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Aero Stežery AS-100
A AS-100 of the Royal Holyn Air Force
Role	Multirole combat aircraft
National origin	Holynia
Manufacturer	Aero Stežery
First flight	20 March 1992 (1992-03-20)
Introduction	9 June 2002 (2002-06-09)
Status	In service
Primary user	Royal Holyn Air Force
Produced	February 2002 – present
Number built	164 (2020)
Program cost	$9 billion (2005)
Unit cost	$23 billion (2005)
Developed from	Aero Stežery AS-70

The Aero Stežery AS-100 is a Holynian single-engine, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Aero Stežery. The aircraft has a cropped-delta wing design with fly-by-wire controls. It is powered by the Láska R-51 turbofan engine and is capable of Mach 1.8. Initial prototypes featured the Doležal R-50 engine, the same engine on the SOKO So-30, however, chronic smoke trail issues saw it replaced by the R-51.

Developed for the Ľahký frontový bojovník (English: Light frontline fighter) program, the AS-100 was developed in the late 1980s and 1990s. The fighter traces part of its design back to the Aero Stežery AS-70 fighter aircraft of the 1960s. The first prototype flew in 1992 and initially 100 aircraft were ordered by the Holyn government in 1995. The fall of communism in Holynia and Bogorian war for independence saw the AS-100 order cancelled. In 2002, the Ministry of Defence placed an initial order for 50 AS-100 aircraft. The AS-100 replaced the Aero Stežery AS-70 fighter jet and the Aero Stežery AS-83R reconnaissance plane in Holyn service.

Aero Stežery has offered the Mk II model of the AS-100, which features front canards, a new powerplant, new air and ground targeting pods and increased fuel capacity. Holynia opted for the M variant, which lacks the front canards but features the new targeting pods and upgraded fuel capacity.

Development

Background

The AS-100 was conceived during the Ľahký frontový bojovník (English: Light frontline fighter) program. The LFB program was initiated in 1986 to replace the Aero Stežery AS-70 and counter similar foreign single engine fighter jets. The program also had the stated goal of the aircraft achieving both comparable capabilities with the Aero Stežery AS-90 and SOKO So-30, while being faster and cheaper to produce. As the development began, Aero Stežery lead designer Vladimír Mäsiar took the basic design of the AS-70 and began making heavy modifications. In 1989, a basic prototype built from a AS-70 airframe was completed. This aircraft conducted ground tests for Doležal R-50 engine, the same engine used on the SOKO So-30. This aircraft was designed AS-97-1.

Flight testing

In 1991, a second prototype was completed, this time from scratch, and successfully conducted high speed taxi tests in July 1991. In January 1992, a third prototype was completed and conducted its maiden flight that March. Stability issues arose with the second prototype. Joint research both by SOKO and Aero Stežery began on developing fly-by-wire systems for their aircraft at the same time. A fourth prototype flew in January 1993. Air Force observers noted that heavy smoke trails, common also on the SOKO So-30, were trailing the AS-97-3. The smoke trail issue became so problematic that the Holyn Air Force threatened to award the LFB contract to SOKO. In October 1993, the Čiernik R-51 engine was installed on the fifth prototype. All remaining prototypes and production aircraft would receive the R-51 engine. In February 1994, SOKO withdrew from the LFB program in order to focus on its 5th generation fighter aircraft. The fifth prototype crashed outside Bystrica in May 1995.

Production

Aero Stežery formally designated the aircraft, the AS-100. In late 1995, the Holyn government approved an order for 150 AS-100 fighter aircraft. Production would begin in late 1997 in Aero Stežery's Bologd facility. The Bologd location was one of the two production lines of the Aero Stežery Super Čajka. It was the only Aero Stežery facility with space for additional production lines, however, would require significant retooling and upgrades. Aero Stežery initially wanted to produce the aircraft at the Kościerzyna, Bogoria factory, however, the Holyn Air Force also ordered 150 additional AS-95 fighter jets, limiting space at the Kościerzyna factory. Time constraints meant that Aero Stežery had little option but to use the Bologd facility for initial production. The outbreak of the Bogorian War for Independence and subsequent fall of the communist Holyn government saw the AS-100 production put on indefinite hold. In 1999, the new government formally cancelled the order.

An AS-100, armed with training missiles, during the Knights 2017 training exercises in northern Hornatyia.

In 2001, the Narodna Rada passed legislation authorizing the Ministry of Defense to procure 50 new single engine fighters. The Ministry of Defense turned to Aero Stežery, who offered the AS-100. Production would begin at teh Bologd factory in early 2002 and the first aircraft was handed over to the Air Force for acceptance trials in June 2002. The 78th Aviation Base in Harhov was the first unit to receive the new aircraft. Fully outfitted by January 2003, the AS-100 replaced the units older AS-70 fighter aircraft. Issues with the aerial refueling system prevented its addition to the earliest production aircraft of 16 aircraft. This issue was corrected in late 2003 and all remaining aircraft would have aerial refueling capabilities. Aero Stežery was ordered by the High Court to give a rebate to the Ministry of Defense as a result of the aerial refueling issue. In early 2004, the legislature authorized the additional order of 100 AS-100 fighter aircraft. An additional 10 AS-100 trainer aircraft were also to be delivered. In 2010, all 160 AS-100 fighter aircraft had entered service in the Royal Holyn Air Force.

Upgrades and improvements

In 2009, Aero Stežery unveiled the AS-100M, an updated version of the AS-100. The AS-100M features the Hegyi passively scanned array radar, IRV55 IRST system and the Seme air to ground targeting pod. It also features updated avionics, including LCD displays, upgraded HUD and HOTAS controls. Fuel capacity was increased, improving its range to 900 miles. The fly-by-wire system also received upgrades after feedback from the Royal Holyn Air Force. The initial AS-100 can be updated with some features of the AS-100M, designated AS-100AM, however lack the LCD cockpit displays, upgraded fly-by-wire and increased fuel capacity. The Ministry of Defense ordered 50 AS-100M fighter jets in 2015 and would upgrade 50 of its 160 AS-100A fighters to the AS-100AM standard. The first combat unit was fully outfitted with AS-100M fighters in May 2017.

Aero Stežery continued designing upgraded AS-100 variants in the 2010s. The AS-110 was showcased in 2016. Featuring significant airframe changes including removing the rear elevators with front canards, a new wing and tail design among other changes. The first prototype was produced in 2019 and showcased as a static display at the 2020 Bystrica Air Expo.