A prototype aircraft for US special forces was developed in Poland. The MC-145B Multi-Role Special Operations Aircraft (SOMA) was developed as part of the armed Overwatch of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM).
The aircraft is a joint development of the Polish company PZL Mielec (which is part of Lockheed Martin Helicopter) and the American Sierra Nevada Corporation. It was assembled in Poland and the equipment was installed on the finished car in the USA. The MC-145B SOMA was created on the basis of the M28 Skytruck, a twin-engine turboprop aircraft & nbsp; with a short take-off and landing (for take-off of an MC-145B Coyote aircraft with maximum load, a runway of only 305 meters long is sufficient). & Nbsp; This is a modification of the Soviet twin-engine turboprop aircraft An-28, produced in Poland under license since the early 1980s.
The new plane has been seriously modified. First, the wing elements were reinforced, the cockpit was replaced by a glass cockpit. Under the wings are four L3Harris harnesses, each capable of carrying weapons weighing up to 455 kilograms. The aft compartment has a landing compartment. & Nbsp;
The aircraft is designed to perform combat missions, such as disembarking paratroopers, delivering goods to the scene of military conflicts, and evacuating the wounded. The aircraft received modern satellite communication systems and an optical-electronic system with an optical channel and a thermal camera. The aircraft can carry electronic warfare and reconnaissance equipment containers. The protection of the MC-145B is ensured by a set of sensors with jamming station AN/ALE-47.х
The aircraft is capable of carrying cargo or equipment useful for reconnaissance missions weighing up to 1000 kg over a distance of 1481 km. The maximum flight range is estimated at 3048 km, and the maximum time spent in the air is & mdash; & nbsp; 6.6 hours.
MC-145B suitable & nbsp; for & nbsp; the use of various weapons including those used on the AH-64 Apache, AH-1Z Viper combat helicopters and the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles guided AGM-114 Hellfire. Including from the aircraft can be shot at ground targets. The MC-145B added four suspension points for weapons and additional equipment. The nose of the aircraft is equipped with an optical-electronic sighting system. The under-wing units are suspended 130 kg of GBU-39 StormBreaker corrected air bombs. MC-145B can be armed with AGM-114 Hellfire and & nbsp; unguided rockets. The aircraft also received eight launch tubes with drones and equipment for launching an AGM-158 JASSM cruise missile. & Nbsp; & nbsp;
The certification of the aircraft is expected to be completed in 2022. Serial production at the Polish aircraft factory PZL will start in 2023-2024. The US Special Operations Command can command up to 75 such aircraft. Experts note that this is the seventh attempt by the United States Armed Forces to purchase light turboprop aircraft for Special Forces in the past 14 years.
