Afghan forces to begin getting A-29 aircraft in 2014

[GR!FF!N]

Afghanistan’s fledgling air force will start receiving 20 U.S.-funded A-29 Super Tucano light air support aircraft in 2014 to fight counterinsurgents, according to an American general.

The turboprops will provide reconnaissance and deliver precision weapons and are part of an effort to reduce the country’s reliance on coalition forces.

“What they will have is the air support that … their ground commanders will need, and in particular, when this A-29 comes onboard, a very, very good and robust capability, as the numbers come onboard,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. H.D. Polumbo Jr., commander of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force in Afghanistan.

Polumbo made his comments April 23 at a Pentagon press briefing.

The U.S. Air Force in February awarded a $427.5 million contract to Sierra Nevada Corp. of Sparks, Nev., and Brazilian partner Embraer Defense and Security to supply the aircraft, which will be built in Jacksonville, Fla.

The Afghan Air Force already has several types of aircraft, including C-27A transports and Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters.

Afghan forces to begin getting A-29 aircraft in 2014 - National Aerospace | Examiner.com


damn...missed this news..Congratulation to my Afghan friends..

 

[GR!FF!N]

Specs...

General characteristics....


Crew: One pilot on single seat version, one pilot plus one navigator/student on double seat version
Payload: 1,550 kg (3,420 lb)
Length: 11.42 m (37 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 11.14 m (36 ft 7 in)
Height: 3.9 m (12 ft 9.5 in)
Wing area: 19.4 m² (209 sq ft)
Empty weight: 3,200 kg[143] (7,055 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 5,400 kg (11,905 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68C turboprop, 1,600 hp (1,193 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed: 590 km/h (319 knots, 367 mph)
Cruise speed: 520 km/h (281 knots, 323 mph)
Stall speed: 148 km/h (80 knots, 92 mph g-limits: +7/-3.5 g)
Range: 720 nmi (827 mi, 1,330 km)
Combat radius: 550 km (300 nmi, 342 mi) (hi-lo-hi profile, 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) of external stores)
Ferry range: 1,541 nmi (1,774 mi, 2,855 km)
Endurance: 8hrs 40mins
Service ceiling: 10,668 m (35,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 24 m/s (79 ft/s)
Armament
Guns:
Internal: (2x) 12.7 mm (0.50 in) 950 rounds per minute FN Herstal M3P machine guns in wings.
pod: (1x) 20 mm (0.79 in) 650 rounds per minute GIAT M20A1 cannon below the fuselage.
pod: (1x) 12.7 mm (0.50 in) FN Herstal HMP for M3P machine gun.
pod: (4x) 7.62 mm (0.30 in) 3,000 rounds per minute Dillon Aero M134 Minigun (under development).
Hardpoints: 5 (two under each wing and one under fuselage centreline) with a capacity of 1,550 kg (3,300 lb)
Rockets:
(4x) pods 70 mm (2.75 in) LM-70/19[153](SBAT-70)
(4x) pods 70 mm (2.75 in) LAU-68A/G
Missiles:
Air-to-air:
AIM-9L Sidewinder
MAA-1A Piranha
MAA-1B Piranha (under development)
Python 3
Python 4
Air-to-ground:
AGM-65 Maverick
Bombs:
General-purpose bombs:
(10x) Mk 81
(5x) Mk 82
M-117
Incendiary bombs:
BINC-300
Cluster bombs:
BLG-252
Precision-guided bombs:
SMKB-82 (under development)– Mectron/Britanite INS/GPS guidance kit for Mk 82.
GBU-54 (under development)
GBU-38 (under development)
GBU-39 (under development)
Paveway II
Lizard – Elbit laser guidance kit.
Griffin – IAI laser guidance kit.
Others:
Chaff & Flare (countermeasures)
FLIR AN/AAQ-22 Star SAFIRE II (Electro-Optical/Infrared Sensors)
Avionics
MIL-STD-1553 standards.
NVG ANVIS-9 (Night Vision)
CCIP / CCRP / CCIL / DTOS / LCOS / SSLC (Computerized Attack Modes)
R&S{RT} M3AR VHF/UHF airborne transceiver (two-way encrypted Data Link provision)
HUD / HOTAS
HMD with UFCP(Up Front Control Panel)
Laser INS with GPS Navigational System.
CMFD(Colored Multi-Function Display) liquid crystal active matrix
Integrated Radio Communication and Navigation
Video Camera/Recorder
Automatic Pilot with embedded mission planning capability
Stormscope WX-1000E (Airborne weather mapping system)
Laser Range Finder
WiPak Support – (Wi-Fi integration for Paveway bombs).
Training and Operation Support System (TOSS)

(from Wiki)...

 

[Wright]

It does not look like a modern fighter.

 

[Mitro]

Where they will hide it from Talib may be in Tajikistan airbase

 

[That Guy]

It does not look like a modern fighter.

It's not and it doesn't have to be. The Afghans need an air support light fighter, even an old plane would be enough. While I think that the A-29 is a good plane, it doesn't meet the minimum requirements that Afghanistan needs for it's air force, specifically, sustained air support capability and super sonic speed. This plane neither provides the ANA a sustained air support capability (unless deployed in large enough numbers in a combat area) nor does it have the speed needed to out run Chinese made anti-air weapons the Taliban are inevitably going to buy and use to shoot down and have a field day with the Super Tacuno.

While I congratulate the ANAF for their new air craft, I have a word of caution for them; Do NOT rely on this being safe from enemy fire, the Taliban can quite easily shoot it down with small arms fire.

Where they will hide it from Talib may be in Tajikistan airbase

They'll hide them the same way the US hides it's UAVs, in heavily guarded compounds.

 

[Thorough Pro]

What if the pilots decide to defect to Taliban like so many ANA men?

 

[muse]

This may be a gateway for Afghans to get advanced jets - and thats a problem they don't want - history is witness when the murderous idiot Daud started getting MiG 21 and advanced tanks, Afghanistan's problems mushroomed.

Afghanistan must be careful not to send wrong, undesirable, signals

 

[FaujHistorian]

What if the pilots decide to defect to Taliban like so many ANA men?

Probably not. These pilots will be cream of the crop and highly paid. I doubt they will defect.

However in remote case if one of them does so, it will be easy for Americans to bring down a propeller plain.

peace

 

[Mian H Amin.]

Congratulations to our Afghan brothers

Probably not. These pilots will be cream of the crop and highly paid. I doubt they will defect.

However in remote case if one of them does so, it will be easy for Americans to bring down a propeller plain.

peace

cream of crop ??? well i would agree with the guy that, they could defect. but still they need to take a start from somewhere

What if the pilots decide to defect to Taliban like so many ANA men?

well there is a possibility, but still they need to take a start from somewhere.

It does not look like a modern fighter.

lol no dear its a turbo engine jet, introduced by brazillian Airforce, to use in low threat areas. and No it doesnt match at all with latest jets.

Where they will hide it from Talib may be in Tajikistan airbase

hahahaha or may be in evening they can leave them in safe storage in Peshawar Airbase , and take them again next morning

 

[GR!FF!N]

It does not look like a modern fighter.

Lol @Wright ...

even USA is buying this light attack aircraft for USAF..and you don't need 6th gen radar evading jets to bomb ill equipped insurgents..

It's not and it doesn't have to be. The Afghans need an air support light fighter, even an old plane would be enough. While I think that the A-29 is a good plane, it doesn't meet the minimum requirements that Afghanistan needs for it's air force, specifically, sustained air support capability and super sonic speed. This plane neither provides the ANA a sustained air support capability (unless deployed in large enough numbers in a combat area) nor does it have the speed needed to out run Chinese made anti-air weapons the Taliban are inevitably going to buy and use to shoot down and have a field day with the Super Tacuno.

While I congratulate the ANAF for their new air craft, I have a word of caution for them; Do NOT rely on this being safe from enemy fire, the Taliban can quite easily shoot it down with small arms fire.



They'll hide them the same way the US hides it's UAVs, in heavily guarded compounds.

proof on which you are making your claim..any source??

 

[xdrive]

It does not look like a modern fighter.

Because it's not a "fighter"

 

[pakistani342]

More of my hard earned tax dollars to waste.

 

[fatman17]

It does not look like a modern fighter.

its a COIN a/c

 

[REHAN NIAZI FALCON]

they need copters ........... gunships ..... they suits ANA more than aircraft in current state of affairs

 

[GR!FF!N]

they need copters ........... gunships ..... they suits ANA more than aircraft in current state of affairs

they have Mi-35 and Mi-24(status not clear,around 9 Mi-35 and unknown number of Mi-24)for gunship role and Mi-17(around 46 i think,and they are purchasing around 40 more) and Mi-8(around 65) for transport..but Aprat from Gunship,these light attack aircrafts are also can be effectively used against insurgents..