Calidus B-250 (Bader)

Counter-Insurgency / Light Attack Aircraft [ 2021 ]

The Calidus B-250 is part of a United Arab Emirates attempt to bring a light-attack, counter-insurgency aircraft to market.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/16/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from official Calidus LLC marketing material.

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The nature of modern warfare is such that counter-insurgency platforms are still in high demand and this has produced a glut of light-attack platforms to the market. This has also sparked interest on the part of many smaller aircraft manufacturing operations to delivery survivable, profitable attackers. The little-known aero-industry of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has seen considerable growth in recent years and one of the products being championed in the Calidus B-250 (formerly known as the "Bader").

Its maker, Calidus LLC, is a machinery / equipment company based in Abu Dhabi, the Gulf state's capital, and has recently entered the lucrative world of civilian and military aircraft. The aircraft's true design, however, is credited to Joseph Kovacs who is also responsible for the classic Embraer EMB-312 "Tucano" of Brazil. His designs were purchased by Brazilian-based Novaer and the B-250 was born as a joint-development between it and U.S.-based Rockwell Collins.

In the B-250, the crew of two are seated in tandem under a largely unobstructed, side-opening canopy offering excellent vision out-of-the-cockpit. The cockpit is positioned near midships with the engine compartment at front. The B-250 features a turboprop engine driving a five-bladed propeller unit at the nose. The wing mainplanes are straight in their general shape and low-mounted along the fuselage sides near midships. The tail unit has a single fin with low-set horizontal planes. A retractable tricycle undercarriage allows for ground-running. Construction will features extensive use of composites.

The aircraft is being actively developed for the close-support / counter-insurgency role but will also offer Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities as well as intermediate training for future airmen. Promoted qualities of the B-250 include low procurement and low operating costs when compared to equal-role aircraft from other, better recognized, manufacturers.

It was announced that the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion suite, sporting two large color mission screens (Multi-Function Displays = MFDs) ahead of the pilot, will be the aircraft's avionics fit. A Head-Up Display (HUD) will provide the pilots with pertinent mission and performance data. Under the nose section of the fuselage is an Electro-Optical (EO) / InfraRed (IR) sensor unit.

Power stems from a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turboprop unit rated at 1,600 horsepower. This supplies the vehicle with a ferry range out to 2,400 nautical miles and a service ceiling up to 30,000 feet.

The Bader features no fewer than seven hardpoints about its design, these intended to carry a mixed set of ordnance options including precision-guided munitions, rocket pods, cannon pods and mission pods as well as external fuel stores. This will allow the light attacker to counter small concentrations of enemy forces through a variable set of weapons. Excellent handling and low-altitude flight characteristics also figure into the mix as these are typical qualities of close support platforms like the B-250 intends to be.

The Calidus B-250 was showcased at Dubai Air Show 2017.©MilitaryFactory.com

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February 2019 - Calidius has announced a partnership with GDC Middle East of Saudi Arabia to market the B-250 Light Attack Aircraft, primarily centering on the Middle East and African markets where the need for such a product is great.

November 2019 - The United Arab Emirates has been named as a customer of the locally-originated B-250. The type will be used as a counter-insurgency platform.

November 2021 - Calidus has revealed its B-350 series heavy strike variant of the B-250 product line.

Specifications

Service Year

2021

Origin

United Arab Emirates

Status

IN-DEVELOPMENT
Program in Progress.

Crew

2

Production

2
UNITS

Calidus LLC - United Arab Emirates / Embraer - Brazil

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

National flag of the United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates (ordered)

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Close-Air Support (CAS)
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.

✓ Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

RADAR-CAPABLE

Houses, or can house (through specialized variants), radar equipment for searching, tracking, and engagement of enemy elements.

COUNTERMEASURES

Survivability enhanced by way of onboard electronic or physical countermeasures enacted by the aircraft or pilot/crew.

ARMORING

Survivability enhanced by armor allocated to protect pilot / crewspaces and / or critical operating systems.

RUGGED AIRFRAME

Inherent ability of airframe to take considerable damage.

HIGH-SPEED PERFORMANCE

Can accelerate to higher speeds than average aircraft of its time.

EXTENDED RANGE PERFORMANCE

Capability to travel considerable distances through onboard fuel stores.

PILOT / CREW EJECTION SYSTEM

Assisted process of allowing its pilot and / or crew to eject in the event of an airborne emergency.

CREWSPACE PRESSURIZATION

Supports pressurization required at higher operating altitudes for crew survival.

CREW-MANAGED

Beyond a pilot, the aircraft takes advantage of additional crew specialized in specific functions aboard the aircraft.

ENCLOSED CREWSPACE(S)

Features partially- or wholly-enclosed crew workspaces.

RETRACTABLE UNDERCARRIAGE

Features retracting / retractable undercarriage to preserve aerodynamic efficiency.

monoplane / low-mounted / straight

Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represent the most popular mainplane arrangement.

Low-Mounted
Mainplanes are low-mounted along the sides of the fuselage.

Straight
The planform involves use of basic, straight mainplane members.

(Structural descriptors pertain to the Calidus B-250 production variant)

Installed: 1 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turboprop engine developing 1,600 horsepower and driving a five-bladed propeller at the nose.

Ceiling

30,003 ft
(9,145 m | 6 mi)

Range

2,762 mi
(4,445 km | 8,232 nm)

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Calidus B-250 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

Variable across seven external hardpoints (six underwing, one centelrine). Support for precision-guided missiles and bombs as well as rocket and cannon / gun pods. Jettisonable fuel stores also figures into the mix.

Supported Types

Graphical image of an aircraft automatic cannon

Graphical image of an aircraft machine gun pod

Graphical image of aircraft aerial rockets

Graphical image of an aircraft conventional drop bomb munition

Graphical image of an aircraft guided bomb munition

Graphical image of an aircraft external fuel tank

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

Hardpoint Mountings: 7

Mounting Points

-

11

9

7

-

1

-

6

8

10

-

HARDPOINT(S) KEY:

X

15

13

11

9

7

5

3

1

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

COLOR KEY:

Fuselage Centerline

Fuselage Port/Wingroot

Fuselage Starboard/Wingroot

Wing/Underwing

Wingtip Mount(s)

Internal Bay(s)

Not Used

Note: Diagram above does not take into account inline hardpoints (mounting positions seated one-behind-the-other).

B-250 - Base Series Designation.

B-350 - Heavy strike variant; debuted November 2021.

"Bader" - Former product name.

Cockpit image of the Calidus B-250 (Bader)

Cockpit image represents the Calidus B-250 (Bader) production model.

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Image from official Calidus LLC marketing material.