Paramount Group sold nine Mwari strike aircraft to the South African Air Force and unknown customers

South Africa's Paramount Group has received an order for nine Mwari strike aircraft.

Here's What We Know

The manufacturer announced the new order at the Africa Aerospace and Defense Expo event. Sam Amsterdam, a spokesman for the South African company, told Defense News that one of the customers was the South African Air Force. The names of other customers are being kept secret.

Paramount Group is working with the German company Hensoldt to integrate the Argos II aerial surveillance system into the Mwari aircraft. It makes it possible to detect and identify targets.

The Mwari strike aircraft are equipped with 950 horsepower PT6A-66B engines made by Pratt & Whitney, USA. The maximum speed of the aircraft is 500 km/h. The aircraft can use short runways (up to 600 m). The practical ceiling reaches 9.5 km and the range is 900 km.

The Mwari is equipped with six points of suspension for missiles and bombs. It also has an automatic 20 mm cannon and a compartment for electro-optical sensors for reconnaissance missions. The maximum payload mass is 800 kg.

The most affordable version of Mwari costs about $10 million. The maximum price of combat version with a full set of weapons is $20 million.

Source: Defense News.

Images: Paramount Group, FlightGlobal