Emirati/Brazilian military trainer aircraft
The Calidus B-250 is a tandem-seat, turboprop, light attack aircraft with counter-insurgency capability. Its structure is constructed entirely of carbon fiber, thus making it much lighter than its competitors.[2] It has 7 hard points for placing weapons as well as EO/IR.[3] It has Pro Line Fusion II avionics systems supplied by the American company Rockwell Collins.[4]
Design and development
The B-250 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear. It has an enclosed cockpit with two Martin-Baker ejection seats in tandem. It has a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6A-68 turboprop in tractor configuration. It was designed and developed in Brazil by Novaer, with mass production to be undertaken by Calidus in the United Arab Emirates.[5] The chief designer for the project was Joseph Kovács who created the Embraer Tucano.[5]
In 2019, 24 aircraft were ordered by the United Arab Emirates Air Force at the 2019 Dubai Airshow.[6]
Specifications
Data from Air International[1]
General characteristics
Performance
- Maximum speed: 557 km/h (346 mph, 301 kn)
- Cruise speed: 520 km/h (320 mph, 280 kn) (clean)
- Combat range: 560 km (350 mi, 300 nmi) (combat radius, 4x laser guided bombs, 2x Air-to-air missiles and 1x fuel tank)
- Ferry range: 2,400 km (1,500 mi, 1,300 nmi)
- Endurance: 12 hr
- Service ceiling: 9,100 m (30,000 ft)
Armament
- Hardpoints: 7 with a capacity of 1,800 kg (3,960 lb)
