Hawker-Beechcraft T-6
Super Tucano
Very similar looking....
Posted on 08/27/2009 7:17:59 AM PDT by markomalley
The Air Force spent years fighting to keep building the $350 million F-22 fighter, an airplane crammed with so much gee-whiz technology there's a law barring it from being sold to any other nation. But since no other nation is building such a plane to challenge it, the F-22 has become a costly investment with an uncertain payoff, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates just killed it. That sent an unmistakable message to the two new top Air Force officials Gates recently appointed, and now the service is seeking 100 slower, lower-flying and far cheaper airplanes — most likely prop-driven — that it can use to kill insurgents today and use to train local pilots — such as Afghans or Iraqis — tomorrow.
The list of requirements for what the Air Force is calling its Light Attack Armed Reconnaissance plane is fairly basic, and harkens back to the Vietnam-era A-1 Skyraider. It must be capable of flying 900-mile missions at up to 200 miles per hour (compared with up to 1500 mph for the F-22), including at night and poor weather. It will carry guns and rockets, along with a pair of 500-pound bombs, according to an Air Force solicitation issued last month. It will have to fly to and from dirt airfields where the only ground support is fuel. The its two pilots will have warning systems for enemy radars and missiles, an armored cockpit and self-sealing fuel tanks — and ejection seats if those protections fail. It should convert from an attack plane to a trainer by simply removing those weapons.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Radar profile looks pretty high.
A-10s fly over Lake of the Ozarks from the AFB just north of us nearly every day.
Sounds like the Il-2 Sturmovik or the tank-busting version of the JU-87 Stuka. Not sure that this kind of aircraft is going to survive with radar-guided guns and MANPADS.
I guess it’s “Back to the Future” at Gates’ Pentagon.
I imagine they could build a decent biplane for about ... oh ... $200M each.
you just put a smile on my face!!!!!!!!
On point! We need the Raptor; the cost of NOT having enough is far, far greater that its total outlay.
Hawker-Beechcraft T-6
Super Tucano
Very similar looking....
A modified crop duster.
When I was an Army Infantry Sergent in Germany in the 80’s, one flew 100+ feet over our position. It came up from behind us and flew directly over my track. Never heard a thing till is was already flying past us. Damn scary to know that you would have been dead and never even see it coming.
Once the F-22 and such have eliminated air threats, we can hit the ground with next-generation UAVs. You can put guns and rockets on them too, besides missiles and bombs.
oh c’mon.....i do not recommend pulling the prints from 1950 and building it..there are some excellent propeller driven attack planes out there, design and build would be inexpensive compared to 4th or 5th generation aircraft...the platform is a starting point..
The arsenal of democracy has been torn down, dismantled, crated up, shipped out, retired and outsourced.
If telling that truth makes me an evil protectionist, so be it. (Personally I prefer the term “Self preservationist”)
Whatever they come-up with should probably be operated by the Army. It would be a nice complement to the AH-64. If the USAF gets a hold of it, they'll want to do deeper interdiction missions, put some radar in it, and before you know it you won't be able to afford it.
A1 is a great example of 1950s technology answer to the CAS/CI problem.
A10 has become a great example of 1970s airframe augmented by 1990s avionics answer to the same problem.
I'd like to think we've learned a few things since then, so that A-next will make both of them look wimpy.
Trouble is we currently have an anti-American poltroon in the White House.
Maybe we're on the same page, then ...
Don't be silly, Bozo knows we need tanks not Chariots so he is going to have GM tool up for the M4. It won WWII didn't it?/SAR
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.