Page 41 - Combat Aircraft (January 2020)

provide a wide breadth of capabilities mixed and matched to meet speci c needs.
through diverse eets of three, four, or The primary gun pod used by Valkyrie
even upwards of six aircraft types, Valkyrie is manufactured by Dillon Precision and
has instead chosen to focus solely on the centered around the company’s proven
JTAC training niche, enabling it to build its M134 7.62mm six-barrel minigun, with a
eet around a single type. Referencing the magazine carrying up to 3,000 rounds of
Inset: Valkyrie decision of the Southwest Airlines founder ammunition. Valkyrie owns a variety of
fl ies with veteran
JTAC instructors to stick with a single-type eet for ease of rocket launchers and bomb racks capable
in the back seats acquisition, maintenance, and training, of carrying multiple BDU-33s and other
of the company’s McCutchan said, ‘Herb Kelleher had it right. practice bombs, allowing for numerous
Tucanos. Having
a sensor operator Southwest Airlines gured some stu out, con gurations — absolutely ideal for
who speaks the and there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. its trade.
language and It’s great for a couple of reasons. From pilot, who is going to be a CAS-centric
understands Building a better Tucano
the training the maintenance standpoint, it’s great. guy, someone who has come out of the
objectives of the When we modify the aircraft, we do them While the Tucano, o -the-shelf, provides military with at least 1,500 hours in the
JTAC instructor identically, so there’s no di erence there. the reliability, safety, performance, and attack or ghter community, and with a
on the ground
expedites We have economy of scale and volume. endurance required of a CCAS platform, CAS-centric background. A-10s, F/A-18Ds,
communications We also have commonality for training, optimizing it for the mission necessitated AV-8 Harriers, some of the [F-16] ‘Viper’
and helps so we don’t have pilots bouncing around numerous modi cations to transform community — that’s our primary ground
maximize training
opportunities. di erent kinds of aircraft. Even places that it from a trainer to a ground attack for recruitment. Our chief pilot is Jack
SSgt Tyler have the same type of aircraft, those aircraft thoroughbred. Valkyrie CEO Charlie ‘Coach’ Allison — he’s got 4,400 hours in
‘Sherpa’ Burgett — because of their age — will be all over Keebaugh, an air force veteran who spent the A-10 [all active-duty], and he retired
is a retired USAF
JTAC instructor, the board in terms of what kinds of radios, 10 years as a special operations JTAC, as an O-6 [Colonel], and has been doing
bringing 13 years instruments, and everything else you’re explained the need to transition the CAS continuously for more than 30 years.’
of experience to going to nd in them.’ company’s Tucanos to attack aircraft: ‘In McCutchan added, ‘All of our pilots are
the job.
Valkyrie Aero order to have a successful training event, former weapons school instructors, either
Tucano traits you need reliable aircraft that are out tted navy TOPGUN, air force weapons school,
Performance-wise, the Tucano gives with all the technology that a JTAC needs to or marine WTIs [weapons and tactics
Valkyrie a good match for JTAC training exercise. He needs the aircraft to challenge instructors].’
needs. Elaborating on what the aircraft the technology that they have, so they’ll be The back-seater is primarily a sensor
brings to the CCAS mission, McCutchan able to work together.’ operator. Valkyrie’s aircrew working in
said, ‘The Tucano has great time on station One of the primary upgrades Valkyrie this role are all prior JTACs familiar with
— the loiter time is over three hours. Our made to its Tucanos was the addition of the training objectives and experienced in
attack speeds are within 100kt of an A-10, L3 Wescam MX-15DiA sensor turret to the talking with aircraft and other ground
and it can carry a lot of ammunition.’ EMB-312Fs. The MX-15 brings exceptional units. ‘Our JTACs are a mix of marine and
Valkyrie’s Tucanos have the capability, giving JTACs access — via a air force veterans,’ McCutchan explained.
capacity to carry up to ROVER-compatible video downlink — to
1,000kg (2,200lb) of full-motion video up to a range of 10nm
ordnance on (18.5km). With day and night optics, a
four hardpoints, laser illuminator, and a laser designator, TUCANO
but the variety the MX-15 enables Valkyrie’s Tucanos to
of weapons they can employ is just as provide round-the-clock intelligence, TECHS
important. surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)
The Tucano can carry an impressive services to JTACs on the ground, as well as
variety of free-fall bombs and forward- the ability to designate targets for laser- Valkyrie’s eet is supported in-house
by a team of highly skilled aviation
ring ordnance. McCutchan explained, guided weapons. The centerline mounting maintenance professionals. Explaining
‘We can carry a lot of weaponry on the of the MX-15 mirrors that of the light attack the company’s maintenance set-up,
aircraft for live ordnance training. We Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine and the Tucano’s Todd McCutchan told Combat Aircraft,
can carry up to 6,000 rounds of 7.62mm successor, the Embraer A-29 Super Tucano. ‘All of our mechanics are prior military.
Since there’s really nobody in the
minigun ammunition, we carry up to Centerline sensor mounting eliminates US with Tucano experience, we’ve
12 BDUs [practice bombs], and up to 14 fuselage blanking, enabling Valkyrie’s built that up in-house. We’re on our
2.75in rockets.’ The company’s literature sensor operators to keep the system second year of maintaining, as well
also indicates the capacity for .50-cal pointed at whatever the JTACs need eyes as modifying the aircraft, so we know
machine guns and 127mm rockets, plus on, without the picture being masked by it very well. We have a relationship
with Embraer, so we have some OEM
Mk81 (250lb) and Mk82 (500lb) general- any portion of the aircraft. [original equipment manufacturer]
purpose bombs. support as well. They’ve been very
Weapons loads are mission-speci c Crew concept and supportive throughout the process.’
and driven entirely by the training operator experience In addition to Embraer, Valkyrie
requirements of the JTACs who In the air, Valkyrie relies on crews of two maintains relationships with other
OEMs of systems and components
are being supported on in the Tucano. According to McCutchan, it uses, such as L3 Wescam, Dillion
the ground, with ‘All of our aircraft we operate with a Precision, and Honeywell.
ordnance being two-crew concept. In the front seat is the

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