IDEX: Calidus producing more B-250 prototypes

They are representative of the 12 aircraft on order (and 12 on option), known as ‘P12’ by the UAE Air Force and Air Defence.

The first (001), according to one source, is 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, B-250T (SN981) wearing an orange colour scheme, while the second prototype, B-250 (SN982) is in a grey scheme.

The Desert Sting 16 and Desert Sting 25, as well as 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 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 ongoing.

Progress with the B-250T trainer version is not as rapid as the B-250 version as the UAE Air Force and Air Defence 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. Flight tests are currently ongoing.

This modified B-250 houses a weather radar to continuously monitor the atmosphere and to optimise the deployment of cloud-seeding materials to encourage the formation of raindrops.

According to a source, Calidus is expecting a substantial order for the B-250 from its first export customer by the end of the year, but no one at the stand was willing to name the country.