| AHRLAC (Advanced High Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft) | |
|---|---|
| Mockup of the AHRLAC | |
| Role | Reconnaissance/Counter-insurgency |
| National origin | South Africa |
| Manufacturer | AHRLAC Holdings |
| Status | Under development |
| Unit cost |
"under $10 million"[1]
|
The Advanced High Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (Ahrlac), is a light reconnaissance and counter-insurgency aircraft developed in South Africa by AHRLAC Holdings, a joint venture between the Paramount Group and Aerosud. Designed as an inexpensive, more versatile substitute for unmanned aerial vehicles, it is expected to make its first flight in 2012.
Design and development[]
Claimed by its designers to be the first fully indigenous fixed-wing military aircraft developed in Africa,[2] and the first indigenous South African military aircraft of any sort since the Denel Rooivalk,[3] the Ahrlac features a twin-boom, high-wing, single-pusher-engine configuration, using a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engine, with a crew of two seated in tandem in Martin-Baker ejection seats. The Ahrlac's airframe uses a mixture of metal and composite construction, and is designed to provide maximum visibility for its crew.[4] The aircraft is designed to carry an internal 20 mm cannon, with 4 or 6 hardpoints for carrying weapons mounted under the wings, including rocket pods, unguided bombs, and both air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles. The lower fuselage consists of a variety of interchangeable conformal modular units fitted with a variety of sensor systems such as infrared and optical cameras, synthetic aperture radar, electronic intelligence gathering and electronic warfare equipment.[5]
The Ahrlac is intended to compete with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the marketplace; Paramount claims that the aircraft will be cheaper to acquire and operate than UAVs on account of it not requiring the expensive subsystems required for remote control of unmanned aircraft.[1] It is optimised for the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISTAR) and counter-insurgency missions; coastal patrol, anti-smuggling and disaster relief capabilities are also projected for the type.[6] Its designers state that the aircraft is designed with the needs of First World customers in mind.[1]
As of 2015[update] a full-scale mockup has been constructed and a quarter-scale model has been used for test flights. First flight of the Ahrlac is planned for 2012, with entry into service being possible in mid-2013.[4] The price of the aircraft is projected at being under US$10 million per aircraft,[1][7] with the potential market for Ahrlac being described as "in the hundreds of thousands".[8]
Specifications[]
Three-view of the Ahrlac
AHRLAC model at AAD2012
Data from AW&ST,[4] AHRLAC official site [9]
General characteristics
- Crew: two (pilot, copilot/observer)
- Length: 10 m (34 ft)
- Wingspan: 12 m (39 ft)
- Height: 4 m (13 ft)
- Empty weight: 2,000 kg (4,409 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 3,800 kg (8,378 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66 turboprop, 710 kW (950 shp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 504 km/h; 313 mph (272 kn)
- Range: 2,130 km; 1,323 mi (1,150 nmi)
- Endurance: 7–10 hrs
- Service ceiling: 9,450 m (31,004 ft)
- Take-off distance: 550 metres (1,800 ft) with full payload
Armament
- Guns:
- Hardpoints: 6
- Missiles:
- Air-to-ground:
- Mokopa anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM),
- Air-to-ground:
- Bombs:
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Gold, Shabtai (October 17, 2011). "Made in, but not necessarily for S Africa". Oman Daily Observer. Muscat, Oman. http://main.omanobserver.om/node/68762. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
- ↑ Gotora, Gillian; Associated Press (27 September 2011). "South African arms company unveils first African-made military plane". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. http://web.archive.org/web/20110929144211/http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/breakingnews/south-african-arms-company-unveils-first-african-made-military-plane-130622863.html. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
- ↑ Campbell, Keith (27 September 2011). "New South African aircraft design revealed". Engineering News. Johannesburg, South Africa: Creamer Media. http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/print-version/new-south-african-aircraft-design-revealed-2011-09-27. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Wall, Robert; Bill Sweetman (October 3, 2011). "Out of Africa". New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 32–33. ISSN 0005-2175.
- ↑ "Advanced High Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC)". airforce-technology.com. Net Resources International. http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/advanced-high-performance-reconnaissance-light-aircraft-ahrlac/. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
- ↑ Hoyle, Craig (September 27, 2011). "South African firms unveil indigenous light-attack aircraft". Flight Global. Sutton, Surrey. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/picture-south-african-firms-unveil-indigenous-light-attack-aircraft-362595/. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
- ↑ Sapa (27 September 2011). "SA aerospace unveils cool new wings". The Times. Johannesburg, South Africa. http://www.timeslive.co.za/scitech/2011/09/27/sa-aerospace-unveils-cool-new-wings. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
- ↑ Engelbrecht, Leon (27 September 2011). "Paramount, Aerosud unveil "revolutionary new aircraft"". defenseWeb. Johannesburg, South Africa. http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19485&catid=35&Itemid=107. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
- ↑ AHRLAC Specifications
External links[]
The original article can be found at Advanced High Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft and the edit history here.