Ilchenko Il-31

Potapov Po-40
Role	Attack aircraft
National origin	Chervolesia
Manufacturer	Aero Pereval
Designer	Potapov Design Bureau
First flight	1976
Introduction	1977
Status	In service
Primary user	People's Liberation Army Navy
Produced	1977-2003
Number built	567
Developed from	Potapov PrO-52

The Potapov Po-40 (Yavorstri: Потапов По-40; AFDC reporting name: Falchion) is a single-seat carrier-based all-weather attack aircraft developed by Potapov Design Bureau and manufactured by Aero Pereval.

The Po-40 was developed from the experimental VTOL PrO-52 after the latter was rejected by the People's Liberation Army Navy. This new design was quickly adopted as a light and economical supplement to the Potapov Po-35 strike fighter in-service with both carrier aviation and ground-based squadrons. At the time of its adoption in 1977, it was the first Chervolesian combat aircraft to be outfitted with a fuel-efficient turbofan engine.

367 frames would be produced over the course of its 26 year production lifespan. Six main variants would be developed: the base Po-40 introduced in 1977, the land-based Po-42 introduced in 1979, the Po-40M introduced as a midlife upgrade in 1989, the Po-42M introduced in 1989, the further improved Po-40MU introduced in 2000, and Po-42MU introduced in 2001. The Po-40 remains in active service with the People's Liberation Army Navy and several other nations around the world.

Development

Design and testing

Over the course of the 1960s and early 1970s, Potapov built a series of experimental VTOL fighters intended to replace the Potapov Po-34 in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy. These designs ultimately led to the Potapov PrO-52 (Potapov Test Object No. 52)...

Operators

• Chervolesia
  • People's Liberation Army Navy

Specifications (Po-40MU)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 13.8 m (45.1 ft)
• Wingspan: 8.1 m (26.6 ft)
• Height: 4.7 m (15.4 ft)
• Empty weight: 5,500 kg (12,125 lb)
• Loaded weight: 10,000 kg (22,050 lb)
• Max. takeoff weight: 11,630 kg (25,640 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Osokin AM-32 afterburning turbofan
  • Dry thrust: 24 kN (5,395 lbf) each
  • Thrust with afterburner: 36 kN (8,093 lbf) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 1.6 (1,975 km/h; 1,228 mph)
• Combat radius: 800 km (500 miles) on internal fuel

Armament

• Guns: 2× MTs-23 autocannon, 120 rounds each
• Hardpoints: 6 hardpoints with a capacity of 4,500 kg and provisions to carry combinations of:
  • Rockets:
    
    • UB-32 rocket pods
    • B-8M rocket pods for S-8 rockets
    • S-13
    • S-24
    • S-25
  • Missiles:
    
    • Air-to-air missiles:
      • K-13A
      • R-60
      • R-73
    • Air-to-surface missiles:
      • Kh-23
      • Kh-25
      • Kh-29
    • Anti-radiation missiles:
      • Kh-28
  • Bombs:
    
    • BETAB-500
    • FAB-250
    • FAB-500
    • FAN-500
    • KAB-500KR
    • ZAB-500 incendiary bomb

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