The FHI F/A-44 Nightshade is an Aegyptican supersonic 4++ Generation multirole naval fighter, sharing a similar design to the F-16 Viper. The aircraft was used extensively during Operation Heatwave (2004), Operation Hammerfall (2006), and the War on Terror (2003-). In the early 2010s, an Electronic Warfare version was produced, named the E/A-44F Ghost.

FHI F/A-44 Nightshade

An F/A-44B Lowering into the hangar on-board ARN Challenger III, July 2004.

Role

Multirole Combat Aircraft

National Origin

Aegyptica

Manufacturer

Fertran Heavy Industries

First Flight

August 16 2000

Introduction

May 2003 ARN
July 2005 IAF
November 2005 Italian Navy
April 2007 Indian Navy

Status

Active

Primary Users

Aegyptican Royal Navy
Italian Navy

Produced

2000-present

Number Built

662 Aegyptica
72 Italian License-Built

The Nightshade was originally designed out of the Next Generation Aegyptican Naval Fighter (NGANF) program, started to find a replacement to the the ageing F-19 Cheetah and F-4 Phantom it was then operating. Initial proposals included the Boeing XF-36, Rockwell XF-95, Lockheed-Martin XF-116, and FHI XF-44. The Aegyptican Navy Stated that all 4 entries met requirements and needs, and a contract was awarded to all participants for a pre-poduction example of their respective entries. The Rockwell entry proved to be highly agile at low speeds, but severely lacked in payload capabilities due to a small wing area. As a result, the ARN Revoked the Rockwell contract in October of 1997. Boeing followed in March of 1998, as they had built a slow, heavy aircraft that carried more Armament than was requested. Although the YF-36 was promising on paper, it was not effective in reality. The Lockheed-Martin and FHI prototypes were both delta-wing aircraft, though the YF-116 was twin engined opposed to the single engine of the YF-44. The Aegyptican Navy, noticing an opportunity to supplant the Severely out-dated A-51, requested Lockheed-Martin to redesign the YF-116 to carry more payload, and awarded a separate contract for the new YA-24. On the fighter front, Lockheed and FHI continued making changes to their designs, with the YF-44 gaining Canards in August of 1999. Following An accident with the YF-116 Prototype on September 8 1999, Lockheed retracted their entry into the NGANF program, but continued development of the YF-24. In October 1999, just a few weeks after the accident with the YF-116, the YA-24 was awarded with a production contract by the ARN, and Lockheed began building 50 of the newly-designated A-24 Cherokee. In August of 2000, the YF-44 made its first flight out of ANAS Johannesburg. Following an impressive display of agility, the ARN awarded a contract for 100 of the new aircraft. On August 26 2000, the aircraft was officially named F-44 Nightshade.

Armament:

2x AIM-9X Sidewinder
4x AIM-120C AMRAAM
4x MK82
2x AGM-127B Predator
1x M318 25x164mm Revolver Cannon

Avionics:

PS-05/A (2000-2008)
AN/APG-79 AESA Radar (2009-Present)
Cobra HMD (2000-2015)
Targo HMD (2016-Present)
S45A/4 ATA/ATS Tactical Data Link System
ANVIS Display
Skyward-G
Praetorian DASS
AN/AAR-56 MLD
AN/ALR-94 EWS (E/A-44F)
MJU-39/40 Flares

Powerplant:

1x FHI Superhawk afterburning Turbofan 29,360lbf (130kN) thrust dry, 45,290lbf (201kN) thrust afterburner.

Performance:

Maximum Speed: Mach 2.1 at altitude

Range: 1,620nmi (1,864mi, 3,000km)

Combat Range: 683nmi (786mi, 1,265km) on internal fuel
794nmi (914mi, 1,470km) with external tanks)

Service Ceiling: 50,000ft (15,000m)

g Limits: +9.2

Wing loading: 51.1lbs/ft sq

Thrust-Weight ratio: 1.2016

Controls:

Ag1 Afterburner
Ag2 Canopy
Ag3 Eject
Ag4 Jettison Weapons
Ag5+Trim Wing Folding
Ag6 Jettison Fuel Tank
Ag7 Tailhook
Ag8 nothin

It has working buttons inside, working HUD, Working ammo counters, working Radar etc.