Atlas Carver

Atlas Carver
Role Fighter/ground attack aircraft
National origin South Africa
Manufacturer Atlas Aircraft Corporation
Status Cancelled in 1991
Primary user South African Air Force
Number built None


The Atlas Carver (sometimes referred to as "CAVA") was a project launched in the 1980s by the South African Atlas Aircraft Corporation to replace the aging Canberra, Buccaneer, and Mirage III in the South African Air Force. The Atlas Cheetah was a total upgrade of the Mirage III, but it was only an interim solution until the late 90s when the Carver would have entered into service. The project was necessated by the arms embargo imposed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 418 against Apartheid South Africa of the time.

The Carver project was canceled in 1991.[1] President F.W. de Klerk mentioned its cancellation in parliament along with the six nuclear weapons in the early 1990s. Upwards of 10 billion Rand had been spent on the project already as well as a mock-up to test systems placement. Comprehensive wind tunnel tests and a host of related work had been completed.

The design was to be a fly by wire (FBW) unstable design constructed from a large percentage of composites.

See also

References

  1. "South Africa drops fighter development". Flight International. 19 February 1991. Retrieved 2009-07-27.

External links

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