REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

www.mod.gov.rs

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Material Resources Sector

Defensive Technologies Department

Military Technical Institute

www.vti.mod.gov.rs

analysis of possibility for conversion of transport aircraft into armed CLOSE support platforms

mišo prodić

Military Technical Institute, Belgrade, promiso@gmail.com

zoran vasić

Military Technical Institute, Belgrade, zoran.vasic@vti.vs.rs

Abstract: Close support missions on large airplanes, so called gunship role, is very demanding for both airplane and mission operators. The detail analysis on what needs to be taken into consideration when modifying transport airplanes for such a complex role, with particular look on modifications on An-26 transport aircraft necessary to convert it into close support platform armed with 30 mm cannon, were given in this paper. Increased aircraft weight caused by integration of weapon equipment and fuel creates problems with aircraft weight limitations. Powerful guns demand structure reinforcements and large deck volume for integration. Type of mission requires flying at high angles of attack (AOA) in a Pylon turn, and crew and equipment needs to be isolated from high levels of noise and vibrations. The goal of the analysis was to show complexity of such conversion to be conducted on the transport airplane and technical challenges that need to be solved in the process.

Keywords: close support, gunship, transport aircraft conversion, structure reinforcements