Calidus B-350

alberchico

alberchico

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https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2021-11-14/calidus-unveils-giant-attack-aircraft
https://aviationweek.com/shownews/dubai-airshow/calidus-reveals-scaled-counter-insurgency-aircraft
Only a mockup for now to attract orders. This is one massive beast with a whopping 12 underwing hardpoints. It's about the closest we are going to get to a modern version of the legendary Douglas Skyraider. I wonder how much of a market this aircraft has ? Perhaps an Asian or African nation fighting an insurgency that cannot afford jets but needs something more capable than a Tucano or a small UAV ? I wonder if the Philippines might be tempted to order this if the price is right.
 

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If they sell it to a poor country, they do not need to worry about neighboring air forces that are equally poorly equipped. They only need to be able to out-gun local insurgents, drug-smugglers, etc. It only has to be faster than local drug-smuggling airplanes. All those fancy sensors allow it to loiter well above AAA ranges and altitudes.
With its P&WC 127 engine pumping out 2,700 hp. it should be able to lift loads rivalling the Douglas AD-1 Skyraider.
 
As a matter of fact, France used its Algerian war Skyraiders long past 1962, well into the 70's (1976 !) in Djibouti, where they were replaced by... F-100s, then Jaguars. In fact the French Djibouti air base is named from a pilot killed in a skyraider crash in the late 60's.
In fact the Skyraiders keep fighting for France in Africa in the 15 years between the end of the Algerian war and the beginning of Operation Lamantin - 1977, when Jaguars went there "officially".
In the meantime some were sold to Gabon and Chad, where they lasted until the early 80's.

I think the market would be a niche, but could eventually exist - Mexico, Africa, and some others places far from any serious air defenses (Brazil's Amazonia as an "Hyper Tucano" ?)
 
USAF could be (at least) interested in this project. With their quite meticulous choice of close air support manned flying vehicle, such option adds another subtle complement to menu. A-10? Too ordinary :cool:
 
I found two higher resolution pictures that show the aircraft in greater detail. It looks like the aircraft will be retrofitted with electronic countermeasures on the sides of the fuselage. You can see one just below the engine exhaust vent. This article has a bit more info about the project:

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/4428939.html?utm_source=3userpost
 

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TomcatViP said:
The exhaust nozzle, being right next to the pilot seat, is rather scary.
Click to expand...
but shielded from below by the wing, so fairly practical.

But that is a big beast - does it really need to be that wide, almost enough for a side by side cockpit. I'm assuming that big fuselage is a fuel tank?
 
Fluff said:
TomcatViP said:
The exhaust nozzle, being right next to the pilot seat, is rather scary.
Click to expand...
but shielded from below by the wing, so fairly practical.

But that is a big beast - does it really need to be that wide, almost enough for a side by side cockpit. I'm assuming that big fuselage is a fuel tank?
Click to expand...

It doesn't seem that wide to me; no more than necessary to house the PW127, really.
 
Archibald said:
I think the market would be a niche, but could eventually exist - Mexico, Africa, and some others places far from any serious air defenses (Brazil's Amazonia as an "Hyper Tucano" ?)
Click to expand...
The chief designer for the same firm's smaller predecessor, the B-250, used to work for Embraer. He was in the design team for the Tucano. It was designed in São José dos Campos by Novaer, a Brazilian firm owned by Calidus (UAE) since 2015.

So yeah, Hyper Tucano is about right.
 
Turboprop Skyraider. Not as good looking as the Skyshark, but that's what I think of when I see it. Especially the image with man standing next to it. That really gives a sense of it's size.
 
swerve said:
Archibald said:
I think the market would be a niche, but could eventually exist - Mexico, Africa, and some others places far from any serious air defenses (Brazil's Amazonia as an "Hyper Tucano" ?)
Click to expand...
The chief designer for the same firm's smaller predecessor, the B-250, used to work for Embraer. He was in the design team for the Tucano. It was designed in São José dos Campos by Novaer, a Brazilian firm owned by Calidus (UAE) since 2015.

So yeah, Hyper Tucano is about right.
Click to expand...

Okaaaay... that explains a lot of things about this beast. Hey, they should scale it up again, using an A400M turboprop !

Turboprop Skyraider. Not as good looking as the Skyshark, but that's what I think of when I see it. Especially the image with man standing next to it. That really gives a sense of it's size.
Click to expand...
Hopefully with a more reliable turboprop... (not too difficult !) But you have a point, a modern day Skyshark for sure.
 
Only a recap:

- By operational point of view such new plane essentially covers the same role as the old Douglas A-1E "Skyraider"
- By design point of view such new plane is a sorta of super enlarged version of a Pilatus PC-21 trainer.
- By economical point of view there is a big question mark....
 
I would say that USAF decade long efforts at procuring Super Tucanos for COIN are not exactly encouraging... they ended shelving the idea, or pass the aircraft to the Afghans (cough, should I say the Talebans ?)

...and Calidus, such a bizarre name. Then again it sounds a bit like Kalidor, so maybe its appropriate ? For a big, muscular brute of aircraft carrying a load of heavy weapons ?
 
archipeppe said:
Only a recap:

- By operational point of view such new plane essentially covers the same role as the old Douglas A-1E "Skyraider"
- By design point of view such new plane is a sorta of super enlarged version of a Pilatus PC-21 trainer.
- By economical point of view there is a big question mark....
Click to expand...

The problem with this aircraft is that only a country that is currently engaged in combat operations could justify the purchase of such a machine. Two such nations, Nigeria and the Philippines, have already acquired the Super Tucano to deal with their insurgencies. Afghanistan could have been a potential customer, but not anymore. Perhaps Ethiopia, Sudan or Libya if the price is right. I do love the looks of this machine. It is essentially a poor man's SU-25.
 

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Archibald said:

Okaaaay... that explains a lot of things about this beast. Hey, they should scale it up again, using an A400M turboprop !

Turboprop Skyraider. Not as good looking as the Skyshark, but that's what I think of when I see it. Especially the image with man standing next to it. That really gives a sense of it's size.
Click to expand...
Hopefully with a more reliable turboprop... (not too difficult !) But you have a point, a modern day Skyshark for sure.
Click to expand...
Skyraider is a better analogy. Skyshark had twice the power, was as fast as an L-39, but had a better climb rate and higher ceiling than the L-39. It was on par with the first generation of straight wing jets. The jets might have had a bit higher top speed, but the Skyshark could beat them in a climb and had a higher ceiling. A modern Skyshark with the kinks worked out would be a hell of an aircraft.

Scale it up to fit an A400 engine and you'd have twice the power of a Skyshark. More than both engines on a C-27J in fact. Might be - overkill. :) C-27J engine on the other hand....
 
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It would appear that they have also barrowed from AW&ST.
 
I see a lot of potential for a smaller country in fighting home grown problems.
Upkeep and training would be easier some other means.
 

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