kahlia akasha jet

She was all black, a menacing colour in any light but against the spot lamps and she was like some primeval monster from the depths, an illusion of optics. She almost hid her great agility and speed sitting there silent on the hangar floor, again an illusion. A shark like fuselage housed a multi-mode radar in the very nose, the key sensor for combat and navigation. With air to air modes for close combat, air to ground modes for anti-tank and attack missions, precise navigation modes with a type of terrain following and a basic air to sea mode for ship attack, this radar did a specialist job. An infrared sensor mounted in front of the first cockpit provided infrared search and target identification without the enemy being aware he was being watched. In good weather this sensor provided good navigation out to ten miles or so but cloud, rain and smoke hindered it somewhat. It made night flying a great joy on cloudless nights and he had done a dozen night flights and planned many more yet. A laser range finder was coupled with the infrared sensor to provide distance of the target or distance to, say, a hill when low level flight was being practised.  Twin air data probes three feet long protruded over and above the nose to give flight data to the instruments and computers. They gave the airplane an appearance of a large predatory catfish waiting to strike. Two single seat cockpits under a huge one piece plastic canopy gave superb vision in almost a full circle, essential due to a crowded airspace during an air battle or flying near to the ground. Two pairs of eyes also gave good observation. He had flown her from both cockpits but he preferred the forward cockpit due to the slightly better forward view. In combat the pilot sat in the rear cockpit and the weapons man in the front using the radar, infrared and other sensors to aim weapons or to navigate. A similar set of flight controls was in both cockpits so changing over was no problem. The main radar displays was repeated in both cockpits as was the other sensors; a main difference was weapon options, controlled from the front, so the pilot had to get the weapons man to set up his weapons for him other than the off boresight air-to-air missiles and main cannon in the air combat role. However, he had his plane but no weapons whatsoever and he flew her from which seat he preferred depending on his mood. Behind the tandem cockpits were the main fuel tanks and an avionics bay, above which was a large air intake for the engine, a single large Aeroprogress turboprop of quite compact size yet providing some 4,500-shaft horsepower. This was a jet engine turning a large eight bladed prop, with carbon fibre blades, the power of his Russian girl. When turning, these carbon fibre blades were invisible but deadly knives turning at several revolutions per minute, easily enough to decapitate a person.