(by Cuscy)
M/LAI-6 “Knife Fighter II” COIN Aircraft
Length: 40 feet
Wingspan: 39 feet
Height: 17 feet
Empty Weight: 2,400 kg
Max Takeoff Weight: 7,150 kg
Powerplant: 2 x MIZ TGZ Turboprop 1,300 HP each
Maximum Speed: 325 MPH
Range: 400 miles
Service Ceiling: 17,000 feet
Armament:
Various, depending on order. Can be fitted with a wide array of guns, recoilless rifles, cannons, rockets, bombs, and missiles. Multiple hard points on the wings and an internal storage bay. Common setup as follows:
4 x MA-300 Berdun GPMGs OR 1 LAMA AC1 Vallum 30mm compact autocannon.
5 x Fuselage mounted 4 shot 70mm Rocket Pods
2 x Wingtip mounted Anti-Ground Missiles
Internal Bomb Bay with provisions for 10x 250 pound bombs, 5 x 500 pound bombs, 2 x 1,000 pound bombs, or 1x 2,000 pound bomb.
Abstract and History
A low-cost counter-insurgency aircraft designed with maximum possible short range lethality and loitering time in mind, the M/LAI-6 is a turboprop powered airframe useful in low-intensity aircraft. Lacking the counter-measures and armor prevalent in other designs, the M/LAI-6 relies on the owning military to already own the skies and have control of ground-based anti-air systems. It is effective even without that, having superb control at low altitudes on its way to dealing a high payload against surprised insurgent forces and moving away equally swiftly.
Created as a further development of the original Knife Fighter which debuted fifty years ago, the Knife Fighter II is a modern re-imagining of one of the most effective counter insurgency aircraft of all time. Ill-suited for major engagements or against opponents with reasonably effective anti-air capabilities in the area of operations.
Design
The M/LAI-6 has a central nacelle containing pilots and cargo, and twin booms containing twin turboprop engines. The visually distinctive item of the aircraft is the combination of the twin booms, with the horizontal stabilizer that connects them. The bottom of the fuselage contains sponson stub wings that improve flight performance by decreasing aerodynamic drag underneath the fuselage. The downward angle assured that stores carried on the sponsons jettisoned cleanly. Four machine guns can be carried on the sponsons with the weapons accessed through a large forward-opening hatch on the top of each sponson.
The sponsons also have five racks to carry bombs, pods or fuel. The wings outboard of the engines contain two additional racks, one per side. The aircraft is made out of the same titanium alloy as other, newer elements of Marshite design. This has helped to reduce the weight of the aircraft in comparison to the steel construction of the original knife fighter while increasing durability as well as protection marginally.
The aircraft's design supports effective operations from forward bases and unimproved sites with ease. The M/LAI-6 can perform short takeoffs and landings, including on aircraft carriers and large deck amphibious assault ships without using catapults or arresting wires. Further, the M/LAI-6 was designed to take off and land on unimproved sites. Repairs can be made with ordinary tools. No ground equipment is required to start the engines. And, if necessary, the engines will operate on high-octane automobile fuel with only a slight loss of power.
The aircraft has responsive handling and can fly for 6 1/2 hours with external fuel tanks. The cockpit has extremely good visibility for a tandem pilot and co-pilot, provided by a wrap-around "greenhouse" that is wider than the fuselage. With the second seat removed, it can carry 1,700 kg, five paratroopers or two litter patients and an attendant.
The Knife Fighter II uses two MIZ TGZ Turboprop engines that each produce 1,300 HP, a significant upgrade over the older Knife Fighter. Giving superb, some may even call it absurd, handling at low speeds and altitudes, the TGZ is high efficiency and incredibly reliable. Multiple cases of the engines receiving direct small arms fire and continuing to function have been recorded, allowing the M/LAI-6 to return home. The entire design is sturdy and is able to hold up to small and medium caliber ground bases weaponry.
The standard M/LAI-6 comes stocked with only the basic electronic equipment and instrumentation needed to operate the airframe and standard weapons. It is capable of being upgraded and modified with most electronic systems, though doing so comes at the cost of increasing the empty weight of the aircraft. In Marshite service, various SACHERI Battlespace connective features as well as Forward Air Control systems are employed to allow the Knife Fighter to engage in active armed recon and spotting.
Armament
The Knife Fighter II is designed to carry heavy armament for its size to best engage insurgent forces. It completes this mission with aplomb. In standard configuration it has four machine guns in the sponsons, accessed through a hatch. In Marshite service these are four MA-340 Reil HGPMG. The MA-340 is a 15.5mm caseless machinegun capable of tearing through light vehicles and infantry while being able to penetrate even medium armor. Against insurgents it can tear through buildings and soft covering without issue and reduce technicals and other civilian vehicles into flaming infernos. An all gun version can carry a total of twelve such guns.
It can carry five pods of 7 to 19 70mm rockets, or 2-4 tube launchers of 127mm rockets. These can be of any type. In Marshite service these are often thermobaric or guided rocket designs, though standard dummy explosives are common too. An all rocket version can carry a total of nine pods or tube launchers.
It often carries two Mercury Multipurpose Missiles on its wingtips, though any variant of missile can be carried. An all-missile carrying of the Knife Fighter that lacks any other weapons, including the machine guns, can carry a total of ten such missiles.
An internal bomb bay is present, allowing deployment of a wide range of bombs. Any dummy or guided weapon may be dropped with a total capacity of 2,500 pounds. An all bomb version of the aircraft can have bombs on the external of the aircraft with a total capacity of 5,500 pounds.
It can drop a significant number of mines, drop smoke, or just about any available type of light munition.
Export
The M/LAI-6 has few frills but plenty of bite. Not useful outside of a counter-insurgency role unless air defense has been removed, the M/LAI-6 comes with significant disadvantages. However, it is cheap to use- $900 dollars a flight hour- cheap to get, and has a wide range of valuable military uses. For a small nation engaging in national defense, border patrol, or counter-insurgency, few aircraft fit the bill better.
The M/LAI-6 is available from Covenant Arms for $2.9 million standard NSD per aircraft. This does not come with any of the weapon systems or electronics. DPRs cost $1.8 billion.
Can be purchased through Covenant Arms.
