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

Sukhoi_s_37.JPG (51123 bytes)

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:

Location

Berkut

1  Main Body  100
1 Reinforced Pilots Compartment 50
Engine Thrusters (2) 25
Forward Canards (2) 5
2 Wings (2) 50
2 Tails (2) 15

 

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. 

     

  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. 

     

  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.

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE BERKUT:


COMBAT BONUSES FOR BERKUT TRAINING:


Random Hit Locations

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

When there is a preferred side, roll 1D10

S-37

FRONT

BACK

SIDES

TOP

BOTTOM

Main Body 01-25 01-30 01-30 01-35 01-35
Pilot's Compartment (Main Body) 26-55 31-40 31-50 36-55 36-55
Engine Thrusters (Main Body - 41-65 51-60 56-60 56-60
Forward Canards (Main Body) 56-65 66-70 61-65 61-65 61-65
Wings (Main Body) 66-90 71-85 66-87 66-92 66-00
Tails (Main Body) 91-00 86-00 88-00 93-00 -

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

Back to Mecha Home