Lunatic Retard Robots
04-07-2005, 18:42
http://home.iae.nl/users/wbergmns/big/hunter.jpg
The RAF quite proudly carries the honor of being the last, longest, and largest user of the Hawker Hunter, a design which has been proven to be extremely versatile and adaptable design, possessing excellent manouverability and handling characteristics. Therefore, RAL has decided to market the type as an alternative to the BAe Hawk trainer. The Hawk probably has the advantage, given the fact that the RAL Hunter is a light fighter first and trainer second, but it is the opinion of RAL that the type's excellent handling and reliability will allow it to win at least some contracts.
It is thought that the FGA. X and T. X will be especially popular in smaller, less wealthy nations that are looking for an aircraft more capable than the Hawk, yet still affordable and offering a useful training capability.
Robotstan Aeronautics started liscenced production of the FGA. 9 variant in 1973, and continues to build the type to this day. But the RAL-built Hunter of today is quite different from Sidney Camm's original, at least internally. New, modern avionics compliment a very capable aerodynamic design and a more powerful engine, coupled with a number of features designed to greatly improve the type's STOL performance.
The Hunter FGA. X, RAL's current export version, is a very capable and affordable trainer and combat aircraft. It is powered by one J8 turbofan engine, the same as found on RAL's liscence-built Jaguar. The J8 is a reliable and efficient engine, with a very long service life and interchangability with other RAL turbofan engines.
The FGA. X's radar is also a very capable model, a Robotstan-built copy of the Ferranti/BAe Systems Blue Vixen. FLIR and laser designator pods can be mounted on underfuselage hardpoints. A HUD and zero-zero ejection seat are also installed on both the light fighter and trainer variants.
The FGA. X can carry up to 3,357kg of external stores, including anti-tank and anti-ship missiles (including the Nimrod and Maverick PGMs, Hellfire/Brimstone, RBS-15, Sea Skua and Sea Eagle), laser-guided bombs, unguided bombs, folding-fin rockets, short- and medium-range AAMs (including AA-11, AIM-9, MATRA Magic, Python 4, Derby, AA-8, DRAB ASRAAM, and Sky Flash), and cannon pods. Four 30mm Aden cannons provide excellent ground attack firepower, and these can be swapped out for Bk-27s.
Maximum speed for both the FGA. X and T. X is about mach 1.1, and slightly faster in a shallow dive. Combat radius is approximately 850km, and can be extended with underwing and underfuselage drop tanks.
The trainer version is largely similar to the FGA. X, except for its two-seat cockpit layout. It has a slightly lower weapons capacity and shorter range.
http://www.hunterflyingclub.co.uk/hunterdt/images/xl573pd.jpg
Trainer version.
Starting price is in the neighborhood of 12-15 million USD.
The RAF quite proudly carries the honor of being the last, longest, and largest user of the Hawker Hunter, a design which has been proven to be extremely versatile and adaptable design, possessing excellent manouverability and handling characteristics. Therefore, RAL has decided to market the type as an alternative to the BAe Hawk trainer. The Hawk probably has the advantage, given the fact that the RAL Hunter is a light fighter first and trainer second, but it is the opinion of RAL that the type's excellent handling and reliability will allow it to win at least some contracts.
It is thought that the FGA. X and T. X will be especially popular in smaller, less wealthy nations that are looking for an aircraft more capable than the Hawk, yet still affordable and offering a useful training capability.
Robotstan Aeronautics started liscenced production of the FGA. 9 variant in 1973, and continues to build the type to this day. But the RAL-built Hunter of today is quite different from Sidney Camm's original, at least internally. New, modern avionics compliment a very capable aerodynamic design and a more powerful engine, coupled with a number of features designed to greatly improve the type's STOL performance.
The Hunter FGA. X, RAL's current export version, is a very capable and affordable trainer and combat aircraft. It is powered by one J8 turbofan engine, the same as found on RAL's liscence-built Jaguar. The J8 is a reliable and efficient engine, with a very long service life and interchangability with other RAL turbofan engines.
The FGA. X's radar is also a very capable model, a Robotstan-built copy of the Ferranti/BAe Systems Blue Vixen. FLIR and laser designator pods can be mounted on underfuselage hardpoints. A HUD and zero-zero ejection seat are also installed on both the light fighter and trainer variants.
The FGA. X can carry up to 3,357kg of external stores, including anti-tank and anti-ship missiles (including the Nimrod and Maverick PGMs, Hellfire/Brimstone, RBS-15, Sea Skua and Sea Eagle), laser-guided bombs, unguided bombs, folding-fin rockets, short- and medium-range AAMs (including AA-11, AIM-9, MATRA Magic, Python 4, Derby, AA-8, DRAB ASRAAM, and Sky Flash), and cannon pods. Four 30mm Aden cannons provide excellent ground attack firepower, and these can be swapped out for Bk-27s.
Maximum speed for both the FGA. X and T. X is about mach 1.1, and slightly faster in a shallow dive. Combat radius is approximately 850km, and can be extended with underwing and underfuselage drop tanks.
The trainer version is largely similar to the FGA. X, except for its two-seat cockpit layout. It has a slightly lower weapons capacity and shorter range.
http://www.hunterflyingclub.co.uk/hunterdt/images/xl573pd.jpg
Trainer version.
Starting price is in the neighborhood of 12-15 million USD.