The US Aircraft A-67 Dragon is a single-engine, propeller-driven, ground-attack aircraft. It is designed for counter-insurgency (COIN), close air support (CAS), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.[1] The A-67 is a low-cost aircraft built for low-intensity conflict situations, with a reported unit price of $4–5 million.[2] The sole aircraft built is in storage at the MAPS Air Museum.[3]
| A-67 Dragon | |
|---|---|
| |
| First flight of the A-67 | |
| Role | Counter-insurgency aircraft |
| Manufacturer | US Aircraft Corp |
| First flight | October 2006 |
| Status | In development |
| Number built | 1 |
Specifications (A-67 prototype) edit
Data from Aircraft Comparison[4]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 34 ft 1.2 in (10.394 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft (12 m)
- Wing area: 211 sq ft (19.6 m2)
- Empty weight: 4,800 lb (2,177 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 10,200 lb (4,627 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68/3 turboprop, 1,250 shp (930 kW)
- Propellers: 4-bladed constant-speed propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 371 kn (427 mph, 687 km/h)
- Range: 1,634 nmi (1,880 mi, 3,026 km)
- Service ceiling: 35,000 ft (11,000 m)
- Rate of climb: 4,882 ft/min (24.80 m/s)
- Wing loading: 35.1 lb/sq ft (171 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.216 hp/lb (0.355 kW/kg)
See also edit
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- AHRLAC Holdings Ahrlac
- Air Tractor-L3Harris AT-802U Sky Warden
- Beechcraft T-6 Texan II
- Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano
- KAI KT-1
- Pilatus PC-21
- Piper PA-48 Enforcer
- PZL-130 Orlik
- TAI Hürkuş
References edit
- ^ ‘Iraqi COIN’ Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine, Special Operations Technology, August 14, 2007.
- ^ Warwick, Graham (2007-03-13). "US Aircraft taps Tucano's former designer for new-look A-67 Dragon". Flight International. Flight global. Archived from the original on 2008-06-28. Retrieved 2011-08-27.
- ^ Elliott, Dave (10 January 2018). "US AIRCRAFT A-67 "DRAGON"". MAPS Air Museum. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
- ^ "Aircraft Comparison" (PDF). usaircraftcorp.com. USA: USAircraft Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
External links edit
- US Aircraft A-67 web page
- A-67's New Home at MAPS Air Museum
- "Dubai 2007: USAC seeking launch customer for low-cost Dragon". Flight Daily News, 13 November 2007.
- "New ISR/attack aircraft emerges in Ohio". C4ISR Journal, 16 January 2007.
- "Warbird specialist flies A-67 Dragon". Flight International, 24 October 2006.
- "A-67 Dragon counter-insurgency aircraft quietly makes first flight". Flight Global, 18 October 2006.
- "Boeing considers restarting OV-10 production after 23-year hiatus". Flight International, 1 February 2009.
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