contains an upper and lower g-suit that promotes blood circulation even during high-g turns, thus decreasing the possibility of pilot's blacking out in combat.

COMBAT BONUSES FOR BERKUT TRAINING:

• 2 attacks per melee (plus those of the pilot).
• Add one additional action/attack at levels six and eleven.
• +1 to strike
• +7 to dodge

Random Hit Locations

When there is an equal chance of hitting both sides from 1D6

• 1-3 hits the right side
• 4-6 hits the left

When there is a preferred side, roll 1D10

• 1-8 hits the preferred side
• 9-10 hits the opposite side

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

• Palladium Books:  "Robotech The Roll Playing Game"
• FAS.org:  "S-37 Berkut Entry"
• Periscope: "S-37 Entry"
• http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/9735/suclass.htm "Sukhoi S-37 Berkut"

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