Fly Past

BEECHCRAFT SHADOW 100 YEARS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE

PATROLLERS AND AIRLIFTERS RAF CENTENARY CELEBRATION 95

Type: Five-crew ISTAR aircraft

First fl ight: October 27, 1972 (Super King Air) entered service 2009

Powerplant: Two 850shp (634kW) Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprops

Dimensions: Span 57ft 11in (17.40m), length 46ft 8in (14.26m)

Weights: Empty 8,830lb (4,005kg), all-up 15,000lb (6,804kg)

Max speed: 281mph (453km/h) at 36,000ft (10,973m)

Range: 2,078 miles (3,345km)

Armament: Nil

Replaced: N /A

Taken on charge: Five

Replaced by: N /A

BEECHCRAFT SHADOW R.I

The avionics suite features a
universal navigation system, an
altimeter, dual-airspeed indicators,
a flight director, and an electronic
flight information system.
The active matrix multi-function
displays in the cockpit make the key
data available at the pilot’s finger
tips. Information relating to the
engine, navigational data, maps,
current location and destination,
environmental data, air traffic sensor
information, mission details and
system synoptics are also fed to
the onboard crew to enhance
situational awareness.
Other standard equipment on
the flight deck includes a flight
management system, autopilot,
air data computers, turbulence
detection radar and global
positioning system (GPS).
The classified nature of the
Shadow’s operations means little is
known about its equipment, but
Raytheon describes the cabin as
being fitted with an electro-optic/
infrared system, synthetic aperture
radar/inverse synthetic aperture
radar (SAR/ISAR), missile warning
system and countermeasures
dispensing system. Satellite
communications links enable
information download during a
mission, and the aircraft is also fitted
with comprehensive defensive aids.
In 2017 the UK government
committed to a major upgrade
for Shadow. As part of the deal
Raytheon says it will: “make the
first incremental upgrade to the
Shadow R.1, and then explore
new delivery solutions for the next
variant, the Mk.2”.
Although no timeframe for the
project has been announced, the
MoD has stated it expects the
Shadow R.2 to be: “a connected
aeroplane” and to feature new
sensors and increased levels of
software automation.
The RAF currently expects to
operate Shadow until at least 2030.

Above

The lumps, bumps

and sensors on

the Shadow easily

differentiate it from

a ‘normal’ King

Air. ANDY HAY/WWW.

FLYINGART.CO.UK

Left

A Shadow prepares

for its next sortie.

The avionics suite features a

“Developed by Raytheon, the Shadow is optimised to

provide manned tactical aerial surveillance duties for

UK Special Forces.”

Above

Shadow ZZ419

lands back at RAF

Waddington at dusk.

Although the aircraft

are based at the

Lincolnshire airfi eld,

they are more

commonly deployed

to locations around

the world. JAMIE EWAN