Hawker Beechcraft has successfully tested the delivery of laser-guided munitions from its AT-6 Light Attack and Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) aircraft.
During the tests, carried out between 28 September and 5 October in Arizona, Hawker Beechcraft's pilots dropped four USAF GBU-12 500lb Paveway II laser-guided bombs and four Raytheon GBU-58 250lb Paveway II laser-guided bombs. All eight weapons scored hits on their targets, Hawker Beechcraft said.
The tests are part of an ongoing operational assessment by the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Test Center.
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| Around 60 precision and general-purpose munitions were used Copyright: Beechcraft |
During the two-week deployment, the AT-6 typically flew three sorties a day, deploying about 60 BDU-33, BDU-50, GBU-12 and GBU-58 general-purpose and precision munitions. It also performed .50 calibre machine gun air-to-air gunnery against a towed target.
Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors integrated the capabilities into the AT-6 using only minor modifications to the A-10C mission system.
The AT-6 LAAR is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PTA-68D turboprop engine, and features CMC Esterline's mission-modified Cockpit 4000 and an L-3 WESCAM MX-15Di day/night-capable sensor pod.
Source: Flight International