HELWAN HA-300 LIGHT SUPERSONIC INTERCEPTOR

The Helwan HA-300 was an Egyptian interceptor from the post-war period. The prototype flight took place in March 1964. The length of the aircraft was 12.4 meters with a wingspan of 5.84 meters. The propulsion was provided by a single turbojet engine: Bristol Orpheus or Brander E-300. The deck armament was to consist of two 30mm Hispano cannons or two 23mm NR-23 cannons. The machine would also be able to carry four air-to-air missiles. The design of the aircraft, which would later be called the Helwan HA-300, was developed by the famous German aircraft constructor Willy Messerschmitt, initially for the Hispano Aviacion aircraft plant. Later, however, it was bought by the Egyptian side, which also recruited the designer himself for further work on it. The Austrian aircraft engine designer Ferdinand Brandner, who developed a completely new engine for the new machine, also joined the project at one point in its work. Ultimately, 7 aircraft of this type were built, 6 of which entered the line in the Egyptian Air Force. However, the program was discontinued in May 1969. The reasons for such a decision are not clear-cut and it is most often assumed that they resulted from the high costs of the entire program, but political considerations, especially Egypt's military cooperation with the USSR, were also important.