During the fighting in Vietnam, the American military leadership came to the conclusion that the jet supersonic combat aircraft created for the "big war" with the Soviet Union were ineffective against partisans operating in the jungle. The problem was partly solved with the help of the piston attack aircraft A-1 "Skyrader" and B-26 "Invader" bombers, which remained in the ranks, as well as training machines and helicopters converted into shock attack aircraft.
Attack aircraft A-1 "Skyrader"
However, the losses and the development of the resource of combat aircraft created during the Second World War made them inevitable "leaving the scene" only a matter of time, and armed training aircraft and attack helicopters turned out to be very vulnerable to Viet Cong anti-aircraft fire.
Taking all these factors into account, several programs for the creation of light "anti-guerrilla" attack aircraft, adapted for operations in the conditions of Southeast Asia, were launched in the United States. The result of the work was the creation and adoption of the very successful turboprop OV-10 "Bronco" and the turbojet A-37 "Dragonfly".
OV-10 Bronco
Introduced into service shortly before the end of hostilities in Vietnam, these aircraft for many years have become a kind of "standard" of light attack vehicles designed for operations against irregular formations. They optimally combined good security, high maneuverability, a wide range of weapons, the ability to base on unprepared unpaved airfields and low operating costs. In a number of countries that have problems with "illegal armed groups" these attack aircraft are still in operation.
A-37 "Dragonfly"
Another "anti-guerrilla" aircraft, which became widespread, was the Swiss turboprop trainer aircraft (TCB) - Pilatus PC-7, launched into mass production in 1978.
Pilatus PC-7
Adopted by the Air Force in more than 20 countries, this low-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear was popular with flight and technical personnel. In total, more than 450 vehicles of this type were built.
The aircraft is equipped with a very successful Pratt Whitney Canada PT6A-25A turboprop engine with a capacity of 650 hp. The RS-7 could carry up to 1040 kg of combat load on 6 external hardpoints. Including: NAR, machine gun containers, bombs and incendiary tanks.
Despite the initially peaceful training status, the RS-7 vehicles were very actively used in hostilities. Often, suspension assemblies and sights were installed on unarmed aircraft delivered from Switzerland already in the operating countries, which made it possible to bypass Swiss legislation restricting the supply of weapons.
The largest armed conflict involving the Pilatus was the Iran-Iraq War. PC-7 were used by the Iraqi Air Force to provide close air support, as reconnaissance spotters, they even sprayed chemical warfare agents.
The Chadian Air Force used Pilatus to bombard rebel positions, both on its own territory and in neighboring Sudan.
In Guatemala, the RS-7 attacked rebel camps from 1982 until the end of the conflict in 1996.
In 1994, the Mexican Air Force used the PC-7 to attack Zapatista National Liberation Army positions in Chiapas. This action was considered illegal by the Swiss government, since the aircraft were supplied only for training purposes and without weapons. As a result, Switzerland imposed a ban on the supply of RS-7s to Mexico.
The armed RS-7s played a very significant role in the elimination of the Angolan opposition movement UNITA. They were flown by European and South African pilots hired by the Angolan government through Executive Outcoms, a South African security services firm. The planes carried out assault strikes on positions and camps of militants, and were also used as forward air gunners, “marking” targets for the MiG-23 with phosphorus ammunition.
The Pilatus PC-9 and Pilatus PC-21 aircraft became the further development of the Pilatus RS-7.
Pilatus PC-9
The RS-9 differs from the RS-7 with the Pratt-Whitney Canada RT6A-62 engine with a shaft power of 1150hp, a reinforced airframe design, an improved aerodynamic surface of the fuselage and wings, and ejection seats. Serial production began in 1986. The aircraft carries the same combat load as the RS-7. It was mainly ordered by countries that already have experience in operating the RS-7. In total, about 250 RS-9s were produced. This aircraft, unlike the earlier model, did not have much combat use. RS-9, which are part of the Air Force of Chad and Myanmar, were involved in reconnaissance flights and actions against the rebels.
RS-9 Chad Air Force
Currently, the Israeli company "Elbit Systems" is working to increase the strike potential of the RS-7 and RS-9. It is assumed that after the appropriate modifications, the information awareness of the pilots will increase and the possibility of using high-precision aircraft weapons will appear.
On the basis of the Swiss Pilatus PC-9, the T-6A Texan II trainer was built in the USA.
The most significant external difference between the American aircraft and its Swiss "progenitor" is the modified shape of the front part of the cockpit canopy.
T-6A Texan II
The avionics of the Texan II aircraft makes it possible to use the machine not only for the initial training of pilots, but also for training pilots to perform various combat missions. The armament is located on six hardpoints.
A specialized strike version of this vehicle was also created, which received the designation AT-6V. The aircraft is designed for various tasks: surveillance and reconnaissance with the possibility of high-precision registration of coordinates, transmission of streaming video and data, direct aviation support, advanced aviation guidance, participation in operations to combat drug trafficking, as well as for reconnaissance in areas of natural disasters.
AT-6V
Compared to the TCB, the aircraft is equipped with a more powerful turboprop engine, an improved sighting and navigation system and a container with day and night vision equipment. Installed armor protection for the cab and engine. The system of protection against IR and laser seeker of the UR of the "surface-to-air" and "air-to-air" classes can include a warning system about irradiation and an automatic firing of IR traps. The aircraft is equipped with: ALQ-213 electronic warfare control system, ARC-210 protected radio communication system, data transmission equipment.
The equipment available on the AT-6V allows the use of various high-precision ammunition, including Hellfire and Maverick missiles, Paveway II / III / IV and JDAM guided bombs, the weight of the combat load remained the same as on the Pilatus. The built-in armament consists of two 12.7 mm machine guns.
Pilatus PC-21 made its first flight in 2002, and since 2008 the aircraft has been supplied to customers. When designing the PC-21, Pilatus specialists used all the experience gained from the PC family machines. At the moment, not many cars of this type have been produced yet (about 80).
PC-21
The wing used on the PC-21 provided the aircraft with a higher roll rate and maximum flight speed than in the case of the PC-9. When creating this aircraft, it was assumed that it would be possible to train pilots of any profile on it. The RS-21 is equipped with sophisticated programmable flight control systems that allow simulating the features of piloting aircraft of different classes and performing various combat missions. Much attention is paid to the reduction of operating costs and the convenience of ground handling of the aircraft.
The aircraft has five suspension points for air-to-ground weapons. In addition to educational and training purposes, the PC-21 can be used in “anti-terrorist operations”. Potential customers are offered a specialized "anti-insurgency" version of this vehicle with powerful armament and armor protection, which, however, is still only in the project.
Embraer EMB-312 Tucano TCB has become the hallmark of the Brazilian aviation industry. It is one of the most successful modern combat training aircraft that have received well-deserved recognition both in the Brazilian Air Force and abroad.
Embraer EMB-312
Even in the design process, it was assumed that the aircraft would be used not only for training Air Force pilots, but also as a light attack aircraft capable of being used effectively and at relatively low costs in counterinsurgency operations when there is no threat from fighters and modern air defense systems.
Four underwing pylons housed weapons with a total weight of up to 1000 kg. The EMB-312 aircraft in the attack aircraft version can use machine-gun containers, unguided rockets and bombs.
In many ways, the success of the aircraft was predetermined by a rational layout, the aircraft turned out to be quite light - its dry weight does not exceed 1870 kg and a Pratt-Whitney Canada PT6A-25C turboprop engine (1 x 750 hp). To rescue the crew, the EMB-312 aircraft is equipped with two ejection seats.
Under the designation T-27 "Tucano", the aircraft began to enter service with combat units of the Brazilian Air Force and almost 20 other countries in September 1983. More than 600 machines of this type were built. The countries of South and Latin America actively used the "Tucano" as a patrol, anti-guerrilla and to fight the drug mafia.
In addition to the training version with the possibility of combat use, a specialized light attack aircraft AT-27 "Tucano" was developed. The aircraft carried the same combat load, but had modified sighting equipment and light armor protection.
AT-27
Light attack aircraft were used by the Peruvian Air Force in the armed conflict with Ecuador on the Senepa River in 1995.
The Venezuelan Air Force lost several AT-27s, which were shot down by anti-aircraft fire and F-16A interceptors during an anti-government mutiny in November 1992.
Participation in full-scale hostilities for this aircraft was not very frequent, patrol and reconnaissance flights and actions to suppress drug trafficking became common applications. On account of "Tucano" there is more than one successfully intercepted and downed plane with a cargo of drugs.
In most cases, small piston aircraft are used to transport drugs, in comparison with which this turboprop machine looks like a real fighter.
A further development of the EMB-312 Tucano was the EMB-314 Super Tucano, which began production in 2003. The upgraded aircraft received a Pratt-Whitney Canada PT6A-68C turboprop engine with a capacity of 1600 hp. The airframe structure was strengthened, the cockpit received Kevlar protection and new electronic equipment.
The modernized aircraft became almost one and a half meters longer and became much heavier (the weight of an empty aircraft is 3200 kilograms).
EMB-314 Super Tucano
The armament was reinforced, "Super Tucano" received two built-in machine guns of 12, 7-mm caliber in the root of the wing, five suspension nodes can accommodate a combat load with a total weight of up to 1550 kg. The range of weapons includes machine gun and cannon containers with weapons of 7, 62 to 20 mm caliber, guided and unguided bomb and missile armament.
The single-seat version of the light attack aircraft received the designation A-29A; instead of the co-pilot's seat, a sealed fuel tank with a capacity of 400 liters was installed on the plane.
Single-seat attack aircraft A-29A Super Tucano
The A-29B modification has two pilot workstations, and in addition is equipped with various electronic equipment necessary to monitor the battlefield.
Like the previous model, "Super Tucano" is popular in countries leading the fight against drug trafficking and all sorts of rebels. Currently, more than 150 Super Tucano attack aircraft, which are in service with the air forces of several countries of the world, have flown 130,000 hours, including 18,000 hours in combat missions.
The A-29B of the Colombian Air Force was used most intensively in combat. The first case of Super Tucano combat operations occurred in January 2007, when aircraft launched a missile and bomb attack on the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces formation camp. In 2011-2012, they delivered high-precision strikes with laser-guided Griffin ammunition at the guerrilla strongholds. In 2013, Colombian light attack aircraft also flew combat missions to combat insurgents and drug trafficking.
The US Special Operations Command has expressed interest in acquiring the Super Tucano. After lengthy negotiations in February 2013, the United States and Brazilian Embraer signed a contract under which the A-29 aircraft will be built under license in the United States. The contract implies the construction of at least 20 attack aircraft in a slightly modified configuration, which in the future will be supported from the air by special units.
Unlike the Brazilian "Super Tucano" of the American assembly, they must be equipped with electronic equipment similar to that installed on light AT-6V attack aircraft. The possibility of night use and use of light high-precision ammunition is specially discussed, which will significantly increase the strike potential of attack aircraft.
Also, negotiations on the purchase or leasing of "Super Tucano" are underway with Afghanistan and Iraq.
The success of the Brazilian Embraer was predetermined by the fact that its light attack aircraft appeared at what is called “the right time and the right place”.
Their flight, operational, combat characteristics and cost largely corresponded to the requirements of the air forces of countries in need of such an aircraft. Despite the fact that "Tucano" appeared later than "Pilatus", a significant role was played by the absence in Brazilian legislation of restrictions on the supply of weapons to areas of hostilities.
