Bit of a reworking of the HAe Halestorm COIN/light attack/ISR aircraft:
HAe Halestorm GR.1
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/s/v9ca4uf6g5501v8/HAe%20Halestorm.png?dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/s/8dw7nmt4dm0uwis/HAe%20Halestorm%203%20View.png?dl=1)
An aircraft designed originally for the light attack and close air support role before the design brief was expanded to include ISR roles, the HAe Halestorm entered service with the RRAF and RRN FAA in 2006 just in time to see service over Afghanistan. The aircraft is designed from the start to have excellent STOL characteristics, aircraft carrier operability, good rough field performance and simplified maintenance requirements. The aircraft is equipped with 2 x 2,000hp PT-6 turboprop engines with a cutting edge digital engine management system allowing flight and engine profiles to be selected by the pilot to best match the mission (eg. high performance at low altitude, low fuel burn at medium altitude etc) to allow both a top speed of over 700km/h and a maximum endurance of 9 hours. With a total of 11 hardpoints (3 wet), most variants come equipped with an integral GAU-22 25mm cannon and an extensive integrated defensive aids suite, with some aircraft also equipped with a belly mounted 30mm M230 chain gun to provide overwatch support. To maximise the aircraft's utility in performing various roles without impacting the basic, clean design a number of specialised pods were created to allow any aircraft equipped with a central hardpoint to perform various roles with minimal changeover required between. With an unmanned variant under development, the aircraft has spent much of its career operating at medium altitude in the FAC and ISR role over the battlefield, as well as fulfilling the RRN requirement for a multi-role carrier support aircraft.