Altomare C.87 Ciclone

Altomare C.87 Ciclone
A C.87 aircraft of the 333° Squadrone Caccia, 33° Stormo
Role	Fighter/interceptor
National origin	Luminerra
Manufacturer	Altomare Aviation
First flight	October 11, 1981
Introduction	1987
Status	In service
Primary user	Lumenic Air Force
Developed from	Altomare A.79 Ciclone

The Altomare C.87 Ciclone is a fighter aircraft designed and produced by Altomare Aviation intended to replace the Licanan I-36 and Notreceauen Prévoyance Cygne aircraft in service with the Lumenic Air Force. The aircraft is a is a long-range, twin-engine, variable-sweep wing interceptor aircraft. Developed from the Altomare A.79 Ciclone fighter-bomber, the C.85 was originally developed during the Omandan Continental War as a means for the Lumenic Air Force to intercept Soviet Order bombers before they could launch attacks against their targets, it was equipped with an extremely powerful radar and beyond-visual-range missiles.

Though the C.85 served ell during the Omandan Continental War and into the years that followed, and remains in service with the Lumenic Air Force, it would ultimately be replaced by more modern multirole combat aircraft like the Scorza C.96 Squalo and the Altomare C.11 Spettro stealth fighter aircraft.

Variants

• YA-81 - Prototype version constructed form ane xisting A.79 airframe. First flew in 1981.
• C.87: Initial 1987 production version. 54 produced before the C.87B was accepted.
• C.87B: 1989 upgrade to the production version, replacing the troublesome Aleo Fulmine engine with the more reliable Vaccari AE-2141. All C-.87 aircraft upgraded to the C.87B standard by 1991.
• C.87B: 1996 upgrade to the production version, introduced improved avionic systems as well as a redesign of the short-range missile hardpoints to increase carriage capacity, improving capacity from two to four AIM-81, and later AIM-95 infrared homings.

Operators

• Luminerra
  • Lumenic Air Force - Aircraft is currently operated by the 33° Stormo at Asaro Royal Air Force Base.

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 18.68 m (61 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 13.91 m (45 ft 8 in)
• Height: 5.95 m (19 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 26.6 m² (286 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 14,500 kg (31,967 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 27,986 kg (61,699 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Vaccari AE-2141 afterburning 3-spool turbofan, 40.5 kN (9,100 lbf) thrust each dry, 73.5 kN (16,500 lbf) with afterburner

Performance

• Maximum speed: 2,400 km/h (1,491 mph; 1,296 kn) / M2.2 at 9,000 m (29,528 ft)
• Combat range: 1,853 km (1,151 mi; 1,001 nmi)
• Ferry range: 4,265 km (2,650 mi; 2,303 nmi)
• Endurance: 2 hr combat air patrol at 560–740 km (348–460 mi) from base
• Service ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)

Armament

• Guns
  • 1 × 30 mm Srad CDR-3080 cannon
• Hardpoints: 10 total (4× semi-recessed under-fuselage, 2× under-fuselage, 4× swivelling under-wing) holding up to 9000 kg (19,800 lb) of payload, the two inner wing pylons have shoulder launch rails for 2 × short-range anti-air missiles each
  • 4× AIM-15 beyond-visual-range missile
  • 4× AIM-95 infrared homing air-to-air missiles (mounted on 4 semi-recessed under-fuselage hardpoints)
• Others:
  • Up to 2× drop tanks for extended range/loitering time. Up to 4 drop tanks for ferry role

Avionics

• ECONLU C/ARA-85 radar

See also

Related

• Altomare A.79 Ciclone

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era