BRONCOII DESIGNFEATURESThe Bronco II can be equipped with
Martin-Baker Mk16 or Mk17 ejection
seats, an on-board oxygen generation
system (OBOGS), a fully integrated
instrument light rules-certiied avionics
system, real-time on-board data analysis
and decision-making, and fully night
vision-compliant cockpits, backed up
by a comprehensive health and usage
monitoring system (HUMS).
With a panoramic cockpit view
presented by stadium seating and a rear-
mounted ive-bladed Hartzell propeller
turned by a 950shp Pratt & Whitney PT-6
engine, the aircraft’s two-man crew can
loiter with eiciency at high altitudes
(with a service ceiling above 30,000ft) and
operate at cruising speeds approaching
300kt or orbit at 150kt. The aircraftis intended to operate for extended
periods in remote theaters with minimal
footprint. Its logistics and maintenance
requirement is tiny compared to today’s
advanced combat aircraft.
Twenty-ive hardpoints for ordnance,
targeting pods and a diverse array of
mission-speciic equipment include
six under the wings for weapons. The
Bronco II can be equipped with targeting
sensors and its internal interchangeable
multi-mission system bay (IMSB) allows
for a single airframe to be rapidly re-
conigured to perform multiple roles.
The IMSB has a maximum payload of
1,764lb (800kg).
The aircraft further has advanced
satellite network communication
systems, precision weapons, an electronic
self-protection suite, military tactical
long-range radios, a multi-spectrum
direction inder, weather radar and
mission planning systems.
Signiicantly, the type is transportable
on both a C-17 and C-130 with rapid
knockdown for deployment. A Bronco
II also its easily into a standard 40ft
shipping container.lying hours and an aging aerial leet.’
Interestingly, an artist’s impression of the
Bronco II depicts the aircraft in US Marine
Corps markings. The US Senate Armed
Services Committee announced in June
that it aims to give $100 million to the
marines in order to procure new and cost-
efective light attack aircraft, but like the
USAF this is still not a program of record.Potential
The baseline Mwari design was designed
speciically as an ISR/light attack platform
from the outset. ‘It is not an armed variant
of a crop-duster or a modiied training
aircraft,’ comments BCS. The company
adds that the Bronco II can be operated
from approximately $1,000 per light hour.
‘We have established Paramount Group
USA as our US-based company’, it said, ‘and
together with our local US partners on
the Bronco Combat Systems [BCS] team,
we are dedicated to Bronco II deployment
as the quintessential F3EAD solution. The
Bronco II will be speciically weaponized,
missionized and fully manufactured in the
United States.
‘We’ve held a strategic partnership with
Boeing for many years, and recently we
teamed with its subsidiary, Aviall, who
will manage our global supply chain and
integrated logistics support.’
According to the company, work
has already started on establishing a
manufacturing base in the US, which will
enable the full production of the airframe
including mission systems integration.
BCS continued, ‘The Bronco II is
perfectly suited for competitions such
as light armed attack and if we get
an opportunity, we will participate.
The aircraft is obviously applicable to
many existing USAF/SOCOM [Special
Operations Command] opportunities and
we would be very keen to showcase to
the USAF its unrivaled capabilities, born
of cost-efectiveness and next-generation
versatility in the ield.’Above: The
original prototype
AHRLAC during
flight-testing in
South Africa.
Paramount Group
Above left: An
artist’s impression
of the Bronco II
complete with
US Marine Corps
titles. BCSINDUSTRY REPORT // BRONCO II
26 November 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net