Military aircraft

of the world
tFyiKnr., compilation
W8&^w>&fmim

by CHARLES M. GILSON

Soviet section by
BILL S W E E T M A N

The existence of Foxbat D, an advanced intercepter

version of the MiG-25, is revealed in this year's
survey of the world's military aircraft. A t a time when
Soviet developments are very much in the news (the
Vtol Forger made its debut in July 1976, when Kiev
sailed into the Mediterranean), we also re-examine
Backfire's roles and capabilities. More than 100
military aircraft, ranging from primary trainers to
strategic bombers, are listed in this exclusive survey.
Nearly all are in current production, the main criterion
for inclusion. There are, however, a number of outof-production types remaining in service which are
the subject of significant modernisation work. Also
included are some major projects and competitive
aircraft which have yet to sell or enter service, with
lesser developments usually mentioned under the
parent type. Licence-built types are entered under
the actual manufacturer. A n asterisk after the type's
name in the text indicates that dimensional and
performance data can be found in earlier surveys,
though not necessarily in last year's, which was
published on March 6. A t the small end of the scale
in particular there is a very large number of quasimilitary aircraft, some of which are described separately in other Flight annuals. Our aim here has been
to describe only those aircraft designed specifically
for military use or which have entered service primarily with military air arms. There are also difficulties with transport and VIP aircraft, and wherever
possible we have tried to indicate whether a type is
used truly for military purposes or by Governments

on quasi-military tasks. Nearly all the information

and data on Western aircraft have been supplied
by the manufacturers themselves, although the
Flight slide-rule has been used on a few occasions
and some estimates have been made. This last
observation is of course particularly applicable to
the section on Soviet aircraft, which again contains
a great deal of new information on the latest combat
types.
INDEX
Both the development histories and the data tables
have been compiled by country of manufacture or
design in the order France, International, United
Kingdom, United States of America, Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics, Other Nations. Manufacturers
are listed alphabetically within these groups.
Development
Page
France
International
United Kingdom
United States of America
Union of S o v i e t Socialist
Republics
Other Nations

Data
Page

546
547
548
553

554
554
554
556

580
591

576
578

FLIGHT International,

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

France
DASSAULT-BREGUET
Atlantic Production of the Mk 1 maritime recce and antisubmarine Atlantic ceased in late 1973, having been shared
among France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy
as members of the Secbat consortium. The last aircraft was
delivered in 1974. Dassault's M4 proposal is based on substantially the same airframe and aircraft systems as those
of the Mk 1 but with completely new weapon systems. Existing R-R Tyne 21 engines would be retained. The new weapon
and detection systems would use digital processing throughout. Equipment would include two inertial navigation systems.
Doppler and Omega. Emphasis would be placed on survey,
surface-analysis and long-range anti-surface capabilities.
Pressure on the French defence budget has however slowed
development very considerably.
Operators: France 34; West Germany 20; Italy 18; Netherlands
8; Pakistan 3.
Super Etendard The first prototype, converted from an
Etendard IV, flew for the first time in October 1974 and
initially flight-tested t h e unreheated Snecma Atar 8K50
engine. The second prototype, also flying with an 8K50, was
designated. the weapon-system test vehicle, while number
three was an Etendard IV with the Super Etendard wing
(double-slotted flap and leading-edge slat). Primary sensor of
the new equipment fit is a Thomson-CSF Electronique Marcel
Dassault Agave X-band monopulse radar. This has a claimed
air-to-air detection range of 22 n.m. and its other modes
include air-to-air search and t a r g e t designation, either to a
gunsight or the active homing head of an anti-ship missile;
ground mapping; automatic air-to-air and air-to-sea tracking;
and air-to-air, air-to-sea and air-to-ground ranging. The
Thomson-CSF head-up display is used in association with a
Singer-Kearfott UNI-40/UAT-40 (SK-2602) inertial navigation
and weapon-aiming system built under licence by Sagem.
The first production Super Etendard is due to fly in
September 1977 and the first of about 70-80 for fleet air cover,
strike against surface ships and land targets, and photoreconnaissance, should enter service next year. The aircraft
will replace Etendard IVMs aboard the carriers Clemenceau
and Foch and are expected to remain operational until aboul
1992.
Operators: France 30 on firm order, up to 80 required.
Mirage III/5 Well over 1,300 of t h e Mirage series have been
bought by 19 countries, the current production version of the
III being the E model, which first flew in April 1961. Main
Mirage III variants include the IIIC intercepter, IIIB two-seat
version of t h e C, the HIE family of multi-role aircraft, the
IIIBE/D two-seat versions of the E family, the IIIR/RD
reconnaissance aircraft with five cameras in the nose, and
the HIS, operational in Switzerland with Hughes radar and
Falcon missiles. The basic nav-attack system consists of
Thomson-CSF Cyrano II radar with Tacan and Doppler for
navigation coupled to nav and bombing computers and an
automatic gunsight. In Israeli aircraft the bombing computer
is probably t h e Rafael Mahat. Some late-model export Mirage
Ills are believed to be powered by the Snecma Atar 9K50.
particularly those in South Africa.
The Mirage 5 is a ground-attack derivative of the HIE. It
normally carries a simple Aida II range-only radar, an
additional HOgal of fuel and has extended stores-carrying
capacity. Peruvian aircraft have been refitted with the Litton
LN-33 inertial platform.
Operators .-Mirage III: Abu Dhabi 4 IIIAD; Argentina 12 IIIEA,
2 IIIDA; Australia 100 IIIO, 16 IIIDO; Brazil 12 IIIEBR, 4
IIIDBR; Egypt 38 IIIB-E/5; Israel approx 50 IIIC/BJ; France
one OCU with IIIC/B/BE, two sqns IIIC, eight sqns HIE, three
sqns IIIR/RD, with total of 526 Mirages purchased; Lebanon
10 IIIEL, 1 IIIBL; Libya 30 HIE, 10 IIIB, 10 IIIR; Pakistan 25
IIIEP, 13 IIIRP, 5 IIIDP; South Africa 16 IIIEZ, 16 IIICZ, 8
HIRZ, 13 IIIDZ, 3 IHBZ; Spain 24 IIIEE, 6 HIDE; Switzerland
36 HIS, 16 IIIRS, 3 IIIBS; Venezuela 9 IIIEV.
Mirage 5: Abu Dhabi 12 5AD, 2 5DAD, 1 5RAD ordered;
Belgium 63 5BA, 27 5BR, 16 5BD; Colombia 14 5COA, 2 5COR,
2 5COD; Egypt (see Mirage III e n t r y ) ; France 50 5F; Gabon
6; Libya 60 5D/DE/DD/DR; Pakistan 28 5PA; Peru 20 5P, 2
5DP; Venezuela 4 5V, 2 5DV; Zaire 14 5M, 3 5DM.

5 March

1977

Mirage F.l Becoming the mainstay air-defence aircraft for

the French Air Force and selling well for export. First flight
was in December 1966. All current aircraft are powered by the
Snecma Atar 9K50. The first and second wings of French
aircraft are operational and a third has received its first
squadron, all these units with the F.IC intercepter/air-defence
aircraft. Deliveries to overseas customers began in early 1975.
Production is shared by Dassault among Aerospatiale, the
Belgian companies Sabca and Fairey (the latter building
rear fuselage sections for all F.ls ordered) and Casa in Spain.
In addition to the basic F.IC, F.1A ground-attack aeroplanes
(with different avionics, ranging radar and more fuel
capacity) are being built for South Africa, which may also
eventually build t h e type under licence. Also entering production is the F.IB two-seat advanced training and tactical
variant, and being offered is t h e F.1E, which Dassault
describes as an F.IC "with increased attack capability."
Primary sensor is the Thomson-CSF Cyrano IV monopulse
radar, which gives an 80 per cent detection-range improvement over the Cyrano II of the Mirage III. A manually
selected target is tracked automatically while the pilot
transfers his attention to the Thomson-CSF electromechanical
head-up display. Operation of the weapons is either manual
or automatic, with t h e fire-control computer giving the pilot
firing clearance or issuing commands to the weapons. More
advanced versions of the radar, with moving-target indication and air-to-surface modes, are on offer.
Operators: Egypt 44 on order ?; France 105 F.IC; Greece 40
F.ICG; Iraq 23 on order ?; Kuwait 18 F.IC, 2 F.IB; Libya 16
F.1AD. 16 F.1ED, 6 F.1BD; Morocco 25 on order, 50 on
option ?; South Africa 32 F.IAZ, 16 F.ICZ; Spain 15 F.ICE, 18
on option. Dassault does not confirm Egyptian or Iraqi
orders, claims 358 firm sales (including one unnamed customer) and 175 options.
Dassault-Breguet Mirage F.ICs of the French Air Force

Delta Mirage 2000 The Mirage 2000 was selected in December

1975 by the French Government as the future combat aircraft
for the French Air Force. Although it reverts to the delta
wing of the original Mirages, it is an entirely new design
and will be powered by a single Snecma M53 of about
22,0001b thrust in its eventual -7 production version. The
early-standard engine (M53-5) will produce about 19,8001b
thrust. The Mirage 2000, due to enter service in 1982, has been
initially specified as a multi-role aircraft with definite
emphasis on air defence/air superiority, but with provision
for ground-attack capability. The first aircraft will equip
air-defence squadrons but two further batches are envisaged,
one of single-seaters for reconnaissance and ground attack
and one of two-seaters for operational training; the latter will
have the air-defence weapon system. Three prototypes are
planned, t h e first to fly in 1978.
Extensive use of titanium will allow high Mach numbers
to be achieved (considerably more t h a n Mach 2-2) as well as
contributing to structural weight reductions needed to obtain
overall thrust:weight ratios in excess of 1:1 at combat weight.
Gross weight in the interception configuration, with two Matra
Super 530 missiles, will be about 22,0001b. The wing is completely different from that of the Mirage III, with quite
different camber and a thickened root which will allow both
a lighter structure and more space for fuel. There are fullspan leading-edge droop surfaces and trailing-edge elevons,
all using boron and carbon fibres. The rudder will also be of
composite structure. Fuel capacity will be about the same as
that of an F.l (950gal), endurance equal or superior to that
of the F.l in all circumstances and patrol endurance three
times that of the Mirage III. For attack missions, the Mirage
2000 will be able to take off in about 4,000ft with 11,0001b of
external weapons on nine hardpoints, according to one

FLIGHT International,

-5 March

1977

unofficial French report. The flying-control system of the

aircraft will be entirely electrically signalled, and will be
based on a Sfena system which has already undergone initial
flight trials in a Mirage IIIB.
The Mirage 2000 weapon system is to be based on a multimode forward-looking X-band pulse-Doppler radar with a
design detection range of 100km (54 n.m.). Thomson-CSF is
responsible for developing the equipment from a test set
which has an antenna diameter of 22-5in and which was
designed to give a range of 50 n.m. or so. A head-up display
will be supplemented by a large head-down CRT display.
Principal air-to-air a r m a m e n t will be 30mm Defa cannon,
Matra Magic dogfight missiles and medium-range Super 530s.
Some 40 per cent of production work may go to France's
nationalised Aerospatiale.
Operators: France 250-300 required.

International
AEROSPATIALE
C.160 Transall The final and 169th Franco-German Transall
in t h e first production run was delivered in March 1973,
apparently bringing to an end this early European collaborative transport programme. The requirement for work,
for more Transalls for the French Air Force, and the
possibility of export sales have however combined to start a
relaunch. Though not all the details have been finally settled,
the two countries would again collaborate on a 50-50 basis
although there would be only a single final-assembly line, at
Aerospatiale Toulouse.
Operators: France 48 (plus 4 in Aeropostale service); West
Germany 89; South Africa 9; Turkey 20.
DASSAULT-BREGUET/DORNIER
Alpha Jet Selected by the French and West German Governments in July 1970. Four prototypes have been built, the first
flying in October 1973, but one has been lost in an accident.
France's requirement is for a basic and advanced trainer,
Germany's also for close air support and battlefield
reconnaissance. Belgium confirmed its order for a version it
designates Alpha Jet IB (training role) in September 1975.
Basically, Dassault-Breguet manufactures the centre and
front fuselage while Dornier makes the wings, empennage
and rear fuselageSabca in Belgium is also taking part in
production. The first production-standard aircraft is due to
fly in October 1977 and the first delivery to a French squadron
is planned for July 1, 1978. The Luftwaffe should receive its
first operational Alpha Jet on October 1, 1978. The initial
batch order is for 56 aircraft for France and 84 for Germany,
plus 420 Snecma Larzac engines. Production should reach
nine/month in 1979.
The German Alpha Jet will have an attitude and heading
reference system based on the Lear Siegler AHRS 6000 unit
fitted to the Fairchild A-10. The French Thomson-CSF'
Bodenseewerke reflector sight will be replaced in the Luftwaffe aircraft by a Kaiser/VDO KM808 sight and head-up
display. This unit has air-to-air and air-to-surface modes as
well as displaying navigation and landing-approach information.
Operators: Belgium 16 IB on order, 17 on option; France 200
required; West Germany 200 required.
JUGOSLAVIA/ ROMANIA
Orao/IAR.93 First photographs of this light attack aircraft
became available in 1975, although development by Soko in
Jugoslavia (which has leadership in this collaborative project)
and various concerns in Romania had been going on since
1971. First flight took place in August 1974 and two or three
prototypes are believed to have been built, with up to nine
pre-series aircraft. The first production-standard Orao was
due t o fly in November 1976 b u t it is thought t h a t structuralweight and other problems have slowed development
considerably. The first production batch is nevertheless
believed to be nearly 40 aircraft. One unofficial report says
that a subsequent version of the aircraft is planned with
afterburning R-R Viper turbojets.
Relatively little is known about the type's systems except
that a number, in addition to the Viper 632 engines, come
from Rritain and Francethe undercarriage is by MessierHispano; Fairey Hydraulics and Graviner are suppliers. The
gunsight and bombing computer are expected to be Swedish.
Operators: Jugoslavia up to 200 required; Romania about 80
required initially.

547
PANAVIA
Tornado The first prototype Tornado multi-role combat
aircraft (ex-MRCA) m a d e its maiden flight from Manching in
West Germany on August 14, 1974, and t h e r e are now ten
aircraft which have flown from the three flight-test centres
in Germany, Britain and Italy. The last prototype, P.09, and
the first pre-series aircraft, P . l l (P.10 being a structural-test
airframe), both flew on February 5 this year; P.12 is due to
fly imminently (see also feature article, this issue) and the
remaining four pre-series Tornados should all fly in 1977.
Prototype P.05, which suffered a very hard landing early in
1976, is being repaired but will probably not fly again until
1978. By the end of 1976, Tornado prototypes had made almost
700 flights and Government test pilots from all three parent
countries had flown them.
On July 29, 1976, the three Governments signed a
Memorandum of Understanding authorising the production
of 809 aircraft for the three air forces and the German Navy.
Contracts with industry were signed the same day and
Panavia was contracted to produce an initial batch of 40 with
options covering a further 765. Four pre-series aircraft will be
converted to production standard, making the total of 809.
The first delivery, to the German Navy, will be made in early
1979. Production per annum is not to exceed 46 for Britain,
44 for West Germany and 18 for Italy; at no stage will
deliveries to Germany exceed four a month and all that
country's aircraft will have been delivered by mid-1987. This
schedule takes account of Britain's 1974 announcement that
it wished to slow down t h e planned rate of deliveries to the
Royal Air Force.
Texas Instruments is developing the multi-mode forwardlooking and terrain-following r a d a r for t h e common
interdictor-strike (IDS) version of Tornado and has received
its first production contract for the equipment. The main
nav-attack computer is a Litef (German Litton) Spirit 3, on
which Smiths Industries is collaborating, and the inertial
navigation system is supplied by Ferranti. This last company
is also responsible for t h e laser ranger and marked-target
receiver, in association with Eltro and Selenia. The head-up
display is by Smiths, assisted by Teldix and OMI, while
Elettronica supplies t h e warning r a d a r and a Marconi/
Plessey/Decca team produces passive ECM equipment.
The nominal maximum weapon load of the IDS Tornado
(18,0001b with very considerably reduced internal fuel) would
be carried on three tandem twin pylons under the fuselage,
two tandem inboard wing pylons and two single outboard
wing pylons. Weapons specified for carriage include various
conventional bombs, cluster weapons, AS.30, Martel and
Kormoran, and many others are suitable. Italian Tornados,
which will have air superiority among their roles, are likely
to be armed with the Selenia Aspide missile, loosely based on
the US Sparrow.
On March 4, 1976, the British Government announced that
full-scale development of the UK-only Air-Defence Variant
(ADV) of Tornado had been authorised. The aircraft will
have aerodynamic refinements such as semi-recessed missile
positions and by 1982 it is likely t h a t uprated versions of the
Turbo-Union RB.199, producing 17,0001b or more thrust, will
be available. Internal fuel capacity is to be increased by
perhaps as much as 200gal by way of a 3ft fuselage stretch
immediately aft of t h e rear cockpit. ADV patrol requirements
call for up to 2hr loiter1 at a range of 500 n.m. Three or four
ADV development aircraft are planned, with the first alreadybeing built; prototype A.01 is due to fly in 1979.
Although about 80 per cent common by component with
the IDS Tornado, the ADV will have a new air-intercept
radar being developed jointly by Marconi-Elliott and Ferranti.
and called Foxhunter. Proof-of-principle trials in a Canberra
are almost complete and the equipment may be sufficiently
advanced to be installed in the first development aircraft
when it flies. Foxhunter will be able to track a number of
targets simultaneously and will almost certainly also have
a multi-shot capability. A r m a m e n t will be a mixture of Skyflash medium-range and probably AIM-9L Super Sidewinder
dogfight missiles.
Basic unit production cost of t h e IDS Tornado in September
1976 prices is 6-34 million; the equivalent figure for the
ADV is 7-72 million. These costs include provision for
possible modifications during production and certain other
contingencies, but not for t h e recovery of research and
development costs, which Germany estimated at end-1975
prices would total DM8 billion (nearly 2 billion at current
exchange rates). Estimates of non-recurring production costs
have not been made available. The real increase in unit cost
since inception of t h e programme amounts to 40 p e r cent.
Operators: Britain 385 total required, approx 165 ADV; Italy
100 required; West Germany 324 required, 211 for air force,
113 for navy.

548

FLIGHT International, 5 March 1977

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

SEPECAT
Jaguar The French Air Force has two fully operational wings,
at St Dizier and Toul-Rosieres, flying Ermodel two-seaters and
A-model single-seaters. In the UK, the RAF has two squadrons
at Coltishall and one working up in t h e reconnaissance role.
At RAF Briiggen in Germany, three squadrons are fully
operational and deliveries for a fourth have started. At RAF
Laarbruch a second reconnaissance unit is operational. Meanwhile, the Operational Conversion Unit at Lossiemouth has
about 50 aircraft, of which about half are B-model two-seaters.
Combined production rate at Dassault-Breguet and BAC is
about eight a month.
The British and French versions differ primarily in their
nav-attack systems, the former being digital-inertial (MarconiElliott Navwass) and the latter being Doppler-analogue and
twin-gyro platform. The first S-model RAF single-seaters are
receiving the Ferranti laser ranger and marked-target seeker

which fits into the chisel nose. The B Jaguar, which has
neither the laser nor t h e r a d a r warning receiver of the S
aircraft, nevertheless maintains virtually the same operational
capability as the single-seater and most forms of attack can
be carried out from the rear seat, where the occupant is
provided with the same Smiths head-up display as the frontseat pilot.
The export Jaguar International first came into the news in
November 1975 as B.34 made a sales trip round the Middle
East. The aircraft has the same basic airframe but is powered
by two RT. 172-26 Adours which produce 8,6001b of thrust each
(with reheat, Mach 0-9 at sea level). Take-off performance
is improved by about 10 per cent and sustained g capability
by about 25 per cent. Deliveries of the first Jaguar Internationals to Ecuador have started. Also on offer for export
are the Thomson-CSF/EMD Agave radar as fitted to the Super
Etendard (q.D.), which would make the type particularly
suitable for carrying anti-ship missiles such as AM.39 Exocet,
Kormoran or Harpoon, and various night or bad-weather
sensors such as low-light-level television or forward-looking
infra-red. Combined cursive and raster head-up displays and
helmet-mounted sights are also under study for possible
application to Jaguar, while Matra Magic missiles have
already been flight-tested and successfully fired from overwing
pylons. Future studies centre on a fighter Jaguar powered by
much uprated RT.172-58 Adours or Turbo Union RB.199s.
Operators: Britain 202 on order (more than 190 delivered);
Ecuador 12 on order; France 200 ordered (more than 115
delivered); Oman 12 on order.

United Kingdom
BRITISH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
Strikemaster Multi-purpose pilot and weapons trainer, attack
and reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Jet Provost.
JP and Strikemaster have sold to nine air forces other than
the RAF; four have re-ordered on ten occasions.
Operators: Ecuador 16; Kenya 6; Kuwait 12; New Zealand 16;
Oman 24; Saudi Arabia 46; Singapore 16. In all cases figure is
for aircraft delivered; those delivered to South Yemen (4)
and to Sudan (5) believed no longer operational.
FAIREY BRITTEN-NORMAN
Defender/Islander Variants of the BN2 series of aircraft
for Coin, patrol, casevac, FAC, transport, SAR, crew training,
etc. The Defender was first shown at the Paris Air Show in

^*-flr

1971 and has since sold with para-military Islanders in

considerable numbers. Production is a t Bembridge, IoW, a t
Gosselies in Belgium and in Romania. Philippine production
is due to start shortly. The Defender can be fitted with a
variety of avionics according to role requirement, while the
BN2 series can be fitted with other equipment such as skis,
reconnaissance and geophysical systems as well as ordnance.
The search radar selected for the proposed Maritime
Defender is t h e Bendix RDR 1300, but other systems are
accepted as being suitable.
Operators: Abu Dhabi 4; Belgium 12; Ghana 8; Guyana 8;
Hong Kong 1; India 5; Iraq 2; Israel 8-10; Jamaica 2;
Malagasy 1; Mauretania 4; Oman 8; P a n a m a 2; Philippines
1 0 + ; Qatar 1; Rhodesia 2; Rwanda 1. Government operators
include Brazil, Egypt, Lesotho, Liberia, Mexico, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Zaire and Zambia.
HAWKER SIDDELEY
Andover/Military HS.748 Andover is variant of the HS.748
with raised tail and rear loading door. Production is complete.
Military versions of the HS.748 continue in production with
wide rear freight door which can be opened in flight for
paratroop supply dropping. Accommodation is for up to 58
troops. Developments include t h e Coastguarder coastal-patrol
and surveillance aeroplane, primary role equipment for which
is the MEL Marec II radar. The antenna is mounted under
the forward fuselage and detection range is 200 n.m. or so
under ideal conditions. Navigation equipment includes
Doppler, Decca TANS and Marconi VLF Omega. Dinghies and
other rescue equipment can be ejected through a chute in the
fuselage. Patrol endurance has been improved by increasing
internal fuel capacity from l,440gal t o 2,190gal.
Operators: Argentina 1 748; Australia 12 748; Brunei 1 748;
Belgium 3 748; Brazil 12 748; Colombia 3 748; Ecuador 5 748;
India 62 748; Nepal 1 748; New Zealand 10 Andover; South
Korea 2 748; Thailand 2 748; Zambia 1 748. Britain has 7 748
and 12 Andover still in service.
Buccaneer One Fleet Air Arm squadron continues to operate
the strike/reconnaissance Buccaneer S.2, embarked aboard
HMS Ark Royal. Five squadrons and an Operational Conversion Unit form important parts of RAF Strike Command
and RAF Germany. Ex-S.2s were modified to S.2A standard
with avionic and equipment changes and t h e S.2B with the
bomb-bay-door fuel tank and strengthened undercarriage has
provision for the Martel missile. Ultimately all RAF
Buccaneers will probably be configured thus. Production will
be completed in mid-1977. A small n u m b e r of aircraft will be
equipped with the Westinghouse Pave Spike TV and laser
pod.
Operators: Britain 100+ ; South Africa 9.
Harrier/AV-8A/Sea Harrier The world's first operational
fixed-wing V/Stol aircraft, the Harrier is now in service with
the RAF, the US Marine Corps, where it is designated AV-8A,
and the Spanish Navy, which calls it the Matador. The
21,5001b-thrust Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk 103 now powers all
Harriers. Spanish aircraft, the first of which was delivered to
the USA for crew training in late 1975, are equipped to AV-8A
standard.
The RAF's Harriers all have the analogue Ferranti Inas
(Inertial Navigation and Attack System) b u t the USMC, with
its different role, has dispensed with this equipment. Information is presented to the pilot on a Smiths head-up display.
Sidewinder is carried as standard self-defence a r m a m e n t on
USMC and Spanish Navy aircraft and its use is being considered for t h e RAF, whose aircraft are currently being retrofitted with laser ranger and marked-target seeker equipment.

553

FLIGHT International, 5 March 1977

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

The major British development of the Harrier is the Royal
Navy's FRS.l Sea Harrier, 24 of which are being bought for
deployment aboard t h e Service's new class of anti-submarine/
through-deck cruisers. The whole programme also involves a
standard T.4 Harrier (for land-based training) and two
Hunter T.8Ms carrying t h e entire nav-attack system of the
FRS.l. The Hunters are for development trials and, from
1980, for Service pilot training. The first development Sea
Harrier (there are no prototypes) is due to fly in the third
quarter of 1977. Powerplant for the aircraft is the Pegasus
Mk 104, a "navalised" version of the Mk 103 which produces
the same thrust.
Designed t o lift its maximum military load of fuel and
ordnance from a 500ft deck r u n with 30kt wind over deck, t h e
Sea Harrier will carry a Ferranti Blue Fox X-band air-to-air
and air-to-surface r a d a r with dual monopulse capability and
frequency agility selectable by the pilot. A Ferranti heading
and attitude reference system derived from the Inas platform
is coupled with Doppler and replaces the Inas itself. A Smiths
head-up display with a combined cursive and raster display
will be used.
The length of t h e Sea Harrier, with its new radar nose and
cockpit raised by lOin or so, is 47ft 7in, or 42ft 3in with the
radome folded for storage. Aft of the cockpit, the structure is
substantially t h e same as t h a t of the standard RAF aircraft,
with t h e more forward e.g. necessitating use of t h e twoseater's stronger and heavier rear-end structure. The base of
the fin is also slightly modified to accommodate a small
change in tailplane incidence designed to counteract suckdown effects in partially jet-borne flight.
The advanced version of t h e Harrier known as t h e AV-8B
is described u n d e r McDonnell Douglas, t h e US licensee.
Operators: Britain 109 GR.3 and T.4, 24 GR.3 and 24 FRS.l
on order; Spain 8 AV-8A and TAV-8A, plus 5 on order; USA
110 AV-8A and TAV-8A.
Hawk The Hawk transonic trainer/ground-attack aircraft
made it first flight in August 1974 and was demonstrated
immediately afterwards a t the Farnborough Air Show. Since
then the six development aircraft (there were no prototypes
as such) have completed t h e trials programme, including
gun-firing and release of all the weapons required by t h e
Royal Air Force, and spinning clearance. The first two Hawks
were handed over to t h e customer on November 4, 1976, and
pilot training should begin in earnest this summer. The
manufacturer is building up to a peak RAF production r a t e
of four a month, which should be achieved late this year
or in early 1978. All b u t one of t h e 176 aircraft on RAF order
will b e delivered t o t h e Service, with Hawker Siddeley retaining one (the only pre-production aircraft) for continuing
trials and demonstration purposes. A single private-venture
demonstration Hawk has also been built.
Export interest in both t h e t r a i n e r and ground-attack
versions continues and t h e first customer, Finland, signed a
letter of intent to purchase in October 1976, expected to lead
to a firm contract this summer. The initial batch will be 30
aircraft b u t the interest is in about 50. Deliveries are due to
start in 1979. Hawker Siddeley has built a forward-fuselage
mock-up of a single-seat Hawk derivative, in which at least
Egypt was a t one time expressing interest.
Operators: Britain 175 on order; Finland up to 50 planned.
Nimrod Developed as a Shackleton replacement in the
maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine roles, Nimrod
MR.ls equip five RAF squadrons and an Operational Conversion Unit. This strength is planned to be reduced in 1978
or slightly earlier when one squadron is to be recalled from
Malta. Three R.ls are operated by an electronic reconnaissance squadron.
The Phase 2 electronic and acoustic equipment update
continues at a relatively slow pace and should result in the
first MR.2 being delivered back to t h e RAF towards t h e end
of 1977 or in early 1978. The MR.l's Marconi-Elliott 920B
digital computer in the central tactical system is being
replaced with a 920 ATC unit with its 96K-word store potentially expandable up to 256K words. The EMI Searchwater
air-to-surface radar is being installed, with data processing
being handled by a Ferranti FM 1600D computer. The new
Marconi-Elliott AQS-901 acoustic system is based on two more
920 ATC computers.
The Nimrod AEW (airborne early warning) study has
continued to be funded to provide a fall-back should Nato
countries fail to agree on a common purchase of Boeing
E-3As. A development aircraft (based on a Comet airframe
with one of the two radar antennas installed in a nose

radome) is due to fly in May or June. If this solution

were adopted by t h e UK, 11 airframes would be available for
conversion to AEW configuration. These would come from
t h e MR aircraft being withdrawn from Malta plus a few of
t h e eight extra aircraft ordered in 1973 for employment
reasons and now in "limbo" a t HSA Woodford.
Operator: Britain 46 MR.1/2, 3 R.l.
SCOTTISH AVIATION
Bulldog Military primary trainer version of and developed
considerably from original Beagle Pup, taken over by Scottish
on liquidation of t h e company. Production model is Series 120
with increased weight limits for aerobatics compared with
Series 100. Full firing trials have been completed with Sneb
68mm rockets from Matra launchers. Stores dropping has
been demonstrated. Aircraft operational in Sweden with
Bofors Bantam wire-guided missiles. Current production r a t e
u p to seven a month.
Operators: Britain 130; Ghana 13; Jordan 13; Kenya 14;
Lebanon 6; Malaysia 15; Nigeria 20; Sweden 78.
Jetstream Twenty-six multi-engine pilot-training J e t s t r e a m s
were ordered by the RAF but were mostly delivered straight
into storage. One was lost in an accident. The majority a r e
now being delivered to Royal Navy standard for Sea King
observer training, t h e remainder being retained for t h e RAF
MEPT role.
Operators: Britain 25 (RAF 9, RN 16).
SHORT BROTHERS
Skyvan Series 3M developed as military version of the civil
Skyvan. The basic aircraft can be equipped with a range of
options according to role, such as troop, vehicle or freight
transport, paratroop/supply dropping, casevac, border and
coastal patrol, and aircrew training. Several Skyvans a r e
employed in geophysical/photographic survey and a number
a r e fitted with special avionics, such as Doppler, for search
and rescue.
Operators: Argentina 5; Austria 2; Ecuador 1; Ghana 6;
Indonesia 3; Mauretania 2; Nepal 2; Oman 15; Singapore 6;
Thailand 3; Venezuela 1; Yemen 2.

United States
of America
BEECHORAFT
C-12A The C-12A is a modification of the T-tail, pressurised
Super King Air. Deliveries to t h e US Army and Air Force
began in July 1975. Military-specification cockpit and exterior
lighting are used. The 90 aircraft under production contract
are expected to be stationed at 32 locations in 25 countries,
and Beech has worldwide service and parts-support responsibility for these aircraft.
Operator:' US A 90 delivered or on order.
T-34C Turbo Mentor The US Navy has now ordered t h e T-34C
t r a i n e r into production, with contracts currently calling for
116 aircraft out of a planned total of 278. First production
aircraft, delivered in late 1976, are now in USN reliability
and maintainability testing. Equipment includes UHF communications, Tacan, VOR/DME with provision for RNav, and
dual transponders in a Collins package. An angle-of-attack
system is provided for training in Navy-style approaches.
Operators: Ecuador 14 on order; Morocco 12 on order; USA
278 planned.
T-44A In May 1976 the US Navy declared Beech the winner
of a competition for a new, off-the-shelf multi-engined
advanced trainer, t h e type proposed being a military version
of the turboprop pressurised King Air 90. The initial production contract is for 15 aircraft, with deliveries starting in a
month or two and continuing up to October. Options in t h e
contract provide for the purchase of 56 more aircraft and
five years of logistic support by the contractor.
Operators: USA 71 planned.
BOEING
B-52 Stratofortress Main versions still in service are B-52D
(170 built), which bore t h e b r u n t of Vietnam bombing; B-52F
(89); B-52G (193), incorporating a wet wing and provision

+-

*-

page 560

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

*
Manufacturer/
Type

Role

Powerplant
Power/thrust

Crew

Span
Length
Height
Wing area
(gross)

Empty weight
Max T/O weight
Wing loading

119ft 1in
104ft 2in
37ft 2in'
1,295 sq ft

35,1001b
95,9001b
74lb/sq ft

Max speed
S.I.

Max speed
at altitude
Economic
cruise speed

Time to height/
s.l. rate of
climb
Service ceiling

FRANCE
DASSAULT-BREGUET
Atlantic

Maritime
patrol

2 x R-R Tyne
6,100 e.h.p.

12

Super Etendard

Carrierbased fighter

1 x Snecma
Atar 8K50
11,0001b

31ft 6in
47ft
12ft 8in
307 sq ft

Mirage HIE

Fighter-bomber,
recce

1 x Snecma
Atar 9C
13,7001b with
A/B
Optional SEPR
rocket motors
3,3001b

Mirage F.1C

All-weather
intercepter

1 x Snecma
Atar 9K50
15,8731b with
A/B

350kt
(VNE)
300kt
(max T/O wt)

30,000ft

13,8001b
25,0001b
(normal mission)
82-5lb/sq ft

650kt
M=1 +
(36,000ft)

19,700ft/min
50,000ft
(approx)

27ft
49ft 2in
14ft 8in
375 sq ft

15,5401b
30,2001b
56lb/sq ft at
combat weight

750kt
1,270kt
M=2-2
(39,500ft)
M =0 9
(36,000ft)

6min 55sec
(50,000ft, M = 1-8)
56,000ft
(M = 1-8)
75,000ft +
(with rocket
motor)

27ft 8in
49ft 7in
14ft 8in
269-1 sqft

16,3141b
33,5201b
90lb/sq ft at
combat weight

M = 1-2
M=2 2

7min 30sec
(40,000ft, M=2)
65,000ft
1

INTERNATIONAL
DASSAULT-BREGUET/DORNIER
Alpha Jet
Trainer/
light attack

2 x Snecma
Turbomeca
Larzac 04
29601b

29ft 11 in
40ft 4in
13ft 9in
188-4 s q f t

7,3751b
15,9701b
84lb/sq ft

540kt
M = 0-85

7min
(30,000ft)
46,000ft

2 x R-R/Fiat
Viper 632
4,000lb

24ft 10in
42ft 4in
12ft 5in
195 sq ft

9,5001b
19,8501b
100lb/sq ft

M = 0-9
M = 0-95

17,000ft/min
42,000ft

2 x TurboUnion
RB.199-34R
14,5001b with
A/B

28ft 2in45ft 7in

54ft 10in
18ft 8in

25,000lb
(no fuel)
45,000lb

M= M5
M=2-2
M=0-6
(wings
forward)

Tactical
support

2 x R-R/
Turbomeca
Adour
7,380lb with A/B

28ft
50ft
16ft
260

Transport

2 x R-R Tyne
6,100 e.h.p.

131ft 3in
106ft 6in
40ft 7in
1,723 sq ft

JUGOSLAVIA-ROMANIA
Orao/IAR-93
Light attack
fighter

PANAVIA
Tornado

Multi-role
combat
aircraft

SEPECAT
Jaguar S
; -

TRANSALL
C-160

(estimated)
6in
11in
iin
sq ft

15,8001b
34,0001b
130lb/sq ft

63,400ft
112,4351b
65-25lb/sq ft

729kt
(max T/O wt)
M = 1-4
(36,000ft)

320kt
(16,000ft)
245kt
(20,000ft)

50,000ft+

2min 30sec
(30,000ft,
reheat)
45,000ft

1,440ft/min
(max T/O wt)
27,900ft
II

II

UNITED KINGDOM
B R I T I S H AIRCRAFT C O R P O R A T I O N
Strikemaster
Strike-recce/
trainer

BRITTEN-NORMAN
Defender/Islander

Multi-role
light aircraft

1 x R-R
Viper 535
3,4101b

1/2

36ft 11 in
38ft 8|in
10ft
213-7 sq ft

5,9171b
11,5001b
54lb/sq ft

390kt
(50% fuel, clean)
410kt
(50% fuel, clean,
20,000ft)

8min 45sec
(30,000ft,
internal fuel,
2 crew)
5,250ft/min

2 x Lycoming
IO-540
300 h.p.

1/2

53ft
35ft 8in
13ft 9in
337 sq ft

4,1061b
(equipped)
6,6001b
6,9501b
(overload)
19-6lb/sq ft

157kt
148kt
(cruise, 7,000ft,
75% power)
100kt
(patrol, 2,000ft,
45% power)

1,110ft/min
19,300ft
(absolute)

FLIGHT International,

5 March

555

1977

T/O run
Landing
run
(role/weight)

Max range*
Combat
radius
(role/profile/
weight)

Internal
fuel
Auxiliary
fuel

Armament
Total external
Internal
Hardpoints

4,925ft
(ISA, to 35ft)
max T / 0 wt)

4,854 n.m.
18hr (max
endurance,
patrol at 169kt)

4,619gal

4 x AS missiles
Bay for bombs,
depth charges,
rockets, torpedoes
4

Nato specification for Neptune replacement. International

development including Fokker, Dornier, Fairey, Sabca, FN
and Aeritalia. Standard weapons include AS.37, and AM.39
is planned.

2,295ft
(max T/O wt)
1,640ft
(max landing wt)

1,800 n.m. + *
350 n.m.
(low-level, clean)

870gal
2 x 290gal

5,000lb
2 x 30mm
cannon
5

Under development to replace Etendard IVM. To be capable

of "buddy" refuelling. Standard armament will include
AM.39 Exocet; cannon are Defa.

647 n.m.
(range, ground
attack)

733gal
2 x 374gal
and
1 x 286gal

9,0001b
2 x 30mm cannon
5

Basic French Air Force version. Seven other variants,

including two-seaters. Armament in FAF includes, as elsewhere, R.530, Sidewinder, R.550, AS.20, AS.30, AS.37;
Shafrir in Israel, Falcon in Switzerland. Cannon are Defa.
IMI-improved Defa in Israeli IIICs. Also 19 sub-variants of
Mirage 5 for export, including two-seaters.

950gal
3 x 265gal

8,8201b
2 x 30mm
cannon
5 + 2 wingtip

Production version for French Air Force. Armament will

eventually include Super 530, R.550. Cannon are Defa.

3,350lb
2 x 550lb

4,960lb
5

Figures basically for attack version. French armament

includes 1 x 30mm Defa cannon on fuselage point, Mauser
selected for Germany-

675gal

4,500lb
2 x 30m m
cannon
4

Joint Jugoslav-Romanian light fighter-bomber development

to replace Jastreb and Galeb. All dimensions and performance figures estimated. Two-seat and reheated versions
expected.

10,0001b
2 x 330gal
on Inboard
wing stations

18,0001b
2 x 27mm
cannon
3 fuselage
+ 4 on wings

Variable geometry. See text for more details of UK-only

air-defence variant. Cannon are Mauser. Armament will
include XJ521, Kormoran, Aspide, AJ.168 (and possibly
AS.37) Martel, BL755, etc. Weights and performance estimated.

924gal
3 x 264gal

10,0001b
2 x 30mm
cannon
5 + provision
for 2 overwing
pylons)

RAF strike version. French Air Force equivalent (A) similar

but with less comprehensive avionics. Also two tandem-seat
versions: E (French) and B (British). B has single 30mm
cannon only. Jaguar International has uprated Adours.
British cannon Aden, French Defa.

4,000ft
(25,000lb)
2,295ft

1,475ft
(25,355lb)
1,640ft
(18,7401b)

400 miles
(3,5201b load,
lo-lo)

1,600ft
(11,0001b)
1,950ft
(8,250lb)

1,450 n.m.
280 n.m.
(hi-lo-hi,
4,520lb load

3,000ft
3,500ft

3,000ft
(clean)
2,800ft
(27,500lb,
approx)
2,880ft
(4,0001b warload)
1,550ft
(normal weight)

200 n.m.
(hi-lo-hi,
4,000lb load)

500 n.m.
(hi-lo-hi,
5,000lb load,
estimated)

290 n.m.
(internal fuel,
lo-lo-lo)
760 n.m.
(external fuel,
hi-lo-hi)

2,600ft
(max T/O wt)
1,160ft
(97,450lb)

2,805 n.m.
2,460 n.m.
(range with
17,6401b payload
reserves)

3,625gal

3,500ft
(to 50ft, 11,5001b)
4,250ft
(from 50ft,
11,2501b aborted
sortie)

1,200 n.m.
(1,5001b, 2001b
fuel reserves)
215 n.m.
(3,000lb weapons,
reserves, hi-lo-hi)

270gal
2 x 48gal
tip tanks,
2 x 75gal and
2 x 50gal
underwing

3,000lb
2 x 7-62mm
machine guns
8

1,100ft
(to 50ft)
960ft
from 50ft)

1,497 n.m.
(aux fuel, no
reserves)
326 n.m.
(range with
max payload
stores)

163gal
2 x 56gal

2,300lb

Max
payload

35,275

4 + 2 for
aux fuel

A n asterisk in this column denotes air-refueiling capability.

Remarks

Initial production complete, new batch entering production.

Some French Air Force aircraft planned as air-refuelling
tankers, others to have receptacles only.

Developed from BAC 145 (Jet Provost T.5).

2,4941b

Performance figures all in ISA with pylons, no stores.

Armament can include twin 762mm gun pods, Matra rocket
packs, GP bombs up to 5001b; up to four sideways-firing
LMGs.

FLIGHT International,

UNITED

KINGDOM

S March

1977

continued

Manufacturer/
Type

H A W K E R SIDDELEY
Buccaneer S.2A/B

HS.748

Powerplant
Power/thrust

Crew

Span
Length
Height
W i n g area
(gross)

Low-level
strike

2 x R-R
Spey
11,2551b

44ft
63ft Sin
16ft 3in
514 7 sq ft

Transport

2 x R-R
Dart 535-2
2,280 e.h.p.

Role

Empty weight
Max T / O weight
W i n g loading

62,0001b
120-5lb/sq ft

98ft 6in
67ft
24ft 10in
811 sq ft

25,5171b
46,5001b
57 3lb/sq ft

12,3001b
(basic o p e r a t i n g ,
with crew)
25,0001b+
125lb/sq ft
(jnax)

M a x speed
S.I.
Max speed
at altitude
Economic
cruise s p e e d

600kt
(clean)
M 0-95

244M
(15,000ft)

T i m e t o height/
s . l . rate of
climb
Service ceiling

40,000ft
(estimated)

1,420ft/min
(38,000lb)
25,000ft

H a r r i e r GR.3

G r o u n d attack/
close s u p p o r t /
recce,
V/Stol

1 x R-R
Pegasus Mk 103
21,5001b

25ft 3in
45ft 6in
11ft 6in
201 s q ft

S e a Harrier
FRS.1

Shipborne
fighter/recce/
strike, V / S t o l

1 x R-R
Pegasus Mk 104
21,5001b

25ft
47ft
12ft
210

Hawk

Trainer/
g r o u n d attack

1 x R-R/
Turbomeca
A d o u r 151
5,340lb

1/2

30ft 10in
39ft 2{in
(incl. probe)
13ft 5in
180 sq ft

8,0401b
(zero fuel,
two crew)
17,0971b
(5,6001b stores)
95-2lb/sqft
(max)

Nimrod MR.1

Maritime
reconnaissance

4 < R-R
Spey 250
12,1401b

12

114ft 10in
126ft 9in
29ft 8 | i n
2,121 sq ft

86,0001b
192,0001b
(overload)
90 5lb/sq ft

Trainer

1 x Lycoming
IO-360 or
AEIO-360
200 h.p.

1/2

33ft
23ft 3in
8ft1Hin
129 sq ft

1,4301b
2,3501b
18-2lb/sq ft

2 x Turbomeca
Asfazou XVI
996 e.s.h.p.

52ft
47ft 1in
17ft 5 i i n
271 3 sq ft

7,683lb
12,5661 b
46 3lb/sq ft

2 x Garrett
AiResearch
T P E 331-2-201A
715 s.h.p.

1/2

64ft 11 in
40ft 1 in
15ft
373 sq ft

7,4001b
13,7001b
36 7lb/sq ft

168kt
176kt
(10,000ft max
c o n t . power)
169kt
(10,000ft)

1,530ft/min
(13,7001b)
22,300ft

SCOTTISH AVIATION
B u l l d o g S r s 120

Jetstream

SHORT BROS
S k yv a n 3 M

Light t r a n s p o r t

Transport

3in
7in
2in
s q ft

25,0001b +
125lb/sq ft
(max)

640kt +
M = 1-2+
(dive)
M = 0 96
(level)

2min 30sec
(40,000ft, V T O )
45,000ft

Not less
than GR.3

Not less
than GR.3

538kt T A S
T M N = 0 88
(level, 30,000ft)
TMN=1-1/570kt
E A S (dive)
M 0 86

8,900ft/min
(S.I., I S A ,
6 0 % fuel)
48,500ft
( 5 0 % fuel)

500kt
( I S A + 2 0 C)
425kt
( I S A + 2 0 C)
200kt (patrol)

130M

1,034ft/min
16,000 ft

105kt
(4,000ft)

243kt
(max c r u i s e ,
(12,000ft)
234kt
(15,000ft)

2,500ft/min
26,000ft

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

BEECHCRAFT
C-12A

T-34C Turbo
Mentor

T-44A

Light
transport

2 x P i W
PT6A-38
750 s.h.p.

54ft 6in
43tt 10in
15ft 5in
303 sq ft

7,722lb
12,5001b
41-3lb/sq ft

230kt
259kt
(30,000ft)
221 kt

2,450ft/min
31,000ft

Trainer

1 x P4 W
PT6A-25
Flat-rated
to 400 s.h.p.

1/2

33ft 6in
28ft 8 i i n
9ft 10in
179-9 sq ft

2,940lb
4,300lb
23-9lb/sq ft

185kt
226kt
(17,500ft)

1,400ft/min
30,000ft+

Trainer

2 x P4 W
PT6A-34B
750 s.h.p.
Flat-rated
t o 550 s.h.p.

50ft 3in
35ft 6in
14ft 3in
294 s q ft

6,246lb
10,1001b
34-4lb/sq ft

240kt
(15,000ft)
219kt
(16,000ft,

8,365lb, max)

1,955ft/min
29,500ft

FLIGHT International, .5 March 1977

T / O rurr
Landing
run
(role/weight)

557

Max range*
Combat
radius
(role/profile/
weight)

Internal
fuel
Auxiliary
fuel

ArmamentTotal external
Internal
Hard points

1,560gal
1 x 425gal,
1 x 440gal
( b o m b bay door)
and/or
2 x 430gal

12,0001b
B o m b s , fuel
or recce packs
up to 4,0001b
4

2,000ft
(40,000lb)
1,060ft
(40,000lb)

1,790 n.m.
( 2 0 % reserves)
690 n.m.
(9,000lb payload,
2 0 % reserves)

1,440gal

S T O under
1,200ft (land).
500ft (deck)
Recovery V L

1,700 n.m.*
150 n.m.
(600ft T / O roll,
4,500lb payload)

5,0561b
2 y 330gal

500ft
(deck)
Recovery V L

1,700 n.m.*
380 n.m.
(1,200ft T / O roll,
3,000lb payload)

5,0561b
2 x 330gal

1,800ftt
(S.I., I S A ,
10,8271b)
1,600ft
(5% fuel remaining
+ 10min loiter
at s.l.).

1,669 n.m.
(2 x 100gal
aux. tanks)
520 n.m.
(3,0001b l o a d ,
2 x 100galtanks
h i - l o - h i , reserves)

365gal
2 x 100gal

4,800ft
(177,5001b,
I S A , s.l.)
5,300ft
(120,0001b,
I S A , s.l.)

5,000 n.m.

10,730gal
1,936gal
( u p t o six
weapon-bay
tanks)

900ft
500ft

540 n.m.
(no reserves)

3,800ft
(56,0001b)
3,150ft
(35,000lb)

2,000 n.m.
(typical strike
range w i t h i n f l i g h t refuelling)

8,000lb

5 + 2

Max
payload

12,8891b
(freight
version)

M u l t i - m o d e radar in nose. A r m a m e n t also t o i n c l u d e Sidewinder, as o n A V - 8 A , and as yet u n d e c i d e d air-to-surface

guided w e a p o n s .

5,600lb

Fuselage h a r d p o i n t carries 30mm A d e n g u n pack ( o p t i o n a l ) .

R A F trainer has provision f o r fuselage station and only t w o
i n b o a r d w i n g p y l o n s ; t w o o u t b o a r d pylons extra on export
version.
t Practical, n o t m i n i m u m , airfield p e r f o r m a n c e ;
figures
factored f o r safe s t u d e n t o p e r a t i o n .

ASMS
Variety of
b o m b s , mines,
depth charges,
torpedoes
2

32gal

Empty weight includes all fixed fittings. Rear freight door can
be opened in flight for paratroop/supply drop. Maximum
aperture 8ft 9in y 5ft 8in. Optional overload gross weight.

U S M C A V - 8 A s carry S i d e w i n d e r s . Centre fuselage station

can carry 2 x 30mm A d e n c a n n o n pack. T w o - s e a t T.4 h a s
same capability in e q u i p m e n t and w a r l o a d , is 56ft l o n g
overall, empty w e i g h t (2 crew) 13,7501b, max T / O w e i g h t is
26,000lb + , max w i n g l o a d i n g 130lb/sq f t + .

5 + 2 x 30mm
cannon

"Buddy" tanker role, max fuel capacity 2,815gal

x 30mm
cannon

8,000lb

Remarks

13,5001b
(max disposable)

Full b a c k - u p c r e w c a n be c a r r i e d , o r u p t o 45 p a s s e n g e r s in
t r o o p i n g c o n v e r s i o n . A r m a m e n t includes AS.12.

920lb

Developed f r o m civi P u p . A r m e d version can carry rocket

pods or w i r e - g u i d e d missiles.

4 r 883lb

R A F multi-engine pilot trainer, RN also now taking delivery.

5,200lb

A l l military safes for export.

4 (optional)

1,945 ft

1I

1,250 n.m.
(45 min
reserve)

384gal

580 n.m.
(150kt, 45min
reserves)

293gal
(provision
f o r 4 aux.
tanks internally,
raising capacity
to 390gal)

2,820ft
(to 50ft)
2,514ft
(from 50ft)

2,050 miles
(with aux.
fuel)

386gal
158gal

1,270ft
(Stol)
1,800ft
(from 50ft,
no reverse)

795 n.m.
(25,000ft)
193kt, reserves)

125 US gal

2,024ft
(to 50ft)
2,110ft
(from 50ft,
no reverse)

1,195 miles
(25,000ft)

384gal

Personnel-transport
Super King Air.

1,2001b
4

*An asterisk in this column denotes air-refuelling capability.

modification

of

T-tall,

pressurised

Turboprop version of original Mentor. Armament optional

(such as for Pave Coin). Beech claims gross weight can be
increased above 4,3001b by amount equal to external load.

Advanced trainer version of King Air 90 for USN.

558
MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

UNITED

STATES

continued

Manufacturer/
Type

BOEING
E-3A A w a c s

E-4B A A B N C P

YC-14 A M S T

CESSNA
A-37B Dragonfly

Role

Powerplant
Power/thrust

Crew

Span
Length
Height
W i n g area
(gross)

Empty weight
Max T / O weight
W i n g loading

Airborne
w a r n i n g and
control

4 x P i W
TF33-P-100/100A
21,0001b

4
(+mission crew

145ft 11in
153ft
42ft 6in
2,892 sq ft

172,0001b
(zero-fuel)
325,0001b
112lb/sq ft

Command
post

4 x GE
F103-100
52,500lb

3
(-(-mission crew

195ft 8in
231ft 4in
63ft 6in
5,500 sq ft

775,000lb
141lb/sq ft

Stol transport

2 x GE
F103
51,0001b

129ft
131ft 8in
48ft 4in
1,762 sq ft

118,0001b
214,0001b
(at2-5g)
262,0001b
(at 2g)
149lb/sq ft

Counterinsurgency

2 x GE
J85-17A
2,850lb

35ft 10*in
29ft 3in
8ft 10*in
183-9 sq ft

6,172lb
14,0001b
76lb/sq ft

2 x GE "
TF34-100
9,065lb

57ft
53ft
14ft
506

6in
4in
8in
sq ft

20,9831b
47,2001b
93lb/sq ft

400kt
400kt
(clean)
300kt

Counterinsurgency

1 x Garrett
TPE331
650 s.h.p.

1/2

49ft
36ft
12ft
310

8in
10in
3in
sq ft

6,1001b
19-7lb/sq ft

152kt
142kt

Air combat
fighter

1 x P 4 W
F100-PW-100(3)
23,800lb w i t h A / B
( I S A , s.l., static)

32ft 10in
(with A A M s )
47ft 7 i i n
16ft 5in
300 sq ft

14,0621b
33,0001b
110lb/sq ft

M1 2
M=2
M- 0-9

Fighter-bomber

2 x P i W
TF30-P-3
18,5001b
with A / B

32ft-63ft
73ft 6in
17ft

47,000lb
(approx)
91,5001b

M-1-2
M2 5

2 x P i W
J52-P-8A/B
9,3001b

53ft
54ft 7in
16ft 2in
528-9 sq ft

25,7401b
58,6001b
(catapult
launch)
110 8lb/sq ft

563kt
(clean)

80ft 7in
57ft 7in
18ft 4in
700 sq ft

37,6781b
51,5691b
73 7lb/sq ft

38ft 2 i n

37,5001b
72,0001b
87lb/sq ft
(0-86 t h r u s t t o - w e i g h t ratio)

M = 1-2
M-2-34
(max design)

FAIRCHILD INDUSTRIES
A-10A
Close s u p p o r t

AU-23A
Peacemaker

GENERAL D Y N A M I C S
F-16A

F-111E

GRUMMAN
A-6E I n t r u d e r

E-2C H a w k e y e

F-14A T o m c a t

LOCKHEED
C-5A Galaxy

C-130H H e r c u l e s

FLIGHT International 5 March l$77

Carrierbased attack

M a x speed
s.l.
M a x speed
at a l t i t u d e
Economic
cruise s p e e d

T i m e t o height/
s . l . r a t e of
climb
Service ceiling

40,000ft
M

05-0 7

M=0-93
M=-0-99
M = 0 820 85
350kt
438kt
390kt
(TAS)

440kt
(16,000ft)

40,000ft+

6,350ft/min
(Stol wt)
45,000ft

6,990ft/min
41,765ft
(max wt)

7,000ft/min
44,500ft

1,500ft/min
22,800ft

60,000ft+

60,000ft+

8,000ft/mln
44,700ft
(clean)

414kt
(max cruise)

Airborne
warning
and control

2 x Allison
T56-A-425
4,910 e.s.h.p.

Fleet defence
fighter

2 x P i W
TF30-P-412A
20,900lb
with A / B

Transport

4 x GE
TF39-1A
41,1001b

222ft 9in
247ft 10in
65ft 1|in
6,200 sq ft

337,9391b
(basic operating)
769,0001b
(for2-25g)
124lb/sqft(max)

350kt
480kt
(max T / O wt)
450kt
(max T / O wt)

1,650ft/min
(max T / O wt)
30,000ft
(max T / O wt)

Transport

4 x Allison
T56-A-15
4,508 e.h.p.

132ft 7in
97ft 9in
38ft
1,745 sq ft

75,934lb
(equipped)
175,0001b(overload)
100-3lb/sq ft

270kt
330kt
(155,0001b)
295kt
(155,0001b)

1,980ft/min
(155,0001b)
30,000ft
(155,0001b)

64ft n i n
62ft
16ft
565 s q ft

325kt
(51,5691b)
269kt

30,800ft
(51,5691b)

60,000ft+

f LIGHT International,

T / O run
Landing
run
(role/weight)

J
1

8,050ft
(to 50ft, max
T / O wt)
3,700ft
(250,0001b)

1,100ft
1,400ft
(Stol wt)

1,740ft
4,150ft
(14,0001b)

559

1977

Max range*
Combat
radius
(role/profile/
weight)

Internal
fuel
Auxiliary
fuel

Armament
Total external
Internal
Hardpoints

24,000 US gal

12hr
(unrefuelled
endurance)

331,5651b

2,680 n.m.
(ferry)
500 n.m.
(3g, 40,000lb
payload)

62,7001b

*
399 n.m.
(range w i t h
max payload,
i n c l . 4,1001b
of weapons)

507 US gal
4 x 100 US gal

5,680lb
1 x 7-62mm
Minigun
8

2,700 n.m.*
250 n.m.
(range w i t h
9,5001b of w e a p o n s
1 9hr loiter)

10,7001b
3 x aux. tanks

17,0001b
1 x 30mm
cannon
11

515ft
(max wt)
295ft
(max wt)

485 n.m.

142gal
2 x 42gal

1,9901b

Less than
2,500ft
(max-radius
m i s s i o n wt)
Less than
2,500ft

2,400 n.m.*
500 n.m.
( C A P mission)

Less than
3,000ft
Less t h a n
3,000ft

3,750 n.m.*
1,500 n.m.
(hi-lo-hi)

1,890ft
(51,5691b)

1,100ft
(64,000lb)
1,500ft
(50,0001b)

Max
payload

Remarks

35,000lb
(mission
avionics)

Westinghouse
Boeing 707.

69,000lb
(2-5g)
37,000lb
(at 3g)
27,000lb
(Stol)

28,000lb

*
321 n.m.
(8,2601b
payload, h i l o - h i ; 1hr
loiter at
5,000ft, reserves)
1,394 n.m.

15,9401b
4 x underw i n g (8,0201b)
Centreline
buddy tank
(2,0401b)

12,4001b

16,4551b
3,6321b

6,950ft
(max T / O wt)
2,250ft
(635,8501b)

6,940 n.m.*
3,256 n.m.
(range w i t h
220,967lb
payload)

49,000 US gal

3,600ft
(155,0001b)
1,470ft
(130,0001b)

5,050 n.m.
1,040 n.m.
(with 43,2081b
payload)

6,960 U S gal
2 x 1,360
US gal

15,2001b
(reduced internal
fuel)
1 x 20mm
cannon
7 + 2 wingtip

radar

mounted

on

modified

E-4A.

T w o prototypes, fly-off c o m p e t i t i o n with M c D o n n e l l D o u g l a s

YC-15.

M o d i f i e d f r o m T-37 trainer.

A r m a m e n t i n c l u d e s Maverick. C a n n o n is General Electric

G A U - 8 / A , 1,350 r o u n d s of a m m u n i t i o n .

Militarised version of P i l a t u s T u r b o - P o r t e r . b u i l t u n d e r l i c e n c e
and r e - e n g i n e d . A r m a m e n t can include single s i d e - f i r i n g
20mm c a n n o n or 7-62mm M i n i g u n s .

6,934lb
2 x underwing, 1 x
under-fueslage
tanks

surveillance

First t w o aircraft were J T 9 D - p o w e r e d , designated

Eventual buy of six p l a n n e d .

1,370ft
(4 x 500lb
bombs)
1,280ft
(4 x 500lb b o m b s )

2,500ft
(clean, to 50ft)
2,530ft
(clean, f r o m 50ft)

5 March

W i n n e r of U S A F A i r C o m b a t Fighter fly-off. Eight development aircraft being built. T w o - s e a t e r has approx 5,800lb
internal f u e l . S t a n d a r d a r m a m e n t is Sidewinder. A i r - t o surface w e a p o n s to i n c l u d e Maverick and, for overseas
c u s t o m e r s , H a r p o o n . C a n n o n is V u l c a n , 515 r o u n d s of
ammunition.

28,000lb
1 x 20mm
cannon,
2 x 750lb b o m b s
8

F-111A, E, D m o d e l s basically similar. F-111F has P-100

engines, 2 5 % more t h r u s t . Sram a r m a m e n t . FB-111 A strategic
b o m b e r has greater t h r u s t , 7ft greater-span w i n g s , a p p r o x i mately 110,0001b g r o s s weight and a total warload of 37,5001b.

18,0001b

Basically similar t o A - 6 A but m u c h more advanced a v i o n i c s .

E A - 6 B Prowler variant 3ft 4in longer, has 4 crew and very
advanced electronic c o u n t e r m e a s u r e s e q u i p m e n t . A r m a ment i n c l u d e s Shrike, Bullpup, Standard A R M , Rockeye and
will include H a r p o o n .

E-2As updated to E-2Bs. E-2C has A P S - 1 2 0 radar in

revolving r o t o d o m e m o u n t e d above fuselage, now being
updated t o APS-125.

14,5001b
1 x 20mm
cannon
4 enginetunnel, 2
glove-vane

* A n asterisk in this colu nn denotes air-refuell ng capability-

Variable geometry. Principal w e a p o n is Phoenix, t h o u g h

Sidewinder and S p a r r o w also carried. C a n n o n is V u l c a n .

220,967lb
(2-25g
limit)

Heavy logistic t r a n s p o r t , nose and rear loading. Primarily

freighter, but t r o o p i n g c o n v e r s i o n available.

43,208lb

W e l l over 1,000 built (all marks). T r o o p i n g conversion can

carry up t o 96, or 64 paratroopers.

T a b l e s c o n t i n u e d o n p a g e 574

560

FLIGHT International,

5 March

1977

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

-4

p a g e 553

for Hound Dog missiles; B-52H (102), powered by P&W TF35

turbofans. Both G and H versions are equipped to carry up
to 20 Boeing Sram missiles and have been retrospectively
fitted with an Electro-optical Viewing System (EVS) consisting of Hughes AAQ-6 forward-looking infra-red and Westinghouse AVQ-22 low-light-level television. Under the so-called
Pacer Plank programme, some 80 B-52Ds are undergoing
extensive structural refurbishment, particularly of the wings,
in order to extend service life.
Operators: USA approx 340.

"''"'jSMfTi

,:iiS-

Above, Boeing 8-52 and, left, Boeing E-4 National Command Post

six more aircraft t h a t year and long-lead-time items for a

further six the fallowing year. Some $117-6 million is being
requested in R&D money for FY 78. The USAF is seeking
authorisation for a total of $510 million in FY 79.
Operators: USA 34 required.

.*+****

s i r

iliWIillM^iill
E-3A Awacs The USAF's Airborne Warning and Control
System, the E<5A has been developed from the commercial
707-320C airframe and employs a Westinghouse radar, pylonmounted above the aft fuselage. A full technical description
and cutaway drawing appeared in Flight for June 28, 1975.
The system is designed to overcome the limitations of groundbased radar, to improve command and control of operations
from battlefield up to strategic level, and to provide strategic
surveillance and early warning.
Awacs flight development was due to have been completed
in January this year and analysis of the results should be
complete in April. Additional operational tests were carried
out in 1976 to assess the system's ability to handle a large
number of tactical targets. Preliminary indications are that
t h e aircraft is effective in even t h e dense "threat" and
electronic-warfare environment which was simulated in the
trials.
So far, three R&D and 16 production-standard E-3As have
been fully funded. The programme has been subject to some
delay and t h e r e is concern that costs will rise over past
estimates, but the USAF is planning an initial operational
capability in September this year, by when five aircraft
will have entered the inventoryone of these will be a
refurbished R&D aircraft. The currently planned force of 34
Awacs is due to be fully operational in 1982. They will be
operated from a central pool and will be rotated to US
regional centres for air-defence training and to a European
base for tactical air control training. They will also be
available for worldwide rapid deployment.
The USA has offered to m a k e Awacs available for procurement by Nato since 1973. European and Canadian Nato
defence ministers agreed to t h e need for a 27-strong Nato
Awacs force in December 1976 b u t t h e sharing and timing
of cost burdens are still subject to negotiation. The Nato
specification for Awacs involves a number of so-called
enhancements to the basic USAF standard of aircraft. These
include maritime surveillance capability, better electronic
support measures (ESM) equipment, roughly doubled central
computer capacity and more secure communications. The
USAF E-3A is already planned to have the Time-Division
Multiple Access (TDMA) system and the Service has agreed
to include maritime capability at a later date also.
The US Defence Department is asking for $411-3 million
in procurement money in Fiscal Year 78, which would cover

E-4B AABNCP Based on the commercial 747, the E-4 is

planned to replace the EC-135 as an airborne command post.
Two JT9D-powered aircraft and one with CF6s (F103s) were
initially built, equipped with the basic EC-135 systems and
made operational. All E-4s are now powered by GE CF6-50E
engines. Improvements being tested for the advanced programme (E-4B) include substantially increased communications capacity, with an Afsatcom I terminal and a higherpower VLF transmitter, and better protection against the
electromagnetic-pulse effects of a nuclear explosion. This
phase of development overran on costs and was subject to a
review, but a go-ahead was given in March 1976. Delivery
of the first fully equipped E-4B is due in the second half
of 1979. It has been decided to deploy all E-4Bs from a single
baseOffutt, Nebraskawith one or more aircraft operating
out of Andrews, near Washington, at any time. This policy
and the increase in costs have caused a reduction in the
number of aircraft planned from seven to six. The team
producing the advanced systems includes Boeing, Computer
Sciences Corp, Electrospace Systems and E-Systems.
The money requested in FY 77 for the p r o g r a m m e contained
a substantial proportion to continue development of t h e new
systems and to integrate t h e m in a test aircraft. The so-called
Block I programme was estimated at January 1976 prices to
be costing $881 million; it will result in all six aircraft being
fully operational by early 1983.
Operator: USA 6 planned.
YC-14 AMST Boeing's entrant in the USAF Advanced
Medium Stol Transport competition is the high-wing, twinengined YC-14. Two prototypes have been built under a
$105-9 million contract, the first of which flew on August 9,
1976, and the second during October. Both are currently at
Edwards AFB, Calif, for USAF evaluation against the
McDonnell Douglas YC-15 contender. Boeing's rather more
ambitious Upper Surface Blowing (USB) Stol technology has
caused its programme to fall about one year behind the YC-15
effort, but lack of money for the whole project has meant
reduced time pressure. USB is based on the Coanda effect,
by which high-speed air is m a d e to follow the curved surface
of both the wing and its associated flap system. Technical
details of the YC-14 were extensively reported in Flight for
January 30, 1975.
The $25 million being requested for the programme in
FY 78 is to start engineering development of one of the
prototype designs if it is decided to pursue the project. This
decision, however, is still dependent on a reassessment of
needs and a comparison of cost-effectiveness against new
versions of the Lockheed C-130. Procurement would start in
the early 1980s if an AMST go-ahead were given later this
year.
CESSNAA-37B Dragonfly A-37B is the production version of the
YAT-37D and A-37A light attack aircraft originally evaluated
in Vietnam during 1967. Well over 500 have now been
delivered.
Operators: Brazil 25 AT-37C; Chile 34 on order; Ethiopia 12
ordered, delivery embargoed; Guatemala 8; Honduras 6; Peru
24; Thailand 16; USA 216 A-37A/B; Vietnam (95 remained in
South after US withdrawal).

565

FLIGHT International. 5 March 1977

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

FAIRCHILD INDUSTRIES
A-10A Winner of the USAF A-X competition, the A-10 is
a highly specialised, large-capacity, relatively slow closesupport aircraft, virtually designed round the massive 30mm
General Electric GAU-8/A seven-barrel Gatling gun. The first
training squadron of A-lOs has been building up for a year
at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz, and the first operational wing
is due to take delivery of its first aircraft this month at
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Initial operational capability
is due to be achieved in January 1978, with the first deployment to Europe planned for 1979. Production rate was
increased to three a month in January, goes to four a month
in March and five in June. Peak production, reduced from
the originally planned 20 a month, will be 15 a month and
will be achieved some time in 1979.
One potentially serious problem was uncovered during
development when the fatigue test specimen experienced
a failure of the fuselage frame. The main cause was an
under-estimation of loads and out-of-plane bending. Both a
retrofit and a production-line redesign, however, were found
to be possible within the then-current forging design and
overall dimensions, although basic weight was increased.
Fatigue testing has been taken to two lifetimes and the
USAF has verified a planned service life of 6,000hr; this
may be extended later.
Some 195 production aircraft are funded up to October.
The FY 78 request is for $825-2 million to buy 144 more plus
$15-7 million for continued R&D. The total programme
stands at 733 production aircraft and the USAF is still
looking at the possibility of making a number of the later
aircraft two-seat, all-weather versions. The aircraft has
already demonstrated a bombing accuracy of 13-6 mils
against a 15-mil requirement.
Weapon-delivery equipment in the A-10 consists basically
of a Kaiser head-up display, television monitor (to work
with the Hughes TV Maverick missile), and Pave Penny
laser search and track set. The laser illuminator can be airborne or ground-based, reflected energy being picked up by
the Pave Penny pod and the target position appearing on
the head-up display.
Operators: USA 733 planned.
GENERAL DYNAMICS
F-16 Air Combat Fighter The YF-16 was announced as the
winner of the USAF Air Combat Fighter fly-off against the
Northrop YF-17 in January 1975. The first full-scale development F-16A was rolled out at Fort Worth on October 20, 1976,
made its first flight on December 8 and was delivered to
the USAF after its third flight on December 13. The aircraft
is now engaged in testing at Edwards AFB, Calif. Six singleseat F-16As and two two-seat F-16Bs are being built for the
development programme, plus a static and a fatigue-test
airframe. The first production F-16 is due for delivery to
the USAF in August 1978; deliveries to the European customers begin in January 1979. The first USAF squadron
should become operational by 1980.
On J u n e 10, 1975, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and
Denmark finally agreed on a common replacement programme for their air forces and signed a Memorandum of
Understanding to buy 348 F-16s. Since then, co-production contracts worth more than $1 4 billion have been signed with
these European countries by General Dynamics and the
engine supplier, P r a t t & Whitney. GD's domestic contractors
have also signed millions of dollars' worth of contracts with
co-producers in the four European countries. Iran, in
September 1976, became the sixth country t o order the F-16.
Approval has been given for the sale of 160 aircraft, though
the requirement is believed to be for 300. A full r e p o r t on
the current status of European F-16 plans appeared in Flight
for October 23, 1976.
The USAF requirement was originally for a low-cost, local
air-superiority complement to the F-15 Eagle, but the General
Dynamics aeroplane will also be required to supplement the
F-4, F - l l l and A-10 in the air-to-ground role. As a result, the
USAF has tentatively set a higher total production goal to
be achieved by the mid-1980s. Because t h e expanded production rate would arise in the early 1980s, the new figures are
not available and will in any case be subject to repeated
Defence Department and Congressional reviews. The currently
planned figure of 650 aircraft is a reasonable anticipation of
what will be needed to equip the 26 active
fighter/attack
wings in the USAF.
Westinghouse was selected to supply the radar for the F-16

after a fly-off against a Hughes design. The company was

awarded a $36 million development contract in 1976. The
equipment weighs just over 2601b and fits into 4 cu ft. Apart
from t h e initial signal-amplification stage, operation is entirely
digital and linked with a development of Westinghouse's
general-purpose minicomputer. Basic modes are air-to-air
look-up and look-down; automatic acquisition in dogfight;
air-to-ground ranging; ground-mapping; expanded mapping;
Doppler beam-sharpening; beacon; "freeze" (where the radar
temporarily ceases transmitting but maintains a frozen
display); SEA 1 and SEA 2 for anti-shipping operations. See
Flight for February 5 for further details. Fire-control
functions are shared by the central Delco M362F computer
and the Marconi-Elliott Hudsight. Singer-Kearfott supplies
the inertial system and Kaiser the combined head-down radar
and electro-optical display. Provision has been made to meet
eventual possible requirements to carry continuous-wave
guided versions of the Sparrow missile, although this is not
currently planned by either the USAF or the Nato countries.
US funding in FY 77 amounted to a total (for procurement,
initial spares and R&D) of $499-3 million. The FY 78 request
is for $1,695-5 million for procurement of 105 aircraft, initial
spares and continued R&D. The proposed authorisation for
FY 79 is $1,542 million.
Operators: Belgium 116 on order; Denmark 58 on order; Iran
160 on order, 300 planned; Netherlands 102 on order; Norway
72 on order; USA at least 650 planned. USAF will have 98
F-16B, four European countries 58 between them.
F-lll/FB-111 Production has been completed, a total of 562
having been built including 23 R&D aeroplanes. The 106th
and final F-111F was delivered to the USAF in November 1976.
Five models are operational: F-lllA; FIIID with Mk 2 avionics
system, improved nav-attack; F-111E, including improved
inlets for growth TF30 engines; F-111F which combines F-111E
and FB-111 avionics and further growth TF30s; F-111C which
combines some F - l l l avionics and systems with FB-111 airframe. A total of 76 FB-111 strategic-bomber variants with
increased wing span, strengthened undercarriage, Mk 2B
avionics and TF30-P-7 engines were built for SAC.
As part of the Pave Strike series of defence-suppression
measures, F - l l l F s will over the next five years be modified to
carry the Ford Aerospace Pave Tack pod which combines
gyro-stabilised forward-looking infra-red with a laser target
designator/ranger. This, coupled with t h e use of laser-guided
modular glide bombs and such weapons as imaging infra-red
Maverick, is designed to improve night and poor-weather
capability. Westinghouse ALQ-131 ECM pods for F - l l l s went
into production in 1976; the F-111F is to have the ALQ-137
internal ECM package.
The programme for Grumman to modify F - l l l A s with the
AIL Cutler-Hammer ALQ-99 electronic jamming system of the
EA-6B Prowler is continuing. Two such EF-111A development
aircraft are being tested and, if they are successful technically
and the price stays right, 40 more will be converted for the
area-jamming role in support of strike and defencesuppression (Wild Weasel) aircraft. The price is expected to
be $450 million, including spares and support, over the next
five years.
Operators: Australia 24 F-111C; USA 2 wgs F-111A/D, 12 sqns
F-111E/F, 2 wgs FB-111A.
Fairchitd Industries A-10

566

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

*
(
,
j
1
\

GRUMMAN
A-6 Intruder/EA-6B Prowler
Two-seat, carrier-borne allweather strike-attack aircraft operational with t h e US Navy
and Marine Corps. A total of 488 A-6s was built, 19 being
converted to A-6Bs carrying Standard ARM missile; six of
these Bs survive, t h e others being on t h e A-6E modification
line. Twelve A-6As were t a k e n off t h e production line and
modified t o A-6C Trim standard, carrying forward-looking
i n f r a r e d and low-light television in an under-fuselage turret;
a laser designator was also tried with these aircraft, none
of which remains operational although they completed seven
deployments more t h a n their planned two. They were reconverted to A-6A standard. The KA-6D is a t a n k e r variant without radars and computer and with an 11-ton fuel capacity
in four underwing tanks. Sixty-five aircraft have been modified from A-6As so far and five more will be produced this
year.
The current production model is t h e A-6E being built new
and on an A-6A modification line; 70 of t h e former and 117
of t h e latter had been delivered by the end of 1975. They are
being equipped with APQ456 modified versions of the original
Norden J-band APQ-148 r a d a r for search, ground mapping,
tracking and ranging of fixed or moving targets, terrain
avoidance or following, beacon detection and tracking. IBM
supplies the digital nav-attack computer and Kaiser the
vertical display indicator, a CRT showing a synthetic landscape and sky on which is superimposed steering and attack
information.
It had been decided to end new production of A-6Es but
renewed emphasis on US sea control abilities led to a review
of t h e need for all-weather anti-shipping attack. Funds are
therefore being requested for 12 more A-6Es in FY 78 and 15
in FY 79. Conversion of the older aircraft will continue and
eventually 228 of these and t h e new A-6Es will be fitted with
the Target Recognition Attack Multi-sensor (Tram) turret.
This combines forward-looking infra-red with laser t r a c k e r /
illuminators. A target is acquired on radar, transferred to IR
tracking and identified using a X13 telescope. The laser
rangefinder pinpoints the target position and the attack can
then be made with guided or unguided weapons. A number
of aircraft are being modified to carry the active-seeker
McDonnell Douglas Harpoon missile.
The EA-6A is an ECM modification of the A-6A, 27 having
been delivered between 1965 and 1969. The type is due to
be transferred to reserve forces during FY 78. The EA-6B
Prowler ECM aircraft has a 40m stretch in the nose to accommodate two electronics officers, its primary system being the
AIL Cutler-Hammer ALQ-99 active jamming equipment. The
Navy needs 90 of t h e type, including a squadron for the
Marine Corps. They are being bought at t h e r a t e of six a
year, with t h e last batch due in FY 80.
Operators: USA 500+ all mks and variants Intruder built;
90 Prowler planned, of which 51 will be operational at any
time.
E-2C Hawkeye A principally carrier-borne early-warning and
tactical control aircraft, E-2C is the latest Hawkeye variant
with AN/APS-171 rotodome-mounted antenna and AN/APS-120
radar. Essentially an over-water system, t h e Hawkeye has a
detection r a n g e of well over 200 miles from 30,000ft and can
simultaneously survey at least 300 targets. New to t h e E-2C
is t h e so-called Passive Detection System which gives the
Hawkeye crew range, bearing and type information on any
radar illuminating it.
Being installed in E-2Cs (since t h e autumn of last year)
is the AN/APS-125 Advanced Radar Processing System
(ARPS), which gives t h e aircraft considerable overland
capability. ARPS is a refinement of moving-target indication
techniques and is claimed to reduce significantly the
occurrence of "blind speeds" when certain target speeds
cause identical frequency returns to those from a stationary
object.
The total planned number of USN E-2Cs has been increased
from 67 to 77, to be bought at a rate of six a year up to
1980. This will provide four operational aircraft per carrier,
recent experience having shown t h a t t h r e e is not sufficient
t o meet all demands being placed on t h e Hawkeye. The
planned force level will permit each carrier to maintain at
least one E-2C continuously airborne for an extended period.
The type is seen as essential to the proper management of the
Phoenix-equipped F-14s in defeating bombers with extendedrange air-surface missiles and surface- or subsurface-launched
cruise missiles, and also for co-ordination between air and
surface units required for S-3A or P-3C anti-submarine operations. Money being sought for t h e p r o g r a m m e is $197 million

FLIGHT Internationa/, S March 1977

in FY 78 and $192 million in FY 79. The Israeli order was

worth $185 million to Grumman.
Operators: Israel 4 on order, 2 on option; USA 77 planned, 59
E-2A/Bs built.
F-14 Tomcat Production of the Tomcat for both the US Navy
and Iran is now in full swing and could be accelerated for
t h e USN to 60 a year from 1979. The F-14's1 primary role is to
destroy enemy missiles and airborne launch platforms a t a
considerable distance from friendly ships, but the type has
also exceeded expectations in close-in combat. The Hughes
AWG-9 fire-control system comprises a radar, infra-red sensor,
digital computer and associated displays. The system can

Grumman F-14 Tomcat

track up to 24 targets and, while, still scanning, direct a

simultaneous Phoenix attack on six of them; it also directs
Sparrows and Sidewinders as well as t h e M61 cannon. Rapid
radar acquisition when dogfighting is provided by an aircombat manoeuvre mode, and a Visual Target Acquisition
System is being developed to allow missile operations at
large off-boresight angles, using a Honeywell helmet-mounted
sight.
The radar can operate in either pulse-Doppler or straight
pulse mode and also provides continuous-wave illumination
for Sparrows. Targets a r e displayed t o t h e rear-seat occupant
on a CRT and range rates are computed from about 100 miles
or so. With a number of t a r g e t s with different ranges and
closing rates, a computer in t h e r a d a r indicates which should
have priority. Reliability and maintainability of t h e Phoenix
missile has been less t h a n expected, with t h e result t h a t
operational readiness of the F-14 has suffered. Reliability and
overall capacity of the AWG-9 system should, however, be
improved when the CDC 5400B computer is replaced by the C
model, which is almost half t h e size and operates twice as
quickly.
The TF30 engines of the Tomcat have experienced several
failures which have resulted in loss of the aircraft. A proGrumman E-2C Hawkeye

fi*

liKiiiiMIiiliiiiiil
Lockheed P-3 Orion

g r a m m e to improve reliability has been started to correct the

susceptibility of fan blades to foreign-object damage and to
improve the reliability of t h e air seal between the second
and third stages. In view of the seriousness of the engine
problems, t h e USN asked to reallocate $24-5 million of FY 77
money to support blade-toughening and seal-redesign work
The eventual total cost of currently foreseen F-14 engine
modifications is $94-1 million.
Interim modifications have already been made to TF30s in
service and to those coming off t h e production line The USN
is also planning, however, to improve fireproofing of the
aircraft flight-control system, which will further reduce the
effects of m-flight engine failures regardless of cause The
service says that the current TF30 is capable of meeting its
requirements and a large investment has already been made
in improving it so that, while a replacement for the TF30
remains desirable, more studies of future F-14/engine/missile
combinations are needed before any decision can be made
The USN estamates t h a t a re-engining programme would
probably cost more than $2 billion.
In spite of these problems, t h e TJSN has submitted plans
for accelerating F-14 production in order to prevent a potential
fighter shortage in the early 1980s, and to reduce unit cost
l h e higher rate would include purchasing attrition aircraft
which would eventually be needed to maintain 18 squadrons
of Tomcats up to 1990. If the plan Is accepted, production of
t h e aircraft will end in 1981, but there will, then be sufficient
Tomcats both for Fleet air defence and for use as interim
reconnaissance aircraft to replace RF-8 Crusaders and RA-5C
Vigilantes. Some $940-7 million has been requested in FY 78
to buy 44 F-14s.
Operators: Iran 80 on order; USA 52) planned.
LOCKHEED
C-5A Galaxy The Galaxy entered USAF service in 1969 as
the world's largest strategic-airlift aeroplane. It is designed
to carry military items and loads which a r e either too large
or too heavy to go into t h e C-141 or C-130. Among the loads
which can be carried are a Minuteman missile plus its container, tractor, trailer and portable loading-ramp extension;
two M60 tanks; or various combinations of aircraft and
helicopters such as eight F-5s, up to I I UH-ls or 12 AH-ls.
Results of fatigue tests on the current C-5A wing, coupled
with projections of future utilisation, indicate the desirability
of replacing t h e outer wing in addition to t h e inner and
centre wing sections as previously planned. This will increase
costs by another 8 p e r cent, p u t last year a t about $1,000
million to modify the whole fleet. Lockheed-Georgia has a
contract to design the wing modifications and began the
second p a r t of t h e design and test phase in January. The
USAF plans to incorporate t h e modifications on all its C-5As,
with actual work due to start in 1982. Some $40-6 million is
being requested for the programme in FY 78, compared to
$22-6 million approved this year.
Operators: USA 77 (81 built).
C-130 Hercules Continues in production 25 years after t h e
original USAF specification was issued. The main current
versions on the final-assembly line a r e the C-130H and the
civil L-100 series. Lockheed is now offering a Stol version as
a low-cost alternative t o either of the AMST designs (see
Boeing YC-14 and McDonnell Douglas YC-15 entries). Also
being discussed with potential customers is a two-engined
Hercules (L-400).
Operators: Abu Dhabi 2 H; Argentina 3 E, 5 H; Australia 12 A
12 E, 12 H on order; Belgium 12 H; Bolivia 1 H; Brazil 10 E,
3 H, 2 KC, plus 2 KC on order; Britain 45 K (66
bought); Cameroon 2 H; Canada 23 E, 5 H; Chile 2 H; Colom-

FLIGHT International,

5 March

1977

567
bia 2 B; Denmark 3 H; Egypt 4 H, 2 EC-130H; Ecuador 2 HGabon 1 L-100-20, 1 L-100-30; Greece 12 H; Indonesia 8 B; Iraq
2 L-100 on order ?; Iran 15 E, 49 H; Israel 12 E, 12 H 2 KCItaly 14 H; Jordan 2 B, 2 ?; Kuwait 2 L-100-20; Libya 8 E, 8 H
embargoed in USA; Malaysia 6 H; Morocco 12 H; New Zealand
5 H; Nigeria 6 H; Norway 6 H; Pakistan 6 B, 1 L-100- Peru
6 L-100-20; Philippines 4 L-100-20, 2 H; Portugal 2 H; Saudi
Arabia 10 E, 29 H; South Africa 7 B, 1 L-100-20, 15 L-100-30Spain 7 H, 5 H on order; Sweden 2 E, 1 H; Turkey 7 E- USA
850 approx all mks; Uganda 1 L-100; Venezuela 6- H- Vietnam
(23 remaining after US withdrawal from South); Zaire 7 H.
C-141 StarLifter Production of this strategic-airlift aircraft
ceased in 1968, but plans for a stretched C-141B are being
pursued. A prototype stretched aircraft has been built and
will start flight-testing shortly. The plan is to modify all
remaining StarLifters to the stretched configuration, starting
in 1978, at an estimated total cost of about $612 million. The
work is on time and cost, and a production decision is due
this year. Modification of the whole fleet would give added
airlift equivalent to 90 standard aircraft. An aerial-refuelling
receptacle is also being added to the C-141B.
Operators: USA 277 operational (285 built).
P-3 Orion/CP-140 Aurora The Orion continues in production
for export as well as for the home market, having won two
long-standing battles in Australia and Canada. The latest
USN version, the P-3C Update I, 29 of which will be in service
by July 1977, has a memory d r u m with a capacity of 458,000
words, u p from 65,000. It also uses a new computer language,
has t h e Omega navigation system, increased acoustic sensor
capability, tactical displays for two of t h e sensor stations
and an improved magnetic-tape transport. Production
deliveries of an Update II version of the P-3C are due to
start in August 1977. This programme adds an infra-red
detection set, an improved acoustic data recorder, t h e ability
to carry the McDonnell Douglas Harpoon missile, and a
sonobuoy-reference navigation system. The USA is also looking at a further improvement of t h e P-3 tentatively
designated P-3X. This ist designed to produce an aircraft with
longer range and "improved mission capability."
The FY 78 defence budget shows a plan to increase slightly
the rate of P-3C procurement, $321 6 million being requested
for 14 aircraft. There a r e 24 active Orion squadrons and t h e
obsolete Neptunes in t h e reserve squadrons will have been
completely replaced by early-model P-3s by t h e end of 1980.
The Canadian Forces' CP-140 Aurora was ordered into
production in July 1976. The Aurora combines the airframe
and engines of the Orion with most of t h e acoustic and
avionic systems of the S-3A Viking carrier-based antisubmarine aircraft. The CP-140 will be required to perform
a variety of ASW, surface-surveillance and civil missions; the
18 aircraft are due to be delivered in 1980 and 1981. Heart of
t h e system is a Univac AN/AYK-10 65,000-word store digital
computer. The r a d a r is t h e S-3A's APS-116; other sensors
carried are forward-looking infra-red, magnetic anomaly
detector, cameras and electronic support measures. Navigation is based on t h e Litton LN-33 inertial system plus Doppler
and Omega.
Operators: Australia 10 Bs plus 10 C on order; Canada 18
CP-140 on order; I r a n 6 F, plus 3 C on order ?; New Zealand
5 B; Norway 5 B; Spain 3 A; USA 428 (154 A, 123 B, 3 D 143
C). Total delivered 454.
S-3A Viking Introduction of the Viking anti-submarine aircraft into USN service has proceeded ahead of schedule since
t h e first full deployment in 1974. Ten out of 12 squadrons
have converted from S-2s to S-3As; procurement of all 187
planned Vikings was in fact completed with the last batch of
41 in t h e c u r r e n t financial year. Deliveries will continue up to
March 1978. One squadron of ten aircraft h a s been bought
for each of t h e multi-purpose aircraft carriers expected to
be in t h e US fleet in t h e early 1980s, with t h e idea t h a t up to
two squadrons could be operated from each ship if t h e submarine threat in t h a t area warranted it. The S-3A has completed t h r e e carrier deployments so far.
The Viking is equipped with an APS-116 search radar,
forward-looking infra-red in a retractable turret, magnetic
anomaly detection, passive ECM receivers and the customary
sonobuoy-acoustic systems. The central computer is a Univac
1832A general-purpose unit. Navigation equipment includes
inertial, Doppler, an attitude and heading reference system,
and a sonobuoy-reference system.
A Carrier On-Board Delivery version of t h e Viking
designated t h e US-3A was selected in 1975 but dropped in
1976 because t h e type was essentially unsuitable to replace
the larger Grumman C-2.
Operators: USA 187 planned.

Mil

FLIGHT International,

5 March

1977

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

has been approved for production, the internal countermeasures set providing continuous-wave and pulsed radar
jamming. The chaff dispenser and tail warning set are still
under development. Operational testing of primary armament,
AIM-7F Sparrow and AIM-9L Super Sidewinder, is continuing.
Development is also in progress of an improved, higher-rateof-fire M-61 Gatling gun for the Eagle; the standard gun is at
present being installed. Approval has been obtained for
development and testing of a proposal to increase internal
fuel capacity by 2,0001b.
The F-15's Hughes APG-63 X-band pulse-Doppler radar is
geared to detecting and tracking targets coming from a
McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle

/.**-

variety of directions and particularly at low level. When a

target is acquired, the pilot directs the r a d a r to lock on and
track it, t h e display then showing attack information such as
range, differential altitude, range rate and weapon-release
limits. The pilot can attack using the vertical-situation display
or visually using the McDonnell Douglas Electronics head-up
display, which gives aiming points and minimum launch
ranges for the missiles. The long-range velocity-search radar
mode shows only target velocities. In the short-range supersearch mode, the r a d a r scans the Hud field of view between
500ft and 10 n.m., automatically locking on to the nearest
target. If on interrogation the target turns out to be friendly
the r a d a r is unlocked and continues its search at longer
range. If a hostile is detected the absence of an IFF return
causes a rectangle to appear in the Hud enclosing the target,
which the pilot may at t h a t stage still not be able to see.
Next year's production rate for the F-15 is planned to be
11 a month and the Defence Department has requested
$1,738-2 million in FY 78 to buy 108 aircraft. It is still
planned to buy a total of 729 production Eagles (plus the
20 development aircraft) to equip 19 squadrons, but increasing
costs have become a major cause for concern. Re-estimation
of costs over the past year has indicated a $1-2 billion
increase, about half as a result of rising programme costs
and the r e s t divided equally between additions to the aircraft
and inflation. The Defence Department will consider reducing
procurement if costs continue to rise. Meanwhile the F-15 is
under consideration as a strategic intercepter to replace
F-106s in Air Defence Command and is one of several
candidates for a future tactical reconnaissance aircraft to
replace RF-4s in the 1980s (see Flight for October 23, 1976).
Depending on cost growth, however, production of the F-15
is currently due to finish by t h e end of 1981.
The first four F-15s have now been delivered to Israel,
these being refurbished development aircraft. The other 21
aircraft ordered so far will all be newly built. F u r t h e r export
hopes, according to McDonnell Douglas, are linked with
Canada, Australia, France, Saudi Arabia and West Germany.
Operators: Israel 25 on order; USA 729 planned.
F-18 Naval^ Strike Fighter Choice of the F-18 as the USN's
air combat fighter, instead of a Vought version of the GD F-16,
was announced on May 2, 1975. Interim engineering contracts
were given to McDonnell and to F404 engine manufacturer
General Electric to refine their designs before a full-scale
development go-ahead was given in December. Eleven development aeroplanes, including two two-seaters, are to be built,
the first being due to fly in July 1978. The first operational
aircraft will be deployed in 1982, initially replacing F-4
Phantoms. The Vought A-7 will also reach the end of its

573
service life during the 1980s and the USN thinks t h a t the
F-18 with appropriate avionics changes would be an excellent
replacement. One in nine or ten of the production aircraft will
be two-seaters and 345 of the 800 will be light attack versions.
The first production aircraft will go to the US Marine Corps,
which is due to receive 270 now that it will not get any F-I4s.
The F-18 is designed for beyond-visual-range attack with the
AIM-7F Sparrow missile, intermediate-range attack with the
AIM-9L Super Sidewinder and close-in combat with the 20mm
gun. The A-18, on the other hand, is required for day and
night, clear-weather attack against surface targets; both
versions are essentially single-seaters. The fire-control system
consists of a Hughes multi-mode pulse-Doppler radar, forwardlooking infra-red in a conformally mounted pod and laser spot
tracker (also pod-mounted). In air-to-air modes the radar can
track up to eight targets while still scanning and automatic
lock-on can be achieved through a switch on the control
column which decides on whether t h e 27in-diameter antenna
is boresighted, in vertical scan or the "Hud search" dogfight
mode. The Hud is being supplied by Kaiser. The A-18's r a d a r
is to retain the capabilities of the F-18 unit while adding
Doppler beam-sharpening, terrain avoidance and movingtarget indication to the surface mapping and air-to-surface
ranging modes of t h e fighter's equipment. Data processing
will be based on two AYK-14 general-purpose digital computers. The flight control system will be quadruplex fly-by-wire
with manual back-up.
A total of $655-9 million is being sought in FY 78 for the
F-18 programme, compared with $346-9 authorised in the
current year. The first aircraft will be bought in FY 79,
with production due to reach 120 a year by three years later;
a higher rate, 132 aircraft a year, is being considered. A
reconnaissance version of t h e F-18 is also being considered as
a replacement for USMC RF-4s and t h e USN F-14s which will
be providing interim reconnaissance in t h e mid-1980s. Development of such a reconnaissance aircraft is said to be
attractive from the point of view of both cost and
commonality.
Operators: USA 800 planned.

The McDonnell Douglas F-18 will be based on this Northrop YF-17

YC-15 AMST Competing with the Boeing YC-14 for the USAF
Advanced Medium Stol Transport requirement, the YC-15 is
the subject of an $85 9 million contract covering construction
of two prototypes. The first of these flew on August 26, 1975,
and the second on December 5. Initial testing was completed
in August last year, just when the Boeing aircraft was making
its maiden flight, largely because of McDonnell's more
cautious flap-blowing approach to Stol technology. The aircraft is now flying with a 22ft greater-span wing which
became necessary when the specification was upgraded after
initial design had been frozen. It is also being flown as a
test-bed for both the GE/Snecma CFM56 and the 18,0001bthrust refanned P&W JT8D-209, having been powered up to
now by conventional JT8Ds.
NORTHROP
F-5E Tiger II Winner of the USAF's International Fighter
Aircraft contest in 1970, the F-5E is developed from the F-5A
Freedom Fighter but has more powerful engines, manoeuvring flaps and increased internal fuel capacity as well as updated avionics. The r a d a r is an Emerson Electric lightweight
X-band unit which provides stabilised search, automatic
acquisition and illumination of airborne targets. It can be
used to direct air-air missiles like Sidewinder or the built-in
M39 cannon. Missile operation is head-down, using automatic
ranging with boresight steering, while gunnery is head-up,
the r a d a r providing range and range-rate information for the
sight. Inertial navigation (Litton LN-33) is installed in the
aircraft for Saudi Arabia, which are also able to carry the
Maverick missile on a specially developed single launcher.
During 1975 flight-testing of the F-5F two-seat derivative
of the Tiger II was completed. Production at Northrop's Haw>- +- page 580

H H H |

574

FLIGHT International, S March 1977

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

U N I T E D S T A T E S continued from page 559

Manufacturer/
Type

Role

Powerplant
Power/thrust

Crew

Span
Length
Height
Wing area
(gross)

Empty weight
Max T / O weight
Wing loading

LOCKHEED cont'd
C-141A StarLifter

Transport

4 x PAW
TF33-P-7
21,0001b

159ft 11in
145ft
39ft 3in
3,228 sq ft

133,6601b
(equipped)
323,1001b
100-Hb/sqft

Max speed
s.l.
Max speed
at altitude
Economic
cruise speed

495kt
(25,000ft)
430kt

Time to hei
s.l. rate of
climb
Service ceil

2,800ft/min
41,600ft
(250,0001b)

P-3C Orion

Anti-submarine
warfare

4 x Allison
T56-14
4,910 e.h.p.

10

99ft 8in
116ft 10in
33ft 9in
1,300 sq ft

66,635lb
135,0001b
(design)
142,0001b
(overload)
109Ib/sq ft

405kt
410kt
350kt
(30,000ft)
205kt
(patrol speed,
110,0001b, 1,500ft)

2,880ft/min
(135,0001b)
46,100ft
(max demons)
28,800ft
(normal)

S-3A Viking

Anti-submarine
warfare

2 x GE
TF34-400A
9,2751b

68ft Sin
53ft 4in
22ft 9in
598 sq ft

26,265lb
52,539lb
(design)
87-8lb/sq ft

450kt
M=0-79
362kt

18min
(36,000ft,
42,000lb)
40,000ft

27ft 6in
40ft 4in
15ft
260 sq ft

10,4651b
24,5001b
94-2lb/sq ft

600kt (clean)
430kt

8,440ft/min
(ISA, 24,500lb)
48,000ft

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Light fighterA-4M Skyhawk
bomber

1 x P& W
J52-P-408A
11,2001b

F-4E Phantom

Tactical
fighter-bomber

2 x GE
J79-GE-17
17,9001b with A / B

38ft 7in
63ft
16ft 3iin
530 sq ft

29,5351b
58,0001b
73-6lb/sq ft
(combat wt)

794kt
M=2-2
M=0-85

1min 18sec
(30,000ft)
56,120ft

F-15A Eagle

Air-superiority
fighter

2 x Pi W
F100-PW-100
23,800lb with A / B
(ISA, s.l., static)

42ft 10in
63ft 9in
18ft Sin
608 sq ft

28,0001b
56,0001b
56lb/sq ft
(combat wt)

800kt+
M=2-5+
M=0-86
(approx)

Less than
60sec
(40,000ft)
63,000ft

F-18 Naval Strike

Fighter

Fighter/
attack

2 x GE
F404
16,0001b class
with A/B

40ft 8in
(incl. AAMs)
56ft
15ft 3in
400 sq ft

20,5831b
50,0641b
84lb/sq ft
(combat wt)

M=1-2
M=1-8+

50,000ft+

YC-15 A M S T

Stol transport

4 x P&W
JT8D-17t
16,0001b

110ft 4int
124ft 2iln
43ft 4in
1,740 sq ft

105,0001b
219,1801b +
126lb/sq ft

2 x GE
J85-21
5,0001b with
A/B

26ft 8in
48ft 2in
13ft 4in
186 sq ft

9,583lb
24,206lb
130lb/sq ft
71lb/sq ft
combat wt)

684kt
M=1-63
512kt

3min 24 sec
(40,000ft)
51,800ft

4 x GE
F101
30,000lb with A / B

78ft-137ft
143ft
34ft
1,950 s q f t
(estimated)

160,0001b
(estimated)
390,0001b
200lb/sq ft (max)

M=0-98
M=1-6
(50,000ft)
M=0-85

50,000ft+

7,9191b
15,5001b
53lb/sq ft

272kt
(no stores)
274 kt
(10,000ft)

2,727ft/min
(12,6341b)
26,000ft

8,1151b
13,1911b
51-7lb/sqft

465kt
460kt
(25,000ft)
300kt
(25,000ft)

5,900ft/min
(13,1911b)
45,500ft

19,4031b
42,0001b
112lb/sq ft

555kt
(3,000lb of
bombs)
600kt
(clean)

NORTHROP
F-5E Tiger I I

Light
fighter-bomber

ROCKWELL I N T E R N A T I O N A L
B-1A
Strategic
bomber

OV-10D N O S

Night
observation
system

2 x AiResearch
T76-G420/421
1,040 e.h.p.

40ft
44ft 1 in
15ft 1in
291 sq ft

T-2C Buckeye

Trainer

2 x GE
J85-4/4A
2,950lb

38ft l i i n
38ft 3*in
14ft 9*in
255 s q f t

A-7E Corsair I I

Close air
support/
interdiction

1 x Allison/
R-RTF41-A-2
15,0001b

38ft 9in
46ft 2in
16ft 1in
375 sq ft

435kt
(estimated)
M=0-7

575

FLIGHT Internationa/, 5 March (977

~VO run
anding
an
role/weight)

Max range*
Combat
radius
(role/profile/
weight)

Internal
fuel
Auxiliary
fuel

,810ft
to 50ft)
^,51 Oft
'257,5001b)

5,250 n.m.
(31,870lb
payload)

23,592 US gal

4,300ft
(135,0001b)
2,300ft

4,830 n.m.
2,070 n.m.
(135,0001b, no
time on station)
1,346 n.m.
(3hr on station,
1,500ft)

9,200 US gal

-atoH\(,rorn
ated)

50ft

'

85,000lb)

Armament
Total external
Internal
Hard points

12,0001b
Up to 7,2521b
of torpedoes,
depth charges
and/or mines
10

Max
payload

Remarks

79,1251b
(2-5g)

Before C-5A, C-141 was standard strategic transport in

USAF. Several aircraft modified to carry Minuteman in
container, boosting payload to 86,207lb. See text for C-141 B
development details.

20,000lb

More than 400 aircraft (all marks) built. Armament includes

Bullpup, will include Harpoon.

2,200ft
(42,500lb)
1,900ft
(36,500lb)

3,150 n.m.
1,933 US gal
(ferry)
2 x 300 US gal
1,340 n.m.
(2 aux. tanks,
no time on station)

Variety of flares,
bombs, mines,
rockets
Bombs, torpedoes,
depth charges
2

US Navy is buying 184. First service delivery in February 1974.

Armament planned to include Harpoon.

2,700ft
(23,000lb)

1,785 n.m.*
(24,500lb, max
fuel, reserves)
600 n.m. (best)

800 US gal
1 x 400 US gal
plus 2 x 600
US gal

9,1951b
2 x 20mm
cannon
5

More than 2,700 (all marks) of A-4 built. A-4M is USMC

version. Armament includes Shrike, Bullpup, Walleye,
Sidewinder.

5,000ft
(light weight)
3,000ft
(light weight)

2,000 n.m.*
(estimated)
700 n.m.
(CAP, 3 aux.
tanks)

12,8961b
1 x 600 US gal
and 2 x 370
US gal

16,0001b
1 x 20mm
cannon
5 + 4 x AAM

About 4,900 (all marks) delivered. Standard armament

includes Sidewinder, Sparrow, Maverick, Shrike, Bullpup,
Walleye and eventually Condor. Four Sparrow positions
semi-recessed in fuselage.

900ft
(40,000lb)
3,500ft
(30,000lb)

2,500 n.m.
(3 x 600 US gal
tanks)

11,2001b
3 x 600 US gal

Up to 8 AAMs
1 x 20mm
cannon
5

Carrier-borne,
catapult launch
and arrested
landing

2,500 n.m.*
400 n.m.+
(CAP mission,
internal fuel)

10,8601b
2 x under-wing,
1 x underfuselage tanks

13,7001b
1 x 20mm
cannon
7 + 2 wingtip

2,000ft field length

(27,000lb
payload,
150,0001b T/O wt)

2,600 n.m.
400 n.m.
(27,0001b
payload,
2,000ft airfield)

8,030 US gal

2,000ft
(15,4501b)
2,300ft
(11,3401b)

1,385 n.m.*
495 n.m.
(max fuel, 2 x
A1M-9S, 1,0601b of
bombs, reserves)

677 US gal
3 x 275 US gal

7,0001b
2 x 20mm
cannon
5

Successor to and developed from F-5A Freedom Fighter.

Armament includes Sidewinder and Maverick, Shrike in
Saudi Arabia. Cannon are M-39. Virtually same performance
for two-seat F-5F which is 51ft 8in long and has 25,224lb max
take-off weight.

6,500ft
(max T/O wt)

5,300 n.m.*

160,0001b
(approx)
22,0001b
(weapon-bay
tank)

40,0001b
75,0001b
4

First aircraft flew December 24, 1974. Three prototypes now

in flight-test at Edwards AFB. Armament includes up to
32 Sram, 24 internally mounted on three rotary launchers.

1,290ft
(14,2501b)
780ft

1,580 n.m.
(with aux. fuel)
300 n.m.
(max stores)

252 US gal
1 x 230 US gal,
1 x 150 US gal,
1 x 100 US gal

4,800lb
1 x 20mm
7

4,9651b

Considerably uprated for USMC from original OV-10A for

USMC and USAF. See text for details of other models.

1,500ft
(13,1911b)
2,800ft
(13,1911b less
10% fuel)

930 n.m.
250 n.m.
(1hr 45min
mission,
15min over
target)

691 US gal
2 x 102 US gal
tip tanks
standard

6401b

5,752lb
(useful
load)

All-through trainer, including carrier indoctrination. Optional

armament package of guns and rockets or bombs. T-2E for
Greece has six stores stations, capacity up to 3,500lb, which
reduces performance accordingly.

4,500ft
(to 50ft, 3,0001b
of bombs)
5,740ft
(from 50ft, 3,0001b
warload)

2,796 n.m.
(4 aux. tanks)
585 n.m.
(hi-lo-hi,
8,000lb warload)

10,1351b
7,8001b

Standard US Navy version. Armament includes Walleye and

Shrike, is planned to include Harpoon Also TA-7C twoseaters being built for USN training.

17,0001b
(attack
config.)

Selected over naval F-16 variants in Navy Air Combat Fighter

competition. Eleven development aircraft being built. Fighter
version first, attack version to follow. Standard armament
will include Sidewinder. Sparrow and precision-guided
munitions.
62,0001b
(27,0001b
Stol)

20,0001b
1 x 20mm
cannon
8

"An asterisk In this column denotes air-refuelling capability

Entered USAF service November 1974. Armament on

intercept mission is Sidewinder and Sparrow. Up to 10,0001b
can be carried in optional fuel pallets, not yet selected by
USAF.

Two prototypes have now completed basic USAF evaluation

t New engines and greater-span wing being test-flown this
year. See text for details.

576
,
MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

Manufacturer/
Type

Role

Powerplant
Power/thrust

FLIGHT International,

Crew

Span
Length
Height
W i n g area
(gross)

Empty weight
Max T / O weight
W i n g loading

Max speed
S.I.
M a x speed

at altitude

5 March

1977

T i m e t o height
s . l . r a t e of
climb
Service ceiling

Economic
cruise speed

UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS

ANTONOV
An-26 Curl

ILYUSHIN
11-38 M a y

11-76 C a n d i d

MIKOYAN
MiG-21MF Fishbed J

MiG-23S Flogger B

MiG-27 F l o g g e r D

Transpo/t

2 x Ivchenko
4/5
A I - 2 4 T , 2,280 e.h.p.
+ 1 x RU-19-300
1,9851b

95ft
78ft
28ft
807

Maritime
reconnaissance

4 x Ivchenko
AI-20M
4,250 e.h.p.

12 +

Transport

4 x Soloviev
D-30KP
26,5001b

5/7

10in
1 in
1-5in
sq ft

37,250lb
53,000lb
65lb/sq ft

290kt
235kt

122ft 9in
131ft
33ft 4in
1,500 sq ft

85,000lb
135,0001b
90lb/sq ft

347kt
250kt (patrol)

165ft 8in
152ft 10in
48ft 6in
3,230 sq ft

135,0001b
345,0001b
105lb/sq ft

M=0-8
M=0-75

42,000ft

14,000ft/min
46,000ft

1,575ft/min
25,000 ft

Fighter/light
strike

1 x Tumansky
R-13-300
8,500lb dry
14,5001b A B

23ft 6in
51ft 9in
14ft 9in
247 sq ft

13,2001b
20,7251b
84lb/sq in

M=0-9
M = 2-0
M=0-85

Fighter

1 x Tumansky
turbofan
14,0001b dry
24,0001b A B

28ft7in/47ft3-5in
53ft 8in (inc probe)
12ft11-5in
385 sq ft

17,5001b
31,0001b
80lb/sqft

M=1-1
M=2-2
M=0-8

50,000ft

1 x Tumansky
turbofan
15,0001b dry
20,0001b A B

28ft7in/47ft3-5in
53ft (inc probe)
12ft 11 -5in
385 sq f t

17,5001b
35,0001b
91lb/sqft

M=1-1
M=1-6
M=0-8

45,000ft

Strike

MiG-25 F o x b a t A

Intercepter

2 x Tumansky
R-266 t u r b o j e t s
17,0001b dry
24,5001b A B

46ft
73ft 2in
18ft 6in
605 s q ft

44,000lb
75,000lb
124lb/sq ft

M=0-85
M=3-0
M=0-9

30,000ft/min
75,000ft

MiG-25R F o x b a t B

Reconnaissance

2 x Tumansky
R-266 t u r b o j e t s
17,0001b dry
24,5001b A B

46ft
74ft 6in
18ft 6in
600 sq ft

44,000 lb
75,000lb
125lb/sq ft

M=0-85
M=3-0
M=0-9

30,000ft/min
75,000ft

Strike/close
support

1 x Lyulka
AL-7F
15,4001b dry
22,0001b A B

29ft 3in
56ft (inc probe)
15ft
340 sq ft

19,0001b
30,0001b
88lb/sq ft

M = 1-1
J M = 1-6(clean)
\ M = 1-2 (stores)
M=0-85

30,000 ft/m in
50,000ft

Su-17/20/22 Fitter C

Strike/close
support

1 x Lyulka
AL-21F-3
18,0001b dry
24,5001b A B

29ft 6in/41ft
56ft (inc probe)
15ft
345 sq ft

20,0001b
34,0001b
98lb/sq ft

M=1-1
JM=1-6(clean)
\ M = 1-3 (stores)
M=0-8

30,000ft/min
50,000ft

Su-11 F i s h p o t C

Intercepter

1 x Lyulka
AL-7F
15,4001b dry
22,0001b A B

26ft
56ft
15ft
300 sq ft

18,5001b
27,5001b
92lb/sq ft

M=0-95
M = 1-8
M=0-9

27,500lb
45,000lb
120lb/sq ft

M=0-95
M=2-5
M=0-9

SUKHOI
S u - 7 B M Fitter A

Su-15 F l a g o n A

Intercepter

2 x Lyulka
A L - 2 1 F-3
18,0001b dry
24,5001b A B

31ft
70ft
16ft
375

Su-19 Fencer A

Interdiction/
strike

2 x turbofans
11,0001b dry
18,0001b A B

31ft3in/56ft3in
69ft 10in
21ft
545 sq ft

35,000lb
68,000lb
125lb/sq in

M = 1-2
M=20
M = 0-8

Strike/
maritime recce

2 x Kuznetsov
NK-144
28,500lb dry
44,000lb A B

113ft/86ft
132ft

99,500lb
231,5001b
130lb/sq ft

M = 0-85
M=20
M = 0-8

167ft 8in
188ft
38ft
3,350 sq ft

200,000lb
365,000lb
110lb/sq ft

400kt
280kt

23ft
49ft 3in
10ft 6in
170sqft

11,5001b
22,0001b
130lb/sq ft

M = 0 85
M = 105
M-0-7

TUPOLEV
Tu-26(?) Backfire

Tu-126 M o s s

YAKOVLEV
Forger A

Airborne warning
and c o n t r o j

4 x Kuznetsov
NK-12MV
14,795 e.h.p.

Carrier-based
light attack

O n e lift/
cruise turbojet
16,5001b
T w o lift-jets
7,0001b

3in
6in
6in
sq ft

50,000ft

35,000 ft/min
55,000ft

42,000ft

55,000ft

1,785 sq ft

30,000ft

577

FLIGHT I n t e r n a t i o n a l , J M a r c h 1977

T / O run
Landing
run
(role/weight)

Max range*
Combat
radius
(role/profile/
weight)

Internal
fuel
Auxiliary
fuel

2,600ft
2,400ft

1,200 n.m.
(4,700lb
payload)

1,200gal

4,000 n.m.

6,600gal

Armament
Total external
Internal
Hardpoints

3 bays
4

2,800ft
1,500ft

3,500 n.m.
(65,000lb
payload)

18,000gal

2,625ft

750 n.m.
250 n.m.

570gal
3 x 108gal

1,200 n.m.
550 n.m.
(intercept)

Max
payload

Remarks

12,1001b

Booster turbojet in starboard nacelle.

Carries t o r p e d o e s , depth charges and s o n o b u o y s internally

w i t h A S M s o n w i n g pylons.

88,0001b

M a p p i n g radar as A n - 2 2 . Later variants may use new Kuznetsov 13-tonne t u r b o f a n . Tanker under d e v e l o p m e n t .

4 x AA-2
GSh-23 23mm
twin cannon
5

3,3001b

D r o p tanks carried on outer w i n g p y l o n s . Spin Scan radar

w i t h 7 n.m. range.

1,000gal
1 x 108gal

4 x AAMs
GSh-23 23mm
t w i n cannon
5

3,5001b

Carries mix of A A - 7 A p e x and A A - 8 A p h i d A A M s . For

details of Flogger C/E/F see text.

1,600 n.m.
550 n.m.
(hi-lo-hi)

1,000gal
3 x 108gal

4 x ASMS
23mm,6-barrel
Gatling gun
7

7,5001b

Carries A S M k n o w n to Nato as A S - 7 Kerry. No attack radar

but has laser r a n g i n g , o p t i c a l and anti-radar a c q u i s i t i o n
heads and terrain-avoidance radar. Fixed pitot-type intakes
limit m a x i m u m Mach number.

950 n.m.
250 n.m.

4,100 gal

4 x AAMs
O p t i o n a l gunpack
4

4,0001b

S t a n d a r d armament is f o u r A A - 7 A p e x m e d i u m - r a n g e A A M s .
Fox Fire radar has 55-mile range. See text for Foxbat D.

1,100 n.m.
400 n.m.
(4 tanks)

4,100gal
4 x 250gal

780 n.m.
200 n.m.

875gal
2 x 130gal

4 weapon p o i n t s
2 x NR-30 30mm
cannon
6

5,5001b

T w o - s e a t Su-7U Moujik trainer. W e a p o n - a i m i n g

based on ranging radar and aerodynamic s e n s o r s .

950 n.m.
325 n.m.

875gal
4 x 130gal

4 > ASMs
2 x NR-30 30mm
cannon
6/8

4,0001b

Reported to carry A S - 7 Kerry A S M s . W e a p o n - a i m i n g system

as o n late-model S u - 7 s . S o m e aircraft have f o u r belly p y l o n s ,
others t w o . Export aircraft designated Su-20 or Su-22, S o v A F
m a c h i n e s Su-17.

- -

900 n.m.
275 n.m.

875gal
2 x 130gal

2 x

3,0001b

A l s o t w o - s e a t Su-11U Maiden trainer. U s u a l a r m a m e n t is

one IR and one r a d a r - h o m i n g A n a b A A M , w i t h drop tanks
on fuselage pylons.

1,300 n.m.
350 n.m.

2 x AAMs
GSh-23 23mm
twin cannon
4

3,0001b

Gun installation o p t i o n a l . Primary a r m a m e n t is t w o A n a b or

A d v a n c e d A n a b A A M s w i t h Skip S p i n radar. Belly p y l o n s
are used for fuel tanks. Latest variant is Flagon E w i t h a e r o dynamic, engine and avionic c h a n g e s . A l s o t w o - s e a t Su-15U
Flagon C trainer.

2/4 A S M s
Cannon?

10,000lb +

May have terrain-avoidance radar, but s o m e aircraft are

believed t o be fitted w i t h MiG-23B-type systems. W i n g s
s w e e p f r o m 23 t o 70.

2 x AS-6
T a i l turret
2

17,5001b

T w o A S - 6 missiles carried externally l i m i t speed to M = 1 -5,

D o w n Beat b o m b i n g radar, t e r r a i n - f o l l o w i n g radar and Fan
T a i l rear-warning and gunlaying set.

1,800ft

Tail turret (2 x 2 3 m n
cannon)

system

9,500ft
5,900ft

AAMs

1,600 n.m.*
400 n.m.
(lo-lo-lo)

1,750gal
2 x 130gal

4,850 n.m.*
1,650 n.m.
(hi-lo-hi)
800 n.m.
(lo-lo-lo)

12,000gal
2,850gal
(in w e a p o n s bays)

5,200 n.m.*

16,500gal

450 n.m.
200 n.m.

640gal
2 x 108gal

Large r o t o d o m e above fuselage. C o m p a r a b l e B o e i n g E-3A

has n o r m a l crew of 17.

4 x

AAMs

* A n asterisk in this co umn denotes air-refuelling capability.

2,2001b

V t o l w i t h no Stol capability. Reported t o carry GSh-23 23mm

t w i n c a n n o n under w i n g s . S m a l l ranging radar in nose.

578
,
MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

Manufacturer/
Type

Role

Powerplant
Power/thrust

FLIGHT International, 5 March 1977

Crew

Span
Length
Height
Wing area
(gross)

Empty weight
Max T/O weight
Wing loading

47ft 7in
46ft 3in
17ft 7in
326 sq ft

8,900lb
14,3001b
44lb/sq ft
(max)

Max speed
s.l.
Max speed
at altitude
Economic
cruise speed

Time to
s.l. rate i
climb
Service

OTHER NATIONS
ARGENTINA
FMA
IA-58 Pucara

Counterinsurgency

AUSTRALIAGOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Mission Master
Utility
N22B
transport

1/2

54ft
41ft 2iin
18ft 1|in
324 sq ft

4,7301b
(typical
operating)
9,0001b
27-7lb/sqft
(max)

168kt
(9,000lb)
169kt
(9,000lb,
5,000ft)
140kt

1,410ft/mir
(ISA)
23,500ft
(100ft/min
cruise rati

27ft 11 in
21ft 8in
8ft 10in

1,1911b
1,8251b
13-9lb/sq ft

122kt
165kt
(never-exceed)

835ft/min
14,760ft

50ft 3in
46ft 8in
15ft 6iin
312 sq ft

7,054lb
12,3451b
39-5lb/sqft

Trainer

1 x Lycoming
O-320-B2B
160 h.p.

EMBRAER
C-95 Bandeirante

Transport

2 x Pi W
PT6A-27
680 s.h.p,

Trainer

CANADA
DE H A V I L L A N D C A N A D A
DHC-5D Buffalo
Transport

DHC-6 Twin Otter

CZECHOSLOVAKIAAERO
L-39 Albatross

FINLAND
VALMET
Leko-70

240kt
(10,000ft)
190kt
(10,000ft)

1 x Lycoming
IO-540-K1D5
300 h.p.

1/2

36ft 1 in
28ft 2|in
9ft 10in
185-14 sq ft

2,535lb
3,7471b
(utility)
20-5lb/sqft
(max)

160kt
269kt
(never-exceed)
153kt
(max, 75%, s.l.)

1,312ft/min
(aerobatic)
20,000ft
(aerobatic)

2 x GE
CT64-820-4
3,133 s.h.p.

96ft
79ft
28ft 8in
945 sq ft

24,4501b
49,2001b
52lb/sq ft

230kt
250kt
(max cruise,
10,000ft)
178kt

2,300ft/min
(Stol)
27,500 ft

65ft
51ft 9in
19ft 6in
420 sq ft

7,387lb
12,5001b
29-8lb/sqft

170kt
182kt
(max cruise,
10,000ft)

Utility
transport

2 x P & WC
PT6A-27
620 s.h.p.

Trainer/
light strike

1 x Walter
Titan
3,792lb

31ft Oiin
40ft 5in
15ft 5iin
202-4 sq ft

7,350lb
10,1501b
50lb/sq ft

378kt
M = 0-8
367kt
(16,400ft)

4,330ft/min
37,075ft
(normal T/(
wt)

Trainer

1 x Lycoming
(AE) IO-360-A1B6
200 h.p.

1/2

30ft 6in
23ft 1Hin
6ft 8in
(approx)
150-7 sq ft

1,5211b
2,5351b
16-8lb/sq ft

130kt

1,180ft/min
18,000ft

2 x R-R
Orpheus 703
4,850 lb

29ft 6in
52ft 1 in
11ft 10in
301-4 sq ft

13,6581b
(equipped)
24,0481b
79-8lb/sqft

600kt IAS
M = 102
(40,000ft)
400kt

1 x R-R
Viper II
2,500lb

35ft 1 in
34ft 9in
11ft 11in
205-5 sq ft

5,6441b
9,0391b
44-2lb/sq ft

375kt
371 kt
(30,000ft)
175kt(max)

INDIAH I N D U S T A N AERONAUTICS LTD

HF.24 Marut
Ground-attack
fighter

HJT-16 Kiran

404 kt
(never-exceed)
232kt
(max T/O wt)

2 x Allison
250-B17B
400 s.h.p.

BRAZIL
AEROTEC
T-23 Uirapuru

NEIVA
T-25 Universal

1 ' ,l-

2 x Turbomeca
Astazou XVIG
1,022 e.h.p.

Trainer

20min
(30,000ft)
30,000ft+

579

FLIGHT International, 5 March (977

> run
-iding
le/weight)

Max range*

Combat
radius
(role/profile/
weight)

Internal
fuel
Auxiliary
fuel

Armament
T o t a l external
Internal
H a r d points

Max
payload

Remarks

1,641 n.m.
(max f u e l ,
16,400ft)

313gal
2 x 66gal

1,130 n.m.
(140kt, reserves,
aux fuel)

1,7701b
( p r o v i s i o n for
internal ferry
tanks, 5901b)

430 n.m.

31gal
2 x 9gal
(wingtip,
optional)

-|80ft
lax T / O wt)
130ft
1,1331b)

1,119 n.m.
(30min
reserve)

440gal

-493ft
93ft
tility)

809 n.m.

75gal

)0ft
2,000lb
ayload, Stol)
Ift
2,000lb
ayload, Stol)

1,770 n.m.
(no payload)
600 n.m.
(max, no reserves)

1,756gal

18,5001b

59 built originally. N o w re-entered p r o d u c t i o n in uprated

f o r m . Max T / O w e i g h t and payload f i g u r e s are for operations
f r o m hard runway. Stol indicates assault m i s s i o n from
unprepared a i r f i e l d .

)0ft

775 n.m.
(no payload)

315 gal

4,350lb
(over
100m.n.)

C u r r e n t p r o d u c t i o n version is Series 300, s o m e of w h i c h

have been equipped w i t h f l o a t s for military u s e .

ft
,3001b)
-ft
2431b)

ift
ax T / O w t ,

K)

ft
500lb,
A)

3 ft
Dft

15ft
I2,300lb)

,475ft
normal T/O

A l s o t w i n A s t a f a n - p o w e r e d trainer variant on d r a w i n g b o a r d .
2 x 20mm
cannon,
4 x 7-62mm
machine-guns
3

2,0001b
5001b
( d r o p p i n g hatch)
4

4,2701b
(typical
disposable)

A l s o stretched N24 version. D r o p p i n g h a t c h , the d o o r s of

w h i c h s u p p o r t 5001b, can be operated f r o m cockpit,

Primary trainer for Brazil and Paraguay.

3,970lb

2 x 7-62mm
machine-guns
2

A l s o 750 s.h.p. PT6-powered EMB-111 variant with a d d i t i o n a l

f u e l and nose radar for maritime patrolsee text for details.

A l s o Coin proiect under study, w i t h redesigned f r o n t

fuselage, 400 h.p. L y c o m i n g , known as Carafa. A r m a m e n t
c o u l d be carried on f o u r u n d e r w i n g stations.

805 n.m.
(tip tanks, no
reserves)

1,8161b
2 x 1721b
(tip tanks)

'00ft
'00ft

460 n.m.
w i t h max
payload

41-8gal

2,790ft

780 n.m.
215 n.m.
(hi-hi)

549gal
4 x 100gal
underwing,
o p t i o n a l 88gal
internal

4,0001b
4 x 30mm
cannon
(retractable
rocket pack)
4

Mk II Marut w i t h a f t e r b u r n i n g O r p h e u s has been s t u d i e d .

A d o u r has also been investigated as powerplant. Mk III
needs m a j o r r e d e s i g n , p o s s i b l y t o a c c o m m o d a t e RB.199
engines. Internal auxiliary fuel tank replaces Matra rocket
pack.

1hr 45min
(endurance,
230kt, 30,000ft)

250gal
2 x 50gal

1,0001b

P r o v i s i o n for carriage of a r m a m e n t i n c l u d i n g 2 x 7-62mm

m a c h i n e - g u n s , rockets, flares or 5001b b o m b s on w i n g
pylons.

H)

S t a n d a r d trainer replacement for L-29 D e l f l n , more than

3,000 of w h i c h were built, mostly for the USSR. A r m a m e n t
can i n c l u d e b o m b s or rockets, and provision for 7-62mm
m a c h i n e - g u n s is made.

1,035ft

1,450ft
"(normal T / O
wt)

490lb

*An asterisk in this column denotes air-refuelling capability.

Primary trainer selected for Finnish A i r Force.

T a b l e s c o n t i n u e d on p a g e 596

580

FLIGHT International, 5 March 1977

MILITARY AIRCRAFT-t)F THE WORLD

-4.

p a g e 573

thorne and Palmdale plants is at a r a t e of 15 aircraft a month,

these including F-5Fs, By the end of last year nearly 1,000
Tiger lis had been ordered and the type is already in operation in t e n countries, according to Northrop. First flight of t h e
proposed RF-5E, with four 70mm cameras in six available
arrangements in an interchangeable nose, is due in early
1978. More t h a n 600 F-5E/Fs have been delivered.
Operators: Brazil 36 E; Chile 15 E, 3 F; Iran 141 E, 28 F on
order; Jordan 44 E; Saudi Arabia 70 E, 20 F; Switzerland
E, 9 F; Malaysia 14 E; Saudi Arabia 70 E, 20 F; Switzerland
66 E, 6 F on order; Taiwan 180 E on order; Thailand 13 E,
3 F; Tunisia 12 E on order?; USA 77 E, 3 F; Vietnam 27 E
of 75 remained in South after US withdrawal.
ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL
B-l Designed to replace t h e USAF's B-52s during t h e 1980s,
the first prototype B-l m a d e its first flight at t h e end of
1974 and had accumulated nearly 120hr in t h e air by a year
later. The second aircraft flew on April 1, 1976, this being
air vehicle n u m b e r three, while A/V 2, which was the structural-loads airframe for most of 1975, was refurbished and
flew on J u n e 15, 1976. Work is u n d e r way on a fourth proto
type, approved by Congress in September 1975 but not due
to fly and start testing the AIL Cutler-Hammer defensive
avionics until 1979. A/V 3 is t h e first with t h e complete
offensive avionics, and flight-testing has concentrated on
navigation, low-level penetration and weapon delivery.
The FY 77 budget requested money for the procurement of
t h e first three, production aircraft. Based on the results of
440hr of flight-test time, and the evaluation and recommendations of a number of review committees, the Department of
Defence decided t h a t the B-l had demonstrated its basic
operational capability and was ready for production, approval
for which was given in December 1976. Funding is currently
on a month-to-month basis until J u n e 30; 1977, in order t h a t
fresh reviews can b e made, notably by President Carter, who
is already considering proposals to slow the programme
down and cut costs.
The B-l's nav-attack system, which is being integrated by
Boeing, consists primarily of twin Litton LN-15S inertial
systems, Texas Instruments APQ-146 terrain-following radar,
GE APQ-144 forward-looking radar, Hughes forward-looking
infra-red and Dalmo Victor low-light-level television. Controlling these are a pair of interchangeable and redundant
Singer-Kearfott SKC-2070 general-purpose computers, one
normally for navigation and t h e other for weapon delivery.
Proposed for t h e B-l is the Westinghouse electronically agile
r a d a r (EAR), which can change beam shape and position
instantaneously.
The FY 78 budget request contains $443 million for continued R&D and $1,711 million for procurement of _eight
production aircraft. Money sought in FY 79 includes a substantial amount for t h e procurement of a further 19 aircraft,
which would be followed in succeeding years by requests for
32, 45 and then 48 B-ls. With this schedule, t h e last of 241
aircraft would be bought in FY 84 and delivered in January
1986, b u t it seems inevitable t h a t t h e production r a t e will
be slowed down, t h e number of aircraft reduced, or possibly
both.
Operators: USA 241 planned.
OV-10 Bronco Original winner of Light Armed Beconnaissance
Airplane competition. OV-10A was for t h e USMC and USAF;
OV-10B basically similar b u t for target-towing; OV-10B(Z)
with auxiliary GE J85-4 turbojet, also for target-towing;
OV-10C version of A for Thailand; OV-10D has 20mm gun
and Texas Instruments FLIR/laser designator for USMC
Night Observation System programme (approximately 18-24
planned for modification from A standard); OV-10E is version
for Venezuela; OV-10F is for Indonesiafirst deliveries in
1976.
Operators: Germany 6 B, 12 B(Z); Indonesia 16 F; South
Korea 24 G on order; Thailand 32 C; USA 270 delivered;
Venezuela 16 E.
T-2 Buckeye Standard version is T-2C basic trainer for carrier
indoctrination in USN. T-2D for Venezuela has different
avionics and no carrier-landing equipment. Greek T-2Es also
have different avionics and an accessory kit providing six
underwing pylons (capacity 3,5001b) and protected fuel tanks.
Operators: Greece 40 E; Morocco 20 E on order; USA 232 C
delivered; Venezuela 12 D, plus 12 D on order with accessory
kit.

'

, : . . . . . : , . . . . . ,

14
Rockwell International T-2C Buckeye
VOUGHT
A-7 Corsair II Versions of this tactical fighter-bomber built
a r e t h e A-7A (199 built) with TF30 engine; A-7B (196 built)
with uprated TF30; A-7D (459 built) with TF41 for USAF;
A-7E (536 built or on order, more planned) with TF41 for
US Navy. The TA-7C two-seater is now in production (31 on
order, total of 65 planned) with former A-7B and A-7C airframes being disassembled, reconditioned and fitted with
avionics similar to those in the A-7E. The A-7H for Greece (47
delivered) is derived from t h e E b u t does not have the airrefuelling probe and does have the D's on-board starter.
The Corsair weapon-delivery system is based on an APQ-126
forward-looking r a d a r used for air-ground ranging, ground
mapping, manual terrain-following and t e r r a i n avoidance.
A Marconi-Elliott head-up display and CDC projected-map
display are fed information by t h e ASN-91 digital bombing
computer. The Pave Penny laser search and tracking pod is
planned for USAF A-7Ds. A pod-mounted forward-looking
infra-red installation is planned for USN A-7Es, with the first
being produced this year. A-7Es will not now be retrospectively modified as reconnaissance aircraft. A total of 89 A-7s
was delivered in 1976; 43 are planned in 1977, in addition t o
20 two-seat TAr7Cs.
Operators: Greece 60 H on order; USA.

Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics
ANTONOV
An-12 Cub* Continues to fill an important role as the standard tactical transport of the Eastern Bloc and aligned
nations. Cub C is replacing its twin-turboprop ancestor, t h e
An-8 Camp, as an Elint (electronic intelligence) platform and
h a s seen service in Egypt.
Operators: Algeria 8; Egypt 19; India 30; Iraq 6; Jugoslavia;
Poland 45; SovAF c.600; Syria 3.
An-22 Cock* Production of this long-range heavy transport is
believed to have ended in 1974. It is in service with the SovAF
and with Aeroflot, and t h e airline aircraft are available as
a military reserve.
Operator: Soviet Union 100.
An-26 Curl Light tactical transport, in production and service.
The An-26 can accommodate 40 paratroops or 25 stretcher
cases, and can carry light military vehicles.
Operators: Bangladesh; Hungary; Poland 6; Somalia 3; SovAF. BERIEV
Be-12 Mail Largest amphibian until t h e appearance of t h e
Japanese US-1, the Be-12 remains in service with t h e Soviet
Naval AF only. Beported equipment with new guided ASMs
may indicate a continuing requirement for this aircraft.
Operator: Soviet Naval AF 80.
ILYUSHIN
11-38 May Adapted from the 11-18 transport, t h e 11-38 is in
production for the Soviet Naval AF and India. Operational
capability depends largely on hard-to-assess details of sensors
and data-processing, but may be up to Western ASW standards.
Operators: Indian Navy 3 on order with 3 options; Soviet
Naval AF 55.
11-76 Candid Now replacing the An-12 in SovAF service, this
medium/long-range freighter will greatly increase t h e
mobility of t h e Soviet armed forces. With its full-span slats,
double-slotted trailing-edge flaps, ample power and highflotation undercarriage, t h e 11-76 should be able to use fairly
primitive strips, although official figures used in the data

FLIGHT International, 5 March 1977

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

tables a r e probably ground rolls at low weights. Like t h e

An-12 it is armed with a manned tail turret.
A tanker variant of the 11-76 is under development, to
support t h e Tupolev Backfire fleet. Advanced developments
of the 11-76 may use the 13-tonne Kuznetsov turbofan fitted
t o the 11-86 airliner.
Operator: SovAF.
M1KOYAN
MiG-19 Farmer* In its Shenyang F-6 version this firstgeneration supersonic fighter is China's most important warplane. Its time in SovAF service is probably nearly over, as
far as front-line duties go. China's F-9 is reported to be an
F-6 development, with side intakes and nose radar.
Operators: Afghanistan 12; Albania 36 F-6; Bulgaria 36; China
1,500 F-6, 150 F-9; Cuba 40; Czechoslovakia 84; Hungary 12;
Iraq; North Korea 40; Pakistan 90 F-6; Poland 36; Bomania;
SovAF 350; Tanzania 8 F-6; Vietnam 80.
MiG-21 Fishbed/Mongol Latest production version of the
perennial Soviet fighter is t h e MiG-21bis Fishbed L It is
reported to differ from the MiG-21MF Fishbed J in using the
new Tumansky R-25 turbojet, of 16,5001b thrust with reheat
The M1G-21SMT Fishbed K, with a "saddle t a n k " in a bulged
dorsal spine, does not appear to be in production. Although
production of the MiG-21 still seems to be running at four to
five aircraft per week, it may well cease to be the most
numerous SovAF fighter within the next few years.
Production continues in at least two countries outside t h e
Soviet Union. China builds a slightly improved MiG-21F day
fighter as the Shenyang F-8. HAL in India builds the MiG-21M,
similar to the MiG-21MF but powered by t h e heavier
Tumansky R-ll, and is likely to produce some 150 of the new
MiG-21bis. Korea is also said to be starting production. India
and Egypt are likely to retrofit MiG-21s with Western nav/
attack and reconnaissance systems.
Earlier SovAF MiG-21s are already giving way to MiG-23S
fighters in the first line. The replacement of "third-generation" MiG-21s, with true fighter-bomber capability, will await
the development of a new Soviet air-superiority fighter in
the F-16 class.
Operators: Afghanistan 40; Albania 12 Shenyang F-8; Algeria
35; Angola 17; Bangladesh 11; Bulgaria 60; China 50 F-8; Cuba
80; Czechoslovakia 330; Egypt 210; Finland 28; India 196 21FL,
200 -21M, 50 -21PFMA; Iraq 90; Jugoslavia 100 + ; Nigeria 6 + ;
North Korea 160; Poland 250; Romania 50; Somalia 24; SovAF
1,300+; Syria 200; Tanzania 11 F-8; Vietnam 70; Yemen 12.
MiG-23/27 Flogger The two main service variants of the
Flogger are being deployed in increasing numbers with SovAF
Frontal Aviation units, and substantial numbers of an export
version have been delivered to aligned nations.
The MiG-23S Flogger B, the main SovAF Frontal Aviation
CAP and strike-escort fighter, is now known to be armed
with two new air-to-air missiles identified by Nato as AA-7
Apex and AA-8 Aphid. The AA-7 is a medium-range missile
and t h e MiG-23S usually carries one infra-red-homing and
one semi-active AA-7 on its glove pylons. Range is estimated
as up to 12 n.m. The smaller AA-8 has a range up to 4 n.m.
and is IR-homing; two are carried on the belly pvlons of
the M1G-23S. The fighter Version of the Flogger has also been
observed with electronic countermeasures pods on the
ventral stations. The missiles are backed up by the twin-barrel
GSh-23 23mm cannon, apparently the standard Soviet air-toair weapon. A laser rangefinder is fitted in a retractable
housing under the nose. The WKG-23U Flogger C conversion
trainer is derived from the fighter version.
Also related to the MiG-23S is the Flogger E export variant
identified last year. It lacks t h e 90cm-diameter High Lark
radar, laser rangefinder and Doppler of the Flogger B and
probably does not carry AA-7s. The smaller nose r a d a r fitted
may be related to t h e Spin Scan of t h e third-generation
MiG-21, and AA-2-2 Advanced Atolls may be the primary
armament. The export MiG-23 has been supplied to Egypt
and Libya, and has been offered to Finland and India.
The new designation MiG-27 is now confirmed for t h e
Flogger D, developed from t h e MiG-23S specifically for t h e
ground-attack and counter-air roles. Compared with the
MiG-23S and other variants, the MiG-27 has simple fixed inlets
and a fixed nozzle, indicating a lower afterburner ratio and
a top speed around Mach 1 6 at altitude. Fatter tyres and an
APU or turbine starter are fitted.
The primary armament of the MiG-27 seems to be the 10
n.m.-range AS-7 Kerry air-to-surface missile, plus other forms
of precision-guided munitions now under test in the Soviet

HI
1118?

v*UV**

Top, a MiC-23S Flogger 8 fighter approaches an East German base

with plain flaps and leading edges drooped. Immediately above, the
specialised Flogger D counter-air strike fighter is now known to be
designated MiG-27

Union. The glove leading edges carry optical (port) and

electronic (starboard) sensors, which a r e probably associated
with the missile pylons beneath them. The MiG-27 has a
six-barrel 23mm cannon replacing the GSh-23 of the fighter
versions. There are five fuel/weapon pylons under the gloves,
fuselage and intake ducts, and a pair of 5301it tanks can be
carried on fixed, jettisonable pylons under t h e outer wings.
The MiG-27 nose, reminiscent of the Jaguar's, contains a
laser and possibly a small gunsight radar in its tip. There
also appears to be a simple terrain-avoidance r a d a r installed
behind the forward passive-warning aerial. Like the MiG-23S,
the MiG-27 could cover most of continental Europe and the
Eastern UK from East German bases. It has been supplied
to Syria and Iraq.
Nato has applied the designation Flogger F to a version
of t h e MiG-23/27 series which falls between t h e Flogger B
and the Flogger D. It appears to be a MiG-23S aft of the
cockpit bulkhead, with t h e GSh-23 gun, variable inlets and
the con-di nozzle of the fighter, although it has the "Jaguar
nose" of the MiG-27. Aircraft of this type have been observed
with SovAF units and in Egypt. It is however likely t h a t
Flogger F is a development aircraft for t h e MiG-27, despite
its later Nato designation.
Operators: Egypt 24 Flogger E, 24 Flogger D, some Flogger F;
Iraq 30 Flogger D; Libya 12 Flogger E, some Flogger C; Syria
45 Flogger D; SovAF 600+ Flogger B/C/D/F.
MiG-25 Foxbat Thirteen years after its first flight the MiG-25
remains in production and under development. The Foxbat
A intercepter has been superseded on the production lines
since 1975 by the substantially heavier, more powerful and
better armed Foxbat D air-defence variant, possibly developed
as a counter to the Bockwell B-l.
The first indication that a new version of the Foxbat was
under development was a series of new time-to-height records
in early 1975. The record-breaking aircraft was identified as
an E-266M, with BD-F engines of 14,000kg thrust (about

FLIGHT International. 5 March 1977

590

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

31,0001b). Later in the same year Flight published the first

photograph of a pair of Foxbat Ds, each carrying four massive air-to-air missiles identified by Nato as AA-6 Acrid (see
Flight for January 22, page 168).
Nato expects Foxbat D to become the main SovAF longrange fighter. Unlike Foxbat A, it is believed to be fitted
for air refuelling, with improved avionics to allow it to
operate outside t h e coverage of Soviet home-defence ground
control in conjunction with Tu-126 Moss early-warning and
control aircraft. It could, with refuelling, attack transatlantic
military air traffic in the north and west of t h e UK Air
Defence Region.
The AA-6 Acrid seems to form the main armament ol
Foxbat D, but two AA-6s can be replaced with four smaller
AA-7 Apex or AA-8 Aphids. With four 1,7001b Acrids and the
31,0001b-thrust RD-F the Foxbat T> is likely to gross nearly
85,0001b for take-off. There is enough room for a 1m radar
dish in the nose radome; this would provide a r a d a r with a
100 n.m. detection range, better matched to the AA-6 than
the Fox Fire of t h e Foxbat A.
Foxbat hit the headlines in September when a SovAF pilot
landed his Foxbat A in Japan. Subsequent analysis confirmed
more sober estimates of t h e characteristics and capabilities
of the MiG-25, at least in its initial Foxbat A version.
The MiG-25 is largely of stainless-steel construction with
titanium in critical hot-spots. Steel fuel tanks are welded into
the aircraftone in each wing and three in the fuselageas
an integral element of the structure and require no sealants.
Foxbat A cannot carry external fuel.
The Tumansky R-266 engines are pure jets rather than
turbofans, as had been conjectured earlier. They are adapted
from engines originally developed for supersonic-cruise RPVs.
The nozzle diameter is considerably greater than the inlet
diameter; the large afterburners may, like those of the Pratt
& Whitney J58 of t h e Lockheed SR-71, be fed with highpressure cooling air bypassed from the inlet ducts immediately upstream of the engines. As revealed in last year's
edition of this survey, the engines employ methanol-water
injection. There is no reason to suppose that the Foxbat D
powerplant is a completely new engine.
Initially armed with four AA-3 Anab or two AA-5 Asli
AAMs, the Foxbat A now carries the AA-7 Apex (see entry
for MiG-23 above). A gun pack may be fitted under the
fuselage. Radar diameter is 0-85m and detection range 55-60
miles. The system relies heavily on ground control, and
Foxbat's Tacan and automatic flight control system and its
digital air-to-ground data link are well up to Western
standards.
The observations above apply also to the MiG-25R Foxbat B
reconnaissance and electronic intelligence aircraft, probably
the most numerous version for the time being, and to the
non-operational M1G-25U Foxbat C trainer. The latter is
believed to have set a Mach 2-5 speed record around a 100km
circuit in 1975, under the designation E-133. The MIG-25R
and the MiG-25U are the only versions to be based outside
the Soviet Union so far, with Frontal Aviation in Poland and
East Germany. Aircraft from the East German unit have
made high-speed surveillance flights along the frontier and
may have violated Nato airspace on Elint missions.
Operator: SovAF, 400+.
MYASISHCHEV
Mya-4 Bison* A few of these aircraft, reported to be fitted
with Soloviev D-15 turbofans, fly with the Soviet Naval AF
in Bison B and C maritime-reconnaissance versions. The
strategic air arm of the SovAF continues to use its fleet in the
tanker role.
Operators: SovAF 85; Soviet Naval AF.
SUKHOI
Su-7 Fitter A Now being superseded by the MiG-27 as the
standard SovAF strike fighter, and probably replaced by the
Su-17/20 on the production lines, the Su-7 retains some
importance among aligned nations. Within the limits of lessthan-sparkling field/payload/range performance it is a stable,
tractable and reliable bomb and rocket platform with heavy
cannon armament. Later versions are equipped with ranging
radar in t h e nose bullet and aerodynamic pitch/yaw sensors
on t h e nose boom. T h e Su-17/20 uses a similar system but
Egypt at least is likely to equip its Soviet aircraft with a Ferranti nav/attack package. A two-seat trainer version, the
Su-7U Moujik, serves in some numbers.
Operators: Afghanistan 24; Algeria 20; Czechoslovakia 80;
Egypt 120; Hungary 12; India 80; Iraq 60; North Korea 28;
Poland 120; Romania 50; SovAF 500; Syria 50; Vietnam.

<?

The variable-geometry development of the Sukhoi Su-7 is designated

Su-17 in SovAF service, as seen here, and Su-20/22 for export

Su-17/20/22 Fitter C This variable-sweep derivative of the

Su-7 is reported in service with t h e SovAF and Poland, not in
very large numbers, and Peru is reported to want 35 of the
aircraft.
Variable sweep confers better field performance and greater
payload, in offensive stores or external fuel. Cruise drag is
marginally reduced. Combined with the larger engine this
makes the Fitter C a significantly more effective aircraft than
its predecessor, but it still falls far short of the MiG-27 in
payload/range terms. The dorsal spine is more likely to be
a housing for avionics and equipment (evicted from t h e
fuselage by the bigger engine) than a fuel tank, and terminates in a standard passive r a d a r warning antenna.
Operators: Poland 35; SovAF.
Su-11 Fishpot This delta-wing intercepter and the earlier
Su-9 Fishpot B remain in SovAF service, together with a twoseat trainer, t h e Su-llU Maiden. Continuing production of t h e
Su-15 Flagon may replace the older aircraft.
Operator: SovAF 750.
Su-15 Flagon Continued development of this powerful intercepter has resulted in a growth version known to Nato as
Flagon E, with improved aerodynamics, propulsion and
avionics. Flagon E has compound leading-edge sweep, increasing wing area and probably incorporating camber on the
extended outer leading edge. The GSh-23 installation on some
Flagon As may be standardised on Flagon E and It is likely
that the AA-7 or AA-6 would be t h e standard AAMs. US
references to "propulsion system improvements" suggest
changes beyond the engine itself, with a possible switch to
external-compression wedge intakes. The Flagon nose is probably large enough to accommodate a relative of t h e MiG-25
Fox Fire radar.
Operator: SovAF 600.
Su-19 Fencer Compared to a "mini-F-111" by Nato, this sideby-side two-seat interdictor is now entering SovAF service
in increasing numbers. It is likely t o bear, a t least a family
resemblance t o t h e Su-15 intercepter. Some sources have
suggested t h a t Fencer uses t h e intercepter's Lyulka AL-21F-3
turbojets; this would m e a n a major r a n g e penalty in comparison with turbofans.
Fencer is believed by Nato to have enough r a n g e to cover
Eastern UK bases on a hi-lo-hi, unrefuelled sortie from East
Germany, and developed versions are expected to have a
1,000 n.m. radius of action. Fencer has an in-flight refuelling
capability, new to SovAF Frontal Aviation.
A new 50 n.m.-range stand-off missile has been developed
for the Su-19, which is believed to carry a pair of these
weapons. Four AS-7s may otherwise be carried. I t is not
known whether the aircraft has an internal gun, but the
six-barrel weapon fitted -to t h e MiG-27 would be the most
likely choice. The Su-19 is variously reported as haying a
large attack radar in t h e nose or an avionics fit similar to
that of t h e MiG-27.
Operator: SovAF.

FLIGHT International, S March 1977

TUPOLEV
Tu-16 Badger* The SovAF's first medium jet bomber remains
in service in tanker and maritime strike roles, with some
aircraft performing in electronic intelligence. China flies
Shenyang-built aircraft as its main strategic bombers. The
SovAF uses Badger A tankers; t h e Soviet Naval AF operates
Badger C and G missile-carriers, with D, E and F variants for
MR and Elint. Egypt has Badger Gs with AS-5 Kelt missiles.
Operators: China 100; Egypt 25; SovAF up to 500; Soviet Naval
AF up to 400.
Tu-22 Blinder* Limited range has restricted procurement of
Blinder, and aircraft being supplied to Libya are probably
ex-SovAF machines. The Blinder B with AS-4 ASM serves with
the SovAF, as does t h e Blinder D trainer. Blinder B and t h e
Blinder C reconnaissance aircraft are operated by the Soviet
Naval AF. Reports t h a t Blinder is replacing t h e Tu-28 in t h e
intercept role should be treated with caution, bearing in mind
the difficulty of attaching missile pylons and r a d a r to the
existing bombers and the poor estimated performance of the
Tu-22.
Operators: Libya 12; SovAF 170; Soviet Naval AF 55.
Tu-28P Fiddler* Remaining in service to meet an exclusively
Russian area-defence requirement, t h e Tu-28P serves in the
intercept role. The logical replacement would be a version
of the Su-19 or t h e new Foxbat D.
Operator: SovAF 150.
Tu-95 Bear* Numerous variants of Bear serve with t h e SovAF
and Soviet Naval AF. Bear A bomber is probably retired, but
some Bear Bs with Kangaroo ASMs still operate. Naval units
fly Bear C to F missile - director/maritime reconnaissance/
early-warning aircraft, with various camera and radar installations.
Operator: SovAF 50; Soviet Naval AF 55.
Tu-126 Moss A small force of Moss airborne warning and
control system (Awacs) aircraft flies with the SovAF, in a
mainly defensive role. They are believed to be most effective
in overwater operations. A more advanced Soviet Awacs is
expected to appear before t h e end of t h e decade.
Operator: SovAF 12.

A Soviet Naval AF Backfire 8 climbs away, cleaned up. Latest estimates

suggest that Backfire is a European-theatre and maritime
aircraft
rather than a strategic bomber first and foremost. The bulges beneath
the trailing edges are not wheels in the course of retraction but may be
connected with a fuselage-mounted undercarriage

Tu-26 (?) Backfire One service-evaluation and conversion

regiment is working up in t h e Crimea with some 35 of these
aircraft. About 50 have been delivered to ADD (Long-Range
Aviation) and the first Soviet Naval AF units are working
up. Northern-based Backfires have made reconnaissance
flights around t h e North Cape as far south as the Azores,
refuelling in flight.
In the first half of 1976 reasonably accurate impressions
of the fully developed Backfire B were published in the West.
Compared with t h a t of the Backfire A the wing is completely
redesigned, with the traditional Tupolev trailing-edge undercarriage pods removed and t h e swinging panels enlarged.
It is not clear where t h e Backfire B main landing gear is

591
located, but t h e fuselage seems wide enough to offer an
adequate track.
Latest Flight estimates suggest t h a t Backfire is considerably lighter than t h e normally quoted 270,0001b-285,0001b
(see data table). This tends to support t h e view t h a t Backfire
is designed more for the European theatreas a bomber and
precision-strike aircraft, and for the maritime reconnaissance
rolethan as a strategic bomber.
Nato estimates put Backfire's internal weapon load a t
17,5001b. The primary a r m a m e n t will eventually be two
500 n.m.-range missiles identified as AS-6, b u t this weapon
is not thought to have entered full-scale service as yet.
Meanwhile the ADD Backfires are carrying the AS-4 Kitchen,
fitted since t h e early 1960s to t h e Tu-22 Blinder B. Backfire
is designed to carry one AS-6 beneath each wing and these
limit its high-altitude speed to Mach 1-5. Although the Soviet
Union is believed to be working on the design of missiles
which will fit t h e Backfire's relatively small internal weapon
bays, such weapons are not expected before 1990.
Operator: SovAF 60+ (eventual force 350 ADD, 100 Naval AF).
YAKOVLEV
Yak-28 The transonic Firebar intercepter remains in service,
but may well be replaced as Flagon Es become available. The
Brewer light bomber is being replaced by the Su-19 and some
Yak-28s may replace 11-28 Beagle torpedo-bombers with the
Soviet Naval AF. Brewer D reconnaissance and Brewer E
ECM aircraft will be the last to be withdrawn from the first
line.
Operator: SovAF.
Forger The existence of a lift-plus-lift/cruise Vtol combat
aircraft had been reported before the Soviet carrier Kiev
sailed through the Bosphorus on July 18. Subsequent operations of the aircraft based on the Kiev showed not the least
regard for security, and the Soviet Navy almost seemed to
seek publicity.
A trials unit of Forgers is deployed aboard the Kiev, with
perhaps as few as a dozen Forger A single-seaters and one
two-seat Forger B. Like the small Freehand Vtol demonstrated in 1967, Forger is attributed to the Yakovlev bureau,
although it may be a collaborative venture.
Forger's layout is unique, with a single vectored-thrust
turbojet with aft deflector nozzles and two lift jets in the
forward fuselage. It is a purely Vtol aircraft, with no Stol
capability. Reaction controls are used for roll control in the
hover, but pitch control may be achieved by differential
throttling. Jetborne flight is said to be notably smooth and
stable, indicating a well developed control system.
Because the configuration rules out Stol operations the
wing of the Forger has been optimised for the cruise, and is
of thin section and about 1 incidence. Together with the use
of a turbojet engine, this allows the Forger to exceed Mach 1
in level flight at medium altitude.
Forger is intended for the air-defence and strike roles,
the latter against sea targets and in support of amphibious
operations. There is no attack r a d a r and no internal gun,
although there appears to be a small gunsight/ranging radar
in the tip of the nose. AA-2 Atoll and possibly AA-8 Aphid
missiles are carried, and AS-7s may also be fitted, although
there is no sign of the homing heads associated with Soviet
"smart" weapons and fitted to the Mifr27. Cannon pods are
unofficially reported on underwing pylons.
The Forger B trainer has an extra seat ahead of and below
the existing cockpit, imparting a pronounced droop to the
nose. It seems to lack t h e nose r a d a r of t h e Forger A, and
the r e a r fuselage is extended in proportion to t h e nose. It is
unlikely to be anything more than a trainer.
It is probable t h a t Forger is the first step in Soviet V/Stol
development. A follow-on aircraft will be able to t a k e advantage of t h e through flight-decks of t h e Kiev and the other
carriers of its class by making short take-offs into wind,
while carrying more avionics and ordnance.
Operator: Soviet Naval AF.

Other Nations
ARGENTINA
FMA IA-58 Pucara The first of an initial batch of 30 Coin
Pucaras for the Argentine Air Force flew for the first time
in November 1974 and about one aircraft p e r m o n t h was
being produced at the end of 1975. Rather more than 20

592

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

Pucaras are now believed to be in service, with t h e production r a t e being due to rise to about t h r e e a m o n t h some time
this year.
Operators: Argentina 30 ordered, up to 100 required.
AUSTRALIA
Government Aircraft Factories N22B Mission Master Orders
for 32 Mission Masters, military versions of t h e civil Nomad
N22B, have been received so far. Thirteen of these await
delivery, the most r e c e n t order being from Papua New
Guinea for three surveillance/patrol aircraft. Recent developments include an increase of 5001b in take-off weight and
payload, and the planned inclusion of search radar and
associated equipment for t h e maritime surveillance role.
Other equipment in this version will include inertial navigation, real-time recording, infra-red linescan, and visual identification and communication equipment.
Operators: Australia 11; Indonesia 6; Papua New Guinea 3
on order; Philippines 12.
BRAZIL
Aerotec T-23 Uirapuru Production of this primary trainer
continues for Brazil and for export. Total number sold,
including about 20 for civil flying clubs, probably just exceeds
150.
Operators: Bolivia 18; Brazil 100; Guatemala 10; Paraguay 8.
Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante Including options and civil
orders, j u s t over 140 Bandeirante light transports have been
ordered and t h e current production rate is about t h r e e a
month. Nearly all of t h e 60 passenger-carrying versions for
the Brazilian Air Force have been delivered and at least some
of t h e 20 freighters on order. The Brazilian Air Force's
Coastal Command has also ordered 12 EMB-111 maritimepatrol variants with uprated PT6-34 engines, AIL CutlerHammer APS-128 nose-mounted search radar, Litton LN-33
inertial navigation and other specialised equipment such as
a high-power searchlight. Wingtip fuel tanks holding 67gal
each a r e also standard on this version, a prototype of which
is due t o fly in about June. Other versions include one for
photogrammetry and one for navaid calibration.
Operators: Brazil 88 ordered; Chile 3, plus 6 on, order?;
Uruguay 5.
Neiva T-25 Universal Designed as a basic trainer to replace
T-6s in t h e Brazilian Air Force, production was believed to
be continuing in 1976 as a result of a new Brazilian order.
Operators: Brazil 150, plus ? on order; Chile 10.
CANADA
de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo The Buffalo line was
reopened in 1974 to produce 19 of t h e improved-performance
D model. The new Buffalo is powered by two General Electric
T64-820-4 turboprops, flat-rated a t 3,133 s.h.p. to 100F. Gross
weight is increased to 49,2001b and payload is up to 18,0001b.
Buffalo production now stands a t a total of 78, with a further
run of 24 DHC-5Ds authorised.
Operators: Brazil 21; Canada 14; Ecuador 2 on order; Kenya
4 on order; Peru 16; Togo 2; Zaire 6 on order; Zambia 7.
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter The Twin Otter was
designed as a general utility transport and has adapted well
to military missions, partly because of its ability to be easily
converted to wheel-skis or floats.
Operators: Argentina 8; Canada 8; Chile 11; Ecuador 3;
Ethiopia 4?; Jamaica 1; Norway 5; Panama 1; Paraguay 1;
Peru 12.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
Aero L-39 Albatross Selected as successor to the L-29 Delfln,
of which more t h a n 3,000 were built up to 1974, t h e L-39
entered service with the Czechoslovak Air Force in 1974 and
is now in full series production for t h e air forces of nearly
all the Warsaw Pact countries, including the Soviet Union.
The aircraft is p a r t of a training package which also includes
a simulator. Operations have been tested from unpaved
strips. Operators: Czechoslovakia; Iraq trainer and ground-attack
variant on order; other customers in Warsaw Pact.
FINLAND
Valmet Leko-70 A joint project between Valmet and t h e
Finnish Air Force, t h e Leko-70 prototype m a d e its first flight
in July 1975 and 30 have recently been ordered as primary

FLIGHT International, 5 March 1977

trainers for t h e Air Force. The aircraft is essentially a twoseat trainer b u t two further passenger seats are optional
and an agricultural version is on offer. An engine of u p t o
300 h.p. could be fitted. Basic avionics consist of two VHF
comms, ADF and VOR/ILS.
Operators: Finland on order.
GERMANY (WEST)
Dornier Do28D Skyservant Latest production version is t h e
Do28D-2. Deliveries since 1967 are reported to have exceeded
200, including civil sales.
Operators: West Germany 121; Israel 10; Morocco 1; Nigeria
8; Somalia 2; Zambia 10.
INDIA
Hindustan Aeronautics HF-24 Marut This single-seat strike
aircraft is in service with t h e Indian Air Force in its Mk I
form and (in small numbers) in Mk IT two-seat trainer form.
The production line is due to close soon, after completion
of the last few trainers. At least one prototype with afterburning Orpheus engines is known to have been built and
some pre-production aircraft a r e thought to have been
ordered and then cancelled; licence-production of t h e
Orpheus 703 has now ceased. R-R/Turbomeca Adours were
also studied for a Mk II version. The so-called HF-73 study,
an aircraft powered by two Turbo-Union RB.199s, is a totally
new design with two seats, two-dimensional intakes, a relatively straight wing and twin fins. There is no direct or
indirect derivative of t h e Marut planned, although a fuselage
mock-up of a new single-engined aircraft, understood to be
designated HF-25, has been built.
Operators: India 125, 10 Mk IT on order.
Hindustan Aeronautics HJT-16 Kiran Some 180 of these
basic trainer/light attack aircraft a r e required by the Indian
Air Force and Navy, with r a t h e r more than 110 delivered sc
far. Deliveries of t h e Kiran Mk IA, with two 7-62mm
machine-guns, are due t o start this year. Development oi
t h e Mk II Kiran, with a derated Orpheus Mk 701 engine oi
3,4001b thrust and four underwing hardpoints, is due to be
completed in 1978.
Operators: India 180 planned.
Hindustan Aeronautics HPT-32 First flight of this two-sea
primary trainer was on January 6, t h e r e being two proto
types on order. Powered by a 260 h.p. Lycoming AEIO-540
D4B5 engine, the HPT-32 has a planned maximum take-of
weight of 3,3001b. Production aircraft could have four under
wing hardpoints.
Operators: India 2 prototypes only on order.
Hindustan Aeronautics Gnat Mk n Ajeet Deliveries of the
Ajeet will finally get under way to t h e Indian Air Force thi
month or in April, following minor development problem
and delay in t h e delivery of some new equipment items
Some 215 licence-built Folland (Hawker Siddeley) Gnats w e r
built by Hindustan Aeronautics and t h e first Ajeet develop
ment aircraft flew in 1975. Communications and navigatioi
equipment are being improved and, from the 21st aircraf
onwards, a Ferranti F195 Isis gunsight will replace the olde
unit. But the major change in t h e Ajeet is t h e adoption o
an integral wing fuel tank which allows the underwing tank
to be dispensed with and weapons to b e carried in thei
place. Modifications to t h e hydraulic and ftying-contrc
systems have also been made. Production of t h e Ajeet i
expected to last about four years. The prototype of a twe
seat training derivative of t h e Ajeet is under constructioi
but first flight is a considerable time away.
Operators: India 258 Mk Is delivered, 100 Ajeet required.
Valmet Leko-70 primary trainer prototype

jut

595

RIGHT International, S March 1977

MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

ISRAEL
Israel Aircraft Industries IAI-201 Arava A military version
of the Arava utility transport aircraft made its first Might in
1972, since when more than 60 have been sold worldwide.
The Israeli Air Force first used the type in the Yom Kippur
war and has since placed production orders, though by far
the majority of aircraft have been built for export. Production is at a rate of about two a month.
Operators: Bolivia 6; Ecuador 9; Guatemala 10 on order;
Honduras 3; Israel 14; Mexico 10+ on order; Nicaragua 2;
Paraguay 6 on order; Salvador 5.
Israel Aircraft Industries Kflr
The Kfir J79-17-powered
Mirage HI/5 derivative was publicly shown for the first time
on April 14, 1975, and it was described in detail in the
April 24 and July 17 issues of Flight that year. On July 20,
1976 (Israeli Air Force day), IAI unveiled a new version ol
the aircraft, designated Kfir-C2 and differing from the
original in having fixed canard surfaces slightly ahead of and
above the wing, leading-edge saw-teeth on the main wing
and small strakes along the nose. Although similar in principle to the close-coupled canard configuration ol the Saab

Embraer-built Macchi MB.326GC

Viggen, the forward wings of the Kfir-C2 are considerably

smaller in relation to the main wing and are designed
primarily to improve combat manoeuvrability rather than
field performance, though this naturally results as well.
The addition of the canards gives increased lift-coetficienl
for a given angle of attack as well as a greater angle-oi
attack range, which in turn contributes to a higher C L m a v
By shifting the aerodynamic centre forwards, closer to the
e.g., the static stability margin is reduced, control response
is improved in manoeuvre, and elevon-trim lift losses and
drag are also reduced. The close-coupled canard configuration
decreases induced drag a t high angles of attack. The sawteeth are designed to work in conjunction with the canard
generated vortices and delay tip flow separation at high
angles of attack. The small nose fences minimise canard
induced lateral instability through vortex impingement on
the fin if the aircraft develops any yaw angle. Because of the
relatively few modifications required in the canard layout,
it can be retrospectively applied to the earlier Kfir models,
and it is understood that this work is being carried out.
The engine, avionics, systems and stores-carrying capacity
of Kfir and Kfir-C2 are identical. IAI does all the major
assembly work, but airframe subassemblies are produced by
a number of other companies. The central digital processor
(Elta Electronics S-8600), memory unit, interfaces, control
boxes and display of the weapon-delivery and navigation
system a r e supplied and integrated by Elta, an IAI subsidiary.
Much of the hardware has been developed from American
systems but performance is claimed to be far superior to
that of the original. The aircraft is equipped with a dualmode ranging radarin air-to-air mode it acquires and
tracks automatically any target seen by t h e pilot in his
Israeli-developed head-up display; in air-to-ground mode it
allows operation in such computer-assisted Hud modes as
CCIP and CCRP. Tamam, another subsidiary of IAI, supplies
the central air-data computer; the same company may also
in future supply an inertial platform for Kfir. If so, it will
probably be based on the Litton LN-33, technology of which
the company is acquiring through the retrofit programme
for Israeli Phantoms.
Operators: Israel possibly 160 total required; Kfir being
retrofitted to C2 configuration.

ITALY
Aeritalia F-104S Starfighter
The F-104S was specifically
designed for the Italian Air Force and is built under licence
from Lockheed. Derived from the F-104G, it is powered by
a more powerful engine and is the only Starfighter variant
equipped to fire the Sparrow missile. The Autonetics R21G
radar is being modernised by Rockwell and CGE-Fiar.
Moving-target indication and tracking are being added,
antenna design is being improved, ECCM are being added
and reliability is being increased.
Operators: Italy 205 S on order; Turkey 40 S, 18 on option.
Aeritalia G.222 The first of these twin-turboprop transports
was delivered to the Italian Air Force during 1976 and the
type is now in series production, work being split among
all the major manufacturers in Italy. The aircraft is also
suitable for some civil roles such as fire-fighting, and a waterbomber demonstration example is now flying.
Operators: Argentina 3 on order; Dubai 1, plus 1 on option;
Italy 44 on order.
Aermacchi MB.326 The MB.326K is a current version, being
a single-seat development of the earlier two-seat trainers. It
has a pressurised cockpit, two 30mm fuselage-mounted
cannon and six underwing hardpoints. Production also continues of the two-seat MB.326M as well as of the K under
licence in South Africa, where it is known as the Impala.
Embraer also is still licence-building in Brazil. The MB.326L
combines the single-seat airframe, equipment and capabilities
with a two-seat cockpit. Italian production is at a rate of
about 1-5-2 a month.
Operators: Argentina 8 GB; Australia 104 H; Brazil 112 GC,
plus 45 GC on order; Dubai 3 KD, 1 L; Ghana 6 F, plus 6 K
on order; Italy 130; South Africa 151 M, plus 50 K on order;
Togo 3 GC; Tunisia 8 B, plus 8 K and 4 L on order; Zaire
17 GB; Zambia 18 GB.
Aermacchi MB.339 Two prototype MB.339 trainer successors to the MB.326 were ordered by the Italian Air Force in
1975. The first flew on August 12, 1976, and the second is due
to get airborne this month and be demonstrated at the Paris
Air Show. Six pre-series aircraft are also under construction.
The 339 is largely derived from the 326K, using essentially
the same wing though with greater use of machined parts
and a titanium-alloy leading edge. Visibility has been
improved for both occupants by using a larger, "bubble"
canopy, the sides of which are lower than on the 326, and by
raising the rear seat by 13in. Fin area is 25 per cent greater
than on the 326 and two ventral fins have been added. The
underwing a r m a m e n t capacity is t h e same as t h a t of the
326K but equipment and avionics are completely new. A full
description of the 339 appeared in Flight for January 22.
Operators: Italy 100 planned.
Siai-Marchetti SF.260M This is a military development of
the civil SF.260 with structural modifications. The SF.260W
Warrior is the armed version, with two wing hardpoints, and
the SF.260W is a proposed sub-variant which retains the
hardpoints and also carries a Bendix RDR 1400 lightweight
radar in one special wingtip tank and an oblique 70mm
camera in the other. Production rate is about ten a month.
Operators: Belgium 34; Burma 10; Comores ? on order;
Dubai 1 W; Eire 10 W; Italy 25; Morocco 2, plus 28? on order;
Philippines 32 MP, 16 WP; Singapore 16; Thailand 12; Tunisia
12 W; Zaire 23; Zambia 8.
Siai-Marchetti SM.1019E* Developed from t h e Cessna Bird
Dog and winner of an Italian Army competition for a light
observation/FAC/attack aircraft. Deliveries of the first aircraft began in 1975 and were due to be complete by the
end of 1976.
Operators: Italy 80.
JAPAN
Fuji KM-2B The KM-2B was selected as the new primary
trainer for the J a p a n Air Self-Defence Force in 1975. The
type combines the basic airframe and the 340 h.p. Lycoming
IGSO-340 engine of the original KM-2 Beech Mentor derivative with the cockpit design of the American aircraft.
Operators: Japan 62 planned.
Kawasaki C-IA A total of 24 production C-lAs are due to
have been delivered by the end of 1977, in two batches of
11 and 13. The type replaces t h e C-46 in Air Self-Defence
Force service. More are expected to be ordered.
Operators: Japan 28 including pre-series.
>-

*-

page 600

596
MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD
OTHER

NATIONS

Manufacturer/
Type

FLIGHT International,

5 March

1977

c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 579

Role

Powerplant
Power/thrust

Crew

Span
Length
Height
W i n g area
(gross)

Empty weight
Max T/O weight
W i n g loading

Max speed

s.l.
M a x speed
at altitude
Economic
cruise s p e e d

T i m e t o height
s.l. rate of
climb
Service ceilim

HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS cont'd

Gnat M k II
(Ajeet)

Light
fighter/
attack

22ft 2in
29ft 9in
8ft 1 in
136 sq ft

5,075lb
9,1951b
67-6lb/sq ft

620kt

68ft 9in
42ft 9in
17ft 1 in
470-2 sq ft

8,8161b
(basic operating)
15,0001b
31 -9lb/sq ft

170kt
215kt
(never-exceed)
168kt
(10,000ft)

1,290ft/min
25,000ft

1 x GE
J 79-17
17,9001b with
A/B

27ft
50ft 4in
14ft 2in
392 s q f t

32,1201b
81 -6/lb sq ft

755kt
M=2-3+

1min 30sec
(36,000ft)
50,000ft+

Multi-role
fighter

1 y GE
J79-19
17,9001b
with A / B

21ft 11 in
(without
tip tanks)
54ft 9in
13ft 6in
196 1 sq ft

14,5661b
(fighterbomber)
31,0001b
110-7lb/sqft
(clean T / O wt)

750kt ( E A S )
M = 2-2
(40,000ft-55,000ft)
M = 0-85

1m in 36sec
(40,000ft,
M =0-925,
f u l l fuel)
60,000ft
(clean, M 1-9,
18.6721b)

Transport

2 x GE
T64-P-4D
3,400 s.h.p.

94ft 6in
74ft 5 i i n
32ft 2in
882-6 sq ft

32,1651b
58,4221b
66-2lb/sq ft

ISRAEI
ISRAEL AIRCRAFT NDUSTRIES
IAI-201 A r a v a
Utility
transport

Kfir

ITALY
AERITALIA
F-104S S t a r f i g h t e r

G.222

1 x R-R
O r p h e u s 701
4,670lb

Fighterbomber

2 . P & W
PT6-34
750 s.h.p.

1/2

( I S A + 30)
M = 0 96
(ISA)

6min
(39,000ft,
7,8001b T / O wt)
40,000ft +

(main)

291 kt
(15,000ft,

2,034ft/min
(58,422lb)
29,525ft

58,422lb)
194kt
(14,750ft)

AERMACCHI
MB.326K

MB.339

SIAl-MARCHETTI
SF.260M

JAPANKAWASAKI
C-1A

MITSUBISHI
T-2/F-1

Attack/
operational
trainer

1
R-R
Viper 632-43
4,000lb

Trainer/
g r o u n d attack

1 > R-R
Viper 632-43
4,000lb

Trainer
light strike

1 x Lycoming
O-540-E4A5
260 h.p.

Transport

2 x P i W
JT8D-9
14,5001b

Trainer/
close support

2 x R-R/
Turbomeca
Adour
7,1401b with
A/B

7in
11in
2in
sq ft

6,885lb
(equipped)
13,0001b
62-4lb/sq ft

500kt
(design limit
speed)
M = 0 82
(limit Mach)

6,500ft/min
(9,6801b)
45,500ft

1/2

35ft 7in
36ft
12ft 10in
208 sq ft

6,883lb
13,0001b
62-5lb/sq ft

500kt E A S
M = 0-86
(limit)

6,750 ft/min
45,500ft

1/2

27ft 5in
23ft 3iin
7ft11 in
108-5 sqft

1,7611b
(equipped)
2,6451b
24-4lb/sq ft

183kt
(max T/O wt)
235kt
(neverexceed) 160kt

1,500ft/min
(2,6451b)
16,400ft

100ft 5in
95ft 2in
32ft 9in
1,297 sq ft

51,4101b
85,3201b
66lb/sq ft
(max)

25ft 10in
58ft 7in
14ft 7in
228 sq ft

13,6501b
(T-2)
30,8651b
(approx,

35ft
34ft
12ft
207

2/1

435kt
(25,000ft,
78,1501b)
354kt
(35,000ft)

M = 1-5
(36,000ft)

3,500ft/min
38,000ft

2min
(F-1,
36,000ft)
50,000ft

F-1)
135lb/sq ft

SHIN MEIWA
PS-1

Anti-submarine
warfare

4 x GE
T64-IHI-810
3,060 e.h.p.

108ft 9in
109ft 11in
31ft 10+in
1,462 s q f t

58,000lb
94,800lb 64-8lb/sq ft

2,264ft/min
295kt
(5,000ft)
230kt

(79,365lb)
29,500ft

FLIGHT International,

T / O run
Landing
run
(role/weight)

597

5 March 1977

Max range*
Combat
radius
(role/profile,
weight)

Internal
fuel
Auxiliary
fuel

Armament
T o t a l external
Internal
H a r d points

Max
payload

Remarks

4,515ft
(S.I., I S A + 30,
2 < rocket p o d s ,
2 ; f u e l tpnks)
3,435ft
(s.l., I S A + 30,
clean, no chute)

140 n.m.
(to-lo, 2
rocket p o d s ,
2
fuel tanks)

300gal
2 x 30gal
(optional)

1,5001b
(approx)
2 x 30mm
cannon
4

950ft
(max T / O wt)
820ft
(15,0001b)

700 n.m.
(45min reserve)
250 n.m.
(max)

366gal
2 x 225gal
(internal for
ferry)

2 x rocket
pods, 2 x 0-5in
machine-guns
2

2,500ft
(25,0001b)
1,500ft
(20,0001b)

2,000 n.m.
(approx, with
aux tanks)

850ga>
(approx)
1,000oai

8,500lb +
2 x 30mm
cannon
7

Engine details, max T / O w e i g h t , max speed at altitude and

service c e i l i n g officially released. Other f i g u r e s e s t i m a t e d .
C a n n o n are l i c e n c e - b u i l t D e f a . S t a n d a r d air-to-air a r m a m e n t
i n c l u d e s Shafrir. A l s o Kflr-C2see text f o r details.

5,600ft
(s.l., ISA,
31,0001b)
3,300ft
(S.I., ISA,
23,0001b)

1,764 n.m.
(11,3621b of fuel,
reserves, 20min
s.l. loiter)
210 n.m.
(7,500lb payload,
hi-lo-hi)

6,6171b
(fuel replaces
cannon)
2,2101b
(tip tanks)
2,5351b
(pylon tanks)

7,5001b
1 x 20mm
cannon
9

Aeritalia-developed variant of F-104G. Two basic roles:

intercepter, carrying Sidewinder or Sparrow missiles; or
fighter-bomber, for which an M61 cannon may be fitted, or
extra fuel.

1,720ft
(58,4221b)
1,444ft
(58,4221b)

2,670 n.m.
(max fuel)
1,590 n.m.
(range with
11,0251b payload)

2,638gal

3,000ft
(to 50ft,
13,0001b, I S A )

1,150 n.m.
(2 x aux tanks)
165 n.m.
(internal f u e l ,
2,380lb stores,
lo-lo)

361 gal
2 - 72-5gal

4,000lb
2 x 30mm
cannon
6

1,510ft
(clean)
1,345ft
(clean)

1,140 n.m.
(2 < aux tanks)

310gal
2 < 72-5gal

4,0001b
Provision for
1 x 7-62mm
MG or 1 x
30mm c a n n o n
6

1,800ft
(2,645lb, to 50ft)
1,475ft
(2,200lb, f r o m 50ft)

805 n.m.

53gal inc
2 x wingt i p tanks

2,100ft
(max T / O wt)
1,500ft
(81,2601b)

1,810 n.m.
(max f u e l ,
5,0701b payload)

3,344gal

5,000ft
field length
required

1,550 n.m.
(aux tanks)
300 n.m.
(F-1
4,000lb stores,
hi-lo-hi)

841 gal
2 ' 183gal

820ft
(79,3651 b)
590ft

2,560 n.m.

4,280gal

Developed by H A L f r o m l i c e n c e - b u i l t Mk I. External f u e l
transferred t o w e t w i n g . C a n n o n are A d e n . H a s dual fighter/
attack roles.

5,1841b

Convertible c a r g o / t r o o p carrier; also casevac, c o u n t e r i n s u r g e n c y and m a r i t i m e p a t r o l . A l l a r m a m e n t o p t i o n a l , can

i n c l u d e also an aft-firing m a c h i n e - g u n .

19,8401b

Up to 44 equipped troops or 32 paratroops. Rear loading

ramp, can also be used for air-dropping.

5,365lb

D e v e l o p e d f r o m t w o - s e a t MB.326G, 40 sold t o S. A f r i c a .
C a n n o n are D e f a . MB.326L c o m b i n e s K airframe i m p r o v e ments w i t h G t w o - s e a t layout.

Based o n w i n g a n d engine of MB.326K b u t w i t h redesigned

t a n d e m t w o - s e a t nose s e c t i o n , revised f u s e l a g e s t r u c t u r e
and other c h a n g e s . M a c h i n e - g u n o r c a n n o n w o u l d be p o d m o u n t e d beneath f o r w a r d f u s e l a g e .

A r m a m e n t f o r SF.260W W a r r i o r version is up t o 660lb o n

t w o u n d e r w i n g pylons. SF.260W has max take-off w e i g h t of
2,8661b, c o r r e s p o n d i n g l y w o r s e field p e r f o r m a n c e . A l s o p r o p o s e d Sea W a r r i o r .

17,6401b
(normal)

S,000lb
1 x 20mm
cannon
7 (inc
2 wingtip)

A n asterisk in This column denotes air-refuelling capability.

Up t o 60 t r o o p s o r 45 p a r a t r o o p s can be c a r r i e d . Rear- l o a d i n g
ramp c a n be o p e n e d f o r a i r - d r o p p i n g .

A r m a m e n t of F-1 i n c l u d e s up to 12 500lb b o m b s , 4 air-to-air

missiles, 2 air-to-surface missiles or rockets. C a n n o n i s
Vulcan.

Flying-boat. W a t e r - b o m b e r derivative also built.

598
,
MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD

FLIGHT International, S March 1977

OTHER N A T I O N S cont nued

Manufacturer/
Type

S H I N MEIWA cont'd
US-1

NETHERLANDS
FOKKER-VFW
F.27

NEW Z E A L A N D AEROSPACE
C T 4B Airtrainer

POLAND
W S K MIELEC
TS-11 Iskra

SOUTH A F R I C A A T L A S AIRCRAFT
C4M Kudu

Role

Powerplant
Power/thrust

Crew

Span
Length
Height
Wing area
(gross)

Empty weight
Max T/O weight
Wing loading

Search and
rescue

4 x GE
T64-IHI-10
3,060 e.h.p.

108ft 9in
109ft 9in
32ft 3in
1,462 sq ft

55,550lb
99,200lb
(land operations)
67-9ib/sq ft

Transport

2 x R-R
Dart 532-7R
2,140 s.h.p.
+ 525lb

95ft
77ft
27ft
754

23,430lb
45,000lb
59-7lb/sq ft

Trainer

1 x Continental
IO-360-H
210 h.p.

1/2

26ft
23ft 2in
8ft 6in
129 sq ft

1,5201b
2,6501b
205lb/sq ft

Trainer/light
attack

1 x SO-3
2,205lb

2/1

33ft
36ft 11in
10ft 8in
188 sq ft

5,4251b
8,4651b
46-25lb/sqft

Liaison/
light transport

1 x Lycoming
GSO-480-B1B3
340 h.p.

42ft 8in
29ft 8in
9ft
225 sq ft

2,6451b
4,5001b
20lb/sq ft
(max)

SPAIN
CONSTRUCCIONES A E R O N A U T I C A S S A (CASA)
C.101
Trainer/light
1 x Garrett
attack
TFE731-2/3
3,700lb

C.212 Aviocar

SWEDENSAAB-SCANIA
AJ37 Viggen

Safari/Supporter

SWITZERLAND
PILATUS
PC-6 Turbo-Porter

PC-7 Turbo-Trainer

2in
3iin
11in
sq ft

260kt
230kt
(10,000ft)

262kt
(38,0001b,
20,000ft)

155kt
230kt
(never-exceed)
125kt
(10,000ft, 75%)

M=0-8
(limit Mach)
325kt

140kt
(8,000ft)
105kt
(10,000ft)

Time to height
s.l. rate of
climb
Service ceiling

2,380ft/min
(79,400lb)
28,000ft

1,475ft/min
(40,000lb),
s.l., ISA)
29,500ft

4min 36sec
(5,000ft)
17,900ft

9min 35sec
(20,000ft)
36,000ft

800ft/min
19,000ft

34ft 9in
40ft 2in
14ft
215 sq ft

6,3901b
11,4651b
53-3lb/sqft

364 kt
M = 0-75
(30,000ft)

3,350ft/min
45,000ft

63ft 4in
40ft10iin
20ft 8in
430 sq ft

8,1571b
13,8891b
32-3lb/sqft

180kt
199kt
(12,000ft)
170kt
(12,000ft)

1,800ft/min
26,700ft

M = 1-1 +
M=2

Less than
1min 40sec
(32,800ft)
50,000ft
(estimated)

129kt
(2,200lb)
197kt
(never-exceed)
114kt
(2,200lb)

800ft/min
(2,480lb)
13,450ft

Light
transport

2 x Garrett
TPE331-5
715 s.h.p.

2/3

Attack/
fighter

1 x Volvo
Flygmotor
RM8A
26,000lb with
A/B

Trainer/utility

1 x Lycoming
IO-360-AIB6
200 h.p.

1/2

29ft
23ft
8ft 6iin
(nosewheel)
128 sq ft

1,4221b
(equipped)
2,6451b
21lb/sqft

Utility

1 x P4WC
PT6A-27
550 s.h.p.

49ft 8in
35ft 9in
10ft 6in
310 sq ft

2,6781b
6,1001b
(overload)
15-65lb/sq ft
(normal)

1 x P&WC
PT6A-25
550 s.h.p.

1/2

34ft 1 in
32ft
10ft 6in
178-7 s q f t

2,8221 b
5,9521b
33-3lb/sqit

Trainer

Max speed
S.I.
Max speed
at altitude
Economic
cruise speed

34ft 9in
53ft 6in
18ft 4iin
495-1 sqft
(+67 sq ft
net for foreplanes

45,0001b
66lb/sq ft
(fighter wt)

140kt TAS
(max cruise,
10,000ft)
129kt TAS
(10,000ft)
226kt
(max cruise)
270kt EAS
(never-exceed)
190kt
(10,000ft)

1,580ft/min
(4,8501b)
30,000ft

2,065ft/min
(4,1881b)
31,000ft

599

FLIGHT International, S March 1977

T/O run
Landing
run
(role/weight)

Max range*
Combat
radius
(role/profile/
weight)

Internal
fuel
Auxiliary
fuel

2,170ft
(99,200lb,
to 50ft)
2,850ft
(79,400lb
from 50ft)

2,406 n.m.
(4-engine
then 2-engine
cruise
technique)

4,950gal

3,250ft
(field length,
;0,000lb, S.I.,
ISA)
3,160ft
(field length,
37,500lb, s.l.)

2,192 n.m.
(aux tanks,
no reserves)
820 n.m.
(7,0001b cargo,
underwing tanks)

1,130gal
(plus optional
510gal in
bag tanks)
2 x 210gal

Armament
Total external
Internal
Hardpoints

Max
payload

Remarks

Amphibious development of PS-1.

12,7831b
(cargo
version)

Up to 45 fully armed paratroops can be carried, or 24

stretchers and 9 seats. See text for details of other models
and F.27MPA Maritime. Data basically for series 400.

(aux fuel tanks)

733ft
(2,3501b)
510ft

767 n.m.
(s.l., 102kt)

45gal
2 x 17gal
(wing tip)

14 x 2-75in
rockets

Developed from basically civil Airtourer, which was also

used as a military trainer.

2,300ft
(8,380lb)
2,150ft
(7,700lb)

675 n.m.

263gal
2 x underwing

450lb

Now in production for India. Single-seat aircraft also

developed, increased fuel capacity.

700ft
(4,500lb)
460ft
(4,500lb)

700 n.m.
(no reserves)

95gal

2,400ft
(10,8801b)
1,800ft
(max landing
wt)

2,160 n.m.

4,270lb

1,075ft
(13,8891b)
679ft
(max landing
wt)

1,100 n.m.

3,5101b
(max)

540n.m.+
(armed,
hi-lo-hi)

1 x underfuselage tank

1,000ft
(to 50ft,
2,200lb)
1,150ft
(from 50ft,
2,200lb)

5hr 10min
(endurance,
65%, s.l.,
reserves)

42gal

360ft
(4,850lb)
240ft
(4,850lb)

875 n.m.
(aux fuel, no
reserves)

605ft
(4,1881b)
605ft
(4,1881b)

700 n.m.
(20% reserve)

1,310ft
(approx)
1,475ft
(approx)

1,2351b
(cargo
payload)

First flight due in June 1977. All performance figures estimated by CASA. Final choice of engine for production
aircraft not settled.

4,770lb
6 x underwing
1 x underfuselage

15,2301b

4,4001b

7
( + 2 optional)

6601b

103gal

2,2931b
6

* A n asterisk in this co umn denotes air-refuelling capability.

In production for export. Multiple roles include freighting,

parachute dropping, 19-seat transport, etc.

Also SF37 and SH37 recce variants and SK37 two-seat

trainer. JA37 intercepter under development. Weapons
carried include Rb04E and Rb05, Rb28, Sidewinder and, on
JA37, a semi-internally mounted Oerlikon 304K 30mm
cannon.
Developed from Saab MFI-15 and -17 with nose or tail wheel
respectively. Armament can include rockets, machine-guns
or up to six Bantam wire-guided missiles on Supporter.

142gal
. 2 x 42gal

Developed from Aeritalia/Macchi AM.3C. Up to eight passengers possible.

Also licence-built Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker, with 4

underwing pylons + 1 under-fuselage, total capacity 2,000lb.
See under Fairchild Industries for further data.

Dornier of West Germany is jointly marketing this trainer.

Underwing pylons can accommodate bombs, rocket pods,
flares, etc.

600
*
MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD
page 595 -4Mitsubishi T-2/F-1 The first T-2 advanced trainers were
delivered to Air Self-Defence Force squadrons in 1975 and
about 40 of the type should be in service by t h e end of 1977.
Some 28 of the currently planned number of aircraft are
due to be fitted with a single 20mm cannon for combat training. Both FST-2 kai development ground-support aircraft
flew in 1975 and a type certificate was due for this singleseater by the end of 1976. The designation was changed to
F-l in November 1976. By t h e n t h e two aircraft, converted
from T-2s No 6 and 7, had flown for 240hr; development cost
was put at $5-7 million. Mitsubishi was hoping to m a k e t h e
first production-aircraft flight before April, with the first
squadron being due to form in March 1978. Some 26 F-ls
are on order so far, in batches of 18 and eight, with 37 more
planned in order to equip three squadrons.
The weapon-delivery system of t h e F-l comprises Ferranti
inertial navigation, a central air-data computer, Thomson-CSF
head-up display and Mitsubishi Electric bombing computer.
JASDF requirements include Mach 0 ' 8 at sea level with a
combat radius of 300 n.m. with a 4,0001b warload for antishipping missions, and Mach 1-2 a t 32,000ft with missiles
for air defence.
Operators: J a p a n 59 T-2, 63 F-l planned.
Shin Meiwa PS-l/US-1 A total of 17 PS-1 anti-submarine
flying boats have been delivered to t h e Maritime SelfDefence Force and t h e 18th is due for delivery by t h e end
of March. Four more remain to be delivered under t h e
current five-year defence plan b u t further orders a r e
expected in t h e next plan. Three US-1 amphibious search-andrescue variants are active with t h e MSDF and further procurement is again expected in t h e next defence plan.
Operators: J a p a n 22 PS-1, 3 US-1.
NETHERLANDS
Fokker-VFW F.27 A military version of t h e Series 400 Friendship is the F.27M Troopship with accommodation for 45
paratroops or 24 stretchers with eight attendants, a large
cargo door and two parachuting doors. The Mk 600 has also
been extensively ordered for military use, this version having
a larger freight door b u t excluding the watertight and reinforced flooring of earlier models. Developments on offer
include t h e F.27MPA Maritime, which is now in t h e second
stage of its flight-test and development programme. Ostensibly a civil patrol aircraft for such duties as oil-rig and
fisheries protection, t h e MPA has several potential military
customers. The t y p e is equipped with Litton APS-503F search
radar with 360 coverage and a Litton LTN-72 inertial navigation system.
Operators: Algeria 6 400, 1 600; Argentina 5 400, 5 600; Ghana
3 40; 2 600; Indonesia 8 400; I r a n 16 400, 7 600; Italy 1 200,
3 600; Ivory Coast 1 400, 1 600; Netherlands 3 100, 9 300;
Nigeria 4 400; Pakistan 1 200; P e r u 2 MPA on order; Philippines 9 100, 1 200; Uruguay 2 100.
NEW ZEALAND
Aerospace CT4 Airtrainer Developed from the civil Airtourer, which has also been used as a military primary
trainer by New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.
Production rate is claimed still to be four a month.
Operators: Australia 37; New Zealand 13, plus 6 on order;
Thailand 24.
POLAND
WSK Mielec TS-11 Iskra Still in production in two-seat and
single-seat versions. The two-seater with underwing hardpoints as ordered by India is known as t h e Iskra 100. The
Iskra 200 has new instrumentation, slightly greater all-up
weight and longer range.
Operators: India 50 on order; Poland.
SOUTH AFRICA
Atlas C4M Kudu The Kudu is based substantially on the
wing and powerplant of t h e Aeritalia AM.3C, which in t u r n
was developed from t h e Lockheed AL.60 Conestoga. Atlas
has however designed a larger, AL.60-type fuselage for the
Kudu, which is able to carry up to eight people. The South
African Air Force was evaluating a prototype by the end
of 1975 and deliveries a r e now thought to have been made.
Operators: South Africa ? on order.
SPAIN
CASA C.101 Casa was awarded an Air Ministry contract in
September 1975 to develop t h e C.101 basic and advanced
trainer/light attack aircraft. Two structural-test and four
flying prototypes are being built, with a first flight due in
J u n e this year. Initial design was done by Casa in conjunction

FLIGHT Internationa/, 5 March 1977

with Northrop and MBB. The German company is responsible

for t h e aft fuselage and empennage, t h e first complete unit
of which was delivered to Spain in November 1976. The
centre fuselage and wings are being made a t Getafe, n e a r
Madrid, which is where flight-testing will also be carried
out. Northrop collaborated on both t h e inlet design and t h e
wings. Casa claims a structural life of 10,000hr in t h e training
role with 30-40 p e r cent at low level. Production is planned
for a first squadron to be operational in 1980, replacing
HA.200/220 Saetas.
Operators: Spain 60 planned.
CASA C.212 Aviocar This 19-seat utility t r a n s p o r t and
freighter is in production to meet Spanish and export orders
at a rate of four a month. It was designed to replace C-47s
and Ju52s in the Spanish Air Force b u t several versions have
now been sold. Of the 102 aircraft on military order, 81
are transports (C.212A), 10 photographic (C212B), five navigation trainers (C.212E) and six for VIP use. Licensed production is about to get under way in Indonesia.
Operators: Indonesia 25 on order; Jordan 4; Portugal 24;
Spain 53.
SWEDEN
Saab 37 Viggen This canard strike aircraft and, later, intercepter is the major component of Weapon System 37, which
also comprises the RM8 engine, armament, airborne and
ground equipment, training and integration into t h e Stril 60
air-defence system. Versions announced to date are t h e AJ37
all-weather attack aircraft replacing Lansens; SK37 t a n d e m
two-seat trainer with second seat replacing forward fuel t a n k
and some avionics; SF37 reconnaissance version to replace
S35E Drakens; SH37 sea-surveillance and attack aircraft to
replace Lansens; JA37 intercepter with u p r a t e d RM8B
engine, Oerlikon cannon and newly developed missiles
scheduled to equip eight squadrons from 1978 onwards.
The AJ37 has an Ericsson X-band monopulse multi-mode
radar for search, tracking, ranging, ground mapping and
terrain avoidance. A Saab CK-37 general-purpose digital unit
does navigation and weapon-control computations, feeding
information to t h e Marconi-Elliott head-up display. Ericsson
has developed t h e UAP-1023 X-band pulse-Doppler r a d a r for
t h e JA37, while Saab will build under licence t h e SingerKearfott SKC-2037 central digital computer. The air-data
computer will be a Garrett LD-5, inertial equipment will be
by Singer-Kearfott and t h e digital automatic
flight-control
system is under joint development by Saab and Honeywell.
The head-up display will be by Smiths Industries. Under longt e r m development is a follow-on to t h e AJ37 in t h e attack
role, based on t h e updated systems of t h e JA37 and currently
designated A20.
Having been grounded following t h r e e similar structuralfailure accidents, Viggens resumed squadron flying in t h e
middle of 1976. Details of t h e failures and remedial action
were given in Flight for February 28, 1976.
Operators: Sweden more t h a n 200 AJ/SK/SF/SH required,
up to 200 JA planned.
Saab Safari/Supporter Developed versions of the Saab MFI15 and -17 respectively with nose or tail wheel. Six underwing
pylons for external stores such as life-rafts and relief containers (Safari) and rockets, gun-pods or Bofors Bantam
anti-tank missiles (Supporter). The type is basically a
primary trainer.
Operators: Denmark 32 Supporter; Pakistan 45 Supporter on
order; Sierra Leone 4 Safari.
SWITZERLAND
Pilatus PC-6 Turbo-Porter/Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker
Turboprop versions of this utility transport aircraft are in
production both in Switzerland and t h e USA, where the
Peacemaker is built under licence. The American aircraft
is powered by a 650 s.h.p. Garrett AiResearch TPE331, has
a military avionics fit and five hardpoints for a maximum
external load of 1,9901b. Side-firing cannon or miniguns can
be installed in the main cabin. Data are u n d e r Fairchild.
Operators: Angola 2; Australia 18; Austria 12; Bolivia 1; Chad
2; Ecuador 3; Oman 2; P e r u 12; Sudan 8; Switzerland 12
Porter, 6 Turbo-Porter; Thailand 4, plus 33 Peacemaker.
Pilatus PC-7 Turbo-Trainer The PC-7 is a tandem-seat aircraft designed for civil as well as military basic and tactical
training. Powered by a P r a t t & Whitney PT6 turboprop, it
is of high performance for a trainer, t h e idea being to allow
fairly economical operation at t h e same time as giving t h e
student a turbine engine t o . fly from t h e beginning. The
Turbo-Trainer is jointly marketed by Dornier and t h e first
customer is awaited.
Operators.- prototypes only.
C