tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20372724.post8428006585523053502..comments2023-09-01T09:38:54.262-04:00Comments on Dumb Looks Still Free: COIN aircraft, back to the past!A Jacksonianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07607888697879327120noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20372724.post-24386522825430784632009-02-02T08:28:00.000-05:002009-02-02T08:28:00.000-05:00Felipe - My thanks!The article was intended to loo...Felipe - My thanks!<BR/><BR/>The article was intended to look at how aircraft design has limitations due to expected role, mission needs and underlying technology. The compare/contrast with the proposed A-67 to the historical P-51 was meant to serve as a grounding to understand that similarity in mission needs (distance, speed, duration) combined with operational payload yields aircraft that are, fundamentally, very similar even when done decades apart.<BR/><BR/>This was not meant to be an article going into the depth of COIN aircraft by multiple manufacturers. I am well aware of the Tucano and Super Tucano and other airframes utilized in this role, as well as the slow shift to UAV/UCAV concepts. There will be a fundamental shift between airframes that are manned for this role and those that are unmanned/remotely operated. The human necessary support equipment when not needed yields a different airframe, endurance, speed and payload equation than does a manned one. That will be interesting to see how it plays out over time.<BR/><BR/>This was a simple analysis on the manned part of the equation WRT to A-67 and P-51. I don't care that the A-67 is a 'paper concept plane', but the thought process going into it and what that yields as a design. Any paper design needs a thorough testing out and manufacturing scale procedure (like the NLOS-C now going into limited production on the ground forces side). And an NLOS-C with Excalibur rounds and sensor rounds can have many of the same COIN functions as an aircraft, but starts from a different platform and purpose, with different mission and design parameters for ground based work (multiple shells time on target) vice sudden strike or interdiction (COIN aircraft). And that concept goes all the way back to artillery spotting by balloon into the 19th century... so a historical analysis between, say, Spitfires helping US artillery units in 1944 and the NLOS-C communicating with a COIN aircraft might show valuable concepts and lessons for that mission and how many factors stay the same even though the technology gets much better. And the ability to put lead on target from aircraft has always been a prime concern be it the rifle armed spotters in baloons all the way to modern systems on aircraft with similar mission needs. Missiles are ever so handy... until they fail... then the most simple and direct way comes back to the forefront time and again throughout decades of combat aircraft design.<BR/><BR/>I thank you for the feedback.A Jacksonianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07607888697879327120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20372724.post-9184800302929334782009-02-02T08:01:00.000-05:002009-02-02T08:01:00.000-05:00Hi there, forgive me for dropping in uninvited.. ;...Hi there, forgive me for dropping in uninvited.. ;)<BR/><BR/>I don't believe one can comment on the hypotetical "A-67" without taking a look at Embraer's real life AT-27 "Tucano" light attack turboprop. This aircraft has sold over 600 units to countries as diverse as Brazil, UK, France, Kenia, Colombia, Argentina, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Angola, Peru, Venezuela, and the list goes on...<BR/><BR/>This success story of the 80s and 90s has benn succeded by the much more poerful and lethal A-29 "Super Tucano" that is currently operational in Brazil and Colombia with further orders by Dominican Republic, Chile and Ecuador. The "Super Tucano" can carry IR air to air missiles and can drop laser guidade smart munitions. It has a top notch israly manufactured digital cockpit and plenty available power to drive it in the air. <BR/><BR/>On the other hand the A-67 is nothing but a "paper airplane" with no clear mission or even a prospective client base. Even if there is a market out there for a Tucano-class turboprop trainer light attack aircraft the US-built existing Beech T-6B Texan II would most certainly be in a much better political, industrial, technical and commercial position to vie for this market niche, that is if you discard the possibility of acquiring used surplus AT-67 aircraft at a very aggressive 2nd hand market price.<BR/><BR/>Best Regards,<BR/><BR/>Felipe Salles<BR/>Editor <BR/>www.BaseMilitar.com.brUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14913033824328857505noreply@blogger.com