Variant: A-14C (introduced September 22, 1995)

Weapons-Load Out: Air Interdiction

Introduction:

The Alfred Corporation A-14 Metal Dragon is a Veridisian attack aircraft developed by the Alfred Corporation for the Veridisian Air Force.

The aircraft was designed during the Sarafoni Colonial Wars (1960 – 1981). At the time, there was increasing interest for a robust attack aircraft to be developed after the war. While fast, nimble, and widely used, the KF-5 and KF-7 were prone to heavy anti-air artillery and surface-to-air missiles from the ground. Both aircraft carried unguided bombs, increasing the risks of collateral damage to civilian areas. VerdAir Valkyries, multirole fighters that have a specialized targeting computer, were often chosen by pilots to go on air interdiction and close air support missions to minimize such risks. This caused problems for attack squadrons as without any aircraft to be used as fighter escorts, further complicated with obsolete fighters that was available in the VAF's inventory, they were vulnerable to enemy aircraft.

The A-14 was the solution to the problem. This allowed the Valkyrie to continue its role as an agile fighter escort that defends friendly aircraft, while it complements the issues faced by the KF-5 and KF-7 during the war. Before Veridisia's involvement in 1981, there was already an aircraft of that type designed from a collaboration project between Kornath and Alfred Corporation as part of the much bigger ATAF-80 program in the late 1970s. And because of this, the A-14 shares many design similarities to Kornath's KF-15 fighter.

The A-14 first flew on August 10, 1981, and it officially entered service four years later on August 22, 1985.

The aircraft is made with corindite-infused aluminum alloys to allow a high chance of survivability even under heavy enemy fire, with corindite being a very lightweight mineral applied to metals in the form of powder to enhance their durability against high-caliber bullets. It can perform low altitude, high speed attack runs on ground targets with the ASCTS (Advanced Specialized Computer Targeting System), allowing less munitions to be carried while striking the most critical components of the target. For precision strike missions, a built-in AOTS seen under the fuselage is utilized for PGMs. For subsonic strafing runs and dogfights, a 35mm Pierce M.60 and an Arch System 600 autocannon can fulfil those duties respectively. It can carry a wide multitude of weapons like bombs, guided munitions, missiles, and rockets.

The A-14 first saw combat action in the Banondan Civil War (1975 – 1993), providing as the basis of air support for ground troops and rebel forces alike and hunting down fortified positions setup and well hidden by government forces in the arid mountainous regions of the country. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, A-14s were used in a handful of conflicts as a strike, SEAD, and anti-ship aircraft. Though there have been considerations to retire it as early as 2030 due to succeeding jets like the F-15EX and the natively-built A-16 and VerdAir Pegasus, the A-14 remains a dedicated aircraft in the VAF's attack fleet.

Weapons Load-Out and Activation Guides:

- 2x GPB-74 (2,000-lb general purpose bombs)

- 2x GPB-72 (1,000-lb general purpose bombs)

- 2x LGB-75 (laser guided bombs)

- 3x GPB-72-500 (500-lb general purpose bombs)

- 3x ASM-75 Eiitzpaar (air-to-surface missiles)

- 2x WVR-IR 86 (IIR-homing air-to-air missiles)

- 2x AAM-58Z Houdran (IIR-homing air-to-air)

- 18x Flying Spear GRU (dual-mode guided rockets)

- 35mm Pierce M.60 (cannon)

- 25mm Arch System 600 (autocannon)

- AG-1 = Weapons

- AG-2 = Drop External Tanks

- AG-3/VTOL Up = Afterburners

- AG-4 = Lights

Photos:

A-14A over tthe Banondan mountains in 1986.

A-14A during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Anyways, enjoys ;)