Shipbucket

IMHO, I would fit no radar at all.. I can´t recall a single radar equipped COIN aircraft... I think that the MST for targeting + a dedicated FLIR for piloting will be more that enough. According to wikipedia, early MQ-1 Predators have a SAR but was removed as it didn't offer nothing that the MST can´t do.
The newer MQ-9 Reaper & other UCAVs use AN/APY-8 Lynx or AN/ZPY-1 STARLite SARs, but they are mainly used for Radar Imagery, although they can provide GMTI (I don´t know if they can modified to provide also Air MTI to be used as a kind of air search radar ...) ...but these are expensive, and maybe I will use them in a podded version when Battlefield Surveillance is needed, or just in certain versions, but not built-in on every example...

I really like your drawings and appreciate your outstanding talent, but this particular design seems to me like a Jack of all trades, master of none... not so capable (in equipment and performances) as a true interdictor, neither not so cheap and simple for COIN... But I always say, its just my entirely well-intentioned opinion, you don´t have to agree...

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WIP:
Argentine Socialist Republic AU

Nice design, but I agree with concerns about landing gear - after all for a rough field aircraft with propellers you want as much clearance as possible.

Well. Those were a nice thing to see after returning to my PC.

Radar does have a place on COIN aircraft for GMTI and SAR amongst other things, a full fire-control set would be superfluous however. Something like iMaster or PicoSAR would be ideal. There's plenty of scope for a centreline pod with the systems in such as that offered by Moog. IMO a combination of an MX-15 or Star Safire 380 HLD and iMaster would be your ideal sensor setup for COIN / CRW work.

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AU Projects: | Banbha et al. | New England: The Divided States
Blood and Fire

A dedicated variant for tactical ELINT/SIGINT/photo-recon along the lines of the OV-1D Mohawk might prove viable.

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>"Emotions are prohibited." —YoRHa No. 2, Type B ("2B"), NieR: Automata
>"Wow, if I wasn't a hardened killing machine, that mightta hurt..." —SSgt. John Lugo (1st SFOD-D), Spec Ops: The Line

It very much is (or at least has been developed as) a jack of all trades. Recherche is rich enough to afford an aircraft of this capability but not rich enough to afford (or doesn't have a pressing need for) multiple specialised platforms. If a more capable interdictor is needed then there is the strike version of the Tempest, and COIN isn't really high enough priority for Recherche to have a platform just for that alone (rather than a more multi-purpose platform like the Halestorm).

Regarding the radar, I included one for similar reasons to the Ka-52 (and I guess also the Longbow Apache but nose-mounted) and initially with some terrain following ability (that could now be provided by a separate pod mounted system if it's required at all). As the design progressed GMTI and SAR (basically similar setups to UAVs like the MQ-9 Reaper) became more of a focus. I'll have a look at Blackbuck's suggestions and have a think about options.
I'll look at moving the sensor suite back a bit, just have to make sure it doesn't then impact the centreline hardpoint
That's definitely a possibility I can look in to.

EDIT: What about the Seaspray family of radars?

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Seaspray 7000E or Vixen 500E would be plausible sets IMO if you're looking at Selex stuff. Not sure about their ability to provide target quality coordinates off the top of my head though.

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AU Projects: | Banbha et al. | New England: The Divided States
Blood and Fire

@Rowdy36
What about making nosewheel and gimball asymetrical (like in A-10)?

Why not have them as Command and Control aircraft for "simpler" aircraft like the Thunderstroke, a guidance and fellow strike aircraft. The Halestorm goes in first, lights it up and gathers information for further strikes by the Thunderstrokes, like a strike capable Forward Air Controller?

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"It is better to type nothing and be assumed an ass, than to type something and remove all doubt." - Me

That's an option, but it would then potentially limit the fuselage side hardpoints. It should be fine just moving back a bit I think, but otherwise what about mounting it below one of the engine pods?
That would fit in pretty well with its capabilities/role so I'll probably go with that option

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After a year and a half I'm finally posting something new in this thread, the Hale Typhoon:

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