Varady és Kurucz VAD-12 ''Tempest''
| VAD-12 Tempest | |
|---|---|
| |
| A Granzerian Air Force VAD-12 | |
| Role | Fighter, attack, and reconnaissance aircraft |
| National origin | Granzery |
| Manufacturer | Varady és Kurucz Aerospace |
| First flight | 19 June 1988 |
| Introduction | 2 December 1995 |
| Status | In service |
| Primary user | Granzerian Air Force |
| Produced | 1987–present |
| Number built | 370+ |
| Unit cost |
$30–60 million
|
The Varady és Kurucz VAD-12 Tempest; is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Granzerian aerospace company Varady és Kurucz Aerospace. The Tempest has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stability design and fly-by-wire flight controls. It has a top speed of Mach 2.
In 1979, the South Granzerian government intended to develop a native fighter to replace their own aging TBA and TBA. The resulting program was passed into the unified Granzerian government to replace the fleet of Vonzumieran and Vierz aircraft that the Granzerian government had inherited.
Development
Origins
In the late 1970s, South Granzery sought to replace its ageing TBA and TBA aircraft. The Republic of Granzery Air Force required an affordable Mach 2 aircraft with good short-field performance for a defensive dispersed basing plan in the event of invasion; the plan included 800 m long by 17 m wide rudimentary runways.
Following the Unification of Granzery the VAD-12 Tempest was chosen to be the replacement not only for the South Granzerian aircraft, but also the inherited north Granzerian fleet of LF2 Gehuuri aircraft. In 2010 it was decided that the VAD-12 would be complemented by the Varady és Kurucz VAD-14 Flanker, which was a heavier design more suited to close range dogfights.
Testing, production, and improvements
Design
Operational history
Variants
- VAD-12A: initial version that entered service with the Granzerian Air Force in 1996. A number have been upgraded to the C standard.
- VAD-12B: two-seat version of the 12A for training, specialised missions and type conversion. To fit the second crew member and life support systems, the internal cannon and an internal fuel tank were removed and the airframe lengthened 0.66 m (2 ft 2 in)
- VAD-12C: Upgraded version of the Tempest with extended capabilities in terms of armament, electronics, etc. Can be refuelled in flight.
- VAD-12D: two-seat version of the 12C, with similar alterations as the VAD-12B.
- Tempest KG: Changes from the VAD-12C/D include a more powerful engine, modern AESA radar, increased fuel capacity and payload, two additional hardpoints, and other improvements.
- VAD-12E: single-seat production version developed from the Tempest KG program.
Operators
Specifications
VAD-12C/D
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 VAD-12C / 2 VAD-12D
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 2
- g limits: +9 -3
- Thrust/weight: 0.97
- Takeoff distance: 500 m (1,640 ft)
- Landing distance: 600 m (1,969 ft)
Armament
- Guns: 1 × 20 mm revolving cannon with 600 rounds (single-seat models only)
- Hardpoints: 8 – one dedicated for FLIR / ECM / LD / Reconn pod. Two hardpoints under the fuselage, two under and one on the tip of each wing. with a capacity of 5 300 kg (11 700 lb),with provisions to carry combinations of:
- Rockets: 4 × rocket pods, 13.5 cm rockets
- Missiles: TBA
- Bombs: TBA
Avionics
- Radar: Pulse-Doppler