T.553 Konge

The T.553 Konge is a twin-engine tactical transport featuring a cargo hold, a rear-access ramp beneath an upswept tail, a high-mounted wing and turboprop engines. The T.553 is designed to perform cargo and troop transport duties, aerial delivery of supplies and equipment and is designed to be compatible with international railway loading gauges to simplify cargo logistics and loading. In flight the cargo area is pressurized and kept at a constant temperature by integrated air conditioning systems.

Additionally, the landing gear can be partially retracted while on the ground. This lowers the T.553, making it easier to move vehicles into the hold as they don't need to climb a ramp.

One aspect of the T.553 that made the type well suited to tactical operations was the type's short airfield performance; including the ability to perform steep descents of up to 20 degrees and perform landings on airstrips as short as 400 meters. In the airlift role, a later production T.553 could carry up to 8.5 tons across a distance of 5,000 kilometres, and take off from airstrips as short as 700 meters. Dependent upon aircraft configuration, a single aircraft could airdrop as many as 88 paratroopers or transport up to 93 equipped troops.

Advantages of the twin-engine configuration over four include reduced unit and production cost, lower weight and fuel consumption, simplified design and reliability. Each engine is equipped with an auxiliary generator system, providing the aircraft with both electricity and hydraulic pressure. An auxiliary power unit is used to power the aircraft while on the ground, and for rare use in mid-air emergencies.

An updated second generation of the T.553 was produced during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Amongst changes made, the new variant was equipped with additional fuel tankage, aerial refueling probes and enhanced avionics. While there were considerable changes to instrumentation, including the navigational and autopilot systems, the second generation T.553 retained the original operating characteristics to simplify crew transfers between types.

The T.553 proved to be a versatile aircraft, leading to a long operational service life. Between its introduction and 1999, approximately 2000 modifications and upgrades were incorporated upon the type, split 60/40 between the structure and equipment respectively. Many changes were made over time in regards to the aircraft's avionics, incorporating new features such as GPS and laser inertial navigation systems, modern autopilot and crew management systems.

Ringerike
Almost immediately upon introduction into service the Konges of the Ringerike Royal Air Force found themselves involved in operational duties combatting the spillover from the Valentine Emergency in Sorland.

Valentine Emergency
The T.553 served from introduction in the efforts to limit the spillover from the Valentine Emergency in Sorland, initially in an aeromedical evacuation and supply role, mission sets shifted to include the use of munitions and air deployed defoliants in support of counter insurgency operations.

Sorland War
A number of T.553s were present when KNA troops crossed the border into Sorland, the majority of these aircraft were withdrawn across the border to New Valentina, from where they conducted a number of supporting activities until moved back just across the border to newly prepared landing strips from which they conducted a limited run of supply, extraction and insertion missions including a number of low level parachute drops inserting elements of 17 (Sorland) Jeger Battalion to deny key infrastructure and strike at KNA command and logistics nodes. It was during these missions that the T.553 demonstrated its capabilities in high-speed low level flight, with crews flying as close to complex terrain as possible in order to evade air defenses, this however did result in one notable crash in which a T.553 routing back out from a drop crashed into a nearby valley wall with the loss of all crew.

Operators
Ringerike
 * Ringerike: In service with the Royal Ringerike Air Force

Kironia'''
 * Kironia''': Kironian Defence Force Operates the T.553.

 Theyka
 * Te Tauaarangi o Theyka has operated 19 T.553A, introduced in 1966. Currently phased out in favor of more recent, indigenous designs.

First Generation

 * T.553A Konge:: Standard Airlifter variant introduced in 1963
 * ST.553B Ragnarök: Original Gunship model entering service in 1965
 * ET.553C Hermóðr: Submarine Communications Relay model entering service in 1969

Second Generation

 * T.553D Konge:: Updated second production run airlifter variant introduced in 1987
 * ET.553E Loki: Electronic Warfare model entering service in 1990
 * ET.553F Hermóðr: Submarine Communications Relay model entering service in 2002
 * ST.553G Ragnarök: Updated Gunship model entering service in 2006

Specifications
General Characteristics


 * Crew:
 * 2 - 3 flight crew + 1 - 2 loadmasters [Transport versions]
 * 3 flight crew + 2 loadmasters + 2 instructors [Trainer versions]
 * 3 flight crew + 10 mission crew [Comms/EW/Gunship versions]
 * 3 flight crew + 2 loadmasters + 12 - 18 medical personnel [Medevac versions]
 * Capacity:
 * Cargo Compartment: 17.2 m long; 3.15 m wide; 2.98 m high
 * 93 troops
 * 58 - 61 fully-equipped paratroopers
 * 77 - 88 lightly-equipped paratroopers
 * 62 litters in high-density configuration with no medical support
 * Up to 36 litters for low-dependency patients with medical support
 * Up to 4 litters for high-dependency patients with medical support
 * Length:
 * 32.4 m [T.553A]
 * 33.6 m [T.553D]
 * Wingspan: 40 m
 * Height:
 * 12.36 m [T.553A]
 * 11.65 m [T.553D]
 * Empty Weight:
 * 28946 kg [T.553A]
 * 28000 kg [T.553D]
 * Payload Weight: 16000 kg
 * Fuel Capacity:
 * 13194 kg or 16410 L [T.553A]
 * 22553 kg or 28050 L [T.553D]
 * Maximum Takeoff Weight:
 * 49150 kg [T.553A]
 * 51000 kg [T.553D]
 * Power Plant:
 * 2× xxxx engines [T.553A]
 * Power: 4222 kW each
 * 2× xxxx engines [Ba-2N/T.553D]
 * Power: 4485 kW each

Performance


 * Maximum Speed: 513 km/h
 * Stall Speed: 177 km/h flaps down
 * Range:
 * Combat Range: 1850 km with 16000 kg payload
 * Combat Range: 5000 km with 8500 kg payload
 * Ferry Range: 8850 km
 * Service Ceiling: 8230 m
 * Rate of Climb: 6.6 m/s
 * Takeoff Distance: 650 m
 * Landing Distance: 580 m

Armament


 * ST.553G Ragnarök
 * 1x Kanon 04 derived Short 105mm Howitzer
 * 1x Twin 35×228mm Autocannon derived from LvK.58
 * 1x Lett Automatisk Kanon 73 20×102 mm Autocannon

Avionics
 * AnterNavi navigation system
 * Weather radar
 * Air-to-Ground Attack Radar [Gunship versions]
 * EO/Low-Light/Thermal Imaging Camera [Gunship versions]
 * RF ECM
 * DIRCM [Gunship versions]
 * Chaff/flare dispensers