Posted on 11/12/2010 9:31:23 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Indonesia orders Super Tucanos for light attack role
By Greg Waldron
Indonesia plans to buy eight Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano light attack turboprops, and could eventually double its order - the first for the Brazilian type in the Asia-Pacific region.
"Air force headquarters has decided to replace our Rockwell OV-10 Broncos with as many as 16 Super Tucanos," says Indonesian air force operational commander Yushan Sayuti, according to a report by the country's official Antara news agency.
The first Super Tucanos will arrive in 2012 under the initial order, which also includes ground-support stations and a logistics package. Several other types were considered for the requirement, such as the Korea Aerospace Industries KT-1. Eleven of these are in air force service as trainers, says Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.
"The Super Tucano has been chosen to replace the Broncos because of its flexibility to perform a broad range of missions, including light attack, surveillance, air-to-air interception and counter insurgency," says Embraer. MiliCAS lists Indonesia's active OV-10 fleet at just two aircraft.
The EMB-314 can operate from unpaved runways with a variety of armaments, including its two wing-housed 12.7mm machine guns. Other weapons can include conventional and laser-guided bombs, plus rocket pods and air-to-air missiles. The aircraft also carries an electro-optical/infrared sensor, laser designator and secure radios with datalinks.
© Embraer
Colombia also flies the Super Tucano in the light attack role
The type can also be used as a trainer, thanks to its advanced avionics fit, and its low-speed performance means it can also perform surveillance tasks.
The counter-insurgency mission is important to Indonesia, which at various times in its 60-year history has contended with rebel movements in outlying provinces. Broncos provided air support during Indonesia's invasion of East Timor in 1975, and were used extensively against Timorese rebels in the 1970s and 1990s prior to Timor Leste's independence in 2002.
In addition, a simmering independence struggle in the country's West Papua province sometimes erupts into fighting.
The Super Tucano is operated by the air forces of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador, with the type having now logged over 100,000 flight hourse.
Why do the prop blades look feathered in that pic? Is that how they are kept with the engine off?
That would seem a reasonable thing to do. After all if the engine quits in the air you’re gonna want ‘em feathered!
Boeing is going to regret leaving the entire regional jet market to Embraer. GM too thought at one time there was no way the Japanese could sell into the big car market either.
We should be using these in Afghanistan, Sudan, etc.
I believe they are under review for that very operation.
A related or similar plane is the T6 Texan, which is already in use as a trainer.
I guess you’d use the super hot sauce for the heavy attack role.
No, they can’t haul much weight and they aren’t capable of
hauling it at altitudes encountered in A’stan.
Troops need a fast mover with the ability to haul a bunch
of JDAMs and the electronics to put them on the target.
Would have to think long and hard to trade a Bronco for one of these.
Nice tagline...
True, two engines better than one...
Who is Indonesia going to attack BUT THEIR OWN PEOPLE?...
Yes, and Yes.
This aircraft uses a PT6A free turbine engine. There is not direct mechanical connection between the hot gas generator section (wherein fuel is burned) and the power section (which drives the prop. With the engine off, there is nothing to prevent the propeller from freewheeling in the wind. I'm actually surprised they don't have a boot on it. That's standard practice with some other PT6A powered aircraft, such as the Twin Otter.
Thanks - that explains it.
Wouldn’t you want some sort of internal lock, to stop them from freewheeling in the air if power is lost? Would help the glide distance I imagine.
I’m a turbofan guy myself (CF6-60) so modern props are a bit of a mystery to me.
I'm pretty sure I wouldn't ... the consequences of such lock engaging during powered flight would be unpleasant.
When the aircraft is parked, even a slight "crosswind" can get the prop spinning.
I believe procedure in case of an engine failure is simply to feather the prop. The feathered prop presents very little area to the airstream whether it's spinning or not.
You know how far a Twin Otter will fly on one engine, right?
All the way to the scene of the crash!
BWAHAHAHAHahahahaha!
Actually, it's not that bad ...
Good points - thanks.
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