Image: lasaeng.eu
Bulgaria's Light Armed Surveillance Engineering (LASA) is
promoting a weaponised version of the Thrush 510G agricultural, aimed at
customers who are fighting insurgencies and face other security issues.
LASA has received one international order for the T-Bird,
the prototype of which is on display in the static park.
Project manager Orlin Trifonov declined to name the
aircraft's first customer, but says its target market is the developing world.
To develop T-Bird, LASA makes a number of changes to a
green Thrush 510G. It adds ballistics protection with armour around the cockpit
and engine, as well as an aluminium mesh liner in the fuel tanks. This last
modification reduces the risk of an explosion in the event the aircraft suffers
gunfire damage. Source: flightglobal.com
Low-cost COIN - armed cropduster with Russian
weapons on display at Paris Air Show News - Day 'Zero' https://twitter.com/RAeSTimR
IOMAX S2R-660 Archangel light attack and
reconnaissance aircraft (AT-802)-OA-8 Longsword: Details
IOMAX S2R-660 Archangel light attack and reconnaissance aircraft
(AT-802)-OA-8 Longsword - Image: sohu.com
Thrush Aviation is the current company producing the
510G, which is a low-wing, single-engine turbo-prop intended for crop-dusting
and other agricultural work. In that configuration, a pilot would generally fly
between 90 to 150 miles per hour, per the firm’s website. It can fly as slow as
55 miles per hour and only needs 1,500 feet to take off when loaded to a gross
weight of 10,500 pounds. With its four-blade, variable-pitch propeller in full
reverse, it can land in just 350 feet.
The aircraft has six underwing pylons for weapons, plus a
day and infrared night-vision camera turret mounted under the fuselage.
Austrian company Airborne Technologies is responsible for this sensor suite.
There is likely armor added to the certain parts of the fuselage and wings and
bullet-proof windows around the main cabin.
Notably, at the 2017 Paris Air Show, LASA decided to
display their offering with a variety of Soviet-era weapons strapped to the
aircraft. The plane had two 16-round UB-16-57 and two 32-round UB-32 rocket
pods, both able to fire the 57mm S-5 rocket, plus two UPK-23 gun pods, each
with a twin-barrel 23mm cannon inside.
These armament options might be more appealing to certain
countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa, and elsewhere that have
large stockpiles of Soviet-style weapons and ammunition already on hand and are
less concerned with collateral damage. And with other companies in Bulgaria
still making many of these products, it would also be easier for LASA to offer
a package deal with this armament. Source: thedrive.com
T-Bird Description
Image: lasaeng.eu
The T-Bird is a perfect combination of endurance, ISR
sensors, data links and kinematic weapons.
It is able to loiter in an area of interest and has the
time and sensors to identify and develop a target picture as well as has the
ability to then apply kinematic effects to “finish” identified hostile targets.
ISR equipment and Airborne LINX package are provided by
Airborne Technologies GmbH.
Airborne LINX
Real time communication between people,
government and the Armed Forces is a significant part of modern battlespace and
opens up new ways of staying connected with the operation. Modern
communications technologies will increasingly make every location on the globe
seem equidistant from every other location. Our open architecture enables us to
provide you customized C2 ISR solutions in accordance with your infrastructure
and requirements.
Due to our sophisticated experience we see
ourselves as centre of excellence for modern Airborne Surveillance System
Architecture in Special Mission Aircraft.
The field-proven knowledge of our employees,
the availability of different aircraft, sensors, and the expertise in managing
special projects allows us to fully customize our solutions and to enable
immediate, worldwide operation. According to military standards we guarantee
worldwide after sales support.
airbornetechnologies.at
What makes us unique is that we have experts
from all backgrounds under one roof covering the whole process from aircraft
modification and certification right up to providing fielding aircraft
operation with our own fleet of aircraft, crew, sensors and data processing
capabilities.
As experienced professionals we know your
mission and we make it our business to meet your needs.
Standardized Ethernet network interface - airbornetechnologies.at
The system architecture based on a
standardized Ethernet network interface opens a new world of possibilities:
- 3G/4G
mobile networks enabling position data transmission and internet/tactical
network access
- Line
of Sight and Beyond Line of Sight data downlink and uplink enabling remote
control of mission equipment (no operator in the aircraft)
- Ethernet
link to other components (e.g. video recorder and mission laptops)
- Tablets,
Smart Phones or other staff devices to be connected with the mission
systems via WIFI
- Remote
maintenance of all ISR components which are connected to the Ethernet
network (e.g.: EO/IR Sensor, Downlink, MMU, Recorder, Moving Map Computer)
- Remote
staff training by using common remote desktop training software tools
Mission Management Unit (MMU) - airbornetechnologies.at
One key aspect of Airborne Technologies'
System Architecture is the Mission Management Unit (MMU):
The Full-HD MMU supplies each video source
(Video source from Camera, Augmented Reality System, Video Recorder in
"Replay Mode") onto each screen or recorder or downlink. The MMU is
able to manage up to 16 HD video inputs and 16 HD video outputs.
The MMU can be easily controlled by an
integrated touch screen.
Source: airbornetechnologies.at
Lasa Engineering T-Bird - Image: sohu.com
The T-Bird aircraft has been conceived as a rugged, long
endurance ISR platform that allows operations from unimproved runways. Thanks
to the fully armored cockpit, aggressive deployment and operation in hostile
environments is possible.
Furthermore, the NVG compatible cockpit enables full
day/night operations, which provides the ability to operate unobserved and
untargeted by optically guided surface to air weapons at night.
TR-Pod Description
S.C.A.R. - Pod with FLIR Ultraforce 350 HD - airbornetechnologies.at
The TR-Pod, besides ISR capabilities, includes all the
equipment required for rapid execution of the complete targeting cycle.
The pod constitutes an easy ISR and Targeting upgradefor
your aircraft. It needs no airframe modifications and can be mounted on any
aircraft equipped with NATO or Warshaw Pact hard points.
EO/IR gimbal
Integrated Sighting System
Precision Weapon Capabilities
HD up-/downlink
Moving Map and Mission Computer
Augmented Reality System
COMINT/SIGINT equipment
This Pod is completely self-sufficient and allows
wireless operation. Data connection from pod to operator station is done via
WIFI and needs no external cabling. The use of an internal - easy changeable -
battery pack grants power supply for up to 10 hours.
The TR-Pod does not need any airframe modifications on
the aircraft. The lug suspensions enable immediate use on every aircraft with
hard points. The light weight carbon fibre pod carries a complete surveillance
mission architecture which upgrades any aircraft to an ISR platform in less
than 1 hour.
It offers room for an EO/IR Gimbal, Downlink, Uplink,
Moving Map, Augmented Reality System and COMINT/SIGINT equipment. With this new
TR-Pod every aircraft and helicopter equipped with hard points can be a
surveillance aircraft instantly. Although the TR-Pod is an "out of the box
solution" it turns out to be very flexible in fulfilling special customer
needs. On the basis of "Plug & Fly" the customer is able to add
ISR capability to his fleet.
Lasa Engineering T-Bird - Image: sohu.com
Weapons
2 x UPK-23 gun pods
The UPK-23 is a gun pod of a fairly simple design. The
round aerodynamic pod houses a single fixed twin barrel GSh-23L autocannon at
the front and associated ammunition at the rear. For operation the pod requires
external power which is provided by the aircraft. Since the cannon is fixed it
is aimed by pointing the aircraft in the direction of the target. Compared to the
SPPU-22 pod with similar but flexible armament the UPK-23 is much lighter.
The UPK-23 features a single twin barrel GSh-23L
autocannon and 250 rounds of 23x115mm ammunition. The cyclic rate of fire is
3.000 rpm and the maximum effective range is 2 km. The 23mm rounds are
effective against infantry, soft skin vehicles and light armored vehicles.
UPK-23: The UPK-23 is a gun pod with the twin barrel
GSh-23L with 250 rounds of ammunition as armament. The gun is fixed and the
flight path must be adjusted to aim the UPK-23. There are no derivatives or
variants.
Lasa Engineering T-Bird - Image: sohu.com
Specifications:
Type
|
Gun pod
|
Platform
|
Aircraft, helicopters
|
Length
|
3.2 m
|
Diameter
|
0.395 m
|
Weight
|
218 kg loaded
|
Armament
|
23mm GSh-23L
autocannon with 250 rounds
|
Remarks
|
250 mm lug spacing
|
2 x 16-round UB-16-57mm Rocket Pods
- UB-16-57UMP
- rockets:
16
- length
× diameter: 1,880 × 335 mm
- weight,
empty: 57 kg
- weight,
loaded: 138 kg
2 x 32-round UB-32-57mm Rocket Pods
- UB-32
- rockets:
32
- length
× diameter: 2,080 × 481 mm
- weight,
empty: 103 kg
- weight,
loaded: 264 kg
Lasa Engineering T-Bird - Image: sohu.com
S-5 rocket
Image: edetechnologies.com
The S-5 (first designated ARS-57) is a rocket weapon
developed by the Soviet Air Force and used by military aircraft against ground
area targets. It is in service with the Russian Air Force and various export
customers.
It is produced in a variety of subtypes with different
warheads, including HEAT anti-armour (S-5K), high-explosive fragmentation
(S-5M/MO), smoke, and incendiary rounds. Each rocket is about 1.4 meters (4 ft
6 in) long and weighs about 5 kg (11 lb), depending on warhead and fuze. Range
is 3 to 4 kilometres (1.9 to 2.6 miles). Source revolvy.com
