Pesticide aircraft for aircraft!The price is comparable to the J-10, why should the U.S. military be this unjust?

"Military and Military Secondary Point" Author: Lu Yan

If the U.S. military wants to buy weapons and is an attack -type aircraft to buy by the US Special Combat Command, I believe that everyone thinks that these aircraft are high -top works, and the price is also very expensive. However, recently, the United States has publicly stated that it will purchase a new type of aircraft called AT-802U, and the price is really not low. The United States will spend $ 3 billion to purchase 75 AT-802U attacks, which means that the price of a single aircraft has reached the price of a single aircraft reaching the price of a single aircraft. The $ 40 million, even tied the international offer of my country's J -10CE fighter. So what exactly is this plane? Is performance advanced? Is the United States unjustly wrong?

▲ Picture source: Network

The prototype of AT-802U is an agricultural aircraft developed by the American air tractor company Air Tractor. Many people may be surprised, but the aircraft is indeed very different from the military aircraft or attack aircraft in the average person. Founded in 1978, the air tractor is a company that specializes in the development of agricultural aircraft. Its most famous aircraft is AT-802. The aircraft first flew on October 30, 1990, specializing in agricultural tasks such as pesticide spraying or fertilization. The entire aircraft has two members. The length of the body is about 11 meters, the wing show is relatively wide, with 18.06 meters, the height of the fuselage is 3.89 meters, the air weight is about 3 tons, and the maximum take -off weight is 7.26 tons of 7.26 tons. Essence

▲ Picture source: Network

The shape of this aircraft is strange, and its cockpit is very backward. The aircraft's head position is installed with an inclusive company's PT6A-67AG turbine shaft engine with a total power of 1350 horsepower. The propeller fighter during World War II often installed a V12 engine with a very long length or a star -shaped engine with a very long length. Because the size and diameter of the turbine shaft engine are relatively small, the head of the AT-802 is relatively sharp, and the position of the cockpit is backward. Therefore, there is a container with a volume of three cubic meters between the engine and the cockpit. It is specially used to load pesticides and fertilizers.

In fact, the predecessor of the AT-802U aircraft AT502 is the prototype of the protagonist aircraft among the famous aircraft mobilization, and there is also a kind of painting with red paint with yellow, which is almost the same as the aircraft in the movie.

▲ Picture source: Network

Theoretically speaking, light propeller trainer or super giant -mouthbirds like aircraft are more suitable for light attack aircraft. In American history, there are also OA10 Mustang aircraft, and even Argentina has independently developed the Pakra propeller attack aircraft. Therefore, theoretically the development cost and difficulty of such aircraft are not high, so the unit price is generally not too outrageous. The requirement for the U.S. military to choose this aircraft this time requires a light propeller attack aircraft that is relatively low but exceeds the helicopter, which is mainly used to deal with the ground molecules on the ground. Essence In addition, the United States specially emphasizes the operating cost of the aircraft, and the flight cost per hour is less than $ 10,000.

▲ Picture source: Network

It can be seen from the bidding aircraft that these aircraft are basically light attack aircraft changed from civil aircraft. The AT-802U attack aircraft that finally won the victory is still a model that looks more like a military aircraft among these aircraft. AT-802U was launched in 2009, and both Colombia and the UAE had purchased part. Because the aircraft itself is slightly larger than the average light propeller aircraft, when it is parked on the ground, the overall view is still huge. There are several external weapon hangers installed below the low straight wing. In addition to conventional rockets and bombs, it can also use laser -guided bombs and various types of missiles, including large -power Hellfire anti -tank missiles.

▲ Picture source: Network

In addition, the aircraft is also installed under the abdomen of the aircraft, and the body structure is also strengthened and added with additional armored. The ordinary fuel tank is also changed to a bullet -proof self -closed fuel tank. After these improvements, this agricultural aircraft originally used to spray pesticides has changed, becoming a light propeller attack aircraft with a very good power.

If the price is left, then the AT-802U is still a relatively good light propeller attack aircraft. After all, the US military uses its tasks to perform some low-intensity attack tasks. But have you ever wondered, is there any possibility that this kind of aircraft can only get more than 4 million US dollars? The United States originally wanted to reduce procurement costs and use costs, but after tossing, the company's offer was as high as $ 40 million. This price can already be purchased by the Black3 version of the Dragon Dragon Fighter, and the second -hand F16 fighter can also be purchased. Although the AT-802U from agricultural aircraft has a very low cost of use, the procurement price of up to $ 40 million can be used to use higher-level aircraft, which is more flexible at least when performing tasks. The overall cost of the entire life expectancy will also be lower than the propeller attack aircraft.

▲ Picture source: Network

So the question is, the Americans are not stupid, and they must know that this plane is not worth such a high price. Why do you still buy it? In fact, in recent years, we can see that many US military's weapon procurement plans have low performance but high procurement prices. Many senior officials in the United States also directly stated that China can use the same price to purchase the combat effectiveness of the US military. In fact, it is actually a big problem that points out in the US military procurement. On the one hand, the US Air Force is lowering the price of F35 and is less than $ 80 million, which means that an advanced F35A fighter can only purchase two agricultural aircraft to change the attack aircraft. It is precisely because of these unreasonable military procurement projects that have greatly increased national defense funds in the United States, and the prices of various manufacturers are not low, not even the right to choose. This result is significantly affecting the US economy, which has caused problems in infrastructure and other aspects of the United States. If you want to change this status quo, you can only further increase the expenditure of military expenses and become a dead cycle. ▲ Picture source: Network

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