The global war against "international terrorism" that began in the 21st century has greatly fueled interest in light "anti-insurgency" attack aircraft. In many countries, work has begun on the creation of new and adaptation for strike targets of existing training, light transport and agricultural aircraft.
One of the most interesting machines for this purpose was the South African light reconnaissance and strike combat aircraft currently undergoing tests - AHRLAC (Advanced High Performance Reconaissance Light Aircraft).
Reconnaissance and strike combat aircraft AHRLAC
This two-seater aircraft with a length of 10.5 m and a wingspan of 12 m is powered by a Pratt-Whitney Canada PT6A-66 turboprop engine with 950 hp. The peculiarity of this vysokoplane is a forked tail and a pusher propeller, which is located at the rear of the fuselage.
With a takeoff weight of about 4000 kg, the planned weight of the combat load placed on six hardpoints should be more than 800 kg. A 20mm cannon is used as a built-in armament. The lower part of the aircraft fuselage is designed as a "conformal container" to accommodate quick-change options for various equipment.
With a full combat load, the aircraft should have a take-off distance of 550 m. The maximum speed of the aircraft will be about 500 km / h, the ceiling will be 9500 m, and the flight range will be 2100 km with a full internal fuel supply (it is also possible to use two outboard tanks). Duration of patrolling in the air should reach 7, 5 - 10 hours.
AHRLAC is an apparatus of the increasingly popular concept of "manned UAV" and is designed to solve a wide range of reconnaissance, surveillance, patrolling, and strikes against ground targets in counterinsurgency. This concept involves the creation of a light strike aircraft, the cost of which is comparable to the cost of operating a middle-class drones. At the same time, the time of patrolling in the air and the capabilities of reconnaissance, surveillance and remote data transmission equipment should be appropriate or even better than that of unmanned aerial vehicles.
For counterinsurgency aircraft created recently, a characteristic feature is the installation on them of navigation, search and reconnaissance and communication equipment that allows them to operate at any time of the day, as well as broadcast in real time the video image received from the cameras. In terms of means of destruction, the emphasis began to be placed on guided high-precision ammunition.
The light counterinsurgency aircraft Cessna AC-208 Combat Caravan created by Alliant Techsystems fully corresponds to these qualities. The aircraft was developed under a contract with the US government for the rearmament of the Iraqi Air Force. It is built on the basis of the Cessna 208 Grand Caravan, a single-engine turboprop general purpose aircraft.
Cessna AC-208 Combat Caravan
The avionics of this aircraft makes it possible to carry out the tasks of a specific optoelectronic aerial reconnaissance and to use high-precision aircraft weapons. It includes: a small-sized digital computing device, an optoelectronic system (color early warning camera, infrared camera, laser rangefinder and laser designator), 18-inch tactical situation indicator, color LCD displays, data transmission line equipment to ground command posts, VHF radio station, etc.
The aircraft with a takeoff weight of 3,629 kg is equipped with an economical Pratt-Whitney Canada PT6A-114A turboprop engine with a power of 675 hp. Patrolling time in the air is about 4.5 hours. The maximum speed is about 350 km / h. Operation from unpaved runways with a length of at least 600 meters is possible.
This aircraft, which has been in operation since 2009, implements the concept of an air command and reconnaissance post with the ability to deliver, if necessary, independent strikes with precision weapons.
Two AGM-114M / K Hellfire air-to-ground missiles suspended from underwing pylons are used as weapons. The cockpit is equipped with ballistic panels to protect the crew from small arms. Iraqi officials said guided weapons were needed to avoid collateral damage from airstrikes against insurgents.
In 2009, the AT-802U light attack aircraft was presented at the Paris Air Show. The aircraft was created on the basis of the American AT-802 Air Tractor two-seat agricultural aircraft, produced since 1993. With a takeoff weight of 7257 kg, the aircraft reaches speeds of up to 370 km / h. Pratt-Whitney Canada PT6A-67F 1600 hp engine The total capacity of the fuel system allows patrolling for over 10 hours.
AT-802U
It differs from the basic version of the AT-802U in its armored engine and cockpit, a sealed fuel tank and a reinforced fuselage and wings structure. The complex of weapons and special equipment AT-802U was developed and installed by specialists from IOMAX (Mooresville, North Carolina).
There are six hardpoints under the wing to accommodate weapons. Suspension of NAR blocks and bombs weighing up to 500 pounds (226 kg) is possible. Containers with three-barreled GAU-19 / A "Gatling" machine guns of 12, 7-mm caliber are used as machine-gun armament. The total weight of weapons can reach 4000 kg.
For the use of air-to-ground missiles with laser guidance such as AGM-114M Hellfire II and DAGR (Direct Attack Guided Rocket), the aircraft is equipped with an AN / AAQ 33 "Sniper-XR" optoelectronic sighting system of the Lockheed-Martin company operating in visible and IR bands. The system will allow the crew to search, detect, recognize and automatically track ground (surface) targets at ranges of 15-20 km in any weather conditions and time of day, their laser illumination and guidance of guided aircraft weapons.
The aircraft is equipped with a secure communication line, which allows the transmission of images in real time. The vehicle is equipped with a missile launch warning system with automatic ejection of "heat traps" and electronic countermeasures AAR-47 / ALE-47.
The Air Tractor AT-802U aircraft successfully completed field trials in Colombia against local leftist rebels and cocaine drug lords. Under the 2009 contract, 24 aircraft were delivered to the UAE and another six Air Tractor AT-802Us in the form of surveillance aircraft are to be delivered to Jordan. The governments of Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen are also showing interest in this vehicle.
The American company IOMAX, which previously developed the armament system for the Air Tractor AT-802U reconnaissance and strike aircraft, is now working on the creation of a similar reconnaissance and strike vehicle based on the Thrush 710 aircraft of the competing agricultural aircraft manufacturer Thrush Aircraft from Albany (Georgia). … A combat aircraft based on the Thrush 710, designated Archangel (Block 3) Border Patrol Aircraft (BPA), operated by IOMAX since November 2012.
Archangel BPA
The Air Tractor AT-802 and Thrush 710 are variants of virtually the same aircraft designed by Leland Snow in the 1950s, and the appearance and characteristics of both aircraft are very similar. The Thrush 710 aircraft has a slightly higher (35 km / h) speed at altitude, and gives a slightly better ratio of weapon weight and fuel capacity. The Archangel with a takeoff weight of 6715 kg has a cruising speed of 324 km / h at a range of 2500 km.
The aircraft can carry on its six underwing hardpoints up to 12 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, up to 16 70-mm Cirit missiles with a laser guidance system, up to six Paveway II / III / IV or JDAM UABs.
Archangel BPA is equipped with a container with an electro-optical turret manufactured by FLIR Systems, an electronic reconnaissance system and a synthetic aperture radar. The two-seater tandem cockpit is equipped with three 6-inch color multifunction indicators for the pilot in the forward cockpit, and one 6-inch and one 12-inch (for surveillance and targeting systems) indicators for the operator in the rear cockpit. The cab has dual controls.
Unlike the AT-802U aircraft, which is more intended for close air support and counterinsurgency using unguided weapons, the Archangel is designed as a platform for reconnaissance, monitoring and the use of high-precision ammunition at altitudes from 3000 to 6000 meters, and at ranges from 3 to 10 km from the target. The creators of the aircraft believe that the probability of survival of low-speed aircraft, such as Air Tractor, in typical tasks of close air support with the use of "melee weapons" in the presence of the enemy modern MANPADS and anti-aircraft installations with guidance from the radar is very low. Therefore, when targets are hit with the Archangel, the emphasis is placed on the “remote” use of guided high-precision ammunition, outside the effective anti-aircraft fire zone.
Archangel Block 3 Border Patrol Aircraft light turboprop patrol aircraft are currently participating in a tender announced by the Philippine government to replace the aging Rockwell OV-10 Bronco counterinsurgency aircraft. The Philippines intends to purchase six close air support aircraft for a total of US $ 114 million. The Archangel's competitors are the Brazilian Super Tucano attack aircraft, the American Beechcraft AT-6 Texan II and the Swiss Pilatus PC-21.
The Archangel can carry more weapons on external harnesses than any competitor. The cost of the car is approximately $ 8 million, which is significantly less than the Super Tucano ($ 12-13 million).
The light turbojet combat aircraft "Scorpion", which is currently being tested in the United States, has a pronounced "anti-guerrilla" orientation.
Light turbojet combat aircraft "Scorpion"
According to the developer of Textron AirLand, the new aircraft is intended for use in local conflicts, border protection, in the field of maritime patrolling, in the fight against drugs.
The Scorpion has a configurable interior compartment that can be used to house weapons, sensors, or additional fuel. The compartment has a volume to accommodate a payload weighing 1362 kg. The aircraft has six underwing units for the suspension of weapons or fuel tanks with a total weight of about 3000 kg. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft will be 9600 kg, the range is 4440 km. The power plant of the aircraft consists of two Honeywell TFE731 turbofan engines with a total thrust of about 835.6 kN.
If a buyer is found, the aircraft can go into serial production as early as 2015.
The "anti-insurgency" can fully include the AC-130 "gunships" in service in the United States, armed with 25-mm, 40-mm and 105-mm guns.
AS-130
Another armed aircraft based on the C-130 Hercules was the MC-130W Combat Spear special operations support aircraft.
MC-130W Combat Spear
Four squadrons, armed with the MS-130, are used for deep raids into the depths of enemy territory in order to deliver or receive people and cargo during special operations.
Depending on the task being performed, it can be equipped with a 30-mm Bushmaster cannon and Hellfire missiles.
Recently, there has been a tendency to create "anti-insurgency" vehicles based on medium, light military transport and multipurpose aircraft by installing on them quick-mount modules with artillery weapons, suspension assemblies for high-precision light ammunition and appropriate reconnaissance and guidance equipment.
A striking example of interest in such machines is the MC-27J shown at the Farnborough air show. It is based on the military transport aircraft C-27J Spartan.
MC-27J
The "main caliber" of this armed aircraft is the 30-mm ATK GAU-23 automatic gun, which is a modification of the Mk 44 Bushmaster gun.
The artillery system is mounted in the cargo compartment of the aircraft. The fire is conducted from the cargo door on the port side.
On the pages of "Military Review", the opinion was repeatedly expressed about the futility of manned "anti-guerrilla" aviation and the allegedly inevitable quick replacement of light attack aircraft and "gunship" by drones and faster and better protected attack aircraft. In practice, however, the opposite is true.
So in the United States soon it is planned to write off the last remaining in service with the "classic" attack aircraft A-10 "Thunderbolt-2". The bet on armed "middle class" drones such as the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper has not fully justified itself.
The unconditional advantages of the UAV are lower operating costs and the absence of the risk of death or capture of the pilot in the event of a shootdown. At the same time, the losses of drones in the areas of hostilities turned out to be very significant. More than 70 MQ-1 / RQ-1 Predators have been lost as of 2010, according to the US military. In the same 2010, each Predator cost the US Department of Defense $ 4.03 million. That is, the finances saved on relatively low operating costs were largely used to purchase new UAVs to replace the lost ones.
Strike drones capable of patrolling for a long time turned out to be a very successful tool for eliminating al-Qaeda leaders, but the small ammunition load on board (two AGM-114 Hellfire) does not allow destroying multiple targets or holding down enemy actions. In addition, these missiles, due to the insufficient mass of the warhead, are ineffective against caves and strong capital structures. The communication and data lines of American UAVs turned out to be vulnerable to interference and interception of broadcast information. The inability of attack drones, if necessary, to perform sharp anti-aircraft maneuvers and the maximum lightness of the structure makes them very vulnerable even in the event of minor damage.
An important factor is the high carrying capacity of light attack aircraft in comparison with UAVs, according to this indicator they are surpassed only by the strategic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft RQ-4 "Global Hawk". In terms of the resource and strength of the airframe, flexibility of use and resistance to combat damage, manned aircraft are still significantly superior to unmanned aircraft.
Modern UAVs, their onboard equipment, command posts and software are considered "critical technologies", which the United States is extremely reluctant to share. Therefore, it is easier for the Americans to supply their allies in the "anti-terrorist war" with light "anti-guerrilla" attack aircraft, from which it is possible to use a wider spectrum of aviation weapons than UAVs.
