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Posted: 6/15/2016 12:36:47 AM EDT
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a21305/mwari-south-african-prop-plane/
The Mwari, named for a southern African god of creation, is based on Paramount's Advanced High Performance Reconnaissance Light Attack Aircraft (AHRLAC). Designed for civilian use and security missions, AHRLAC recently completed flight testing. Now Paramount is offering the militarized Mwari version to customers in Africa and further afield. Paramount Group chairman Igor Ichikowitz spoke to Popular Mechanics from Kazakhstan where he was trying to sell the Kazakh government on the Mwari. The ideal combat aircraft for African nations and others like Kazakhstan that have similar needs, he says, would be "a platform that could do most of what a helicopter could do but at the cost of a single-engine fixed wing airplane." |
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Cool set up. Looks like a Skymaster rear with a jet fighter cockpit.
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Very cool looking aircraft.
I wonder what they mean by "affordable"? |
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20 mike mike internal and at least 6 hardpoints on the wings for stores.
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Seems like a very reasonable, practical concept.
Cost seems a bit high, but who knows why. |
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In a Syria type atmosphere where the opfor has access to sa-7/stingers these would be death traps
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I imagine even a ZSU mount would be big trouble for a slow-mover fixed wing. At least rotorcraft can hover NOE and engage while covered. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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In a Syria type atmosphere where the opfor has access to sa-7/stingers these would be death traps I imagine even a ZSU mount would be big trouble for a slow-mover fixed wing. At least rotorcraft can hover NOE and engage while covered. Imagine how much chaos a machine gun company would have firing at these. No armor. No speed. Yeah..good idea for Afghanistan where SAMs were pretty rare but Syria is another story. Load them up with rockets, fuel, an 20mm and loiter at high altitudes over fobs like a hawk looking for a mouse. |
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I've always liked the look of the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano.
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True but affordable would be closer to 500k, not ten mil. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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10 mil each for a bird dog doesn't seem too affordable An Apache costs 35 million. True but affordable would be closer to 500k, not ten mil. It gets worse. According to the article: Paramount's stated goal is to make Mwari the cheapest of its kind and initial estimates put the price tag at less than $20 million for an airplane ready to go. That sounds expensive as hell but I imagine fixed-wing is cheaper to maintain and repair than a helicopter of similar price. |
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Quoted: True but affordable would be closer to 500k, not ten mil. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: 10 mil each for a bird dog doesn't seem too affordable An Apache costs 35 million. True but affordable would be closer to 500k, not ten mil. Have you priced airplanes lately? You can barely buy a new Cirrus for that, let alone a Mooney or something |
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Fuselage mounted cannon?
Where? That cockpit sits pretty low. Take away the space needed for the nosegear and that sensor ball on the nose, what room is left for a cannon? |
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10 mil each for a bird dog doesn't seem too affordable An Apache costs 35 million. So at 20 million a pop you can ALMOST buy two of these or one Apache Hmmmm. .. that's a tough decision |
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Looks like something you would see a lot of if the Rhodesia fight were going on today instead of the 1970's. I have a great uncle who flew for the RhAF. I'll have to show him this thread.
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Quoted: So at 20 million a pop you can ALMOST buy two of these or one Apache Hmmmm. .. that's a tough decision View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: 10 mil each for a bird dog doesn't seem too affordable An Apache costs 35 million. So at 20 million a pop you can ALMOST buy two of these or one Apache Hmmmm. .. that's a tough decision |
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10 mil each for a bird dog doesn't seem too affordable View Quote That depends on whose money you're spending. Price a new Baron or a Bonanza, prices are insane, and those have piston engines. Price engines and avionics, too, it's easy to spend $50k for a piston engine, before hanging accessories or a propeller. I posted a link and photo of this ugly bitch a month or so ago in one of the interminable OV-10/F-35/CAS threads. |
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So at 20 million a pop you can ALMOST buy two of these or one Apache Hmmmm. .. that's a tough decision View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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10 mil each for a bird dog doesn't seem too affordable An Apache costs 35 million. So at 20 million a pop you can ALMOST buy two of these or one Apache Hmmmm. .. that's a tough decision This one has greater range and loiter time, higher service ceiling (especially when hot and high), faster, much cheaper to operate etc. etc. |
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I like the general concept and layout, but why would Anyone buy a plane designed or built in Africa?
And for $10 - $20 Million? It just doesn't make any friggin sense. That is a 4 million dollar plane, maybe 5.5 with all the options. (And I'm using first world pricing) Even African Warlords are smarter than that. You buy your aircraft from reputable, established manufacturers, who can offer support and training. |
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True but affordable would be closer to 500k, not ten mil. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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10 mil each for a bird dog doesn't seem too affordable An Apache costs 35 million. True but affordable would be closer to 500k, not ten mil. Initial costs are negligible for combat aircraft. Operating costs are where the real money is spent... and fixed-wing is shitloads cheaper than rotary. |
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Quoted: I like the general concept and layout, but why would Anyone buy a plane designed or built in Africa? And for $10 - $20 Million? It just doesn't make any friggin sense. That is a 4 million dollar plane, maybe 5.5 with all the options. (And I'm using first world pricing) Even African Warlords are smarter than that. You buy your aircraft from reputable, established manufacturers, who can offer support and training. View Quote |
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I like the general concept and layout, but why would Anyone buy a plane designed or built in Africa? And for $10 - $20 Million? It just doesn't make any friggin sense. That is a 4 million dollar plane, maybe 5.5 with all the options. (And I'm using first world pricing) Even African Warlords are smarter than that. You buy your aircraft from reputable, established manufacturers, who can offer support and training. View Quote Paramount isn't some shady company located in some guy's garage. They have a proven track record. |
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Paramount isn't some shady company located in some guy's garage. They have a proven track record. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I like the general concept and layout, but why would Anyone buy a plane designed or built in Africa? And for $10 - $20 Million? It just doesn't make any friggin sense. That is a 4 million dollar plane, maybe 5.5 with all the options. (And I'm using first world pricing) Even African Warlords are smarter than that. You buy your aircraft from reputable, established manufacturers, who can offer support and training. Paramount isn't some shady company located in some guy's garage. They have a proven track record. Their aviation experience is thin. I still think this machine started as a senior design project in a South African university. Even if not, they need to hire a good loftsman. |
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So at 20 million a pop you can ALMOST buy two of these or one Apache Hmmmm. .. that's a tough decision View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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10 mil each for a bird dog doesn't seem too affordable An Apache costs 35 million. So at 20 million a pop you can ALMOST buy two of these or one Apache Hmmmm. .. that's a tough decision Yeah it's a really easy decision. You can operate 3 or 4 of these, and actually have a pretty good chance of one being available when you need it, or for the same money buy an Apache or 2, fly it a couple times a year, and trailer it in parades. |
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True but affordable would be closer to 500k, not ten mil. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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10 mil each for a bird dog doesn't seem too affordable An Apache costs 35 million. True but affordable would be closer to 500k, not ten mil. Loggie tail on that 10 mil a copy is significantly less as is CPFH. |
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A SA-7 won't be hitting anything flying a 30,000 feet. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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In a Syria type atmosphere where the opfor has access to sa-7/stingers these would be death traps A SA-7 won't be hitting anything flying a 30,000 feet. Neither will this plane. |
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In a Syria type atmosphere where the opfor has access to sa-7/stingers these would be death traps A SA-7 won't be hitting anything flying a 30,000 feet. Neither will this plane. With a SDB it will. |
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Their aviation experience is thin. I still think this machine started as a senior design project in a South African university. Even if not, they need to hire a good loftsman. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I like the general concept and layout, but why would Anyone buy a plane designed or built in Africa? And for $10 - $20 Million? It just doesn't make any friggin sense. That is a 4 million dollar plane, maybe 5.5 with all the options. (And I'm using first world pricing) Even African Warlords are smarter than that. You buy your aircraft from reputable, established manufacturers, who can offer support and training. Paramount isn't some shady company located in some guy's garage. They have a proven track record. Their aviation experience is thin. I still think this machine started as a senior design project in a South African university. Even if not, they need to hire a good loftsman. True. |
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the price probably includes a maintenance and support package
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Imagine how much chaos a machine gun company would have firing at these. No armor. No speed. Yeah..good idea for Afghanistan where SAMs were pretty rare but Syria is another story. Load them up with rockets, fuel, an 20mm and loiter at high altitudes over fobs like a hawk looking for a mouse. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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In a Syria type atmosphere where the opfor has access to sa-7/stingers these would be death traps I imagine even a ZSU mount would be big trouble for a slow-mover fixed wing. At least rotorcraft can hover NOE and engage while covered. Imagine how much chaos a machine gun company would have firing at these. No armor. No speed. Yeah..good idea for Afghanistan where SAMs were pretty rare but Syria is another story. Load them up with rockets, fuel, an 20mm and loiter at high altitudes over fobs like a hawk looking for a mouse. AT-802U |
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Actually, it looks like an attack helicopter cockpit. Someone here suggested something similar, a few years ago, only based on an OV-10 rather than a Skymaster. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Cool set up. Looks like a Skymaster rear with a jet fighter cockpit. Actually, it looks like an attack helicopter cockpit. Someone here suggested something similar, a few years ago, only based on an OV-10 rather than a Skymaster. It looks like it's patterned after something like an old German Alphajet. My bad brother, I didn't see you there. Quoted:
Reminds me of the Dassault-Dornier Alpha. http://www.militaryaircraft.de/pictures/military/aircraft/Alpha-Jet/Alpha-Jet_2007-09-WTD61_0118_800.jpg |
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