Killer Bee FoldingWing STOL Piranha Observation/Attack Plane
Video description:
The single-seat, folding-wing, short-take-off and landing (STOL) Piranha and two-seat Vampire can act as an observation/attack and liaison (MEDEVAC, resupply) aircraft that is in the "Hip-Pocket" of the maneuver force being towed x-country, non-linearly in a BATTLEBOX by a M113 Gavin. http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?p=5A4B010DC154A1F8
As an unmanned or manned combat air vehicle (U/MCAV), they can be operated in the field by maneuver forces as lethal STOL "grasshoppers"
http://www.geocities.com/usamtaviationdigest/grasshoppersmustreturn.htm
Sadler's U/MCAVs can carry in the wing or underwing hard points the M230 30mm autocannon used by AH-64 Apache (can also be mounted on M113 Gavins that transport U/MCAVs on the ground), 2.75" Hydra 70mm rockets, guided and unguided...Hellfire ATGMs....Stinger AAMs....its better armed than a Little Bird helicopter due to its fixed-wing stability...
Dug-in enemies like the Taliban who hide in walled Afghan villages are protected from mere KE bullets impacting harmlessly into their earthen cover; HE shells are needed to root them out. The Brits & Canadians know this:
http://defenceoftherealm.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html
To date, however, the Army have been reliant on WIMIK Land Rovers for their fire support, with the occasional intervention of Scorpion light tanks which, with their 30mm Rarden cannon, have been regarded as a "battle winner".
*************
Using a JP-8/diesel burning engine, muffled exhausts, silenced props and sky camouflage, these small Killer Bee aircraft would not be detectible by radar or forward looking infared and be very difficult to spot visually by the "Mark 1 eyeball". Here's the infared signature of a F-18 Hornet on the ground:
http://www.combatreform.org/F18infaredsignature.jpg
More Piranha/Vampire Pics and Killer Bee U/MCAV Operational Concept details:
http://www.combatreform.org/killerbees.htm
