Unknown aircraft.

Can anybody tell me what is this? I know many aircrafts, but not this one :

It's Burt Rutan's ARES "mudfighter" an actual experimental attack jet designed to do CAS for the AF with a 25mm cannon. It was designed to be a very cheap jet for third world countries.

You can see it in action in Iron Eagle III. Just make sure you do not pay attention to the plot.

"Cool Hand" beat me to the punch. Here is a link to the Scaled Composites Agile Responsive Effective Support (ARES) Project. The details of the project are pretty interesting.

Thanks. So it was something like more agile A-10?

Wow, I googled for Ares, and that thing should weight only 1.300 kg!!!. Lighter than my car.

good rule of thumb whenever you see an aircraft with canardslike that and wild tails like it has it is probably a rutan

I read about that one... can't find the page, and at 330 AM, I don't wanna... anyway... it's not in service as far as I know after a crash which had occured. It was a basis to creat the F-15 from what I've read. The people who made it shut the business down, as far as I know it was a home business.

Originally posted by longbow
Wow, I googled for Ares, and that thing should weight only 1.300 kg!!!. Lighter than my car.

So it definentely won't be as tough as an A-10. It looks cool but the a-10/ harrier/ jsf do the same job and are being bought so it really isnt necessary

Originally posted by roniii259
So it definentely won't be as tough as an A-10. It looks cool but the a-10/ harrier/ jsf do the same job and are being bought so it really isnt necessary

The basic version should weight 1300 kg. The combat versions could be better armored. And according to articles it has an EXCELENT manuevrability during subsonic speeds. No other aircraft could match it.

I am interested in seeing this thing fly. I might have to rent "Iron Eagles III"! Even armored that thing wouldn't have much mass to counter the recoil of that cannon, but a report I read said that testing went well. Very interesting.

there is no way a ctol aircraft can be more manuverable than an stovl. The harrier and the jsf can deploy in stovl configuration to make slow tight turns and literally dance allover the sky.

machinegunjordan:

When I saw the pic and before I read the thread, I was thinking "Rutan". His designs are rather distinctive.

Good call.

It's a good looking plane, but the question remains, does it perform? Has it been tested yet?

You are insane who ever say Rutan shut down their business. WHO the heck do you think is going to win the Space Plane Contest ????? For private industry.....

Better have more knowledge on the subject before you say something as silly as that...

news.bbc.co.uk...

By the way it was Burt Rutan Industries (maker of the EZ Light and Long EZ)

But now they are way bigger and changed their name to Scaled Composites

[Edited on 4-6-2004 by robertfenix]

Haven't Scaled Composites built an YF-23 ? I know it was a Northrop's plane, but I read Scaled have built a prototype.

Originally posted by kandalivi
It's a good looking plane, but the question remains, does it perform? Has it been tested yet?

Tested, performed excelent, but canceled, because not needed and probably because it could carry only canon + had 2 hardpoints under wings. But a bigger version would be nice....

Maybe it's a spyplane?

Originally posted by COOL HAND
It's Burt Rutan's ARES "mudfighter" an actual experimental attack jet designed to do CAS for the AF with a 25mm cannon. It was designed to be a very cheap jet for third world countries.

You can see it in action in Iron Eagle III. Just make sure you do not pay attention to the plot.

I knew I saw it somewhere! Thanx Cool Hand!

i dont think that thing can even take the recoil of a .45 colt let a lone a 20mm cannon

I love digging up these old threads...

If you want to try to see this aircraft, the movie is playing this month on Encore's 'Action Channel.' Aces: Iron Eagle III

February 6: 6:45PM
February 7: 2:00AM
February 14: 1:20PM, 10:00PM
February 18: 4:45PM