AEF-77 Monoceros

ÆF-77 Monoceros
An ÆF-77 Monoceros in flight
Role	Multirole fighter
National origin	Ventismar Union
Manufacturer	Aerobus
Introduction	July 1977
Status	In service?
Primary user	?
Produced	1977–1988
Number built	?
Unit cost	$30.6 million
Variants	ÆF-77PIP
Developed into	AEF-88 Elanus

The ÆF-77 Monoceros (also written as AEF-77 Monoceros), often referred to as just Monoceros, is a single-engine air superiority fighter jet with limited multirole capabilities developed by the Aerobus aircraft consortium. The aircraft [saw/sees] service in [multiple?] air forces around the world. In 2004 the Royal Lindian Air Force, the aircraft's largest operator, formally retired the aircraft in favour of what many call its spiritual successor: the AEF-88 Elanus and the AEF-94 Accipiter.

The Monoceros, which was introduced around the same time as the AEF-75 Aquila, was intended to fill the gaps left by the heavier and less agile Aquila. The Monoceros proved to be sufficient in areas such as dog fighting, acceleration, speed and manoeuvrability. Despite these successes, the aircraft's reliability left much to be desired. This is often attributed to the Aerobus consortium's focus on the development of the Aquila.

The production improvement programme, which spawned the AEF-77PIP in 1984, resolved most if not all issues concerning reliability. Regardless of the technical successes of the production improvement programme, it was widely regarded as having come too late, as many countries had opted to adopt the more modern, reliable and capable AEF-88 Elanus rather than the PIP-variant of the Moneceros.

Operators

• Royal Lindian Air Force 250 delivered, all retired

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 14.36 m (47 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 9.13 m (29 ft)
• Height: 5.20 m (17 ft)
• Wing area: 41 m² (441.3 ft²)
• Empty weight: 7,500 kg (16,350 lb)
• Loaded weight: 13,800 kg (30,420 lb)
• Max. takeoff weight: 17,000 kg (37,500 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Dekkers 441A3 (A9 for PIP) afterburning turbofan
  • Dry thrust: 64.3 kN (14,500 lbf)
  • Thrust with afterburner: 95.1 kN (21,400 lbf)

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.2 (2,336 km/h, 1,451 mph) at high altitude/ 1,110 km/h (690 mph) at low altitude
• Range: 1,550 km (837 nmi, 963 mi) with drop tanks
• Ferry range: 3,335 km (1,800 nmi, 2,073 mi) with auxiliary fuel
• Service ceiling: 17,060 m (59,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 285 m/s (56,000 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 337 kg/m² (69 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.7 at loaded weight

Armament

• Guns: 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) Bouwer RK-30A/B (PIP) revolver cannon, 125 rounds per gun
• Hardpoints: 9 total (4× under-wing, 5× under-fuselage) with a capacity of 6,300 kg (13,900 lb) external fuel and ordnance
• Rockets: Matra 68 mm unguided rocket pods, 18 rockets per pod
• Missiles:
  
  • Air-to-air missiles:
    • 6× MBDA MICA IR/RF
    • 2× Matra R550 Magic-II and 2× Matra Super 530D
  • Air-to-surface missiles:
    • 2× AM.39 Exocet
• Bombs:
  
  • Unguided:
    • Mk.82
  • Guided:
    • PGM 500 and PGM 2000 modular guided bombs
    • 2× AS-30L laser-guided missile
    • 2× GBU-12 laser-guided bombs
    • 1x Spice 2000