A-143 Buzzard

Buzzard
Faction	AAF
Type	Light Attack Jet
Seats	1 seat: 1× Pilot
Item capacity	Max: 500 kg 6× Weapons 24× Magazines 6× Backpacks
Top speed	~ 702 km/h
Service ceiling	13,200 m
Fuel capacity	1000 L
Primary armament	All variants: 1× Twin Cannon 20 mm [Default] AA Loadout: 4× Zephyr AA [Default] 2× ASRAAM AA [Default] CAS Loadout: 2× Skalpel ATGM [Default] 2× ASRAAM AA [Default] 2× GBU-12 LGB [Default]
Secondary armament	CAS Loadout only: 1× Laser Designator Defensive: 120× Countermeasures (Flare/Chaff)
Variants	A-143 Buzzard (AA), A-143 Buzzard (CAS)
Games

The A-143 Buzzard is the AAF's primary multi-role light attack jet.

Overview

• Roles:
  • Combat air patrol
  • Close air support

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The A-143 Buzzard is a single seat, light, multipurpose combat aircraft able to carry a wide range of equipment and weaponry. Possessing seven hard-points, three are located under each wing with one mounted under the fuselage. Close air support armament consists of a 20mm cannon, two Mk2 unguided bombs, two GBU12 laser guided bombs, and Skalpel air-to-ground missiles. Field Manual

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Design

A-143 pylon configuration

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.

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 twin-barrelled 20 mm cannon that is loaded with 300 rounds of high-explosive (HE) shells.

The Buzzard has seven pylons (three on each wing and one under the fuselage) that support dynamic loadouts.

• The two inner pylons (1-2) support:
  • Falchion-22 (1×)
  • ASRAAM (1×)
  • Zephyr (1×)
  • Macer (1×)
  • Scalpel (1×)
  • Scalpel (3×)
  • Shrieker HE (7×)
  • Shrieker AP (7×)
  • DAGR (12×)
  • DAR (12×)
  • GBU-12 (1×)
  • Mk-82 (1×)
  • CBU-85 (1×)
  • BL778 (1×)

• The two middle pylons on each wing (3-4) are unable to carry any guided bombs or heavy air-to-ground missiles, but can still support the following munitions:
  • Falchion-22 (1×)
  • ASRAAM (1×)
  • Zephyr (1×)
  • Scalpel (1×)
  • Scalpel (3×)
  • Shrieker HE (7×)
  • Shrieker AP (7×)
  • DAGR (12×)
  • DAR (12×)
• The two outer pylons (5-6) have even less options to choose from, but still retain the ability to carry most types of missiles and rockets:
  • Falchion-22 (1×)
  • ASRAAM (1×)
  • Zephyr (1×)
  • Scalpel (1×)
  • Shrieker HE (7×)
  • Shrieker AP (7×)
  • DAGR (12×)
  • DAR (12×)
• The pylon that runs underneath the centreline of the fuselage (7) can only be changed to mount a single weapon:
  • Twin Cannon 20 mm

The CAS variant of the Buzzard also has an integrated laser designator which can be used to provide self-designation for its guided payloads.

However, it should be noted that the designator is only functional on the CAS variant. Neither the default Buzzard nor the AA variant have a usable laser, although the pilot camera on both variants can still be controlled to lock-on to lasers being marked by other sources.

Variants

• A-143 Buzzard (AA): Combat air patrol-oriented variant that has all of its pylons loaded exclusively with a mixture of air-to-air missiles by default; two infrared guided ASRAAMs and four radar guided Zephyrs. It supports dynamic loadouts and can be changed to load other types of munitions.
• A-143 Buzzard (CAS): Multi-role variant that is armed with a variety of air-to-air/air-to-ground missiles and laser guided bombs (has two Skalpel ATGMs, two infrared guided ASRAAMs, and two GBU-12 bombs). Just like the AA variant, it also supports dynamic loadouts and can be adjusted to mount other types of munitions on its pylons. This is the only variant that can make use of the pilot camera's laser designator.

Camouflage

• Digital: Digitised three-tone green/olive semi-fractal camouflage pattern.
• Brown Hex: Light/dark tan and mud brown cell pattern camouflage.
• Grey Hex: Light/dark grey cell pattern camouflage.

Sensors

The Buzzard has an array of sensors for both air-to-air and ground attack missions, though it is primarily optimised for close air support:

Active Radar

It has an active radar range of 8 km against aerial targets, and 4 km against ground targets. Azimuth and elevation coverage is limited to 90 degrees, while identity recognition locks in at 3 km out from a target.

Infrared Search and Track/Visual Sensor

IRST detection extends out to a maximum range of 4 km against aerial targets and 3 km against ground targets.

Targets can be visually detected at a range of 3 km out for aerial targets, while ground targets can only be detected within 2 km.

Azimuth coverage for both sensors are restricted to 26 degrees, while for elevation they are limited to 20 degrees. Targets can be recognised within a range of 2 km, and have a minimum detection range of 500 m.

Radar Warning Receiver/Passive Radar

The RWR has a 360 degree detection radius and a target recognition range of 12 km.

Laser Spot Tracker

Laser markers and infrared strobes can be tracked within a range of 6 km. It has an acquisition cone of 180 degrees.

Trivia

• The Buzzard is a modified version of the "L-159 Alca" manufactured by Aero Vodochody.
  • It uses a (slightly updated) port of the "L-159 ALCA" model from the Army of the Czech Republic DLC.
• It is one of the few fixed-wing aircraft that are actually light (and compact) enough to be slingloadable by heavy transport helicopters like the Mi-290.

• Screenshots released during the pre-Alpha phase of ArmA 3's development indicated that the Buzzard was originally meant to be used by CSAT as well, similar to how the Strider used to be a NATO vehicle.
  • By the time of the Alpha's release however, the Buzzard was changed to be used exclusively by the AAF. CSAT on the other hand, would not be getting their fixed-wing aircraft (in the form of the To-199 Neophron) until the release of the Win episode.
  • The unused CSAT textures would not become available for use until the release of the Laws of War DLC, whereupon they were bundled in Game Update 1.76 as part of the (free) platform update.

Gallery

Arma3-buzzard.jpg

Buzzard w/ air-to-air loadout

Arma3-buzzard-cas.jpg

Buzzard w/ CAS loadout

Promotional screenshot released during the pre-Alpha. Note the grey Hexacam camouflage scheme commonly seen used on CSAT fixed-wing aircraft.

Another pre-Alpha screenshot. Both Buzzards are shown using arid Hexacam patterns instead.

External links

• Wikipedia: Aero L-159 Alca

See also

Vehicles of comparable role and configuration

• A-149 Gryphon (ArmA 3: Jets only)
• L-159 ALCA (ACR predecessor, ArmA 2: ACR only)
• L-39ZA (Takistani Army counterpart, ArmA 2: OA only)