- Britten-Norman Defender
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See also: Britten-Norman Islander
Defender 
Defender of the Greater Manchester Police, England Role Transport, patrol, reconnaissance Manufacturer Britten-Norman First flight May 1970 Developed from Britten-Norman Islander The Britten-Norman Defender is a multi-role utility transport aircraft, manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. It is the military version of the Britten-Norman Islander, developed for roles such as utility transport, casualty evacuation, counter-insurgency and light attack, forward air control, patrol and reconnaissance.
Contents
Development
First flown in May 1970, the Defender was based on the civilian Islander, and has a larger airframe with four underwing hardpoints for pylons to attach 1134-kg (2,500-lb) of fuel tanks, bombs, missiles, 7.62-mm (0.3-inch) machine-gun pods, rocket pods, flares, sensors and other stores.
The BN-2B (piston version) and BN-2T (turbine version) are used in military, coastguard, and police operations in several countries.
Defender 4000
The BN-2T-4S Defender 4000 is an enhanced version of the BN-2T Defender intended for the aerial surveillance role. Compared to earlier Defenders, it has a stretched fuselage, the enlarged wing from the Trislander, a new nose structure capable of accommodating a FLIR turret or radar, and an increased payload.[1] The prototype Defender 4000 first flew in 1994.[2]
Operational History
The FBI deployed one Defender for electronic aerial surveillance on Branch Davidian's compound during the siege of Waco in 1993.[3]
In 2003 the British Army bought four Defender 4000 aircraft, known in service as the Defender AL1, fitted with under-wing defensive aids dispensers and an electro optical turret under the nose.[4] Since then one other has been converted to Defender AL2 specification and three more Defender AL2s and one Defender T3 trainer have been ordered.
The Irish Air Corps bought one Defender 4000 in 1997. It is operated by the Garda Air Support Unit.
Variants
- Defender
- Multi-role utility transport aircraft.
- Maritime Defender
- Armed maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.
- Defender 4000
- Enhanced Defender for the urban surveillance, counter-terrorism and maritime surveillance roles.
Operators
Specifications
General characteristics
Based on BN2T-4S Defender 4000 Multi-Sensor Surveillance Aircraft version[5]
- Overall Length: 40 ft 4 in (12.2 m)
- Wingspan: 53 ft 0 in (16.15 m)
- Height: 14 ft 3 in (4.3 m)
- Empty: 5,000 lb (2,267 kg)
- Maximum takeoff: 8,500 lb (3,855 kg)
- Powerplant: 2x Allison 250-B17F turboprops[6]
Related content
- Related development
External links
References
- ^ "BN2T-4S - Defender 4000 Surveillance Aircraft". www.britten-norman.com. B-N Group Limited. http://www.britten-norman.com/products/bn2t4s/. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- ^ "Britten-Norman Milestones". www.britten-norman.com. B-N Group Limited. http://www.britten-norman.com/history/. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- ^ FBI brings out secret electronics weapons as Waco siege drags on, by James Adams. The Sunday Times, p. 23, 21 March 1993
- ^ Britten Norman Islander / Defender, www.spyflight.co.uk
- ^ Fightglobal, 1990
- ^ Britten-norman.com - brochures - Defender
Britten-Norman and NDN/NAC aircraft Britten-Norman Britten-Norman BN-1 • BN-2 Islander • Defender • Nymph • Sheriff • Trislander
NDN/NAC Key people John Britten • Desmond Norman
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- Britten-Norman aircraft
- British military utility aircraft 1970–1979
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