HF-3 Karasu Tengu

The HF-3 is a family of aircraft designed by Japan for interception, air superiority, ground attack, and naval operations.

This is a rare aircraft, intended as a multipurpose fighter with exceptional maneuverability characteristics. It has variable-sweep wings, moving canards, folding wings, and as a complex turbine and trust vectoring system. It requires a skilled pilot to take advantage of its abilities. Payload space is limited, due to the space taken up by mechanical systems. It carries small missiles and must sometimes rely on its cannon. Newer versions have hardpoints on the rear top, and on the stationary wing stubs where the swing mechanism is housed. Swiveling hardpoints on the wings have been experimented with but not implemented yet. Various versions have been offered for export, but, due to their price, remain rare. The name is often abbreviated as HF-KT or KT.

In foreign service it is known as the Lampades.

Types

HF-3T3 (first service model)
HF-3T4 (updated, some mechanical issues fixed, external hardpoints)
HF-3T5 Karasu-Tengu II (improved stealth characteristics, two tail fins)
HF-3T4X Plus (experimental version with swiveling hardpoints on wings)
HF-3T45 Karasu-Tengu II+ (Theoretical HF-3T5 with swiveling hardpoints)