PZL C-145A Combat Coyote

The PZL C‑145A Combat Coyote is a twin‑engine, turboprop utility aircraft developed by Poland’s PZL‑Mielec in the late 1990s as an evolution of the earlier C‑145 Skytruck. Building on the proven PZL‑M28 Dromader airframe, the C‑145A was reinforced and equipped with modern avionics to meet NATO standards for tactical transport, surveillance and light attack missions. First flight took place in 1999, and the type entered service with the Polish Air Force in 2003, later finding customers in several Central and Eastern European air forces as well as in Africa and the Middle East.

Key features include a 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney PT6A‑27 turboprop, a reinforced steel tube fuselage, rear‑mounted cargo ramp, and a modular mission bay that can accommodate paratroopers, medical stretchers, or weapon stations. The aircraft can be fitted with forward‑firing machine guns, rockets or light missiles, while its glass cockpit provides dual‑redundant flight‑management systems and night‑vision compatible displays. Its short‑take‑off and landing capability on unprepared strips makes it valuable for austere environments.

The Combat Coyote’s blend of rugged simplicity, low operating cost and multi‑role flexibility has kept it relevant for over two decades, highlighting PZL‑Mielec’s continued influence in tactical aviation and supporting NATO’s logistics and reconnaissance needs.

PZL Mielec

PZL C-145A Combat Coyote

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