Republic of Venezuela

KIKE92

Post subject: Re: Republic of Venezuela

Posted: October 22nd, 2014, 12:36 pm

Posts: 546
Joined: July 26th, 2012, 12:29 pm
Location: Barcelona, Spain

VAI/Embraer F-1A Puma

The VAI/Embraer F-1 Puma (Cougar) is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by Venezuelan Aircraft Industries and Embraer. It was designed specifically for the South American export market and to replace older aircraft like the Northrop F-5, and older fourth generation fighters. The Puma has a conventional configuration with relaxed stability design and fly-by-wire flight controls. It is powered by the Snecma M88, the Eurojet EJ200 or the GE F414 and has a top speed of Mach 2 and in-flight refuelling. Later aircraft are modified for NATO interoperability standards.
VAI and Embraer began development studies for a light and cheap aircraft capable of fighter, attack and reconnaissance missions to replace older types in service in South America. A new design from VAI and Embraer using private funding was selected and developed as the F-1 later named the Puma (Cougar), first flying in late 2016. Following delays due to problems with the radar development most of the potential costumers decided to order existing types leaving the aircraft with only one costumer, the Peruvian Air Force which placed an order for 66 aircraft which kept the program alive. The Puma entered service with the Peruvian Air Force in 2018. Even though great efforts were made to sell the aircraft the Peruvian air force remained the only costumer for a year and a half until the Romanian Air Force ordered 48 airframes to replace their Mig-21's and this was followed shortly by an order from the Croatian Air Force for 24 aircraft taking the order book to 138 which ensured not only that the production run would be stable but that all the development costs would be covered. In 2019 the Libyan Air Force which had been looking for a cheap fighter to rebuilt its squadrons asked VAI and Embraer for a flight demonstration and evaluation of the aircraft, two weeks later two F-1's arrived at Tripoli for testing by Libyan pilots and maintenance crews which praised the fighters simplicity and capabilities. A week later the Libyan Air Force placed an order for 72 aircraft to equip three fighter squadrons.

General characteristics:

Crew: 1 (2 for F-1B)
Payload: 5,300 kg (11,700 lb)
Length: 14.8 m
Wingspan: 8.4 m
Height: 4.5 m
Wing area: 30.0 m²
Empty weight: 6,800 kg (12,600 lb)
Loaded weight: 8,500 kg (18,700 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 14,000 kg (31,000 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Snecma M88-4E afterburning turbofan
Dry thrust: 54 kN (12,100 lbf)
Thrust with afterburner: 80.5 kN (18,100 lbf)
Wheel track: 2.4 m

Performance:

Maximum speed: Mach 2 (2,204 km/h, 1,372 mph) at high altitude
Combat radius: 800 km (497 mi, 432 nmi)
Ferry range: 3,200 km (1,983 mi) with drop tanks
Service ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)
Wing loading: 283 kg/m² (58 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 0.97

Armament:

Guns: 1× GIAT 30/719B autocannon with 125 rounds
Hardpoints: 8 (three on each wing and two under fuselage) and provisions to carry combinations of:

Rockets:
4× rocket pods, 13.5 cm rockets

Missiles:
6× AIM-9 Sidewinder, IRIS-T, MAA-1B Piranha, A-Darter or Python-4
4× AIM-120 AMRAAM, Meteor or MICA
4× AGM-65 Maverick
2× MBDA Apache
4× AASM-Hammer
2× AM 39-Exocet or MAN-1
4× MAR-1
12× Brimstone

Bombs:
4× GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb
8× Mark 82 bombs
8× GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb
8× SMKB GPS-guided bomb

Others:
1x Thales Damocles, Litening or Sniper XR

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kike-92

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