The Calidus B-250 is a
tandem-seat,
turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
, light attack aircraft with
counter-insurgency
Counterinsurgency (COIN) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas or revolutionar ...
capability. Its structure is constructed entirely of
carbon fiber
Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...
, thus making it much lighter than its competitors. It has 7 hard points for placing weapons as well as EO/IR. It has Pro Line Fusion II avionics systems supplied by the American company
Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins was a multinational corporation headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, providing avionics and information technology systems and services to government agencies and aircraft manufacturers. It was formed when the Collins Radio Comp ...
.
Design and development
The B-250 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a retractable
tricycle landing gear
Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...
. 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
Novaer is a manufacturer of military aircraft and landing gear based in São José dos Campos, São Paulo.
History
The company was founded in 1999 by the aerospace engineer Luiz Paulo Junqueira. The company develops and manufactures military a ...
, with mass production to be undertaken by Calidus in the United Arab Emirates.
The chief designer for the project was Joseph Kovács who created the
Embraer Tucano.
In 2019, 24 aircraft were ordered by the
United Arab Emirates Air Force at the 2019
Dubai Airshow
The Dubai Airshow ( ar, معرض دبي للطيران) is a biennial air show held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in ...
.
Operators
;
*
United Arab Emirates Air Force
Specifications
See also
*
Calidus B-350
*
Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano
The Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (English: ''Super Toucan''), also named ALX or A-29, is a Brazilian turboprop light attack aircraft designed and built by Embraer as a development of the Embraer EMB 312 Tucano. The A-29 Super Tucano carries a ...
*
Novaer T-Xc
*
Novaer U-Xc Stardream
The Novaer U-Xc Stardream is a proposed four passenger, composite aircraft.
Design and development
The U-Xc Stardream was first proposed by Novaer Craft in 2010. The aircraft will use carbon fiber main and secondary structures with a fiberglas ...
References
External links
Calidus B-250 webpageNovaer B-250 webpage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calidus B-250
Single-engined turboprop aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 2017
Emirati military aircraft
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Low-wing aircraft