Instructions

Ag1 = Eject (Edit: fixed it)
Ag5 = Jettison
Ag6 = Switch Bomb mode (Guidance)
Ag7 = Hooks
Ag8 = Lights
Normal flight controls

Description

The XA-21 "LongBow" is a carrier-capable, single-pilot, twin-boom turboprop attack aircraft designed for precision strikes, close air support (CAS), and anti-armor missions. Combining advanced technology, robust payload options, and high-performance capabilities, the LongBow is a highly versatile platform that excels in both high-speed strike missions and low-altitude, high-precision operations.

Design and Construction

The XA-21 LongBow features a twin-boom configuration, with both tails incorporating a mono-horizontal stabilizer mounted at the tips of the vertical stabilizers (similar to the F-104 Starfighter). This unique arrangement improves aerodynamic efficiency and control, allowing for precise flight characteristics at both low and high speeds.

The aircraft is powered by a counter-rotating turboprop engine for fuel efficiency and extended range. The left boom houses a fixed mid-air refueling probe, ensuring that the LongBow can be refueled in-flight, extending its operational range and enabling longer-duration missions. The right boom contains a targeting sensor, providing the pilot with enhanced capabilities for precision bombing and guided missile attacks.

One of the key features that gives the XA-21 LongBow its durability and performance is its titanium tub, which forms the aircraft's central structural framework. This advanced material contributes to its overall heavy weight, making the LongBow 7035 kg empty and 9503 kg fully loaded, but it also grants the aircraft unparalleled strength and resilience in demanding combat conditions. The aircraft is built with quad landing gear mounted on the booms to provide better weight distribution and enhance stability during operations from both carrier decks and forward-deployed bases.

Performance

Wing Span: 15.3 meters

Length: 13 meters

Height: 3.7 meters (including gear and tail)

Empty Weight: 7035 kg

Loaded Weight: 9503 kg

Wing Loading: 230 kg/m²

Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.286 hp/kg

The XA-21 LongBow has impressive performance characteristics, capable of flying as slow as 200 km/h for surveillance and low-level CAS missions, while reaching speeds of over 600 km/h in high-speed strike operations. Its counter-rotating turboprop engines and twin-boom configuration provide exceptional maneuverability and aerodynamic efficiency, ensuring it performs well in both high-speed and low-speed operations. The quad gear system further enhances its stability, particularly when operating from less-than-ideal airstrips or carrier decks.

Armament and Payload

The XA-21 LongBow is equipped with an array of precision-guided munitions and firepower, tailored for multi-role operations. The aircraft can be configured with the following weapons:

2x AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on the wingtip for short-range air-to-air defense.

2x AGM-65 Maverick missiles for precision strikes against tanks, bunkers, and hardened structures.

4x GBU-50 Rocket-Assisted 900 lb bombs, mounted on mid-wing pylons, allowing for long-range, precision bombing of enemy targets.

1x M61 Gun Pod, providing high rate-of-fire close support for suppression of enemy positions and infantry.

3x AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, mounted on a triple rack, for anti-armor and anti-vehicle strikes, adding to the aircraft’s flexibility in modern warfare.

1x 30mm Bushmaster II Mk44 cannon mounted in the nose, giving the LongBow effective strafing capability against infantry, light vehicles, and ground targets in close support operations.

With its highly diverse payload, the XA-21 LongBow is capable of striking both hardened targets at long ranges and providing close air support with guns and missiles, making it a highly effective tool for ground attack, CAS, and anti-armor operations.