The GAV-14 Buzzard is a subsonic light Close Air Support (CAS) aircraft and advanced trainer developed by the Osean National Industries and Axe and Hammer Industries. In 2003, the Ustio Air Force fleet of 180 GAV-14s was reduced to 127 due to budget constraints. After the Belkan War, the Ustian government has re-sold most of the redundant aircraft to both military and civilian operators.
The GAV-14 has seen active combat use by the Yuktobanian Air Force against the OADF. The aircraft was pretty effective especially dealing against SAMs and MANPADS during close air support missions due to its high maneuverability, but can still be vulnerable to Osea's modern MIM-104 Patriot SAM system or modern air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9X Sidewinder and the AIM-120 AMRAAM.
Design[]
The Buzzard is a low-set, straight wing jet-powered aircraft with a double-taper planform. It is designed to be a low-cost aircraft capable of performing both ground attack and air interdiction missions.
Armament
The Buzzard can be outfitted to use either an AA (Air-to-Air) or CAS (Close Air Support) loadout, with each variant carrying armament suited for their respective missions.
By default, both variants are armed with a six-barrelled M61A2 Vulcan 20 mm cannon that is loaded with 421 rounds of high-explosive (HE) or armor-piercing (AP) rounds (replaced by the GSh-23 on YAF Buzzards).
Features
Semi-stealthed by virtue of its design, the Buzzard is a flexible light plane which can fulfil either air-to-ground or air-to-air roles thanks in part to its comprehensive loadout options. It is also slingloadable by heavy-lift helicopters, allowing stranded or disabled Buzzards to be airlifted for repairs.
The CAS variant of the Buzzard also retains an integrated laser designator which can be used to provide self-designation for its guided payloads.
However, it should be noted that the Buzzard's laser designator is only functional on the CAS variant. Neither the default Buzzard nor the AA variant have a usable laser marker, although the pilot camera on both variants can still be controlled to lock-on to lasers being marked by other sources.
Drawbacks
The Buzzard has fairly average performance in all aspects. Though it has better maneuverability and speed than the Wipeout, it isn't a true CAS jet even with its ground attack loadouts.
Furthermore, the Buzzard's sensor suite can be described as normal. Its active radar pales in comparison to other Osean aircraft maximum range-wise, and it also cannot be armed with AIM-260 JATM long-range missiles. Its only long range A2A missile is the AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM and the AIM-7 Sparrow which is semi-active and not suitable for close dogfight. Lastly, the Buzzard technically retains only six pylons as the seventh can only mount the 20mm Vulcan.
Weapons[]
Guns:[]
- 1x 20mm M61A2 Vulcan rotary cannon
Standard Missiles:[]
- STDM (AIM-9 Sidewinder)
Air-to-Air Weapons:[]
- AIM-7 Sparrow
- AIM-132 ASRAAM
- AIM-9X Sidewinder
- AIM-120 AMRAAM
Air-to-Ground Weapons:[]
- Paveway family of laser-guided bombs
- Hydra 70 rockets
- Mark 81 262 lb unguided bombs
- Mark 82 500 lb unguided bombs
- Mark 83 1000 lb unguided bombs
- Mk 77 Incendiary bomb
- CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition (CEM) cluster bombs
- AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles
- AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles
- AGM-65 Maverick anti-tank missiles
- AGM-179 JAGM anti-tank missiles
Gun pods:[]
- 20mm SUU-16/A gun pods
Countermeasures:[]
- 20x flares and 20x chaff
Skins[]
- Light/dark grey digital camouflage.
- Light/dark tan and mud brown digital camouflage.
- Yellow tiger stripe livery.
- Digitised three-tone green/olive semi-fractal camouflage pattern.
- Blue body with black nose.
- White body with blue wingtips and tail surfaces.
- Pale emerald green body. (Erusean F-5E ace pilot Wang color scheme from Ace Combat 04)
- Wardog Squadron camouflage; three-tone blue camouflage.
Gallery[]
