BAU Shrike

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BAU Shrike
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Role Interceptor, air superiority and multirole combat aircraft
Manufacturer BAU Systems
Designer Belfras Aerospace United
First flight 19th January 1972
Introduction 25th November 1976
Status In service
Primary user Republic Navy
Produced 1976 - Present

The Belfras Aerospace United Shrike is a fourth-generation, supersonic, twin-jet, fighter aircraft. The Shrike was developed for the Republic Navy's New-Era Fighter Program (NERP).

The Shrike first flew in January 1972 and made it's first deployment in 1976 with the Republic Navy aboard RNV Argu, replacing the aging BAU Cutlass. The Shrike serves as the Republic Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor and tactical reconnaissance platform. The Shrike was upgraded three times throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000's for continued service with the Fleet's carriers.

Design

The Shrike was the result of the Republic Navy's New-Era Fighter Program (NERP), which was enacted to find a next-gen successor to the BAU Cutlass, which was still being held as an active service and popular naval fighter.

Operational History

Republic Navy

The Shrike began operational usage with the Republic Navy in 1976, serving alongside the older Cutlass until the end of 1978, at which point a full inventory of the BAU Shrike F.1 was received and existing stocks of the Cutlass was sold off to former colonial holdings.

Variants

BAU Shrike E.2

Two-seat Electronic Warfare version.

BAU Shrike FGR.4

Two-seat carrier-capable, multi-role fighter. Latest fielded version.

BAU Shrike T.2

Two-seat carrier-capable trainer version. Can be reconfigured for combat role, but would not serve as effective replacement for FGR.4

Foreign Variants

Operators

 Belfras


Specifications (FGR.4)

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two (Pilot and Weapons Officer)
  • Length: 19.15 m ()
  • Wingspan: Spread: 19.56 m (Swept: 11.59 m)
  • Height: 4.88 m ()
  • Empty weight: 19,840 kg ()
  • Loaded weight: 27,720 kg ()
  • Max. takeoff weight: 33,740 kg ()
  • Powerplant: 2 × 2× Venturum Dynamics FE-150-VD-150 afterburning turbofans, Wet: ()Dry: 27,000 pounds (12,150 kg) per engine each

Performance

Armament

Guns
1 × 20mm Mk. 25 6 barreled gatling cannon w/ 650 rounds

Hardpoints: 10 total: 6× under wings, 4× under fuselage with a capacity for 14,500 lb (6,6000 kg) of ordnance and fuel tanks.

Loading configuration
Missiles
Air-to-air missiles
Air-to-ground missiles
Bombs
  • JDAM Precision-Guideed Munitions
Others

Avionics

  • BriteCloud Radar Decoy System
  • SABR-E Scaleable Multi-Function AESA Radar
  • ISR-22 Decoy Deployment System
  • Thunderbolt Combat Interface
  • Attached Targeting pods