Form Nuclear Option

DESCRIPTION

Overview

Design

The CI-22 Cricket is a twin-boom, single turboprop light attack and counter-insurgency (COIN) aircraft.

It uses a single pusher propeller mounted at the rear of a central nacelle, with pilot and copilot installed in tandem, installed between twin booms connected by a horizontal stabilizer. Initially used in COIN operations, the Cricket is designed for short take off and landings, able to operate from short sections of road or even, any flat piece of land.

The Cricket's max speed of 515 km/h is rather slow, but it compensates with an excellent turning radius and very low stall speed, which enable tight maneuvers at very low altitudes. However, the airframe is rather light and unarmored, so critical parts can be damaged by machine gun fire or close explosions. In operations, the Cricket has to rely on its small size and its ability to fly low in order to strike unsuspecting targets. It is able to carry a mix of weapons, such as gunpods, air-to-ground guided rocket pods or bombs as well as air-to-air IR missiles for self defense. Its internal 12.7mm guns, mounted on the wing roots, can be used to strafe lightly armed targets or slow moving aircraft.

With its small radar return and low heat engine, it can defeat IR missiles using a few flares and Radar missiles by flying extremely low to blend with the terrain. In the hands of an experienced pilot, using its powerful guided rockets, a single Cricket can destroy a large armored convoy left undefended and make a significant dent in the enemy's defense network.
The real world inspiration for the CI-22 Cricket appears to be the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco, albeit in a pusher configuration.

A CI-22 Cricket during an attack with rockets.

BDF Cricket departing the K92 Highway Strip

Line drawing of the CI-22 Cricket

BDF Cricket meeting a violent end