On February 27, 1991
the British Army lost an SAS patrol in western Iraq. The patrol came under heavy
enemy fire and called in air support. The US Air Force were tasked with air
cover for the SAS in this area with an AC-130 gunship. Unfortunately moments
before the SAS call for help came in a USMC Recon patrol also called in air
cover. The USAF gunship responded to the Marines, leaving the SAS to fend for
themselves. A flight of USN A-6Es in the area were diverted to cover the SAS
patrol, but by the time the Intruders arrived with CBUs all 6 SAS Troopers were
dead.
In the post-war inquiry it was decided that Britain needed a capability
comparable to the USAF AC-130. Conversion or outright purchase of AC-130s was
almost immediately shelved because of cost issues. Instead it was decided to
evaluate smaller civilian airframes for suitability.
Following a 9 month evaluation period it was decided in late 1992 to purchase 16
Fokker F-27 airframes. The F-27 was chosen for a variety of reasons including
availability of airframes and spares leaving the civil market, existing stocks
of RR Dart engines and spares in the RAF inventory, and naturally, low cost.
The airframes were modified by Marshall of Cambridge. The process involved
strengthening the airframe to take the stresses of low level flight and weapons
recoil. Two external longitudinal stringers running the length of the cabin
floor are evidence of this strengthening. To compensate for control issues
during combined weapons firing, aerodynamic strakes were added beneath the tail
of the aircraft.
The selected armament fit comprised a single Bofors 40mm gun, 2 Boeing
Bushmaster 25mm cannon, and a single GE GAU-12 25mm rotary cannon. Sensor fit
included a SLAR antenna on the left side of the fuselage, FLIR sensors below the
cockpit as well as laser rangefinding equipment and low-light TV cameras. A
prominent bulge was added on the right side of the fuselage. Initial speculation
was that this bulge contained EW/jamming equipment. In fact it was merely a
structural bulge to facilitate rapid servicing and removal or the onboard
artillery.
Other weapons carried on underwing pylons can include Sidewinder and ASRAAM
air-to-air missiles, Hellfire and Brimstone anti-armor missiles, as well as
Maverick and ALARM missiles. A three-point missile pylon developed by Hunting
Engineering allows for carriage of three mixed missiles. Normal operational fit
is two Brimstone/Hellfires on the shoulder rails and an AAM on the bottom
central rail. Alternately a Phimat chaff/flare dispenser can be carried on the
bottom rail.
Various items of EW equipment were fitted as evidenced by antennae and fairings
on the aircraft exterior, however the exact EW suite is still classified.
Underwing fuel tanks and a refueling probe added on the top of the fuselage gave
the aircraft extended range and a long loiter endurance. The aircraft crew is
made up of two pilots, an Electronic Warfare Officer and five weapons
specialists (usually enlisted personnel).
The aircraft entered service as the Guardian AC.1 in February 1995. Soon after
service entry the Guardian fleet was upgraded to AC.1A standard with the
addition of glass cockpit instrumentation, HUDs and an larger capacity coffee
pot.
RAF Guardians first saw combat over Kosovo in 1999, and were later deployed to
both Afghanistan and Iraq, where Guardians are still operating.
It was the service entry of a laser-guided 40mm cannon round in early 2005 that
led to DALEK operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. By combining the excellent
sensor/targeting fit of the Guardian with the guided cannon shell, it was
possible to place a single 40mm round on a human-sized target from an altitude
of 8,000 feet. This operational tactic is known as DALEK, an acronym for Direct
Action Low Expendable Kill. Though details are classified, the availability of a
“one-shot-one-kill” capability from an aerial platform is understood to have
been heavily utilized in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of the 16 airframes procured, 14 were converted to Guardian AC.1A(05)
standard, with the remaining two in reserve for parts. All 14 operational
aircraft are operated by Number 6 Squadron, having converted from Jaguars during
the realignment of Jaguar squadrons in 1998. Normally 6 Sqn operates two
operational flights of 5 aircraft each, with the remaining aircraft held for
training and reserve.
Only thirteen Guardians remain in service with one being damaged beyond repair
during an insurgent mortar attack while on the ground at Basra, Iraq.
In late 2005 the UK MoD began looking at plans to replace the Guardian in
the 2015-2017 timeframe. Again, the C-130 has been ruled out on cost grounds,
but given the success of the F-27 airframe, no one in the RAF is troubled with
the prospect of a like-sized aircraft replacing the Guardian. So far the most
likely candidates for conversion are the Bombardier Q400 and the Fokker 50.
Click on
images below to see larger images
This model started
out as an ESCI Fokker F.27 Mk.4000 Friendship. Various bulges and bumps
came from the spares box. The Bushmaster cannons came from Revell Bradleys
and the 40mm gun is a cannon from a 1/48 Skyraider. The 25mm rotary cannon
is scratchbuilt.
Nick
|
|