Lasa Engineering T-Bird

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.

lasaeng.eu

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

Source: weaponsystems.net

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.

Image: yugoimport.com

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