The prototype had problems with rough field landings.
Posted on 02/29/2012 3:09:48 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
US Air Force cancels deal for Brazilian-made aircraft
AFP - The US Air Force has canceled a $355 million contract for a light attack aircraft made by Brazil's Embraer, saying it would open an investigation after protests from a rival US aerospace firm, officials said Tuesday.
The contract for 20 Embraer AT-29 Super Tucano aircraft was awarded in December as part of plans to arm the Afghan military amid a NATO troop drawdown.
But the US Air Force said it was not "satisfied" with the paperwork supporting the decision to hand the project to US-based Sierra Nevada Corporation, in partnership with Embraer.
The US military wants to provide a light aircraft for Afghan's air fleet to conduct flight training, aerial reconnaissance and combat support operations for ground troops.
The AT-29 Super Tucano is a turboprop aircraft designed for low threat environments.
However Hawker Beechcraft Corp, based in Wichita, Kansas, protested the award, arguing that its AT-6 plane was unfairly shut out of the competition.
Embraer officials denied the allegations but were unable to stop a government investigation.
"Today, the Air Force advised the Department of Justice that it will take corrective action on the Afghanistan Light Air Support contract and will set aside the contract award to Sierra Nevada effective March 2, 2012," the Air Force said in a statement.
"While we pursue perfection, we sometimes fall short, and when we do we will take corrective action," Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said in the same statement.
He added that the service's senior acquisition executive "is not satisfied with the quality of the documentation supporting the award decision" but did not elaborate, citing pending litigation.
The statement also said the head of Air Force Materiel Command, General Donald Hoffman, has launched an investigation into
(Excerpt) Read more at france24.com ...
Afghani military should only get Burkas...they can be as invisible as their women are to them, then. Screw Afghanistan. Nuke it from Orbit; it’s the only way to be sure.
The prototype had problems with rough field landings.
Yeah, those were tests of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System
which used a couple of lightweight missiles
One of the things that killed Hawker Beechcraft's chances in the June fly-offs was the AT-6's handling problem with an asymmetric weapons load ie about a 500lb streamline shape hanging off one wing.
Ah lets see... jack up the wing, hammer out the dents, bend the landing gear back into place, air up the tires and put a new spinner thing on the front and you’re ready to go. Joe’s Service Center can have you back in the air by mid afternoon.
:-)
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