HCA-22A Draconis
The HCA-22 Draconis is a multi-use, quad-fan helicopter focusing on Close Air Support (CAS) designed to provide heavy fire support for airborne formations and destruction of enemy vehicles while carrying supplies and personnel for reinforcement. The HCA-22 Draconis is operated by the Confederacy of Atreus, Pan-Veiidic Commonwealth, and Tachystani Liberation Front and is a design based on a concept from the Principality of Belka. First flying in 2197, the HCA-22 acts as a airborne headquarters for Forward Observers and Airborne Brigade Command Staff.
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HCA-22 Draconis
Heavy Command Aircraft 22 Draconis
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| Heavy Command Gunship | |||||
| National Origin | Confederacy of Atreus | ||||
| Production History | |||||
| Designed | |||||
| 2193 - 2198 | |||||
| Produced | |||||
| 2198 - 2199 | |||||
| Designer | Odyssey Aerospace Arienela Dynamics | ||||
| Unit Cost | 212,976(√) | ||||
| Number Built | ~6 | ||||
| Service History | |||||
| In Service | |||||
| 2199 - N/A | |||||
| Used By | Confederacy of Atreus Tachystani Liberation Front | ||||
Development
Origins
With the rising popularity in rotary wing and tilt-rotor aircraft spearheaded by Zokesia and Cyten-Ward Industries, it demonstrated to the Atreian Army a new need for a heavy CAS aircraft to support both armored spearheads and air assault attacks, as well as providing a command center for rapidly relocating headquarters staff for airborne formations. The Atreian Ministry of Defense began the Experimental Command Aircraft (XCA) program in early 2192.
With multiple proposals coming from throughout the Pan-Veiidic Commonwealth and from corporations such as Penguin Logistics And Internal Defense (PLAID), Cyten-Ward Industries, Odyssey Aerospace, and Starline Industries . Encouraged to form teams by the Atreian Army, the Northwind Design Team joined forces with Arienela Dynamics to develop Fire Control Systems (FCS) and Avionics packages for the XCA-22. The Atreian Army finally selected the Northwind Aerospace proposal of the XCA-22 in June of 2196.
Initial Prototypes and Design Changes
Being designated the Heavy Command Aircraft 22 (HCA-22) in July 2196, the first prototype began construction a month later, being completed in October of the same year. Initial flight testing showed concerns with the initial single quad rotor per each ducted fan, which over torqued the rotor causing structural concerns with the Arienela Dynamics AD-H216 Turboshaft engines that powered each fan. This was later changed to a two rotor per fan setup in which the three-bladed rotors rotated opposite of each other, with the top set of blades controlling both collective and roll, while the bottom set of rotors controls collective as well as pitch.
With the first flight in January 2197, the HCA-22 proved to be quite difficult to handle, at high blade angles, control authority was reduced, nearly leading to a crash in 2198. Various issues were rectified in the production variant of the HCA-22, known as the HCA-22A.