Kirkos
Kirkos | |
---|---|
A Kirkos taking flight | |
Role | Carrier-based multirole fighter |
National origin | Syara |
Introduction | 2007 |
Status | In service |
Primary user | Syaran Commonality Navy |
Produced | 2007-2020 |
Number built | 113 |
The Kirkos is a Syaran alll-weather, twinjet, carrier-based fourth generation multirole fighter aircraft. Based on the NSF-13 Folgorazione Strike Fighter, the Kirkos is a Syaran derivative developed to fill out Syara's carrier-based naval aviation and serve aboard the Tenahli-class aircraft carriers. Plans for the Kirkos were put on hold following the outbreak of the Zemplen War, which the aircraft did not participate in. Production began in full in 2012 and was completed by 2020 with a total production run of 113 aircraft.
As a multirole carrier-based aircraft, the Kirkos is intended to act both as a means of force projection for the fleet and to defend against air and surface threats. The Kirkos can carry an array of munitions including air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, smart bombs, in addition to an onboard 30 mm cannon. Additional undercarriage slots allow for additional fuel tanks, ECM suites, and targeting pods. As it is based on the original Cacertian design, the Kirkos retains Cacertian emphasis on super-maneuverable flight. Syaran modifications include the adoption of a Syaran designed AESA radar, IRST, and adjustments to accommodate Syaran munitions.
It is slated to be replaced by the fifth-generation multi-role stealth fighter Ortyx in the 2020s.