Calidus inks its first B-250 indigenous light attack plane order

[Philip the Arab]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates— UAE aerospace company Calidus scored its first contract for the B-250 light attack aircraft on Nov. 20, when the United Arab Emirates placed an order for 24 planes at the Dubai Airshow.

The contract, worth AED 2.273 billion or about $260 million, represents the first time the UAE military has purchased a domestically-produced aircraft. The first B-250 plane was unveiled at Dubai Airshow 2017 and has since been shown at IDEX this past February and the 2018 Bahrain International Airshow.


The first light-attack aircraft of its kind


The B-250 is a turboprop plane built for close air support, counter-terrorism activities, training and the collection of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

It was designed by Brazilian firm Novaer and has an operating cost of about $1,200 per flight hour, according to Calidus. It has an endurance of up to 10 hours and a maximum cruising speed of 350 knots.

Military aircraft orders have been light during Dubai Airshow 2019. Aside from Wednesday’s B-250 contract, the UAE announced on Tuesday its intention to buy two more GlobalEye airborne early warning and control planes from Saab, but final negotiations are still ongoing.

 

[Philip the Arab]

 

[Philip the Arab]

I think Desert Sting purchase was connected as you can see them on pylons.

 

[Philip the Arab]

@Quwa
@Bilal Khan (Quwa)
Mind making a story out of this?

 

[Philip the Arab]

https://defense-arab.com/vb/attachments/217621/
If you zoom in on the image you can see safe/arm, and GBU-12, AIM-9. Does this look like Rockwell Collins avionics?

 

[Ahmet Pasha]

Either this or Hurkuş could potentially shorten the PAF training cycle eliminating the Mushak for sure and maybe even both Mushak and K8/T38

2 dozen aircraft for $260mil not bad.

 

[Crystal-Clear]

I think Desert Sting purchase was connected as you can see them on pylons.

good for the use in Yemen.

 

[Philip the Arab]

Either this or Hurkuş could potentially shorten the PAF training cycle eliminating the Mushak for sure and maybe even both Mushak and K8/T38

2 dozen aircraft for $260mil not bad.

IMO, knowing Pakistan-Turkey military relations, B-250 has almost no chance, but it may receive export orders from other African/Asian nations.

good for the use in Yemen.

Yeah, and enables UAE to continue developing indigenous PGMs.

 

[Philip the Arab]

@Ahmet Pasha
Price is actually 618 million usd for 24 aircraft but still a fairly good deal considering Nigeria was offered 12 A-29 Tucanos for 583 million usd.

Armament will be composed of mostly indigenous weaponry from company Halcon in a deal worth 980 million.
On the pylons is Desert Sting 16, and DS-5 guided bombs, and Thunder guided bombs. On the floor are Korean missiles similar to Hellfire/UMTAS/BrimStone which tech was transferred to the UAE company ESSS.

 

[Philip the Arab]