Flight tests to speed up Calidus B-250 certification process

They are representative of the 12 aircraft on order (and 12 on option) by the UAEAF&AD known as ‘P12’. The first (001) is, according to one source, expected to fly soon and will feature both ground attack and advanced mission trainer configurations.

The B-250 is being designed for missions such as close air support, intelligent surveillance and reconnaissance, persistent air support, counterinsurgency as well as training.

All three new prototypes will be involved in several flight test campaigns to speed up the certification of the mission systems – such as electronic warfare, stores management system and weapons integration. 

The example found at the Calidus stand in the outside area, B250T 981 wearing an orange colour scheme, while the second prototype, B250 982 is in a grey scheme. 

The Desert Sting 16 and Desert Sting 25, as well as the Halcon P32 Thunder precision-guided munition, are all being integrated for the ground-attack role.

One surprise addition to the aircraft’s armoury was Calidus’s own Alheda (name for a Falcon who flies from fire to fire) air-to-ground weapon.

Initially a ground-to-ground weapon, housing high-explosive fragmentation and high-explosive anti-tank warheads, integration of the air-launched weapon is currently on going. 

Progress with the B250T trainer version, like 981 at the stand, is not as rapid as the B250 version, as the UAEAF&AD is still considering all its basic trainer options.

In addition to the 12 on order with 12 options for the local customer, announced in a $620 million deal at Dubai Airshow 2019, another eight are also being built in the WX-80 configuration specifically for the cloud-seeding or rain-maker role. 

According to a source, Calidus is expecting a substantial order for the B250 from its first export customer by the end of the year.