This aircraft ( the predecessor EMB-312 came to Ratmalana in the Mid 80s for a demonstration just after we bought the Siaimarchettis in 1985. Infact the engines are the same as what they use on the Y-12s and the Bell 212/412 (Pratt & Whitteney PT-6)
This aircraft provides the agility and the endurance to easily counter the Zlins.
Air Craft Dimensions
Wingspan - 11.14m
Length - 11.42m
Height - 3.90m
Empty Weight - 2,420kg
Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-68A turboprop, 969 kWALX
Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-68/3 turboprop, 1,600shp
Propeller - Hartzell five blade, constant speed, reversible pitch propeller.
The EMB-314 Super Tucano is an enhanced version, with faster speed and higher altitude, of the EMB-312 Tucano trainer aircraft which is operational in the Air Forces of 17 countries. The prototype of the Super Tucano first flew in 1992. Both Tucano and Super Tucano have been developed and built by Embraer of Brazil.
In 1995, Embraer was awarded a contract to develop a variant of the Super Tucano, known as the ALX or light attack aircraft, for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), optimised for the environmental conditions of the Brazilian Amazon. The ALX is capable of operating day and night missions from remote bases and unpaved runways with minimal ground support. The first production aircraft was completed in 1999.
The main missions of the aircraft, in addition to basic and advanced pilot training, are border patrol and counter-insurgency operations."In August 2001, the Brazilian Air Force awarded Embraer a contract for 76 Super Tucano / ALX aircraft with options for a further 23. 51 of these aircraft are two seater versions, designated AT-29, which are stationed at the Natal Air Force Base and replace the AT-26 Xavante advanced jet trainers which are approaching the end of their operational lives. The remaining 25 aircraft are the single seat A-29 ALX version.One of the main missions of the aircraft is border patrol under the Sistema de Vigilancia da Amazonia (SIVAM) programme. The first aircraft was delivered in December 2003. By September 2007, 50 aircraft had entered service. Final delivery of the aircraft is scheduled for 2008.The main missions of the aircraft, in addition to basic and advanced pilot training, are border patrol and counter-insurgency operations.The flight envelope of the aircraft is +7G and -3.5G. The aircraft's small size, small visual and radar signatures, together with high speed and agility give the aircraft high survivability. Additional survivability features include armour protection and critical systems redundancy.
In August 2001, the Dominican Republic signed a contract for the supply of ten Super Tucano aircraft, to be used for pilot training, internal security, border patrol and counter-narcotics trafficking missions.In February 2005, Venezuela selected the EMB-314 Super Tucano. 12 aircraft were to be ordered, with a further 12 planned. The sale fell through because it was thought the USA would block the transfer of US-built components.In December 2005, the Columbian Air Force placed a contract for 25 Super Tucano aircraft. The aircraft will be used for border patrol and internal security. The first five were delivered in December 2006. Elbit Systems has been contracted to supply the avionics suite.In April 2008, the Chilean Air Force selected the EMB-314 Super Tucano, with a requirement for 12 aircraft.CockpitThe all-glass cockpit is fully night vision goggle compatible. Brazilian AF ALX aircraft are equipped with avionics systems from Elbit Systems Ltd of Haifa, Israel, including a Head-Up Display (HUD), advanced mission computer, navigation system and two 6in x 8in colour liquid crystal multi-function displays.
The pilot is protected with Kevlar armour."The head-up display with 24° field of view and the advanced weapon delivery system are integrated through a MIL-STD-1553B data bus. The pilot is provided with a Hands On Throttle And Stick (HOTAS) control.
The pilot is protected with Kevlar armour and provided with a zero/zero ejection seat. The clamshell canopy, hinged at the front and rear and electrically activated, is fitted with a de-icing system and features a windshield capable of withstanding, at 300kt, the impact of a 4lb bird. A Northrop Grumman On-Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS) is installed.WeaponsThe aircraft is fitted with two central mission computers. The integrated weapon system includes software for weapon aiming, weapon management, mission planning and mission rehearsal. On-board recording is used for post mission analysis.The aircraft has five hardpoints for carrying weapons, and is capable of carrying a maximum external load of 1,500kg. The aircraft is armed with two wing-mounted 12.7mm machine guns with a rate of fire of 1,100 rounds a minute and is capable of carrying general-purpose bombs and guided air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. Brazilian AF aircraft will be armed with the MAA-1 Piranha short-range infrared guided air-to-air missile from Orbita.The two seat AT-29 is fitted with a forward-looking infrared AN/AAQ-22 SAFIRE turret on the underside of the fuselage. The SAFIRE thermal imaging system supplied by FLIR Systems is for targeting, navigation and target tracking. The system allows the aircraft to carry out night surveillance and attack missions.NavigationThe aircraft is equipped with an advanced laser inertial navigation and attack system, a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a Traffic alerting and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).
"The Super Tucano has five hardpoints for carrying weapons."EngineThe EMB-314 Super Tucano is powered by a PT6A-68A turboprop engine, developing 969kW. The power plant is fitted with automatic engine monitoring and control. The ALX aircraft has a more powerful engine than the EMB-314. The ALX's Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-68/3 turboprop engine, rated at 1,600shp, drives a Hartzell five-bladed constant speed fully feathering reversible pitch propeller.The fuel capacity is 695l, which gives a range of over 1,500km and endurance of 6hrs 30mins. The aircraft has a cruising speed up to 530km/h with a maximum speed of 560km/h
[Source: http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/super_tucano/#super_tucano_16788]
Posts
10 comments:
Thanks, Foxtrot for your submission.
Tropical Storm,
How this will respond to a Radar Jammer mounted on a Zlin. Will it still be able to track/ shootdown?
Again I saw in a wiki that 6 of our Mi 24 have upgraded with modern Israeli FLIR and electronic warfare systems and radar, with fully functional helmet mounted target tracking systems, and AAMs as well. So then what is the speciality of this new plane?
According to my understanding, when the plane is flying very low, it is very difficult to ditect both by a ground radar or a aircraft radar. To make it worst ZLIN fly at night and on the sea.
What I thought was, we need a kind of a alert web (a very cheaply developed) that can be developed on top of an existing framework (GPS, GSM etc), Additionally that need to have the human touch to make it more accurate..
Think about a cheap device that most soldiers can carries, where it can send two signals one is to a centralized monitoring center to detect its position, another to trigger all other devices to alert mode. Once a signal is received, the main center will track the device location roughly and transmit the location cordinate to f-7 (radar range 30km) or MI 24(radar rage 10 km), which are already on air seeking for the ZLIN. Same time the alert web also will get activeted. Then all others who carries this device will have their eyes on the sky looking to give cordinate signal of the ZLIN.
I think the main problem we have is to track the plane.. I don't think even a 3d radar system will catch the ZLIN given the way LTTE operate it..
To my view point the solution we find needs to have a human touch too..
What do you think?
Am I making any sense here or?
Brother, you are.
Here you are certainly above my head in tech-speak. I do get the drift, but am in no way qualified to comment on its feasibility.
Perhaps you should run it by the Dept of Defence. I know for a fact that Gota is very receptive to new ideas.
A guy name Ninja pointed me to his e-mail on the web..
So I sent a mail to Gotta to verify/ check wether he really read it.. will see..
Do you have it, I can send a e-mail to Nirosh
history
It is- gotabaya@defence.lk
They will not acknowledge it or respond to it, but it will reach SecDef's advisors. If worthwhile, they will adopt your suggestions.
Nirosh.....
We have no way of getting these aircraft anytime soon evan if we get US export approval.
And this may not be the salution anyway as this too could fail due to some of the limitations you have mentioned .
However this aircraft and the Pilatus PC 9 are the only Turbo prop trainer/ground attack A/C which could be a possible option to counter the slow nighttime lowflying Zlins due to sevaral advantages in range/speed and weapons delivery systems available.
May be it can opperate in tandem with the Beachcraft and from all airfields in SL including AAB and Vavunia and Palali.
This aircraft is slower and has a much better endurance than the F7....It may have a better chance of hunting down the Zlins back up to its bases in Mulaitivu.......
May be we need to counter the Zlins with tacticks of the US coast guard and US-DEA in intercepting the lowflying Cessnas/light aircraft in drug smuggling opprations between the US coast and Calombia/Mexico
But the best we can do for the moment may be that we get Radar guided AA guns......and possition them at the ideal locations with expert advise.......
foxtrott,
Thanks for your writeup, and also the answer given..
I'd guess the govt would buy radar controlled G2A missiles. Even older versions of SA-6 would be more than enough.
Post a Comment