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IAI Lavi

The IAI Lavi was a single-seat, single-engine multirole fighter aircraft, principally designed to conduct high-speed penetration and first pass bombing missions while maintaining a high level of manoeuvrability and survivability.

The Lavi was almost 1,300 kg lighter in empty weight than its contemporary F-16 block 30 (7,030 vs 8,300 kg)

It was envisioned that the Lavi’s lifecycle costs would be considerably beneath those of the F-16, efforts were also made to achieve a lower procurement cost as well.

Like the F-16, the Lavi was an aerodynamically unstable aircraft, employing a quadruplex-redundant digital fly-by-wire system in order to provide stability and control; this was one of the aircraft’s more innovative features.

The Lavi was powered by a single Pratt & Whitney PW1120 turbofan engine, capable of generating 20,260 lb of thrust and enabling the aircraft to attain a maximum speed of Mach 1.85.

The engine, which was derived from the Pratt & Whitney F100 that powered the F-16, was the only aspect of the aircraft that Eine acknowledged to have created a dependency upon the US.

While carrying eight 750lb bombs the Lavi possessed a combat radius of 250 nmi; an alternative armament of 2,000 lb bombs enabled a 650 nmi combat radius.

Possessing a 1.1:1 thrust-to-weight ratio while equipped with a combat payload, the airframe of the Lavi was designed to be capable of routinely withstanding up to 9g.

Specifications

Crew

1

Length

14.57 m (47 ft 10 in)

Wingspan

8.78 m (28 ft 10 in)

Height

4.78 m (15 ft 8 in)

Wing area

33 m2 (360 sq ft)

Empty weight

7,031 kg (15,501 lb)

Gross weight

9,991 kg (22,026 lb)

Max take-off weight

19,277 kg (42,499 lb)

Powerplant

1 × Pratt & Whitney PW1120 afterburning turbofan,

91.5 kN (20,600 lbf) with afterburner

Performance

Maximum speed

1,965 km/h (1,221 mph, 1,061 kn)

Maximum speed

Mach 1.6

Range

3,700 km (2,300 mi, 2,000 nmi)

Service ceiling

15,240 m (50,000 ft)

Rate of climb

254 m/s (50,000 ft/min)

Wing loading

303.2 kg/m2 (62.1 lb/sq ft)

Thrust/weight

0.94

Armament

Guns

1 × 30 mm DEFA cannon.

 

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